“I hope to,” said Viv. “Not really sure what to expect, though. If I’m honest, I’m nervous about it. Feels like there’s something else I should be doing to prepare, but I don’t know what that is, so I figure I should just get in there and get bloodied and sort it out as I go… aswego.”
“Well, ideally, there won’t be any blood,” said Tandri with a wry smile. “But do you really expect folks to just show up at your door? Are you going to advertise?”
“Advertise?”
“Put the word out. Signs. Hire a crier to let people know you’re open.”
Viv was taken aback. “I’d never thought about it.”
“For someone who has planned this as thoroughly as you have, I’m a little surprised by that,” said Tandri.
Viv felt both complimented and chastened at the same time. “I just stumbled across the café in Azimuth. I figured it might be the same here.”
“There were customers, though?”
“Sure.”
“That’s advertising by itself. You saw people buying, repeat business. It let you know it was worth investigating.”
“Huh. You seem to know a lot more about this than I do. Well… what do you suggest?”
Tandri thought about it before answering. Viv liked that about her.
“No harm in opening. We can find our sea legs. The problem I see is that even if you tell the city what you’re selling, nobody knows what it really is, the same as Cal and I.”
Cal nodded.
“So,” Tandri continued. “Maybe we need to educate them. Hmmm. Let me think on it. Tomorrow, a dry run, but frankly, I wouldn’t expect much. I don’t want you to be disappointed.”
Viv furrowed her brow. “After both of your reactions, I guess I didn’t figure it would be such a hill to climb.”
“I don’t think you should be concerned yet,” said Tandri, briefly touching her hand. “I just think we should keep expectations in check.”
Viv was ruminating on that when she was startled by another voice.
“Well, miss, seems you’ve settled right on in!”
Laney grinned at them, her face like a withered apple.
“Laney!” said Viv. “Uh, I guess I have.”
“Can’t say I can figger what you’re about here, but the place looks a treat.” She squinted up at the sign. “Nope. Not. A. Clue.” She brightened and placed a dish on the table with a dark round loaf on it. “Seems you’re celebratin’, though, and today’s my bakin’ day.”
“Oh, uh, thank you,” stammered Viv. She introduced Cal and Tandri, and Laney nodded and flapped her hands at them.
“Can I get you a chair and a drink?” Viv held her mug up. “I can show you what I’m doing here.”
Laney made a big show of peering into the mug and sniffing deeply, but she flapped her hands again. “Oh, no need. My stomach don’t appreciate anythin’ new, these days. You all enjoy that and bring the plate by tomorrow.” She toddled back across the street.
Viv retrieved cutlery, sawed at what they surmised was a fig cake, and they all took experimental bites. They each sat chewing for an extremely long time, laboriously swallowed, mumbled vaguely appreciative words… and after a shared glance, burst into laughter, agreeing that the thing was wholly inedible.
They sat and chatted a little longer, and then Cal finished his drink.
“Hm. Seeing as how you’re all set, and I’m paid up.…” he said, looking down at the table. “Suppose the work’s done, far as that goes. Plenty to be gettin’ on with down at the docks, of course.”
“Well, I hope you’ll come by,” said Viv. It was hard to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She’d gotten used to having him around. “You stop in, and you’ll have coffee whenever you want it. I hope you do.”
“Might just do that, the need arises,” he said.
