Robby nodded. 'Well, there you are then, sorted. Plus, it didn't cost me a penny.' He laughed and joked.
Nina shot back, 'You weren't paying for it anyway, so it wouldn't have cost you anything.'
Robby chuckled. 'Joking aside, so now we really are nearly done.' He moved around the desk and tapped his laptop. 'I can check that off on the spreadsheet then. Nina outfit: sorted.'
Nina laughed. 'You are funny. You're worse than me.'
'I like to be organised, Neens. It's how you get on in life.'
Nina nodded. 'Trust me. You don't need to tell me that.'
‘So, you don’t have any issue with it at all?’ Nina clarified.
‘None. Zilch. Do whatever you want to do. I’m just glad you said yes.’
29
Afew days later, with the Shipping Forecast bellowing in her ears, Nina finished setting out the plates on the stainless-steel worktop opposite the dishwashers in the back of the deli. Alice, the woman who worked full-time for Birdie, had a problem with one of her children and had had to take her to hospital, so Birdie had called on Nina to do the prep for a speakeasy that night. Nina could have done without it, but as with everything in Lovely, she’d started to realise that people did things for each other when they needed help. If she wanted to be in on it, this was what was required to be part of the community. It was all very much give and take.
She checked in the walk-in larder that the correct number of sourdough loaves had been delivered, started laying out the plates and jugs and then walked through into the back room to check on the tables. Just as the first time she’d entered it, she was amazed at how nice it was, noted it needed a vacuum, checked on the glasses, and turned back around. Walking back into the kitchen, she took the two little steps down into the workroom, grabbed the Hoover, dragged it into the back room, plugged it in, and started to vacuum under the tables. About ten minutes later, Birdie came in with a harassed look on herface. Nina switched the Hoover off with her foot, put her hands on her hips, and frowned. 'Everything okay with you? What’s happened?'
'Everything‘s fine,' Birdie replied. 'I’ve just heard from Alice, and she will be here later to sort the rest out. Her daughter has a clean break in her arm.'
'Oh dear, that sounds nasty,' Nina replied. ‘I hope she’s okay.’
'Yes, I know. That tends to happen when you fling yourself around on a trampoline. The amount of people who have been injured on a trampoline. I’ve seen it all in the chemist. I wouldn’t touch one with a barge pole if it was me.'
'Yep, I’ve heard they cause loads of accidents,' Nina agreed. She flicked the button to coil the cable back into the Hoover, and they both walked into the kitchen.
Seeing that Nina had set everything out for the evening, Birdie nodded in appreciation. 'Thank you so much for stepping in and doing this. I had to be in the pharmacy today and our other pharmacy on the other side of Lovely had someone sick as well. If it doesn’t rain, it pours, as they say.' Birdie raised her eyes. ‘There’s something in the air at the moment.’
Nina nodded. 'Sounds like you need to put your feet up.'
'I think you might be right,' Birdie agreed. ‘That’s business for you.’
'I’m learning that.’
‘It’s times like these when nice regular hours, holiday and sickness pay, and clocking in and out look very attractive. Throw in a trade union and I’m there with bells on.’
Nina laughed. ‘It has its attractions. Anyway, what else has been going on with you?'
'Nothing, really, other than dealing with all these issues. I haven’t got time! How is your business getting on?' Birdie asked.
'Good, I'm fully booked now until the wedding, more or less. I can’t quite believe how I’ve done nothing much to drum up business, but it’s just taken off by word of mouth.'
'How’s it going with those reel thingies you were telling me about? You said that you were getting lots of views on them,' Birdie said.
'Yes, no change on that, really. It’s staggering how many people like to watch people cleaning and clearing up, though. I’ve put them up on YouTube now as well, so it’s slowly building, but yeah, that’s just a no-brainer. I don’t think it’s doing anything to promote me. I think it’s word of mouth around Lovely.'
Birdie cocked her head to the side. 'So, are you making any money out of it? The social media stuff, I mean.'
Nina flicked her hand in front of her. 'No, not at all. Absolutely nothing much. You have to get to a certain number of followers before you can monetise it. I’ve done that now, but it’s chicken feed, like pennies, if that.'
'Oh well, every little helps, as they say,' Birdie replied. 'These things seem to take off though, don’t they? I watch this guy who talks about billionaires and what they do in their day-to-day life. It’s quite interesting to see how people do things. Who would’ve thought I would be enjoying watching that? That took off so you never know.'
Nina laughed. 'Yes, it’s a whole other world. I watch a man walking around the Scottish hills and the Yorkshire Dales when I’m on the sofa in the evening. It’s so relaxing and I don’t have to move a muscle.'
'There you go,' Birdie chuckled.
