Nina runs a hand through her hair. ‘I miss him not being here, but don’t you dare leave us, Holly.’
‘Don’t worry, you can’t get rid of me that easily,’ I reply, thinking my Saturday place is my home. It’s my family.
Angus beckons his children to come forward and meet everyone. ‘Laurie, this is Benjie, Amy, and I think you’ve met Sophie,’ he says, as they all hand her presents, which join the various other gifts on the table.
Laurie isn’t the only one who has changed in a year. Angus is looking a different man, so healthy and fit, but it’s more than that. He seems happy. And being happy isn’t just about working out and quitting booze. He is a father and a husband again. Isn’t that ultimately what we all crave? To belong to something or someone?
There will always be a space in my heart that misses him. How I’d love to spend the afternoon with him, whiling away the hours as we used to. Maybe, in time, we can be friends again, but what I do know is I can’t keep on pining for what could have been. My life is too short to be in love with someone who cannot love me back. I take in a deep breath.
At last, I feel free.
After all the visitors have left, including Harriet who told me she now understands why the café means so much to me, Nina brings out the party balloons and presents for Laurie. It’s the usual bunch of suspects: me, Scottie, Monika, Ian, Craig, Laurie, and Angus. Angus’s family left shortly after they arrived, but Angus had always planned to stay on at the café to celebrate Laurie’s birthday.
So far, Laurie has unwrapped soap bombs, coconut shampoo and conditioner, body cream, sparkly hair accessories that I’m not sure she’ll ever wear, and Prosecco that I’m not sure she’ll ever drink, though I can help her out there, but it’s the thought that counts. Laurie opens another card. This one’s from Pat, the handwriting wobbly.Come and see me soon, have a happy birthday dear Laurie. God bless you.
She opens a card from Angel, who calls Laurie her star pupil.
‘Teacher’s pet,’ says Angus, as we pass the card round.
‘How are you?’ I ask Laurie, aware she’s been quiet for the past few minutes.
‘Scared,’ she confides to everyone. ‘I’ve never had this.’
‘Well, it’s about time you did,’ claims Nina, encouraging her to keep opening her presents. Laurie unwraps a collection of Harry Potter books and DVDs from Scottie, a gym bag from Nina, a Moleskine journal from Monika, and Lady Sarah has given her a purple fluffy bedspread. Bruno, being looked after today by Milla and the twins, gives Laurie a water flask, pair of running socks and a box of Maltesers. Angus hands her a badly wrapped present. ‘I was in a hurry,’ he says. Inside is a framed photograph, taken by Angel, of Angus, Laurie and me after an exercise class in Ravenscourt Park. I recall the day so vividly. It was after we’d been fooling around with the hoops Angel had bought us. Laurie leaves my boxed present to the end. Inside is a pair of Nike trainers that Laurie has coveted more than once, but that’s not it. There’s a message in the box too, I point out. It’s a message asking Laurie if she will run 5 km with me. When she doesn’t respond I tell her we can research what runs to do on the Internet, there are so many in London, and we can think about who we want to raise money for, maybe the night-shelter? But it will motivate us to keep fit. ‘What do you think?’ I ask, aware she hasn’t said a word.
‘I say, oh yeah!’ she says, close to tears, before she gets up and walks over to me, and for the first time ever she places her arms around mine. I can’t hold back my tears. Laurie allowing me to hold her, to love her, makes me feel like it’s my birthday too. ‘Can we raise money for the night-shelter and for Soul Food?’
Everyone claps, especially Nina.
‘I love you, Holly,’ Laurie says, finally letting go.
‘I love you too.’
‘We’ve got one more present!’ says Nina, jumping up from her chair, and shortly returning with a carrot cake, decorated with a thick orange and cream icing, and twenty lit candles.
‘Wow,’ Laurie says, ‘that’s one massive cake.’
We all clap and cheer again as Laurie blows out the candles.
‘Make a wish,’ Angus tells her, immediately asking, ‘what did you wish for?’
She stares at him. ‘If I tell you, it won’t come true.’
‘For Holly to go to singing lessons?’ Angus suggests.
‘Or Angus to stop telling jokes?’ I follow.
‘Amen to that,’ says Scottie.
‘For Scottie to stop throwing tantrums in the kitchen?’ Angus fires back.
‘That would be a miracle,’ Monika joins in.
‘Be let off the washing-up,’ jokes Craig.
‘Or your boyfriend quits smoking,’ Ian says.
Laurie laughs. ‘Nah, just that my birthday next year is as good as this one.’
