Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
‘C an I go to Grandpa’s house?’ Lucas asks, as I make him his breakfast and at the same time reply to Phoebe’s latest WhatsApp message to Esme and me – titled, ‘Would either of you date a man who likes to send lavender scented love letters?’
Hearing Lucas say this makes my heart ache. There has been no word from Dad since we argued over a week ago. Lucas has asked me every day if we can go see him. With some unexpected help from Pete, I have juggled the childcare and the school runs this past week. Dad normally helps with Lucas, but he hasn’t contacted me to arrange any days.
‘We will see Grandpa soon,’ I say, putting his cereal in front of him.
‘I miss Grandpa and Bean,’ groans Lucas.
Leaning against the work surface I close my eyes and rub my temples. The ongoing situation with Dad and the visit from the award judges on Wednesday is getting to me. It’s Sunday and the café is closed today which is a blessing as I am tired, and I don’t know what to do about Dad. Noah is coming over later and we’re going to play football on the beach with Lucas as the weather is going to be warm and sunny. Jake is meeting us too, which will be nice.
After I have replied to Phoebe’s message with a ‘Definitely, everyone loves a scented love letter,’ and smile at her shocked face emoji response, I find Dad’s mobile number. My finger hovers over the text message button. I want to tell him that this has gone on for long enough and it’s making Lucas upset. I stop and scroll up at the ‘talk to me, Dad’ text messages I have been sending him since we fell out. He’s read each one but has not replied. I stop myself from sending him another which he will ignore.
Once he’s finished Lucas runs off to get ready for his first shower of the day. I wash up his cereal bowl with a smile and go to help him.
Noah turns up later. He’s wearing a white T-shirt, navy blue knee-length shorts and trainers. His blond hair is messy and windswept. He looks so handsome I can’t help but kiss him before we have said hello.
‘This is a nice welcome,’ he says, with a grin. ‘How are you?’
I force out a smile, but Noah reads my mind. ‘You’re worried about your dad?’
‘Lucas keeps asking about going to see him.’
Noah lets out a heavy sigh. ‘I never thought us getting back together after all these years would make your father behave like this. Alice, I’m so sorry. Look, tell him I will never step inside his house or go anywhere near him.’
‘That’s not practical, Noah. We can’t spend the rest of our lives making sure Dad never encounters you.’
Lucas rushes into the living room and grins at Noah. ‘Do you like football?’
Noah nods. ‘I’m brilliant at football.’
Lucas giggles. ‘Not as good as me.’
Noah rises from the sofa. ‘Let’s go and see how good you are, Lucas.’
Lucas leaps into the air and cheers.
We’re on the beach. Jake has arrived and volunteered to go in the makeshift goal. Noah and Lucas are taking it in turns to score goals. I love the way Noah is helping set up goals for Lucas and giving him advice on how to kick the ball.
Phoebe’s messages throughout the day have been making me smile. Her latest question to Esme and me is:
Would you date a man with over-the-top flowery handwriting and who writes cryptic messages about you being his anchor? I don’t want to be anyone’s anchor.
Someone comes to sit next to me on the towel. I look up to see Lilly from the ice-cream parlour smiling at me. She gives me a nudge. ‘I wanted to say thank you for the advice about not dating Elliot, Sunny’s friend,’ she says, tucking her long brown legs under her. ‘It was good advice.’
‘I’m glad. How are you?’ I ask, noticing a new sparkle to her eyes.
She grins. ‘Well, I got the manager’s job of the ice-cream parlour in Brighton. It feels the right thing to do.’
I throw my arms around her. ‘Lilly, this is great news.’
She rises to her feet, ‘I better get back. Can I ask you something?’
‘Sure.’
‘If Noah and you had kept in touch and he had returned from Ireland years ago, do you think you’d still be together now?’
I watch Noah lift a giggling Lucas into the air to stop him scoring a goal. The sight of them floods my body with happiness. ‘I don’t know, Lilly. We were both so young. What I will say is that our time apart has made what we have rekindled so special.’
She smiles. ‘Thanks, Alice. Maybe Sunny and I will meet again in the future?’
‘You never know, Lilly. Now, go to Brighton and enjoy yourself.’
As Lilly walks away my phone vibrates. It is Pam, the cake supplier. Why is she phoning me on a Sunday? ‘Hello, Pam.’
‘Alice,’ she gasps, ‘my ex-husband has broken both his arms. He played five-a-side football for the first time in years yesterday and the silly old fool clattered into another player. He’s now in hospital.’
‘Oh, Pam, I’m sorry to hear that.’
‘Alice, I can’t supply your cakes.’
My heart grinds to a halt and the blood drains away from my face. ‘Oh… I see.’
‘My ex-husband is the baker, Alice. The wholesale business doesn’t run without him.’
I gulp as my brain goes into a tailspin. We can’t run out of cakes and pastries the week the judge comes.
‘Don’t you have someone in reserve?’
‘No, we don’t because my ex-husband is too pig-headed. Our business is screwed with this accident, Alice. I was stressed before this; now I’m on the edge of a nervous breakdown.’ Her voice is wavering and crackling. She’s emotional.
‘Okay, Pam, calm down and take a breath. Let me go and think about this.’
‘Alice, I know this is an important week for you. I am so sorry.’
‘I’ll get back in touch later. Take it easy, Pam.’
She lets out a nervous laugh. ‘With all our bills to pay and all our customers expecting cakes, I can’t take it easy.’
Noah comes over as I end the call. He sits down beside me, and I tell him what’s happened.
‘I will have to find a new wholesale supplier,’ I say, hugging my knees. ‘We will cope somehow. What a week for this to happen. I feel sorry for Pam. This accident will put her business back weeks.’
Noah shakes his head. ‘There’s one person who can help us and Pam.’
‘Who?’
‘Your dad.’
I stare at him. ‘Dad?’
He nods. ‘We need to go see your father and sort out this mess once and for all.’ He helps me to my feet. ‘Jake, any chance you could have Lucas for an hour or so?’
Jake gives us a thumbs-up. ‘Alice, give me your key and I’ll go watch Batman with him.’
After saying goodbye to Lucas, Noah and I head for Dad’s house.
As we walk, Noah takes out his phone.
‘Who are you texting?’
He looks at me. ‘My father.’
I gasp. Noah nods. ‘It’s time they talked to each other.’
Once we arrive at Dad’s house I knock on the door. I am trembling and all the saliva in my mouth has drained away. Noah is standing beside me on Dad’s doorstep.