Page 71 of The Midnight Bakery
‘And I realised that without you guys, none of those things would have been possible. I’d never have dreamed of meeting Robert if I didn’t have you. I’d run away so that I wouldn’t have to stand up to him. Because I couldn’t. Didn’t ever think that I would. And the only thing that made that meeting possible was knowing you had my back, knowing that I had people to talk to who would understand, being buoyed up instead of weighed down. It gave me the strength I needed.’
She took a bite of her blondie, chewing thoughtfully. ‘Then, of course, I realised it’s the same for each one of us – shared friendships, shared kindnesses which have brought so much good into our lives in so many ways, and yet…we’re still stuck in the same position we were in before – Beth having kept her job, but unable to find a way to have the life she and Jack so deserve, Tam without a home or the means to get one, andyou, William…’ She sent a warm look in his direction. ‘Perhaps beginning to move on with a part of your life and yet unable to resolve an issue from your past. And once I’d realised all that, then the rest was easy. Because if the reason we’ve all come so far is each other, then we’re also the reason to go even further. Because, as someone very wise once said, if it’s not all right in the end, then it’s not the end…’
Beth leaned across the table to give Frankie’s hand a squeeze. ‘Which is when, I suspect, she rang me. Isn’t that right, Frankie?’ At Frankie’s shy nod, she continued. ‘And what she had to say made a lot of sense, at least it did when I stopped arguing, telling her all the reasons why it wouldn’t work, and instead started thinking about all the ways in which it might. Because what I didn’t know at the time was that Tam had lost his job. And whathedidn’t know was that despite having kept my job at the hospital, Jack and I were in a worse position than ever before.
‘I should have realised that Tam was at the farm not because he was on holiday, as he claimed, but instead that his holiday had started on the day he had his review at work. I should have realised it was no coincidence. Frankie felt awful about breaking her promise to Tam – not telling me he’d lost his job – but she was right to do so.’
Tam, who had been about to snaffle a brownie of his own, sat back with a broad smile on his face. ‘And I forgive you, Frankie, obviously…You see, I was worried that if Beth knew I’d lost my job, she’d feel even more awkward about the fact she couldn’t pay me for the work I was doing. She might also feel thatIwas taking advantage ofthem– working at the farm when it suited me, only to take off the minute I got another job, leaving Jack to flounder again. I couldn’t do that to them.’
‘A fact I very helpfully all but pointed out to Tam in case he didn’t come to the conclusion himself. BecauseIwas worried that we were taking advantage ofhim. Using him for free labour,because there was no way we could pay him. And given how badly he’d been taken advantage of in the past, I wasn’t going to have him think we were doing the same. So there we both were, both fearing we were taking advantage, and it was all a bit of a pickle really.’ She gave William a wry smile. ‘It took Frankie to point out that taking advantage needn’t necessarily be abadthing. In fact, the clue was in the name. What we needed to dowasto take the advantage that was being given to us. So, I offered Tam a job.’
‘The pay is rubbish,’ said Tam. ‘Actually, there’s no pay. But we hope in time there will be. But what I do get is full board and lodging…that’s all the cake I can eat, and the chance to do something I love, working on the farm. The downside is that while Beth is out working her new day shift, I get to look after Jack, but…fortunately, I really like him, so it’s not a problem. I’ve been working as a carer, after all, so that side of things isn’t much different from what I’ve been doing. It’s a win-win. We just needed to put our pride in the bin and see the solution that was staring us in the face. And it’s all thanks to Frankie.’ He picked up a brownie, saluted her with it and then took an enormous bite.
William beamed at her. ‘I knew there was something about you the minute I saw you…’
‘You did not. The remains of my sandwich were all over the floor and I suspect I was very rude to you.’
William waggled his head from side to side. ‘Okay, maybe not the first time…But soon. It was very soon after that.’
Frankie caught Beth’s eye and grinned. ‘I’m just so pleased for you. I’m glad it all worked out.’
‘It has,’ Beth replied. ‘But we didn’t come here just to tell you aboutoursituation.’
Tam leaned forward. ‘No, because after Frankie rang Beth, she made another phone call, to me. Another little idea she’dhad, and one I was happy to help with. Have a cake, William, you haven’t got one yet.’
William looked up, clearly perplexed by the tone in Tam’s voice.
‘Frankie didn’t tell me all the details, William, because they’re not hers to tell, but I’d be daft if I hadn’t realised there was more to your interest in Stuart and his grey van than simply being a concerned citizen, or a diligent employee. And all that cloak-and-dagger stuff…’ William held up a hand to interrupt, but Tam shook his head. ‘Let me tell you something first.’ He took another bite of his brownie. ‘I couldn’t remember all the details of where we went and what we looked at, so I did a bit of backtracking and I wrote it all down. I won’t do anything about it yet, because the one thing we need to be sure of is that, when I do, there can be no repercussions for you, William. So, I thought that perhaps in a few months’ time, when you might have been able to distance yourself from the nest of Vipers, I could put in a call to the local police and tell them everything I know. As a concerned member of the public who happens to use the car park, I think it’s my duty, don’t you? I also think the police will be very interested to hear what I have to say.’
William shook his head incredulously. ‘I can’t believe you’d do that for me. Why even would you?’
‘So you won’t have to,’ answered Tam simply. ‘I don’t need to know why it’s difficult for you to go to the police yourself. But I was just as much a witness as you were, except that I have absolutely nothing to lose in telling them. Your name won’t even be mentioned, to anyone.’
William swallowed, his hand, Frankie noticed, shaking as he ran it through his hair. ‘I don’t know what to say,’ he said. ‘Thank you doesn’t even begin to cover it.’ He looked at Frankie, his eyes a mixture of emotions, but very clear, top of the list, was how he felt about her. Blinking suddenly, he tore his gazeaway. ‘Actually, I do know what to say. Because keeping secret the details of my interest in Stuart is wrong – it’s not the way friends behave. You’ve done something so selfless, so generous, you deserve to know why.’
And so, with a halting voice, William told his story. About Louise, about his son, and about prison too. And when he had finished, just as Frankie knew there would be, her friends’ faces were filled with nothing but compassion and understanding. Here, in this little bakery, among the battered tins and dented work surfaces, Frankie had found what she thought she’d never have, and she hugged the thought to her, knowing that whatever else they might have to face in the future, they had each other. And really, that was all that mattered.
‘And what about you, Frankie?’ asked Beth softly. ‘Keeper of friendships and weaver of dreams, what about your future? You can’t leave this place, we won’t allow it.’
‘Ah…’ said Frankie. ‘Well, I don’t know for certain I’ll have to, so, until I find out, I’ll just have to make the most of the time I’ve got. I had thought I might have found a way to turn things around, but it wasn’t to be.’ She smiled sadly, looking down at her plate. She didn’t think she could say much more.
Tam cleared his throat. ‘Actually, there’s something else I need to say,’ he said. ‘Something that I need to tell Frankie. Something that only I know, but we’re not all here yet, so…’ He looked towards the door and then down at his watch. ‘Perhaps we should just talk among ourselves for a few minutes.’ He gave a sheepish grin.
‘Tam, you’re making it sound like there’s been a murder or something,’ said Beth, tutting with amusement. ‘And we’re all waiting for the detective to come in and reveal the big dark secret.’ She looked at the blank faces around her. ‘Okay, just me then. Never mind.’ She waved a hand in Tam’s direction. ‘As you were.’
He shrugged. ‘I promise I don’t have a big dark secret, so—’ He stopped, looking startled. ‘It’s not dark, anyway…’
Beth waved her brownie in the air. ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, Tam, out with it.’
‘No, honestly, I?—’
‘Wait a minute,’ said Frankie. ‘What was that?’ She frowned. ‘It sounded like…’ She jumped up from the table. ‘Bugger…’
‘Was that the front door?’ asked William, also getting to his feet.
Evidently it was, because Frankie hadn’t even gone three steps before Vivienne appeared through the doorway. Frankie’s hand flew to her mouth.
‘Vivienne! Oh God…I’m so sorry. I can explain, we were just…’ She gestured to the table behind her where her three friends were still sitting. She was about to make an excuse when she stopped herself. Admittedly, she ought not to have them here during work time, but she wasn’t going to lie about them. ‘We’ve just had some good news, and my friends brought in some cakes so we could celebrate. But I’ll go without my break later to make up the time.’
