Page 5 of New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe
‘Pancakes with fresh blueberries and maple syrup, love.’
‘You’re going to have to stop spoiling me like this. I’ve been back less than twenty-four hours and I’ve already eaten more than a week’s worth of calories. You know I’d be happy with a slice of toast in the café, like we usually have.’
‘If I can’t make a fuss of my only daughter on her first morning back, who can?’ said Joyce, placing a stack of pancakes on the table in front of Tori.
‘I guess, but I’m makingyoudinner tonight, okay?’ said Tori, picking up the bottle of maple syrup and pouring a generous amount over her stack. Joyce smiled. ‘Listen, Mum,can I talk to you about something?’ Tori asked. She wanted to seize the moment to break the news about Ryan while she was still feeling brave.
‘Sorry, what, love? Look, I wanted to show you this – I grabbed a brochure for that new development I was telling you about when I was passing last week,’ said Joyce, pulling a glossy brochure out of one of the kitchen drawers.
Tori looked at it; it was emerald green and shiny with the words MEADOWGATE MEAD emblazoned across the front in gold lettering. She swallowed hard. ‘But, Mum—’
‘Oh, just have a look – don’t spoil my fun, love. It looks stunning, doesn’t it? I think it would be the perfect place for you and Ryan to start out.’
Tori smiled weakly and stuffed a huge forkful of pancakes into her mouth. She couldn’t say anything to her mum now, could she? God, her timing was awful. ‘Yeah, I mean it looks… nice.’
‘Nice? Oh, it’s more than nice. Look at this,’ she said, ‘on page eighteen it shows you all the facilities they’ve got on site – see? There’re tennis courts, even an on-site gym.’
‘Wow, yep, I can see that,’ said Tori, taking the brochure to flick through. All she could see were pictures of good-looking couples smiling and walking together arm in arm around a man-made lake or laughing on a bike ride together. They looked so… happy… so… perfect. Suddenly Tori wasn’t feeling hungry anymore. She pushed her plate away.
‘I’m going to grab a shower,’ she said, standing up abruptly.
‘But you’ve not finished your breakfast,’ said Joyce.
‘I think I’m still full after that lasagne last night,’ she lied.
‘Okay, well, just let me know what you fancy doing today. I wasn’t planning on opening until later, what with it being your first day home. We could always take a drive over to Meadowgate Mead if you like? The opening times are on the back of the brochure there, see?’
‘Oh,’ Tori replied, her brain frantically trying to come up with something, anything, that would mean she didn’t have to go and view a new house that she’d never move into. ‘Actually, I was planning to… go and visit Rose. Yes, I thought the two of us could have a catch-up.’
‘Rose? But won’t she be teaching? It’s Monday morning.’
‘Oh.’ Damn, her mum was right – Rosewouldbe teaching today. A sudden thought struck her. ‘But isn’t it the Easter holidays? It’s Good Friday this week, isn’t it?’
‘Of course! You’re right, love, I’m sure Rose would love to see you.’
‘I’ll just go and give her a quick ring.’ As Tori climbed the stairs back to her bedroom to find her phone, she prayed with every inch of her being that Rose was going to be at home this morning.
Tori knocked hard on the front door of Jasmine Cottage and was greeted by the sound of a dog barking. A dog? Had Rose got a dog since she’d moved back to Blossom Heath? The door opened and a smile broke across Tori’s face as soon as she saw her childhood friend.
‘Tori!’ cried Rose, pulling her into a hug. ‘It’s been way too long!’
‘It really has,’ Tori agreed as she became aware of a wet nose pressed up against her knees. ‘And who do we have here?’ she asked, bending down to stroke the black and white Border Collie that was jumping up excitedly around her.
‘This is Scout. She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?’
‘Well, hello, Scout,’ said Tori, ‘aren’t you a cutie?’ As if on command, Scout rolled onto her back in the hope of a belly rub.
‘That’s her favourite trick,’ said Rose, laughing. ‘I’m afraid it’s mandatory for all visitors to give Scout a tummy tickle before they’re allowed in.’
Tori laughed. ‘Well, I’m more than happy to oblige,’ she said, giving Scout the fuss she was after before standing up again. ‘She’s a sweetheart. I can’t believe you’ve already got a dog – you’ve only been back five minutes.’
‘A lot’s happened since we last saw each other,’ said Rose. ‘Why don’t I stick the kettle on and we’ll catch up?’
‘Sounds perfect,’ said Tori, as she stepped over the threshold of Jasmine Cottage.
After Rose had made a pot of tea, the pair of friends sat down at the kitchen table and began chatting animatedly about everything that had been happening since they’d last met.
‘I was trying to remember the last time we saw each other,’ said Tori, cupping the mug in both hands before drinking her tea.
