“I don’t know how. It’s a miracle.”
Actually, I don’t know how I managed either.
“There’s nothing she can’t do if she put her mind to it.” This is from Raff. He gets up from his chair and comes over to give me a hug. I cling to him. Now it’s all done, my legs feel wobbly. I just want to lean on him and be held, comforted and carried in his arms.
Yeah, I know, damsel in distress. But after the marathon of the last three day, I think I’ve earned a little rescue
He kisses me, a quick kiss and whispers. “We’ll have all the time we need tonight.”
His voice makes my insides fizz and tremble
“I knew she was a miracle worker that first time she made us eat her sink-plug scones.” Alex laughs, and a moment later so does Llewellyn and the teenagers.
Not the Squad though. When I look at them, they dart looks at one another.
Finally, Vanessa says to Bill. “She’s your granddaughter.”
“Ask her or Raff will pull out?” DeNiro says.
“What?” I search their faces.
More exchange of meaningful looks. I stand there, Raff still has one arm around me.
“Do you want to tell her or shall I?” Bill asks Raff.
“I can talk to her tonight,” he answers.
“I can’t wait, I’m too old for this. Either you settle it now or we’re not eating” Shirley tells me. “I mean look at all this?” she points to the food.
“You’re her grandfather, it should come from you.” Evan cuts in, calm in that way of his.
Finally, Bill stands up. “My dear. We are moving to Kendric House. Raff has worked out a deal, whatever we were paying at The Glyn we can pay here and it will be enough to keep us self-sufficient. But we want you to stay in Kendric House and run the café.”
I glance helplessly at Evan.
“I know you’re worried about the business,” he says. “But I think they’ve come up with an idea that will make it work.”
“We didn’t.” Bill says. “It was all Raff.”
I finally turn to look up at him.
“I wanted to wait until we could speak properly.” He squeezes me to him.
“Please tell me.” Then to lighten the mood I add, “Tell me now. And quickly because if we’re going to let all this food get cold and congeal, you all may as well have stayed at The Glyn to eat Mrs Jenkins’ food.”
A chorus of groans travels round the table.
“What we were paying The Glyn,” my grandfather says. “Part of it goes towards catering. That’s a thousand pounds per person, per month. So, if we pay you that, would you take on the catering from this café and feed us?”
I stand there stunned. Absolutely stunned.
Raff says, “Okay, you’ve asked her. now she’s entitled to think about it. Give her 24 hours before she decides.” He pauses to kiss my forehead. “Now let’s eat.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Christmas Day. 3PM.
Everyone says the food’s amazing. You’ll have to take their word for it because I couldn’t taste a thing.
