Page 8 of A Brambleberry Manor Christmas
She groans. ‘Hardly young. Forty-two is probably far too ancientto be waking up with a hangover!’
‘Rubbish. You’re not old.’
‘I feel it sometimes.’ She grins. ‘You’ll know what I meanin twelve years’ time, when you’re my age.’ She peers at me. ‘You should getout more yourself.’
‘Oh, no. It’s…it’s still too soon.’
‘It’s been a year, Jenny,’ she says softly. ‘I know you mustmiss Harvey so much. But there comes a time when you have to think about movingon?’
I swallow. ‘I know. But there’s Tavie to think of. I couldnever bring another man into her dad’s house.’ I shudder at the thought of howshe’d feel if I did. ‘She’d hate me even more than she already does.’
Flo sighs. ‘She doesn’t hate you. She’s just hurting. Andunfortunately, you’re a convenient punch bag.’
‘You’re right there.’ I attempt a smile but it feels morelike a grimace.
‘She needs you. Just give her time. She’ll come round.’
I nod, a lump rising in my throat.But what if shedoesn’t? What if we never get back the closeness we once shared?
I take a deep breath and change the subject. ‘So do youreally think the ice-cream will be okay?’
‘Yes. It’s delicious. Don’t worry, Jenny. The guests aregoing tolovethe food.’
‘Here’s hoping.’ I bite my lip, thinking about the sternwarning letters from the mortgage company and other creditors, safely stored inmy bedside drawer so that Tavie never sees them. Flo knows nothing about the financialmess I’m in. No-one does. It’s a shameful secret I’m keeping all to myself.
Flo yawns again, but this time it’s louder and she doesn’tattempt to hide it.
I smile over at her, feeling a pang of envy. Aside fromCarole, Flo has loads of friends she’s known since school days, and she seemsto be out socialising three or four times a week. How amazing would it be tohave people you could just pick up the phone to, whenever you felt like goingout?
When I started seeing Harvey, I gradually drifted away fromthe friends I had back then, and I really regret it now. Flo is the nearest Ihave to a good friend these days. I’ve only known her a few months, but we goton well right from the start, and without her, my business would probably haveflopped even before it had a chance to take off.
The day I met Florence Baxter in the corner shop inSunnybrook was a game-changer, that’s for sure…
*****
I’d been having a really bad day.
I’d started up the business a few months earlier, and I’dcatered half a dozen private dinner parties in the area, mostly through word ofmouth. The feedback so far had been really promising. People seemed to love thefood, and I’d actually started to feel that this could be the answer to myprayers…that I could finally claw myself out of the financial hole I’d foundmyself in after Harvey died.
But that day, back in October, I really thought it was allover.
I was booked to create a buffet-style wedding breakfast fora couple in Sunnybrook, who were getting married in a couple of days. I’d metRosie and Daniel several times to talk over the menu and they were such alovely young couple. I was determined to give them the best wedding day spreadpossible.
But that morning, at the cash and carry, my bank card wasdeclined.
My trolley was filled with all the delicacies I needed tomake a really sumptuous feast. I stared at the check-out assistant in horror. Iwas going to have to leave it all behind.
An iron fist gripped my insides as I tried to act as if itwas fine, while a queue of customers built up behind me. I knew my credit cardswere already maxed out, so I was forced to apologise and leave the store, mycheeks burning with embarrassment and a horrible feeling of panic surging upinside me.
What was I going to do?
Rosie and Daniel’s wedding was in two days’ time, but if Icouldn’t fund the ingredients, how was I to fulfil the contract? They’d puttheir faith in me. But I wasn’t going to be able to deliver…
At home, I sat at the kitchen table for a long time, rackingmy brains to think of a way of getting my hands on the necessary cash. Sellingthings would take too long. I needed the money now.Today.Severalcatering jobs were lined up in the weeks ahead, but I wouldn’t get paid forthat work until it was too late.
I’d heard people talk about having ‘cash flow problems’ inbusiness, but I hadn’t really thought what it meant – until now…
By that point, I wasn’t even worrying about the future of mybusiness. All I cared about was not letting Rosie and Daniel down on their bigday.
