‘You too.’ Smiling, Merri reached behind her neck and secured her necklace back in place. She’d almost forgotten about the pub quizzes.
‘Right, are we ready to open?’ Passing, ready to turn the closed sign to open, Brooke waited until Diane had tied her apron.
‘Yep. All ready.’ Diane called as she stepped towards the bakery counter next to Tilly.
Chapter Three
Giving the table a final wipe down with her cloth, Merri straightenedher back and picked up the tray she’d stacked with used mugs andplatesbefore hurrying back to the coffee and cakecounter. Placing the tray at the end of thecounter, she stepped behind again,glancing at the small queue of customers which had formed in the short time she’d spent clearing tables. “Sorry, what can I get you?’
‘I remember you, don’t I?’ Placing her handbag on the counter in front of her, the woman tapped her chin as though she was thinking.
‘Ooh yes! Mrs Peters, isn’t it? How are you?’ Merri grinned. Mrs Peters hadn’t been the first customer that morning to recognise her. She didn’t know how they did it. Elsie had volunteers most of the time from what she understood anyway, so how did people like Mrs Peters remember her?
‘That’s right, Dear. It’s good to see you back in the bay again. Couldn’t keep away, hey?’ Mrs Peters rummaged in her bag before pulling out her purse.
‘Nope, I couldn’t. Can you blame me? It’s beautiful here.’ Merri grinned.
Wiping raindrops from her sleeve, Mrs Peters chuckled. ‘I don’t know if beautiful would be the word I’d use for the bay in this weather, but it generally is.’
‘At least you have the beach and sea here whatever the weather. Back home when it’s wet like today, it’s just wet concrete and buildings.’ Merri shrugged. She’d swap thebackdrop of office blocks and sprawling housing estates for the quirkiness and charm of Penworth Bay in a heartbeat.
‘True, true. I suppose we take things for granted sometimes.’ Mrs Peters nodded thoughtfully.
‘We definitely do.’ She’d always taken it for granted that her dad would always be there for her. She’d never known her mum, but her dad had stepped into the role of single parenthood, and she’d always been able to rely on him. Yes, he may not have given her the Christmases other children had, but she understood why, she’d always understood that this time of the year was particularly painful for him, memories of the day he’d lost her mum had always tarnished the festive season to the point he’d simply found it easier to shut out the baubles, tinsel and Christmas cheer. Until now, of course. Now that he had his new wife and her teenage children to look after, he’d embraced all things festive. Merri touched her necklace, outlining the tiny silver snowflake with her finger. She wouldn’t think about it now. She couldn’t unpick how she was feeling about everything that had happened over the past year. Not here, not now. She glanced towards the queue of people waiting patiently behind Mrs Peters before shaking the thoughts away and holding up a mug. ‘What can I get you, Mrs Peters’
‘Oh, I’ll have one of your nice chai lattes, please? Make that two; my granddaughter is joining me in a few minutes.’ Mrs Peters tapped on the glass dome to the side of the counter. ‘And two slices of Elsie’s carrot cake.’
‘Good choice. It looks and smells delicious.’ As she began cutting the cake, Merri looked towards the bakery counter. She’d been worrying her queue was getting long, but the queue for the bakery counter was now snaking out of the door. Why was it so busy? It was Monday morning. Even during the summer holidays, Monday mornings hadn’t been particularlybusy. Placing the plates on a tray, she turned towards the coffee machine and began filling the mugs.
‘Thank you, dear. I must remember to pop to the bakery counter once I’ve finished and pay the deposit for my Christmas cake.’ Mrs Peters began counting out coins into a small pile on the surface of the counter.
‘Your Christmas cake?’ Placing the first mug on the tray, Merri frowned.
‘That’s right. It’s the last day to pay the deposits for the Christmas cakes.’ As though seeing the confusion etched across Merri’s face, Mrs Peters continued. ‘Elsie took orders for Christmas cakes months ago, and folk have to pay the deposit by the beginning of December to secure their cake. Wonderful, they are. Of course, you wouldn’t expect anything else from Elsie, but they’re the best fruitcakes you’ll ever taste.’
‘I don’t think I’ve ever had proper Christmas cake.’ Merri shook her head. She hadn’t. Of course she hadn’t at home, and she never remembered her grandparents having Christmas cake. The chocolate yule log had always been their favourite. And then when she’d been with Nile, although his parents had made a fuss over Christmas, they’d never had a traditional white-iced fruitcake.
Mrs Peters clasped her hand over her mouth as though Merri had admitted she was on the run from a bank job. ‘Oh, well, that needs rectifying.’
Squeezing the second mug onto the tray, Merri grinned. ‘Yes, I suppose it does. I’ll have to see if I can get hold of a slice this year.’
‘You will, dear. You will.’ Mrs Peters slid the coins across the counter towards her before picking up the tray. ‘Right, I’ll stop nattering and let you get on with serving. Thank you for this.’
‘You’re welcome. Enjoy the catch-up with your granddaughter.’
‘I will. Thanks, dear.’ As soon as Mrs Peters had stepped away, the queue forged forward.
‘Merri, isn’t it?’ The woman next in the queue grinned at her.
‘Hi, yes. Gabby, isn’t it? You used to volunteer here.’ Merri grinned. Although she’d only met Gabby a handful of times when she’s volunteered here over the summer, they’d both got along really well and she’d loved listening to stories about her partner, Nick’s Christmas tree farm. ‘You must be run off your feet at the Christmas tree farm?’
‘We are.’ Pulling a hairband from her wrist, Gabby pulled her hair into a scruffy bun before nodding towards one of the tables by the window. ‘But I’ve dragged Nick and some of the team who are working on the farm this year out for a quick break. I think we all needed to get away from the hustle and bustle of the farm for an hour or so as I don’t think any of them has had a proper break for weeks now.’
‘You’ve swapped the farm’s hustle and bustle for that of Elsie’s bakery?’ Merri laughed.
Glancing around the bakery, Gabby nodded. ‘Haha, it seems so. I must admit I didn’t realise it’d be quite so busy in here today. Are you okay with us using up one of your tables up?’
‘Of course. You’re a customer just like everyone else.’ Merri smiled.
