Stirred with Love

by Steele, Marcie

  ‘I’m worried that you’re getting too attached.’

  ‘I’m getting involved, Dad. The coffee shop looks fantastic now, far better than I ever imagined it would. You should be proud of what I’ve achieved.’

  ‘I am, but I’ll be prouder still when you wear your cap and gown. You’ll have better prospects. Just you wait and see.’

  Chloe sighed again. ‘I’ve got to go now, Dad,’ she finished off when she knew he wasn’t to be fobbed off. ‘I can’t talk now. I need to help out.’ She paused. ‘Wish me luck then?’

  ‘Luck? Chloe, you were born under a star.’

  Hearing him laugh made Chloe smile, but as she disconnected the call his words echoed through her head. Why did he have to spoil her mood, today of all days?

  ‘Are you finished in there yet?’ Kate banged on the bathroom door an hour later. ‘Hurry up, will you!’

  Chloe appeared within seconds. ‘Keep your knickers on, I’m done. I can’t remember the last time I had a strip down wash at the sink.’

  Kate sighed. ‘No shower - I forgot. Was that your Dad I heard you talking to earlier on?’

  ‘Yep, I’ve only been here for four weeks and already he’s hounding me to leave.’

  ‘You can’t do that! Not today anyway.’

  ‘He’s still going on about uni. This job is meant to be a stopgap but I want to have some fun too. And there’s all the customer research to do as well.’

  ‘Customer research?’ Kate frowned. Lily hadn’t mentioned anything to her.

  Chloe rolled her eyes. ‘Keeping an eye on the talent coming into the shop. I’ve got some serious flirting to catch up on.’

  Back in her bedroom, Chloe tried to detach herself from the noise, and the smell, caused by the generator. Hopefully, she flicked the light switch but the electricity was still off. She doubted it would return in time for the opening. It was quarter past eleven now.

  She stood in the middle of the room, wanting to savour the moment as she examined her reflection in the wardrobe mirror. This was the first time she’d seen her outfit altogether. Black skirt, newly ironed crisp, white shirt topped with black waistcoat, neat black apron practically unnoticeable as it blended in with the skirt, note pad and pencils pushed into its deep pockets out of the way.

  Proudly, she fingered the purple and lilac embroidered logo and then pinned on her name badge. Finally, she brushed an imaginary speck of dust off her shoulder, scrutinized her eyeliner, pouted her lips and pronounced herself ready to go.

  ‘Chloe!’ Alex gestured to her when she joined everyone downstairs. ‘There’s someone here to see you.’

  ‘Dad!’ Chloe ran into his open arms. ‘But I only spoke to you earlier…you never said you were coming. Is Ben with you?’

  Graham released his grip and smiled at his daughter. ‘No, I’ve brought Maddy along with me. She’s just parking the car. Ah, here she is now.’

  ‘Hello, Chloe,’ said Maddy as she joined them, linking her arm through Graham’s. ‘We thought we’d surprise you.’

  ‘Hi, Maddy.’ Chloe nodded curtly, at the same time noticing how fresh and youthful she looked in her outfit of dark jeans and a plain red t-shirt. She had her hair tied back from her face in a French plait, her brown eyes not really needing any make up as they sparkled of their own accord. Even her red lipstick was the right shade of young.

  Trust her to come and poke her nose in on the opening day, Chloe thought.

  She turned back to her father and took his free hand. ‘Have you met everyone?’

  ‘Not yet. I –’

  ‘Kate, come and meet my father.’

  Kate slid a tray of sandwiches onto the counter alongside the sausage rolls and wiped her hands on a tea towel before going over to them. As she moved closer, she took in how his style of clothes suited his slim build. His checked shirt hung over the top of his jeans, open at the neck, it showed a tanned neckline. Apart from a few lines around his eyes and forehead, nothing about him stated he was in his fifties.

  ‘Hello, Graham,’ Kate greeted. ‘I’m very pleased to meet you at last. I’ve heard so much about you.’ She turned to the smart looking woman by his side. ‘And you must be Maddy?’

  Maddy smiled apologetically as she held out a manicured hand. ‘I suppose you’ve heard a lot about me, too?’

  An awkward silence descended. Graham looked at Chloe, his eyes twinkling with mischief. ‘You never told me how beautiful Kate was.’

  ‘I…I…why, thank you,’ Kate stuttered, feeling her face colour rapidly.

  ‘The uniform looks great.’ Graham switched his gaze between them and then stopped at Kate. ‘I hear you’ve had a disastrous morning?’

  ‘Oh, I’m sure everything will work out as planned. We’re starting as we aim to go on, spitting in the face of catastrophe. Can I get you both a coffee?’

  Chloe stepped forward. ‘No, I’ll do that.’ She dragged her father over to the window seat. Maddy followed behind like a sheep.

  Kate left her to it and joined Alex and Tom at the counter, both in white shirts and black trousers. ‘Nice togs,’ she said approvingly. ‘You actually do scrub up well.’

  ‘But of course,’ said Alex. ‘Would you really expect anything else?’

  Kate smiled. Suddenly, as she stood there, with twenty minutes to go, after the mad rush of the morning, there seemed to be a sense of calm in the shop. Whatever could go wrong had gone wrong. With a rush of emotion, she realised that they were still going to open on time.

  ‘This wasn’t how I’d envisioned the start of our first day in business,’ she said when Chloe came over to them a few minutes later. ‘I do hope the electricity comes on soon. I know we’ll be able to shift all the sandwiches we’ve made but I don’t want anything to –’

  Chloe nudged Kate as Lily entered the room. She looked up just in time to see a picture of health in a blue shift dress and matching jacket walk slowly, yet proudly, towards them. Lily pulled the open jacket towards her middle, then let it fall defiantly as she reached them. Low-heeled navy court shoes finished off the outfit, as too the diamante brooch pinned to her collar. Nervously, she reached up to her neck. Fingering the blue and lilac scarf, she smiled hesitantly.

  ‘Do I look all right?’

  Before Kate or Chloe could speak, Alex sighed in dramatic fashion. ‘As beautiful as a real flower, Lily,’ he said.

  ‘An absolute picture,’ agreed Tom.

  Lily beamed. ‘Actually, I hate to admit this to you both, for fear of what comment will come from it, but you look very smart, for a change.’

  ‘Didn’t we tell you that we loved dressing up?’ Tom gave her a twirl.

  ‘Yeah, but we look more like James Bond today than what you normally have in mind!’ quipped Alex.

  As everyone laughed, Kate signalled to Chloe. ‘Before we open,’ she announced to the room, ‘there’s one thing we’d like to do.’

  Chloe took Lily’s hand, walked with her behind the counter and presented her with the photograph she’d shown to her during her first week in Somerley. Kate had managed to find a frame with a lilac insert that complimented the style of the coffee shop, surrounding the picture of them both.

  ‘We think Bernard should be here too,’ said Chloe.

  ‘Yes, we thought you could hang it over the mirrored tiles so that you can see him every day,’ said Kate.

  Tenderly, Lily ran a finger over the image. Even after all those sleepless nights, she could still remember his every crease and wrinkle, still remember the touch of his hands as he cupped her face. The clean smell after he’d taken a shower.

  ‘Thank you,’ she managed to say eventually. Before turning back to face them all, she wiped away a lone tear. ‘This means so much to me.’

  Kate had tears in her own eyes as Lily tried desperately to compose herself. Her expression gave away just how hard today was going to be and she admired her for the courage she was showing. She was a remarkable lady. Not much like a boss, more like a hen clucking aroun
d her chicks. It must have been agony for her not to have her own children, she reflected now. She knew Lily would have been a superb mother.

  Lily took a deep breath, anxious to move things along. If she didn’t have to think about Bernard for a while, it would be better. She checked her watch and took a quick glance around the room. Apart from the noise of the generator outside, everything was as it should be.

  She looked up at them. ‘Shall we do it then?’

  ‘You bet!’ Chloe held up her hand for Kate to high five as she walked past. ‘Let’s declare this place open!’

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  The grand opening seemed to go as expected after the chaotic start to the day. Chloe ushered Graham and Maddy outside so that the shop would be completely empty. She and Kate held a ribbon across the front of the double doors while Lily cut through it with a pair of scissors. Already a dozen people had congregated on the forecourt. The good old British weather turned and the light rain that had started twenty minutes ago lasted another two minutes before a burst of thunder ushered them all indoors.

  Once inside, the staff fell over each other’s feet as they barged professionally around, apologising for the lack of lighting, trying to keep the doors shut so the fumes weren’t too awful, sitting people down at tables, showing them menus while they prepared their drinks, managing not to trip over the array of extension cables.

  Sam, Brendan and the builders came in around one o clock. Kate was delighted that they’d made the effort and spent a good twenty minutes tending to their needs. They were definitely good for business, she noted with a slight pang of envy, when three teenage girls wearing the tiniest of vest tops and skirts no wider than some of her belts hoisted themselves purposefully onto the high stools next to them.

  Harry, from the newsagents, called in around one-thirty, along with Vic from the post office, Ivy and Sheena from the chemist, Nina and Simon from the chiropodist, the gang from the trendy solicitor’s three doors down and Rachel from the tiny bank next to the Co-op. Lily fussed around them all, thanking them for coming and hoping they would call again.

  At quarter to two, the electricity came on. There was a huge cheer from everyone when it was still on ten minutes later. Lily gave Chloe a selection of cakes to take to the workmen.

  By three-thirty, Kate had burnt herself twice on the beast of a coffee machine, Chloe was fed up of being called excuse me, Alex and Tom wanted to go back to joinery immediately and no one could hear the background music due to the amount of people mulling around.

  Chloe didn’t have as much time to spend with her father as she would have liked but she kept an eye on him from wherever she was. She was just about to see if he wanted a refill when she noticed Kate had beaten her to it. When she heard them all laughing, she rushed over.

  ‘Kate was just telling us about your antics with the coffee machine.’ Graham smiled and patted her on the arm. ‘That’s so typical of you, Chloe.’

  Chloe pulled a face. ‘I did tell you it was a genuine mistake.’

  ‘I’m sure it was,’ Kate appeased. ‘Still, we’ve cracked it now.’

  ‘You’ve created a fantastic place to relax in,’ said Maddy, spotting a chance to join in. ‘It’s so inviting. I wish we had something like this in Penlingham.’

  ‘I’d second that.’ Graham looked up at Kate again. ‘I think I’m ready for one of your coffee shop specials. Shall I have a regular or grande, miss?’

  ‘Dad!’

  Graham looked at Chloe then at Maddy. ‘What?’

  ‘You’re embarrassing me,’ said Chloe.

  ‘I don’t see how. Would you like a grande, Maddy?’

  Maddy nodded and Chloe scowled at her. When another customer beckoned for her, she flounced off.

  Lily was oblivious to Chloe’s strange frame of mind when she joined Alf at the back of the room. He’d been sitting there with Irene since they had opened, the chairs around their table coming and going depending on how busy it had been. Irene had disappeared to the loo, no doubt due to all the cups of tea she had drunk. Lily guessed that Alf must be feeling extremely warm as he’d taken his blazer off – something he never usually did. Outside it was still raining, less heavy now, but warm and muggy with it.

  ‘I’m absolutely worn out,’ Lily told him as she sat down. ‘I’m so glad the electricity came back on again – and stayed on this time.’

  Alf folded his arms across his stomach, wrinkling up his red polka-dot tie in the process. ‘You should be letting the young ones do the running around,’ he said.

  ‘It’s their first full day. I’m sure it won’t be as busy on Monday, nor as hectic.’

  ‘How are you doing, Alfie?’ Kate patted his shoulder as she whizzed past.

  Alf flashed a knowing smile at Lily and raised his eyebrows. ‘You’d better be quick or else I’m going to be spoken for.’

  ‘Don’t be silly, she’s far too young for you.’

  ‘The younger the better, I say. And don’t be so sexist. Haven’t you heard of equality? That goes for age too.’

  ‘More like sexual harassment if you ask me. Honestly Alf, you’re nothing but a dirty old man.’

  Alf’s sparkling eyes scrunched up before continuing. ‘All this because you’re jealous that a young lady touched my shoulder?’ He reached for her hand.

  Lily playfully slapped his fingers away. ‘Alfred. You get worse with age.’

  By four-thirty, Lily’s legs had given up supporting her tiny frame. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so busy. An elderly couple sat at table seven, sharing a pot of tea. A man at table four with dark, wavy hair that he kept blowing away from his face, sipped at his drink. When he caught Lily looking, he smiled over the top of his laptop. A group of young ladies decorated the leather settees, being entertained by Alex and Tom sitting in the bay window. The music had gone off, forgotten due to no one listening to it.

  When she’d first had the idea to start again, Lily had never imagined it would be like this. Everyone had pulled together today. They’d all been rushed off their feet. Twice they’d run out of mugs and had to dish out the old china ones from Lily’s days gone by. Not at all savoury and she hadn’t dared to reveal their true age. But they’d served their purpose, if only for one more day.

  An hour later, Kate followed the last customers to the doors, turned the open sign around and leaned her back against the glass.

  ‘Thank god that’s over.’ Across the room, everyone had congregated around Lily. Graham was finishing the last of his coffee before he and Maddy would be on their way.

  ‘I’m bushed.’ Chloe sat down heavily. ‘I’ve never washed so many dishes in my life.’

  ‘I can’t remember you washing that many.’ Alex tapped her feet. Reluctantly, she removed them from the chair next to her so he could sit down. ‘That dishwasher doesn’t hold enough cups. And have you seen the state of my hair because of all that steam!’

  ‘Relax, it’s still got style.’ Kate tousled his gel logged hair and sat down next to him.

  ‘Really?’ He looked pleased, even when she wiped her hand on her apron with a grimace. ‘You mean you do fancy me, after all?’

  ‘That’s not the only person she fancies,’ muttered Chloe, giving Kate a dirty look.

  For a moment, Kate frowned, but then she turned to Lily. ‘Well, I think that went well, considering our earlier misfortune, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes,’ Lily smiled. ‘You’ve all done a marvellous job. I can’t thank you enough.’

  Tom popped his head around the kitchen door. ‘Would anyone like a glass of wine?’

  ‘Not me,’ said Kate. ‘I couldn’t drink anything after scoffing that last piece of fruit cake – apart from a cold glass of wine, that is.’

  ‘You shouldn’t trough so much,’ said Alex. ‘You’re getting on now. You need to watch every calorie or else you’ll soon be on that slippery slope. Besides, didn’t you say you were on a diet?’

  Kate threw him a scowl. ‘Diets beg
in on a Monday, you nerd head. Everyone knows that.’

  Chloe took off her shoes and rubbed at her aching toes. ‘Did you see that man who came in around twelve-thirty? What was his name again? It sounded strange.’

  ‘I think it was Serle.’ Alex sat down beside her. ‘He scared the shi – life out of me and I’m tall. He seems cool though. I bet he’ll be back.’

  ‘I hope that some of the others come back too.’ Chloe was remembering a group of car mechanics who had sidled in. ‘It’s nice to see there’s some talent in Somerley.’

  ‘Chloe Ward!’ said Graham, joining them after a trip to the lavatory. ‘Not in front of your father, please!’

  Chloe opened her mouth to speak but caught Maddy’s warning glance.

  ‘Well, I hope we don’t get too many regulars, not all at the same time, anyway. I, for one, don’t want to be that busy every day,’ said Kate, although secretly she knew it had done her the world of good to keep busy.

  ‘Right, Maddy,’ said Graham. ‘I think it’s about time we made a move.’

  Maddy got to her feet and Chloe stood up too.

  ‘It’s been a pleasure to meet everyone.’ Graham glanced around the room. ‘Congratulations on your achievements so far and I wish you every success for the future.’

  ‘Yes, me too.’ Maddy smiled. ‘I hope it goes well. You deserve it after all your hard work.’

  A few minutes later, Kate stood behind Chloe on the forecourt as she waved them off. Once the car was out of sight, Chloe turned and walked back, ignoring Kate completely.

  Kate called her back. ‘Chloe, could I have a word? I think we need to clear the air.’

  Chloe swivelled round to face her. ‘Yes, I think we do. I don’t know how you could do that to me.’

  ‘Do what exactly?’

  ‘You were flirting with my father!’

  Kate’s eyes widened. ‘I was doing no such thing!’

  ‘Yes, you were. ‘Oh, I’m sure everything will work out as planned.’ ‘Yes, we’re going to be very successful.’ ‘We’re spitting in the eye of catastrophe.’ And bringing up that blasted coffee machine again.’