Page 24 of The Gingerbread Cafe
Gretel got the feeling she wouldn’t get anything else out of Amber, even if she did know more. Perhaps one day she’d get to the bottom of Amber’s strange secrecies.
Had Lukas done all this work for Nell? And if so, had Nell really chosen these invitingly neutral shades for herself … and what did that mean? Maybe shehadbeen getting fed up of living Christmas every day, like Lukas had once suggested. Would she have reinvented the café downstairs too if she hadn’t fallen ill? Nell had kept quiet about her illness as well. Perhaps there were some things Gretel would never know.
At least she and Lukas had already agreed on one thing. They wouldn’t be redecorating the café downstairs, or the sign that promisedFestive Cheer All Through the Year.Lukas had said there was no point in spending money if they were selling up, and Gretel couldn’t imagine being able to bear that level of change. So at least some of her memories would be safe. For now.
Amber returned with Gretel’s box of food. ‘Here we go.’ She placed it on the counter. ‘You sort some cupboard space and I’ll find your other kitchen boxes, if you like. Then it’s surely time for hot drinks?’
‘That’s my only kitchen box,’ said Gretel.
Amber inspected its contents and frowned. ‘You live on doughnuts and Nutella?’
She shrugged. ‘I don’t mind carrot sticks or the odd strawberry fondue. I’m not a total child.’
‘Obviously.’ Amber giggled. ‘Will you promise me you’ll grab something vaguely nutritious and vegetable shaped from the local grocery store, and soonish? I love a chocolate spread as much as the next person, but I feel you need to vary your foodgroups.’ She had her hands on her hips like a younger version of Nell, but she was being good-natured.
‘We can’t all dine on pan-seared whatevers with a quenelle of fancy mash, even on a boring Tuesday,’ said Gretel. ‘Like a certain pretentious chef.’ Now she was giggling too.
‘You’re just repeating random phrases fromMasterChef, aren’t you?’ Amber smiled as she grabbed cups and dumped spoonfuls of instant hot chocolate into them.
Gretel imagined that Lukas would have measured them with military precision and then sampled the liquid with his funny two-headed tasting spoon. But it was time she stopped imagining Lukas. She had plenty of new things to be getting on with and she surely wouldn’t be needing him at all.
Two hot chocolates and a packet of doughnuts later, Gretel and Amber had hauled the last of the boxes from downstairs in the café up into Nell’s old flat.
‘I’ll take this stuff in here,’ said Gretel. She’d drawn the line at sleeping in Nell’s old room and had instead chosen a spacious double. It was painted in fresh white with hints of grey and buttercream yellow, with a large vase of silk daisies on the dresser. It was yet another room that emanated serenity and gave her the feeling she’d have space to breathe, even if she hadn’t known she needed it.
When she went back into the living area, Amber was coming through the flat door with another box of her stained-glass ornaments. Gretel put on some lamps now the day was darkening.
Amber placed the box on the floor. ‘It will be so handy for you running the café and living up here. I think you’ve made a great choice.’
‘Thanks. Although it’s only temporary,’ Gretel added quickly. ‘Until we sell. But I needed a proper kitchen and this way I can focus on improving things in the café until then.’ She bent downand rifled through her stained-glass ornament boxes, trying to calm her thoughts about her uncertain future. She plucked out a family of glass gingerbread people and began hooking them onto the tree, along with a few glass candy canes and stars.
‘It has been spookily quiet since Christmas.’ Amber nodded, cocking her head as she watched Gretel fiddle with the ancient tree lights.
Gretel knew most people probably took their tree down in January. But Gretel wasn’tmost people.She gave the fairy lights one last rejig before plugging them in and flicking the switch.
Popppppp. The two table lamps flashed off and threw the room into semi-darkness. Gretel winced. Her dodgy lights must have tripped the main switch, but it was absolutely not an omen.
A solitary glass star had fallen to the floor but somehow hadn’t broken. When Amber bent down and passed it back to her she wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry.
‘Not that I believe in signs,’ said Amber cautiously. ‘But maybe all of this is a message to try things differently?’ She waved her arms around at the non-Christmassy flat, now infiltrated by the bedraggled exploding Christmas tree.
Gretel felt herself bristle at the mention of change. ‘Keep Calm and Find the Fuse Box.’ If it wasn’t yet printed onto one of those motivational signs, it should be.
Though Gretel had to admit, she did need a plan. ‘I know the café has been quiet, but I’ll think of something.’ She absolutely had to. Although she knew from experience that creative ideas didn’t come when you summoned them.
Gretel went to put the stray ornament back onto the tree, then realising it reminded her of a silly Michelin star, hid it inside a box.
Amber squeezed her arm. ‘Inspiration will come. And if it doesn’t, we’ll get out there and find it.’
Chapter 22
‘Amber?’
Gretel was sure that was her – she was pretty distinctive with that flame-red hair and rebellious black lipstick. So why had she just darted around the other side of the aisle in the local grocer’s as though she was hiding from her? Just as Gretel was trying to work out the correct etiquette when someone was unmistakably trying to dodge you in the world’s smallest food shop, Amber reappeared as though they hadn’t just eyeballed each other.
‘Oh, hi, G!’ Amber waved a casual hand. ‘Fancy seeing you here.’
Had something about the girl changed since two moments ago? Gretel scanned her black and white skirt and shirt combo, which Amber always passed off as her work clothes, even though she changed the subject every time Gretel asked where she officially worked. Something was amiss.
