They’d have enough happiness for a thousand lifetimes.
He smiled widely when he got to the front of the queue.
Billy was helping River today, his eyes occasionally flickering to the corner of the ice creamery, where a woman sat with a small boy, signing to him. Billy’s wife and son, Cohen realised. Billy turned back to the queue and, on seeing Cohen, smiled widely.
‘Hey,’ he said, nodding at him. ‘It’s Cohen the strawberry. How are you?’
But Cohen shook his head and started to sign.No, he replied with his hands.Like this now.And Billy’s grin got wider.
Okay, Billy signed back.I’ll get River for you. I’m proud of you, Strawberry.
Cohen didn’t follow it all, but he understood enough.
Billy tapped River on the shoulder, pulling her away from the coffee machine. He signed at her quickly, and her face brightened immediately. She turned to face the queue, her face breaking into a smile on seeing Cohen across the counter.
Hi, Cohen signed.I was told this was the best ice creamery in London.
River bit her lip, staring at him and smiling.
I had a few lessons in BSL in New York from a friend, Cohen continued.But I don’t know much. After Christmas I have my first lesson at the British Signing Institute though, so I’m hoping to get better and—
And River reached over the counter, wrapping her arms around his chest and covering his mouth with her own. She kissed him, hard and fast, and Cohen lifted her, pulling her across the counter so that she was in his arms properly, without anything separating them.
He was never going to be apart from her again.
They carried on kissing, Cohen’s hands wrapped in the soft fabric of River’s skirt, when a loud sigh echoed across the shop.
‘This,’ Rushi intoned loudly, ‘is a family establishment, and I’ll ask you not to maul my staff – no, not to maul mydaughter– while here.’
Cohen and River broke apart, both flushing guiltily. Rushi shook her head at him. ‘Your mother called me,’ she told Cohen sharply, signing her words so that River could understand.
‘Oh,’ is all Cohen could say.
‘Oh, yes. It was a fun conversation. Did you know how easy it was to convert to Judaism these days?’ Rushi rolled her eyes. ‘I should probably mention that she called me from JFK,’ Rushi continued, smiling at the shock that crossed Cohen’s face. ‘Yes, she’s on her way. You two have about, oh, I’d say about nine hours before she gets here. Your step-mother too.’
Cohen’s mouth fell open.
Rushi smiled wickedly. ‘So, what can you two do with nine hours? River’s meant to be working, but I’m happy to cover her shift, and—’
And Cohen and River didn’t need to know anything else. Cohen was already pulling at River’s hand, intent on taking her out the door and towards the road to hail a black cab.
‘Hey!’ Rushi’s voice cut into his thoughts as well as his plans. ‘You didn’t order any ice cream.’
‘What?’ Cohen stuttered.
‘The ice cream,’ Rushi replied steadily. ‘River unveiled our new Christmas—sorry, sorry …’ Rushi paused, seeing the flurry of River’s hand movements. ‘I should say, she unveiled our newholidayflavours yesterday.’
Cohen nodded, impatient to be gone, because once his mother and Marilyn arrived, it was unlikely he and River would get much time alone again. But River’s eyes were shining happily, and he realised she was proud of her work and wanted to share it with him.
‘Chocolate with hopeful stardust,’ he said suddenly, recalling the bitter chocolate ice cream from weeks before. ‘What are the other two?’
Rushi signed for Cohen, and River flushed, leading him to the counter, pointing to the flavours within.
The first was dark blue in colour with a silvery sheen to it.Christmas Nightswas written beside it on a blue card coloured with silver stars. It reminded Cohen instantly of his blue glitter ink, and suddenly he saw the mischievous twinkle in River’s eyes and couldn’t help but blush.
‘How she’s been serving that blue ice cream all day without shame is beyond me,’ Rushi commented drily. ‘It’s spiced blueberry, in case you were wondering.’
But Cohen wasn’t listening, caught as he was by the final flavour.
