Just then, one of the waitresses dropped an entire tray of glasses, still hot from the dishwasher. The tray fell to the floor with a gigantic crash of breaking glass. Everyone in the café looked up in surprise. Bea’s heart almost leapt from her chest. She hurried to survey the damage, her heart thundering against her rib cage, and found that every single glass on the tray had been broken.
She pressed both hands to her hips and used every ounce of self restraint to keep from cursing out loud.
The waitress, a teenager who’d recently begun doing afternoon shifts at the café, regarded her with wide eyes, lower lip trembling.
“I’m sorry, Mrs Rushton,” she said.
Bea pushed a smile onto her face. “It was an accident. You can wait tables, and I’ll clean this up.”
Sometimes she wished she could turn back time and keep her pigtailed little girl at home. The two of them could bake cupcakes and decorate them with sprinkles, watch Play School and take a nap. Times were simpler then. Now, she had no control over the way Dani lived her life and had to trust the decisions she made. Something that was much easier said than done.
Fifteen
BEA’S COFFEEwas closed but the atmosphere was festive. Charmaine set everything they needed out in neat piles on the tables that’d been pushed together in the centre of the café. There were stacks of menus, piles of ribbon already cut into uniform lengths, place settings with calligraphy in a stunning matte black ink with the guest’s name, mounds of cut flowers and more. It was an assembly line to prepare for Penny and Rowan’s wedding that weekend, and the entire bridal party was pitching in.
“Champagne all around!” Beatrice cried as she carried a bottle to the table and handed around champagne flutes. “We’re celebrating.”
“There’s nothing more fun than a group craft project,” Evie said, clapping her hands together.
Taya’s eyes widened. “You’re always so chipper, Evie. I don’t know how you do it.”
Evie pouted. “I’m not being chipper—I really do love crafting. Add in friends, and what more could I want?”
Taya laughed.
Penny pushed a handful of glue sticks onto the table. “And I for one am grateful you feel that way, sweetie. It’s one of the reasons why we all love you.”
“That and your never-ending supply of good books,” Bea added with a wink as she poured champagne.
“And here I was thinking it was my sparkling brown eyes,” Evie said with a flutter of black lashes.
“You know, this is the first time we’ve all been able to get together in weeks,” Penny said, slumping into a chair with a sigh. “It’s so good to see you. I’m exhausted, but I’ve been looking forward to tonight anyway.”
Each took a glass of champagne and raised it in a toast, then drank.
“Hear, hear,” said Bea.
“Taya’s job is taking her away from us far too much,” Penny continued. “But I couldn’t be happier for you, honey. So, let’s toast to friendship.”
“To friendship,” they shouted as they touched glasses together and then drank again.
“And to Penny and Rowan. May they have everlasting love and happiness,” Bea replied.
They all said “cheers” again and toasted their friends.
One of the waitresses from the café strode from the kitchen with two trays of food and set them on the table, then waved her goodbyes before closing the door behind her. She stepped out into the darkening evening just as Betsy climbed the stairs, almost entirely hidden by an armful of cut native flowers. She pushed through the door with her rear end, then spun about and teetered across the floor to where the ladies sat.
Charmaine leapt to her feet to help Betsy with one hand on her arm. “You shouldn’t be doing this yourself. Why didn’t you give me a call?”
Betsy set the flowers down in the only empty space she could find and waved a hand in protest. “Never mind all that. I’m not an invalid yet.”
“Yes, I know, but you could’ve tripped.”
“Well, I didn’t.” Betsy’s eyes sparkled, and she smiled at Charmaine. “All’s well that ends well. Here are the rest of the flowers for the table settings. I wish you ladies luck this evening pulling it all together. I’m sure you won’t need it, since it looks to me like you’re doing a fantastic job. I miss those days of girlfriends getting married and sitting together until the wee hours doing the last-minute chores and errands. But I hope you all have the best of times and get plenty of sleep.” She winked.
They thanked her. Charmaine offered her a glass of champagne, which she turned down.
“When you get to my age, you have to think twice about everything you eat or drink, especially before bedtime. Which, for me, is in a few minutes, so I’ll bid you all adieu.”
