The Cosy Little Cupcake Van: A deliciously feel-good romance

by Annette Hannah

  Camilla was going to make sure that she could fulfil her mum’s lifelong wish by scattering her ashes in every place mentioned in the book. She offered her glass up for a toast with her travel companion.

  ‘To my mum,’ she said, her heart bursting with pride for the woman who had raised her.

  ‘To Iris,’ said Auntie Edie as she clinked the glasses together.

  ‘I’m so glad you could come. It means so much to me. You’ve always been such a wonderful friend to Mum and I.’ She dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

  Auntie Edie hugged her. ‘I’m surprised you didn’t take Ged up on his offer to travel round the world. But I’m so glad I could join you; you mean the world to me and you know I loved your mum like a daughter. If I’m honest I loved her more than my own daughter.’ She giggled naughtily. She took her knitting out of her bag and was soon zoned into the relaxing click-clack of the needles.

  ‘No, he has definitely gone alone. He’s sent me a couple of pictures of Thai beaches so I’m sure he’s having a ball,’ said Camilla.

  ‘Any more news on Blake?’ asked Edie without looking up from her knitting.

  Camilla was relieved that Auntie Edie couldn’t see her face as it was burning up at the sound of his name. ‘Erm, no, not really apart from flowers arriving! Although, I did have a call from his bloody ex-wife.’

  ‘Really? What did she want?’ Edie had stopped mid stitch.

  Camilla took a sip of champagne, allowing the ice-cold bubbles to fizz in her mouth for a while before tickling her throat; she wasn’t sure whether she liked it as it seemed to have a funny aftertaste.

  ‘She wanted to explain; she said it was all her fault. Apparently, with her dementia her grandma had forgotten they were divorced, and she loved Blake a lot and wanted him to be at her ninetieth birthday party. Blake had loved her too and that’s why he agreed to go along with it all.’

  ‘Why do people have such complicated lives?’ asked Edie, shaking her head as she commenced her knitting again.

  ‘I really don’t know, but his ex is actually married to someone else and that’s who the baby belongs to. Why Blake had to get involved is beyond me. And why couldn’t he have just told me beforehand?’ She folded her arms and looked out of the window but couldn’t see much except clouds.

  ‘What would you have said if he’d told you?’ Edie rolled her eyes, knowing full well what her answer would be.

  Camilla was flummoxed. She knew she wouldn’t have been happy about it but she couldn’t really stop him. She took another sip of champagne and shrugged her shoulders. ‘I really don’t know.’

  ‘You know what Blake’s problem is, don’t you?’

  Camilla’s heart fluttered and sent ripples through her body at the mere mention of his name. ‘I could probably think of a few.’

  ‘He’s a sucker for an old lady and his heart is far too big. I’m sure he would have done the same for me if I was confused and dying. Rightly or wrongly with what this ex-wife has done, I’m sure his intentions were to make an old lady a little bit happier on her deathbed. How self-centred of him. He is such a villain; I’m not surprised you never want to see him again.’

  ‘I suppose if you put it like that then he’s not all bad. In fact his ex-wife told me that her gran did sadly die two days after her birthday.’

  ‘So if he rang you then you would talk to him?’

  ‘He can’t because I’ve blocked his number.’

  ‘Then why not unblock it and stop wasting precious time,’ she said, accidentally dropping the white ball of wool onto the floor.

  Camilla laughed. ‘Okay maybe I will once we get there.’ She bent between the seats to retrieve the wool. ‘Anyway, what is it you’re knitting? It looks tiny.’

  ‘It’s a baby’s cardigan; I’ve already made the bobble hat and bootees to match. Here look,’ said Edie, her voice filled with pride as she pulled them out of her bag.

  ‘They’re adorable.’ Camilla took them from her and admired the intricate stitching of little hearts in the pattern. ‘Who are they for?’

  ‘A very good friend of mine – you might know her actually. Hold on, I have a picture of her somewhere.’ She rifled through her heavy Mary Poppins bag and pulled out a circular disc with a faded picture of Venice on it. She handed it to Camilla who frowned at it and looked back at Edie whilst chewing on the inside of her cheek as she tried to work out what to do with it.

  ‘Here, give it to me; it’s the wrong way round.’ She flipped the disc over and Camilla realised on seeing her reflection that it was a mirror. She looked back at Edie and then back into the mirror, searching it as though she expected a photograph to magically appear on it. Edie tapped her knitting needle on the mirror.

  ‘There, look – there’s my special friend.’

  ‘But why are you knitting these for me?’ She waved the bootees, which were now on her fingers.

  ‘Because, my darling girl, I recognise the signs – those dark shadows under your eyes, you couldn’t drink the tea in my house the other day and just in general I have a sixth sense about these things. You mark my words.’

  Camilla pulled her phone out of her pocket to check her notes. She scrolled through endless shopping lists and cupcake recipes until she found what she was looking for.

  ‘Ah, here it is now, let me see: monthly schedule.’ She took a loud and sharp intake of breath and her hand clasped over her mouth. ‘Edie, I’m actually two weeks late but that doesn’t mean—’

  ‘Told you,’ said Edie with unwavering confidence. ‘I’m never wrong.’

  She wrapped the wool around the needles to store safely in her bag until they’d eaten their food that had just been placed in front of them.

  ‘Would you like a nice glass of champagne with dinner, ladies?’ asked the steward.

  Camilla was ashen-faced and still staring into space.

  ‘Yes please for me and a glass of water too for my friend,’ Edie replied. When the steward had moved on, she clicked her fingers in front of Camilla’s face. ‘Earth to Camilla, is there anyone in there?’

  Camilla turned to her, eyes brimming. ‘I wish my mum could be here for this moment. I didn’t expect to have to live my life without her.’ She clutched Edie’s hand and cried without making a sound.

  ‘Now you listen to me, young lady, life is dreadfully cruel sometimes and your mum was taken far too soon but don’t think she has ever left you for one minute. She is around you all the time and if you ever want to feel close to her then just look in the mirror because you are the image of her.’

  Edie held the mirror to Camilla’s face and gently stroked the tears away from her cheek with her other hand.

  ‘Your mum is the sunlight glinting in your eyes, the curve of your mouth when you smile, the sound of your laugh when you feel joy and the beating of your heart as you live the life that she gave you. And now that you have another heart beating inside you, you will be able to pass on all of the love that your mum gave to you.’ Edie squeezed Camilla’s hand as she sniffed and sobbed quietly. ‘And one more thing: if you need any more proof that your mum lives on, you wait until this little one looks at you in a certain way, or yawns or smiles and you see your mum in him or her. That is the most wondrous feeling ever.’

  Camilla hugged the old lady who always knew the right thing to say. ‘Thank you so much, Edie, I love you.’

  ‘I love you too, darling girl.’ She kissed her gently on her damp cheek, then took her tray from the air hostess who was standing patiently waiting. ‘Why don’t we tuck in to this delicious food. Don’t forget you’re eating for two now.’

  Camilla smiled. She loved the confidence with which Edie spoke but the smell of food turned her stomach. The only thing she managed to swallow were a few chunks of the dry bread roll that she tore apart with her fingers. It helped to calm the nausea and settle her stomach but didn’t help to sort out her unsettled mind. Whilst Edie drifted off to sleep Camilla decided that the first thing she would do when she got to
the hotel was find a chemist and buy a pregnancy test.

  She closed her own eyes for a minute or two and her thoughts turned to the day she had visited Edie to invite her on holiday. The anger had built up inside her like she’d swallowed a volcano and she imagined if her temperature rose any more she would be blowing steam out of her nostrils like a cartoon bull. She’d put the scrapbook in her shoulder bag and was about to pull it out and present it to Edie like a magician pulling a white dove out of thin air when Edie called her to the window.

  ‘Here quickly.’ She gestured with her fingers for Camilla to hurry and join her. Edie put her arm around her young friend’s shoulders as they waited. Bella and Bertie squawked excitedly. ‘Any minute now, just you watch.’

  Camilla was feeling more than a little on edge. She couldn’t imagine what she was supposed to be looking at and was eager to surprise Edie with her amazing idea.

  ‘Quick, quick look, they’re coming.’

  Camilla saw a young woman walking along past her little cupcake van and heading towards her mum’s house. Holding on to her hand was a little girl of about four or five with plaits in her hair. She skipped along in her red and grey uniform, her mouth constantly in motion as she chatted happily to her mummy. They began to walk up the path and Camilla’s hand flew to her mouth in shock as she saw the woman reach into her bag for a key and push it into the lock of her mum’s house. A sob escaped her lips.

  ‘They’re such a lovely little family,’ said Edie with affection. ‘She’s a single mum just like yours was and you were the same age as that little one when you first moved in. I thought I’d lost my marbles when I first saw them. It was as if I’d gone back in time.’ Edie moved into the hall and headed to the kitchen. ‘I spoke to her and she said she would never have been able to afford it at the normal price.’ She shouted down the hall to Camilla. ‘So, I suppose some good has come out of it all, as that awful man reduced the price to get a quick sale. I’ll just put the kettle on and…’

  She was interrupted mid flow by the sound of the front door opening and Camilla shouting, ‘Excuse me,’ as she ran across the road.

  ‘Oh no, I thought you were ready for this,’ she heard Edie calling after her.

  Camilla could feel her heart pounding in her ears as she raced up the path to the surprised-looking lady who still had her key in the lock. The little girl peered up at her through big round eyes.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ said Camilla. ‘This is, I mean this used to be my house.’

  ‘Did it really? When?’ asked the little girl.

  Camilla glanced at Auntie Edie. ‘Oh it was a long time ago now.’ Auntie Edie blinked and gave a gentle nod.

  ‘Mummy said I can have a kitten if I keep my new room tidy. It’s pink. Would you like to see it?’

  Camilla felt a pull on her heartstrings but didn’t answer the question. ‘Do you see that little van over there?’ she asked instead.

  The little girl nodded. ‘It’s an ice cream van.’

  ‘If you look really carefully you can see that it’s actually got cupcakes on it and if Mummy says it’s okay you can have some cupcakes.’

  ‘Oh yes, look, Mummy it’s a cupcake van. I’ve never seen one of those before. Can I have a cupcake, pleeeeeease?’

  The lady looked at her daughter and laughed.

  ‘Come on then.’ Camilla’s smile was bigger than the little girl’s as they crossed the road to the van. ‘My name is Jilly and this is my daughter Emily, by the way.’

  ‘I’m Camilla and it’s lovely to meet you both.’ She climbed into the van and put the chimes on much to the delight of Emily and her mum. Camilla slid open the serving window and picked up a cupcake. ‘Right, will that be chocolate or vanilla topping for you?’

  ‘Chocolate, chocolate,’ shouted Emily.

  ‘Please,’ her mum reminded her.

  ‘Please,’ she said sweetly.’

  Camilla decorated and put six of them into a box. Jilly pulled her purse out from her bag and opened it.

  ‘Oh no, this is my treat; it can be a little housewarming present.’

  ‘If you’re sure, that’s lovely, thank you,’ said Jilly. ‘Okay, Emily, hold this box very carefully and say thank you to Camilla.’

  ‘Thank you, Camilla.’ Emily concentrated really hard.

  Jilly placed her hand on her shoulder and steered her back to the house. ‘Would you like to come in for a cuppa?’ she shouted over her shoulder.

  The gesture was so unexpected that Camilla felt bile rise up from her stomach at the thought of being in there again. Her face blanched and she felt a warm hand at the small of her back. She looked down into Auntie Edie’s face, full of wrinkles and kindness.

  ‘Maybe not today, but thank you, Jilly.’

  Jilly waved and entered the house with her daughter. Then popped her head out of the door again. ‘By the way, did you hear about what happened to the man I bought the house from?’

  ‘Only that he did a moonlight flit?’ Camilla answered.

  ‘Well it seems he got scammed on the house he was buying in Scotland and lost every penny. The scammers hacked into his estate agents’ email, they’re so sophisticated these days aren’t they? It’s awful isn’t it?’

  ‘Terrible,’ said Camilla. She didn’t feel happy about what had happened but she felt a hell of a lot lighter, she liked to think it was her mum having the last laugh.

  ‘Flat on his arse – what did I tell you,’ muttered Edie under her breath.

  ‘Are you okay?’ She gave Camilla a squeeze, and led her back into her house.

  ‘Yes, thanks, I’m fine – just a bit of a shock, that’s all.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I probably should have warned you that somebody had moved in, they’ve been there a little while.’

  ‘No really, it’s fine. I’m fine honestly.’

  ‘Okay, lovely. In that case what was it you wanted to see me about?’

  Camilla’s eyes darted to the envelope that she’d placed on the counter in her haste to decorate the cupcakes for Emily. ‘How do you fancy a little trip to Hawaii? I’ve got a £1000 voucher we can share.’

  ‘Are you serious? That sounds amazing, love. Do you know what? Your mum would be so proud of the woman you’ve become.’

  A ripple of warmth spread through Camilla. ‘I know,’ she replied with complete certainty that she’d made the right decision. There were some nasty people in this world and sometimes horrible things happened to nice people but guess what? She was fine.

  Lost in the memory she had drifted off to sleep until the air hostess woke her to put her seatbelt on ready for landing.

  Chapter 38

  It hardly seemed like five minutes ago when they’d arrived and were greeted with kisses, and leis made of kika and Jasmine blossoms had been placed around their necks. They had drunk virgin cocktails on the beach, tasted delicious fresh foods bursting with colour at luau buffets and laughed whilst being pulled up to join in the hula dancing by the hotel entertainers. The week had flown by in a blur and now it was time for Edie to go home.

  Camilla, her skin kissed by the Polynesian sun, held Edie close to her and squeezed her tight.

  ‘Thank you so much, Auntie Edie. I never could have gone through all this without you.’ The old lady, who had been pleasantly plump for most of her life, felt like skin and bone beneath Camilla’s arms, which reminded her of how fragile she was.

  Edie squeezed back just as tight. ‘Thank you for a lovely holiday, my darling girl, and it was a pleasure sharing in your special moments. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay for the second week but Bella and Bertie would miss me too much and be swearing at the neighbours even more.’

  Camilla sniffed. She thought back to a couple of days ago when they had taken a cruise on a glass-bottomed boat. A whole new world had opened up to them in the form of live tropical reefs, sea turtles, which were known as honu, and schools of tropical fish, which darted this way and that in a blaze of colour. They had watched the sunset from the ri
ppling water and neither had ever seen a more beautiful sight. Camilla noticed Edie’s eyes had taken on a glassy look, her face wistful. She had smiled at Camilla.

  ‘Are you ready?’

  Camilla answered with a nod and her own eyes filled up as she took the urn out of her beach bag. They each held it and shook the ashes out into the welcoming water. Fireworks from another boat caught their attention. They held each other tightly as colours exploded into the sky with bangs that made their ears ring.

  ‘I got you here, Mum,’ whispered Camilla, ‘and I have to say that’s a pretty impressive send-off.’ As the fireworks subsided leaving a gunpowder smell in the air, they could hear music, which had been drowned out by the loud bangs. ‘Listen,’ said Camilla. Her hand flew to her mouth as it opened in surprise.

  ‘This was the song we had at Mum’s funeral, remember? She’d chosen it herself.’

  ‘I remember, darling girl,’ replied Edie as she wiped her own tears away and held her precious young friend whilst her body shook with sobs as they listened to the haunting sound of ‘Time to Say Goodbye’, sung by the powerful voice of Sarah Brightman.

  ‘Now I don’t want you to get mad, but someone asked me to give you something from them at this moment,’ said Edie.

  Camilla had no idea what it could be and watched as she rummaged in her bag and pulled out a small gift box. She held it in her hands before turning it this way and that. Eventually she pulled the ribbon and opened it to find a heart-shaped pink stone in a silver setting. From the inscription inside the box she could see that the stone had a sprinkling of her mum’s ashes in it. Her breath caught in her throat, she gently untangled the chain from the box and kissed the stone, before fastening it around her neck and then holding the pendant in her hand. ‘I love it so much.

  ‘So, you’ll forgive me for stealing some when they were at my house?’

  ‘Of course I will. I love it. I must admit once I’d scattered the ashes, I felt quite bereft. This is the most wonderful and thoughtful present I’ve ever had. Was it Blake?’