‘So, last time I saw you,’ Gabi said, ‘was when Tutto Mio opened with such a bang.’
The two women eyed each other. ‘Bang’ was the right word. A gun had gone off, the restaurant trashed by a criminal gang the day before it was due to open. Etienne, the then town Romeo, had saved the day and professed his undying love for Isabella– all extraordinary events for Honeybridge. A day that changed life for Isabella and Etienne for the better and introduced Alex to the gang. Alex, the twin brother not many people knew that Etienne even had. Amber was one of those few who knew him from a past life. Isabella had told Gabi that Alex and Amber recognised each other on sight, and not in a good way, Amber giving him a resounding slap around the face, nobody quite sure why.
‘That was quite a day,’ Amber laughed. ‘And now, look. The restaurant is booming. Isabella has done such a good job.’ She ruffled Jayden’s short afro and Gabi spotted his electric-blue hearing aids. He shook his head at his mum without looking up and Amber rolled her eyes. She poked him. Jayden glanced up and signed something to her. She signed back and he glanced shyly at Gabi.
‘I’ve told Jayden you’re coming to stay with us,’ Amber said. Gabi smiled nervously and lifted a hand. She didn’t know any sign language, apart from ‘thank you’ that she’d seen one year onStrictly Come Dancingwhen a clip of the winning dance went viral. She faced him directly.
‘Is that okay with you, Jayden?’ Gabi asked. Jayden shrugged. Amber nudged him in the ribs, and he changed the shrug to a nod.
Gabi lifted her four fingers flat to her chin and then extended them towards him, showing off her only move.
He shrugged, rose from the table and took his iPad into the other room.
‘Don’t worry. He doesn’t bite. You’ll be fine,’ Amber said. Gabi nodded and hoped that was true. She had no experience of children. They weren’t high on her wish list.
An hour later, the two women had worked out a plan. Amber would be home in the mornings to get Jayden out of the door to school on time and then she’d drop Gabi to the gym on her way to work mid-morning. Gabi assured her she’d be able to make her own way back, ensuring she was home in time for Jayden’s return after three. Even better, Amber told her the gym was the one near Tutto Mio, so Gabi already had plans to pop in for coffee with her cousin after each session. Maybe this recuperation lark wouldn’t be too bad after all.
The first week went faster than she’d expected. They found a routine, and everyone settled into it. Gabi joined the gym and loved beginning to test her body out again. She found a physio and started her exercises. The spring sunshine was gaining warmth, and she sat in Amber’s small back garden to tan. She loved being able to drop in on Isabella and realised just how much she’d missed her. She made hot chocolates or ice cream floats for Jayden when he got home from school and then they’d choose an action movie to watch together, her on the sofa, him on the floor. Childcare was easier than she’d thought. They didn’t even have to talk! She’d never had a week like it and maybe it was the novelty, but she was enjoying herself. This was so much better than being stuck on her own in an Australian hospital. This was homely to the millionth degree.
On Friday evening, Amber collapsed on the sofa beside her, the working week over.
‘Chill day tomorrow. And then Sunday is going to be fun! You coming?’ she said.
‘Coming where?’ Gabi asked, flicking channels to find Amber’s favourite show.
‘Fundraiser at the fire station,’ Amber said. ‘It’s a pole-a-thon. Most distance covered on a fireman’s pole in an hour. They want to beat the world record. It’s for a good cause– but never mind the cause, hot men climbing ladders and sliding down poles? Interested?’
‘Count me in,’ Gabi said. ‘Sounds like the perfect spectator sport.’
Chapter Six
Walker
The crew had already tied the bunting to the fire station and the truck was gleaming in the spring sun. Walker felt a rush of pride, as he always did, to see it there in the car park. The local kids loved the chance to touch a real-life fire engine, climb up and into it. And he loved to see the excitement on their faces– you never knew who might end up wanting to be a firefighter themselves one day. He could remember the thrill of it– the first time he rode in the truck gave him butterflies; the first time with lights and sirens took his breath away. It still gave him a buzz every time they were called out on a job. The difference was that now he was Crew Manager and wore a yellow helmet, with two bars on his epaulettes. Along with the fancy fashion, he had the responsibility for the local incidents, as well as the training and safety of his crew. Something that, if he didn’t already have nightmares, might give him them. But he tried not to think about that.
‘Morning, Walker.’ His Watch Commander, Dean Appleby, was there, in full dress uniform. He would be in charge of timing the pole-a-thon and making sure that it was official.
‘Morning, sir,’ Walker said with a dip of his head. He liked the formality, the manners of the service.
‘Good luck,’ Appleby said and then, nodding at a couple arriving with a clipboard and an iPad, ‘looks like the world record officiators have arrived. Excuse me.’ He set off across the forecourt, raising his arm to get their attention. Walker’s phone beeped.
The Brothers from Another Mother WhatsApp group was live. Originally it had just been him, Etienne who owned The Bistro, and silver-haired Fox, the games designer. But now that Etienne’s twin brother had moved to the town– and in with Walker– he was part of the group.
Etienne: Good luck today, bro.
Fox: Hope your pole holds out.
Walker: Never had a problem before.
Alex: Thought I heard someone shout out in the night actually. . . Did you have company?
Walker cringed. He must have called out during his nightmare again.
Walker: Nope. You must have been dreaming! See you later.
He tucked his phone in his backpack with a sigh and set off to round up his crew.
An hour later, the fire station was heaving. All members of the Brothers from Another Mother were present and correct.
