There was another silence.Trevor and Ria looked at each other, and then Ria jumped up and began to stride around the kitchen, waving her arms to emphasise each point she made.‘You can’t possibly be a partner in a business if you haven’t got any money to put into it.This… this person is obviously much richer than you are, and you’ll just be taking handouts from him.It’s all wrong.And you can’t move in with a man you’ve only just met – it’s… it’s… unseemly.What about the—’ Ria stopped suddenly and glanced across at Stan.
So much for being an eccentric artist, champion of free love and the redistribution of wealth, thought Mab.The interrogation that followed would have satisfied MI5; all possible arguments against the bookshop plan were wheeled out and repeated several times.Ria pulled out all the stops, including tears, which caused Trevor to put a protective arm around his wife, and to look at his daughter with deep reproach.As in her teenage years, the argument was destined to end with the words, ‘Stop it, Mab.You’re upsetting your mother.’Finally, Mab jumped to her feet.
‘Look, I’ve had enough of this – I’m trying to do something different with my life.All you two are doing is putting up ridiculous objections.I’m going now.I’m meant to be meeting Jess.She’s going to help us get the shop ready.At leastshebelieves in me.’
Mab left, slamming the door behind her.She felt as if she was fifteen again, and not in a good way.Why did it have to be so difficult?What was wrong with taking a risk now and again?As she dashed down the drive and turned towards the town, she heard a voice calling her name.She stiffened, and then realised that it was only Stan.He staggered to a halt, panting.
‘Bloody hell, Mabel, you don’t hang about when you get your mad up, do you?’
‘How do you stand it, Stanley?They just don’t listen, do they?’
‘They’re not so bad, really.They just worry, I guess.’
‘Huh.That’s a matter of opinion.Isn’t it timeyoumoved out and had a life of your own too?’
Stan laughed.‘And go where, exactly?I’ve not got a job at the moment either, as if that hadn’t just been pointed out to you, forcibly, several times.’
Mab thought for a moment.Should she?Could she?It was totally the wrong way to go about things.Leo should definitely be asked first but he’d seemed very relaxed about his living arrangements and the work in the shop wasn’t going to do itself.Oh, why not?It was worth a try.She could always sell the idea to Leo afterwards if Stan was up for a challenge.
‘How about moving in with us at the bookshop?We’ll be needing someone to do the story time and organise the crèche,’ Mab said, giving her brother the benefit of her most encouraging smile.‘And there’ll be no shortage of odd jobs to keep you busy.The shop’s in an awful state.’
‘You’ve got to be joking?Your bloke doesn’t know me from Adam, and I’ve never done anything like that.I’d be rubbish at it.’
‘Well, for a start, he’snotmy bloke, he’s got a perfectly good woman of his own, apparently.And you worked with kids for ages, doing all sorts of things that are harder than storytelling.And there’s lots of room.And… actually, I’d really like it if you came in with us.’
‘Would you, honestly?’
‘’Course I would.The fiancée will be arriving soon.I’ll need some moral support.You could offer to work for nothing to start with and keep signing on, couldn’t you?You’re allowed to do a few hours a week volunteering, I think.Anyway, it’s time you stopped putting yourself down and got on with your life.You’ll be twenty-nine next birthday, won’t you?’
Stan grinned, and gave his sister a push, nearly knocking her into the road.
‘That’s rich coming from you, Mabel.It was only last week that you were saying your own life was going nowhere.Anyway, what’s your… I mean, what’s this Leo going to think if you turn up with your little brother in tow and then say you’ve taken me on without asking permission?And what about Jess?You told Mum that she was going to help with doing up the shop.She hates me.’
‘Jess doesn’t hate you.She was just annoyed when you said you’d take her and George to the cinema that time, and then you didn’t show up.They waited for ages.’
‘I told her what happened.My mate with the van let me down.It was totally Kev’s fault.I was fed up too, you know.I love all theKung Fu Pandafilms.I was as gutted as George when we missed the new one.’
‘Well, you can explain again when you see her, because I’ve got a good feeling about this, and you really need to get away from home, Stan.You’ll just end up spending your spare time making jam, and cat sitting when the parents go off on their gourmet food, wine and painting weekends in France.Come and meet Leo now.He’ll think you’re ace.You might need to smarten up a touch if it does work out, though.’
Mab looked down at Stan’s feet, in their worn orange high-tops.His shorts hung low and he was wearing a tatty shirt that had once been red.It was hard to see him in chinos and a polo shirt, somehow.As a token gesture, she fished a rubber hair band out of her pocket and gave it to her brother and after a moment’s thought he dragged his mop of hair into a ponytail.
‘How’s that?Better?’
‘Well, it’s a start.Come on, we’ve got persuading to do.’
They cut through the recreation ground until they reached the riverside path and carried on past the bridge leading to the entrance of the ruined castle where Jess’s mum Nina worked as curator.Mab glanced across to see if Nina was there today and spotted her standing by her booth.She was nearly as slim and blonde as her daughter, although there were now a few grey streaks in her neatly bobbed hair.Nina was in the middle of trying to organise a group of pensioners on an outing who were muttering and jostling each other as they tried to get nearer to their guide.Mab waved, and shouted, ‘Hi, Nina!’
Jess’s mum raised her eyebrows at Mab, gave a final instruction to the tour guide and watched as her grumbling charges were shepherded into the castle.This done, Nina turned and glared at Stan.
‘See, even her mum hates me,’ he muttered, smiling in what he hoped was a winning way.
Nina ignored the smile.‘Interesting news about the new café, love,’ she shouted to Mab.
‘Yes, it sounds great.I’ll come round and tell you more about it soon.We’ve got to dash now.See you!’
‘What’s it going to be called, this new place?’asked Stan, as they hurried on towards the town.
‘It’s The Chocolate Cake Bookstore.I think it’s as good a name as any and it should get people over the threshold even if it’s just to see how chocolate is involved in selling books.I hope there’ll be loads of squidgy things to eat in the café.I did wonder about a chocolate fountain but probably that would be a step too far.Imagine the mess and finger marks?And that reminds me, it’s nearly lunchtime.We can’t go to Beattie’s after yesterday.Let’s check out the other opposition.’
