Page 52 of The Gingerbread Cafe
‘Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your day to come over,’ said Eve, giving an extra-long smile to Gretel. ‘I know you’re busy. But I wanted to do this today as I didn’t want to steal any limelight at our grand fair tomorrow, and perhaps this feels too personal for all those ears. I wanted to share it with you special few.’
Phoebe and Amber were either side of Gretel, and Phoebe squeezed her hand. Gretel caught Amber checking over her shoulder, presumably on Lukas watch. Gretel knew he’d be onone of his split shifts so he’d probably drop by to help out soon. Gretel had already decided Amber’s ducking and diving was getting ridiculous, and she was going to have things out. If nothing else, they’d both be at tomorrow’s fair and it would be so much easier if Amber wasn’t always scurrying off.
‘Anyway, I’m not one for long speeches, but spending time with you all and working together to bring our street back to life has made me realise just how barren Mystic Myrrh Flowers had become. Yes, I still had plenty of online orders, but I’d marketed myself as the go-to woman for funeral flowers, to the exclusion of all the things I used to love. Like wedding flowers.’ Her voice dipped slightly with the final two words.
‘She once told me myrrh is a tree gum used for embalmingbodies,’ Amber whispered.
‘But when I’ve seen so many of you adapt, grow and even lay your own pasts gently to rest, I knew it was safe for me to do so too.’ Eve flashed her eyes towards Gordon. ‘Because if you’re too busy living in the shadow of past ghosts, how can you be fully present and enjoy smelling life’s roses?’ To everyone’s surprise she kicked off her kitten heels, moved Gordon out of the way and climbed the stepladder. When she was as high as she could safely go she tugged the sheets which were draped over her new shop sign and they floated to the floor like redundant spectres.
‘So welcome to Eve in Bloom,’ she said with a flourish. ‘Flowers for all seasons and every occasion. Especially weddings!’
As everyone cheered and admired the new-look shopfront with its rosy pink shades and pretty new sign, Eve climbed down and came to speak to Gretel, Phoebe and Amber.
‘You’ve done a beautiful job,’ said Gretel, and they all joined in with congratulations.
‘But seriously, spill the tea,’ said Amber. ‘Did you really talk to dead people to get their funeral flower requests?’
Gretel winced but Eve just smiled.
‘There was a rumour I did, many years back. And when people started believing it, funeral flower orders were soon flying in.’ She shrugged. ‘So I went with it. I used to wear a lot of black and a melancholy face back then, so the rumours almost suited me.’
‘You, wearing a lot of black?’ asked Amber. ‘What were you feeling dark about?’
Eve looked over her shoulder and lowered her voice. ‘When I was just a slip of a girl, I was stood up at my own wedding by a man I thought loved me. Can you imagine?He’ll be here any moment, the panicked vicar kept saying, before sending my wedding car back around the block. But I could tell from my mother’s pursed lips and my dad’s tightening fists that he wouldn’t.’ She gulped and Gretel placed a hand on her shoulder. ‘My parents had always said I was too young and he wasn’t right, but I was headstrong. And the worst thing? One month later, his heavily pregnant wife turned up on my doorstep. I’d unknowingly been messing around with a married man.’
‘Oh Eve, you poor thing,’ said Phoebe.
‘What a dick.’ Amber tutted and shook her head.
‘I’d only just finished my apprenticeship in floristry, but after that turmoil I couldn’t face making another wedding bouquet. Or christening flowers, for that matter. Suddenly my world felt dark and the only art I wanted to make with flowers was in memory of times gone by. When my father died not long after I became obsessed with seeing a clairvoyant, and before I knew it people in the small village where I lived were saying I spoke to the departed. Then the idea quite caught on.’ She gave a little laugh.
‘You’re a true entrepreneur!’ Amber rubbed her arm.
‘It has paid the bills so I can’t pretend it didn’t serve me well, but it’s time to move on. I’ve spent a lifetime mourningsomething that was never meant to be. Pushing people away for fear of more heartache. The excuses I’ve made to keep friendships at bay.’ She grabbed each of their hands in turn. ‘Oh, I’ve been so silly.’ She sniffed back her tears.
Gretel fought a few of her own as a wave of recognition washed in.
‘Feelings aren’t silly,’ Phoebe reassured her. ‘But we’re glad you’re ready to move into a happier space now. I’m here for you.’ She looked at Gretel and Amber too. ‘All of you.’
‘Right back at ya, soul sisters. I’ve needed you more than you know.’ Amber scooped them into a curiously long hug. ‘But hey, don’t ruin my eyeliner. I’ve got work to get on with.’ She pulled away and signalled to the assortment of artwork she was cradling, before hurrying off to see Gordon about placing the first piece of art for the art trail in his shop.
When Lukas arrived, slipping his arm around Gretel as she took a quiet moment to contemplate Eve’s new shop-front, she was surprised to find herself imagining a new look for The Gingerbread Café. Had Eve just shown her that making that final break from the past didn’t have to be that terrifying? So why was she still holding back?
‘Can I guess what you’re thinking?’ Lukas asked, interrupting her thoughts. ‘Are you wondering if we should do the same at the café?’
She shrugged. ‘I guess there’s no point if you’re still undecided about its future.’
‘That’s true,’ he said quietly, although did he sound less sure than he had before?
No, she was imagining it. She wriggled away. ‘Anyway, it would be too scary. Too final. I think I’ve dealt with enough change for one season.’ She tried on her brightest smile, unsure whether she was disappointed with herself or with him for not showing any fight.
As Kingsley arrived with celebratory rum and Zekia brought up the rear with cake, Gretel’s heart swelled again. She may have been on edge about tomorrow’s fair. Making sure it lived up to memories of fairs gone by and brought in new crowds for the future felt like a lot of strain, even though it wasn’t only hers to bear. But as Lukas and her new friends cosied around chatting, she couldn’t think of a lovelier bunch of people to help settle her pre-fair jitters.
Chapter 43
‘It was only meant to be a small village fair,’ Gretel whispered, watching through the café window as the crowds descended upon Mistleton, wrapped in big coats and bobble hats. The weather was fresh and the morning frost had cleared. It was the perfect kind of day to warm your hands around a mug of Gordon the Grocer’s winter veg soup.
But Gretel was too nervous for that, even if they weregoodnerves. ‘I never even thought I was apeople person. Should we hide? I mean, they’d manage …’
