As Mab and Stan came to the marketplace, they saw the signs for Ye Olde Crusty Cob Emporium.They queued up hopefully, but were uninspired by the rows of flabby sandwiches, with nothing in the least bit crusty to be seen.Mab settled for a rather solid flapjack, thankful not to be feeling sick, and Stan chose two sausage rolls, pale and slightly bendy.
‘We can do so much better than this,’ said Mab, chewing manfully.Stan nodded, trying to swallow the dry pastry.
Dropping the remains of their lunch in a nearby bin, Mab and Stan set off again for the empty shop.As they turned the corner, Mab’s stomach lurched when she noticed a familiar figure standing outside Beattie’s Bakehouse.The woman was smoking furiously, and had her back to them, jacket collar turned up, and thin shoulders hunched as if it was midwinter, rather than a breezy spring day.
‘It’s Beattie,’ Mab hissed.‘Quickly, get inside before she sees us.’
‘Why?She’s only having a fag.’
‘I know… oh, never mind now, just let’s?—’
But as Mab spoke, Beattie Crabtree spun around to face them.Her auburn hair was scraped back so tightly that her whole face looked stretched, although the angry lines around her mouth were still clearly visible.
‘Ha!So the last of the Three Musketeers is here.Your sidekicks are in there waiting for you.I wouldn’t like to be in your shoes, taking up with that scruffy young individual.I thought you were a girl with some sense, Mabel.We need to talk.Urgently.’
Mab cleared her throat and wondered how to deal with this in a stress-free way.It was hard to relax around Beattie.How could the woman possibly know about their plans, though?She decided to bite the bullet.
‘So, you’ve heard about the developments here, Beattie?’
‘Developments?Is that what you’re calling a cowboy get-rich-quick scheme that’s going to bankrupt honest, hard-working local businesses?’
‘Well, I don’t think bankrupting people is in the plan.’
‘Oh, you don’t?Well, how are we supposed to keep our heads above water when someone comes along and takes all our customers, answer me that, Mabel?You know that Edward and I have been trying to buy this place for years, but the silly old bat told me she was renting it on a long lease.If I’d known that she owned it…’
‘How dare you say such horrible things about Angelica?’burst out Mab, fury overcoming her fear of Beattie.‘She was a good customer of yours for years, and she never said a bad word against you, even when you brought in all those disgusting health food ideas.’
‘What do you mean, disgusting?How rude.I’m trying to raise the standards around here, and help people to kick their terrible eating habits.Our cakes are delicious.You should know, you eat enough of them.’She glanced at Mab’s waistline as she spoke and Mab instinctively pulled her stomach in.Their eyes met, and Mab saw an unfamiliar look of fear on Beattie’s face.As Beattie threw her cigarette butt on the ground and stamped on it, Mab took hold of her brother’s arm and began to guide him towards the door of Leo’s shop.Beattie reached out a tentative hand.‘Look, Mabel, we really do need to talk about this.I would hate for it to affect our… er… friendship.’The two women exchanged a long look, and for once Mab felt in control of the situation.
‘Yes, we do need to have a chat, Beattie, but I’m quite busy right now.Give me a call later, OK?Or better still, tomorrow.’
At the sound of the front door banging shut behind Mab and Stan, Leo came down the stairs two at a time.He was already covered in brick dust, but he was suddenly so pleased to see Mab that he hugged her enthusiastically, regardless of the white powder that he was transferring to her clothes.
‘Hey, Mab, I’ve got something to show you.I’ve just started knocking out the little wall between that pantry place and the living room.It’s only a thin partition, as it turns out.It’ll make a great space for entertaining.’
‘Oh.Well, so long as it wasn’t a load-bearing wall.But Leo, how has Beattie Crabtree heard about the new café already?She must be a mind reader.Or maybe she’s got this place bugged.’Somehow, that idea didn’t sound too far-fetched today.
Leo shrugged.‘Oh, yeah, I bumped into Edward earlier.Jess had a huge row with him this morning when he saw her coming in here, didn’t you, love?’
Jess had also come downstairs and now stood by Leo, apparently fascinated by the toe of her sneaker.
‘Yes, erm… I accidentally spilled the beans about the shop, just before I told him he was a useless, sadistic great idiot.Anyway, it’s fine, because Leo’s had a rethink, and he says I can move in here with George in a couple of days, when his dad and all the brothers go home.My catering experience should come in handy, he says.’
Jess looked up pleadingly at Mab but then scowled as she spotted Stan.Leo could see that Mab was struggling to take all this in, and he wasn’t surprised; he felt the same himself.Mab frowned.‘So you told Edward about our plans, Jess?Was that wise, do you think?And you’re going to be living here too?That makes things a bit tricky.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I know I shouldn’t have done this without checking first, but I told my brother he could maybe run the crèche and move in too.He’ll do it for nothing to begin with.What do you reckon, Leo?’Mab turned and pulled Stan forward.‘This is my little brother Stan.’
There was a brief pause.Mab held her breath.Leo must be wondering how much more surreal today was going to get.This must seem like a step too far, surely.It was turning into some kind of sitcom.Luckily, she’d correctly judged their new friend’s ability to think on his feet.
‘Well, hi, Stan,’ Leo said.‘This wasn’t quite how I’d planned my first day in business, but the one thing we’re not going to be is lonely.My own lot are due any minute now.I’m not sure how or if I can pay you and Jess at the moment but you’re welcome to move in after the Bank Holiday.We’ll worry about all the details later.’
There was a loud crash as the front door rocked on its hinges.A booming voice yelled, ‘Leo?Are you in there, bonny lad?’
‘We’re here, Dad.Come on up; you’re just in time for a beer,’ Leo called back.He pulled what was clearly meant to be a long-suffering face but Mab was touched to see that he couldn’t hide his delight at his family’s arrival.‘Well, that’s the peace totally shattered,’ said Leo.‘I only hope they’re in the mood for work.’
6
