Page 12 of New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe
‘Nope, nothing. I’m not expecting to. He was pretty clear things are over; I just didn’t want to accept it. I can’t think what else there is to say,’ replied Tori, shrugging.
‘Perhaps it’s better that way? At least it’ll be a clean break and you can get on with your life?’
‘Maybe. Oh, I don’t know. To be honest, I’ve not really thought much about the future. Staying here without Ryan just feels so strange. I don’t know what I’m going to do work-wise. Ryan was going back to his old job, so I thought I’d have time to look around properly, find something thatreally appealed. I was so caught up in the idea of our shiny new future together, I didn’t look beyond that.’
‘You’ve got options. I know Blossom Heath isn’t exactly London, but you’ve got your business degree, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find something that suits,’ said Rose.
‘You think?’ asked Tori, smiling widely.
‘I do. What about that place you were working before you went away?’
‘Andersen’s?’ Rose nodded. ‘The marketing department of a discount furniture warehouse wasn’t exactly the dream.’
‘No, I get that. There’s a couple of new tech start-ups in Ashford. Jake mentioned something about one of his football mates getting a job there. I can ask if you’d like?’ Rose reached across the table and took Tori’s hand.
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Tori said quickly. ‘I don’t want to make any decisions right now; everything just feels so up in the air.’
‘I get it, no pressure. But if you want me to ask, just let me know.’
The door of the tearoom banged open, and Tori looked up to see who had made such a dramatic entrance. It was Maggie Harrison. She looked red in the face and was clearly out of breath. Her eyes scanned the room and stopped when they spotted Tori.
‘Tori, it’s Ernie…’
‘Ernie? What’s happened, Mags?’
‘He’s at the top of that huge sycamore tree on the green; you know, the one next to the duck pond? Ted and I have tried to coax him down but he’s not having it. I think he’s stuck.’
Tori and Rose stood up and made towards the door.
‘Oh, Ernie! Come on, Rose, we’d best go rescue him.’
Tori could hear Ernie yowling before she could see him.
‘See, there he is,’ said Maggie, pointing at the sycamore’s uppermost branches.
‘Oh Ernie! How did you manage to get all the way up there?’ said Tori.
‘Those branches look too thin to support him. He’s huge,’ said Rose, concern etched on her face.
‘I know, right?’ said Tori.
‘How are we going to get him down?’ asked Rose.
‘Ted’s gone back to the shop for a ladder. Hopefully we can reach him that way,’ said Maggie.
‘Great. Look, here’s Ted now,’ said Rose, pointing towards a tall man with salt and pepper hair making his way across the green towards them with a ladder tucked awkwardly under his arm. She turned towards Tori. ‘He’ll be fine – we’ll get him down.’
Ted huffed and puffed as he extended the ladder as far as it would go. He tried to secure it against the tree with a length of rope, but he was all fingers and thumbs.
‘Honestly, give it here, would you?’ said Maggie, rolling her eyes. She tied the rope quickly and with minimal fuss. ‘There, that should hold firm,’ she said, patting the ladder.
‘It’s not as long as I would have liked,’ said Ted. ‘He’s still way too high for us to reach.’
‘I’ll go,’ said Tori quickly. ‘He’s my cat and if he hears my voice, hopefully he’ll come down.’
‘I’m happy to give it a go, Tori. Mags has always got me up and down that ladder doing some repair or other,’ said Ted.
‘Don’t be daft. He’s my cat – I’ll go,’ Tori replied.
