‘But you felt it was betraying Susanna?’
‘Not only that, I thought I’d left it so long that you might not want to know. You had friends, a life, the café. I wasn’t sure if I could, or should, try to edge back in.’
‘Then I’m guilty of not making it so that you knew.’ Her eyes met Addie’s. ‘What a pair we are. What a trio, what a quartet with Louisa too!’
‘Gayle, what would you think if I said I wanted to bring Isaac to the island for his half-term holiday?’
Gayle’s face lit up, and she put her hands across her mouth for a moment before she took them away to utter, ‘I’d say yes, please.’
And now Addie and Isaac were almost at the island. The boat was close enough to the harbour that they could start to focus on the people lined up, waiting to greet the arrivals.
‘Can you see her?’ Addie asked her little boy, who was standing as tall as he could, on tiptoes.
Luckily, she wasn’t crouched next to Isaac because he suddenly jumped up, bouncing on his toes now as he waved madly. ‘Auntie Gayle, Auntie Gayle!’ Isaac had taken to calling her Auntie Gayle rather than Aunt Gayle over their FaceTimes, which Gayle didn’t mind one bit, and his little voice might not have carried over the din of the boat as it came in to dock, but his hands in the air certainly caught Gayle’s attention.
Addie spotted Gayle waving to them both. She kept a firm clasp on her son’s hand until they were safely off the vessel, and it was safe for him to charge up the ramp and into Gayle’s arms. Addie suspected if she had the strength Gayle would’ve picked him up and swung him around, but they both settled on a big hug and Addie went over to get one for herself.
This time, returning to Anchor Island felt a lot like coming home, except to a home she hadn’t admitted the true existence of until recently.
* * *
An hour later they were in the Sweet Life Café and Gayle was in her element. She was back at work, although not today and only in a part-time capacity when she was. She’d been talking to Isaac about her pudding business ever since they met down at the harbour and had answered the million and one questions he had.
‘Would you look at the pair of them,’ said Nancy, as they watched Isaac emerge from the kitchen first, carrying his own choice of pudding topped with a rather generous dollop of cream. Gayle followed after with a more modest portion. Addie wasn’t about to comment either, because according to Nancy, Gayle was staying on track with the healthy eating and puddings were no longer the mainstay of her diet.
When a group of four customers came through the door, Nancy announced, ‘No rest for the wicked. We’re getting busy. I’ll get on.’
Addie spotted a spare apron hanging on the hook outside the kitchen. ‘I’ll give you a hand.’ And when she waved over at Gayle who was in cahoots with Isaac in the same far booth the Rafferty girls had always taken, Gayle nodded her absolute approval.
They stayed until closing time, and while Isaac was busy with a colouring book and a full complement of felt-tips, Addie sat at the adjacent table with Gayle and Nancy and a cup of coffee each.
‘This one has been a lot of help today,’ said Nancy, gesturing to Addie. ‘Our part-time help lasted all of a week.’
‘Was she that terrible?’ Addie asked.
‘He. And yes, I caught him smoking up on the balcony and handing out free pudding to his mates.’
‘Oh dear.’
‘Good job you found him, not me,’ said Gayle. ‘Louisa was here last week helping out, but by her own admission her skills are more suited to the garden than the kitchen.’
‘She sounds like she’s doing well with her new job.’ Addie, Susanna and Louisa were slowly getting to know each other. They did FaceTime calls regularly and finally Louisa had found full-time work at a garden centre and already talked about someday having her own business. Maybe it was in the genes.
‘When you do what you love, it’s a lot easier,’ Gayle agreed.
‘Part-time help is why I wanted to talk to you both, actually,’ Addie told the two women. ‘I have an idea. It sounds kind of crazy even to my own ears, so please tell me if it is.’
‘Spit it out, love,’ said Nancy.
‘Well… what if I was to come and work here.’ She paused, looked from Gayle to Nancy, Nancy to Gayle.
‘That would be great,’ said Gayle. ‘It’s a busy week, with half term.’
‘No, I don’t mean just for half term. I mean, what if I was to come and work here, permanently?’
Gayle looked over at Isaac. ‘How would you do that when you live in London?’
Addie felt a smile form. ‘I’d move myself and Isaac over here, rent somewhere, enrol Isaac in school, the whole shebang.’
