Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
I t’s Friday, the day Lucas and I move into our new home above the ice-cream parlour. Noah left for Ireland yesterday. It was an emotional goodbye and I tried not to listen to my brain telling me history was repeating itself. We all know what happened the last time Noah left for Ireland.
We asked Jake, Frankie’s boyfriend, if he would help on a temporary basis. Jake agreed as his father was out of hospital and making good progress after his stroke. I have the afternoon off work as Jake is covering for me.
Dad seems to have forgotten about our heated discussion on Sunday and has been helping me take our belongings to the new flat. We have even shared a joke or two about how much stuff I have acquired over the years.
Once I’ve made up our beds, I pull Lucas into a hug. He giggles and laughs as I tickle him. ‘Do you like our new home?’
He nods. ‘Can I have an ice cream now?’
Dad chuckles and ruffles Lucas’s mop of curls. ‘You won’t forget Grandpa and Bean, will you?’
Lucas throws himself at Dad. ‘No, silly Grandpa.’
Dad goes to the living room window. ‘What a fabulous view!’
‘It’s great, isn’t it?’ The sea is calm this evening. Waves are taking their time to reach the shore and when they do, they break with little fuss. A few chattering seagulls are circling above, and the orange sun is sitting above the horizon.
Dad nods. ‘I bet you’ll be glad to not sleep on that old camp bed tonight.’
I laugh. ‘It has crossed my mind.’
He looks at me and I feel the urge to ask him about Mum and those rumours. The words are on the tip of my tongue. I want to ask him why he can’t talk to me about what happened. I get that I was young when Mum died but there have been lots of occasions since then when we could have sat down and talked. But Noah has advised me not to say anything to Dad until he has talked to his father.
Once Dad has left, Lucas and I have a rummage through my boxes. Lucas squeals with delight after pulling out his favourite game, Hungry Hippos. To celebrate having our own place we have a game which ends with Lucas rolling about in hysterics. After a drink of warm milk, I tuck him up and read him one of his Batman stories. His eyes are closed before I’ve even finished.
My flat doorbell goes as soon as I sit down on my new sofa. It’s Phoebe and Esme clutching several bottles of wine. ‘We have to celebrate your new pad,’ says Phoebe as she steps inside and plants a soppy kiss on my cheek. ‘Congratulations, Alice.’
Esme hugs me. ‘This is a new start for you, Alice.’
We troop upstairs and they admire my new living room. ‘This is nice,’ coos Phoebe. ‘In the summer you can sit on your sofa and curtain twitch at all those hunky male surfers.’
Wine poured, Esme and I take the sofa and Phoebe sits on the floor with some of my cushions. ‘Your new hair looks amazing,’ she says, admiring Esme’s chic bob. ‘You have the cheekbones I always wanted when I was younger. The ones which give your face definition.’
Esme blushes. ‘I never knew my cheekbones existed until I had my hair cut off.’
Phoebe pats me on the knee. ‘How are you after your chat with Frankie’s mum?’
I’d updated them both on our newly created WhatsApp group chat.
‘It’s been on my mind and earlier I did want to say something to Dad, but Noah is trying to get the truth out of his father, so I stayed quiet. I didn’t know Dad was insecure about Mum and I had no idea they’d been arguing over Dave Coombes.’
Esme puts her arm over my shoulders. ‘It must be hard finding out things about your parents’ marriage.’
I nibble on my thumbnail. ‘I want to believe Mum and Dave Coombes were friends.’ We all take a drink and I wonder what Noah will uncover in Ireland. I need to change the subject as I’m feeling anxious. ‘So, how’s Liam?’ I ask Phoebe.
A grin spreads across her face. ‘We’ve stopped shouting at each other.’
‘Oh, really?’ I say, with a smirk.
She nods. ‘The other evening Flynn lost Piggy.’
Esme and I both cast her puzzled expressions. She explains, ‘Flynn still loves his comfort blankie, called Piggy. It’s a grubby pink blankie, with a smiling pig’s face on it and he still won’t sleep without it. Even though Flynn assures me he doesn’t take Piggy off his bed, Piggy goes missing. That blankie must have a mind of his own and goes missing daily, sometimes hourly. Anyway, the other evening I was taking Martha and Flynn to stay at their dad’s, and I had to go into Liam’s shop to complain about something before we left. While I am talking to Liam, Flynn drops Piggy on the floor. We leave and then an hour later my ex is having a meltdown on the phone about Piggy being missing.’
‘So, what did you do?’ I ask.
Phoebe flicks back her brown curly hair. ‘I had to phone Liam, and he came to open his shop. He bought his kids too. Anyway, I think he’s a decent guy. He showed genuine concern for Piggy and got on his hands and knees to search under his records. I was grateful when he pulled out Piggy from underneath the ‘Country & Western’ section. He offered me a cuppa once I had returned from taking Piggy over to my ex-partner’s house.’
‘Did you take up his offer?’ I ask.
She grinned. ‘He made me a cuppa and we and chatted while his kids played in the shop. He’s asked for some advice on how to do newsletters and student promos.’
Esme giggles. ‘This sounds promising.’
Phoebe shakes her head. ‘Nope. Way out of my league. His late wife must have been a model.’
‘But you like him though?’ I ask.
She laughs. ‘It’s hard not to like him, he’s so good looking and he’s one for making cheeky comments.’
‘That’s always a sign,’ I say, taking a sip of my wine.
Esme nods. ‘That’s how me and Keith started.’
Phoebe takes a swig of her wine before saying, ‘I think romance nowadays is a bit overrated. Don’t get me wrong, I love what Frankie has done with The Little Love Café, but men aren’t interested in being romantic. They’re nothing like the guys in romcom films. I think my ex-partner put me off romance.’ She turns to Esme. ‘Right, we need an update on Joy. Have you told her yet?’
Esme shakes her head. ‘Not yet, but I’m building up to it.’
‘We have faith in you,’ I say, giving her knee a tap.
Phoebe points to Celia Black’s book, Always You, the one I bought from her shop a few weeks ago, on my coffee table. ‘Did you enjoy it?’
‘Loved it,’ I gush remembering the final part where the two exes realised they still had feelings for each other. ‘Especially the end where he turned to her and said, “It was always you”.’
We chat some more, drink our wine, and relax. ‘How’s the café?’ Phoebe asks, refilling my glass.
‘Frankie wants me to work hard at turning things around again while Noah is away,’ I explain. ‘Lucky that YouTuber agreed to take down her video. I feel so bad for Frankie as he doesn’t need all my emotions ruining his business.’
Phoebe took out her phone. ‘A friend of mine messaged me today. She works at the Blue Cove Bay Chronicle . She’s seen your café and wanted me to ask whether you’ve heard about the National Award for the Most Innovative Café?’
‘No, I haven’t heard about that award. Why?’
‘Well, if I send you the link she sent me. I think The Little Love Café could do well.’
A warm bundle of excited energy shoots up my spine. ‘Do you really think so?’
‘The closing date for submissions is next week and I think the winner is announced early May. If you win, you get national press coverage and I think the owner gets a cash prize.’
Phoebe flashes me her phone to show me the details. ‘This competition could give Frankie’s café the amazing lift it needs. He can also get some much-needed kudos for coming up with the idea of The Little Love Café. With Rose being so unwell, this is the type of boost he needs right now.’
Esme places her hand on my arm. ‘Plus, it will stop you worrying about Noah.’
Phoebe looks at me. ‘You’re worried about him?’
‘I feel like it’s history repeating itself. Him going to Ireland and promising to come back.’
‘You’ve got to believe in him, Alice,’ says Esme. ‘It sounds cheesy, but you are going to have to believe in love.’
Phoebe nods. ‘Turning the café around is your version of hiking to Base Camp Everest. That’s your mountain.’