Page 102 of The Little Board Game Café

‘That sounds like your mother.’

*

The following day, a huge bunch of red roses arrived for Emily at Thorp’s. There was no card. They had to be from Peter, she thought, although red roses were never his style. But she’d had the feeling that it had been on the tip of his tongue to ask her out again the previous day as they’d joked about the printer. And who else would they be from?

But she didn’t want Peter back, and she didn’t want his roses.

She was going to Thornholme straight from work that evening. She still hadn’t told her mum about the café dream being over. She hadn’t been able to face it. On her way out of the office, Emily scooped the flowers up, intending to put them into the first bin she saw on her way to the bus stop but she didn’t pass a bin.

*

‘I brought you some flowers,’ she said, placing them down on the grave. Peter had been thoughtful enough to buy the ones that come with their stems in a plastic bag filled with water. The bouquet was a little top heavy, but Emily balanced it against the headstone.

‘Red roses! Dad’ll think you’ve got an admirer. He’ll probably be jealous.’

Mum would have laughed at that.

‘Dad will be jealous of what?’

Emily looked up to see her dad standing above her.

‘I didn’t know you were coming this weekend,’ he said. ‘That’s a lovely surprise.’

She hadn’t actually been intending to stay. But then again, she had nothing better to do.

‘I wanted to talk to Mum. I’ve something important to tell her.’

‘You know, Em, you can talk to me too. I’m always here for you.’

Emily stood up. ‘Okay, well, I can tell you both. The dream that Mum and I always shared – that one day we’d run our own café – well, it’s over. I tried. I failed. The Little Board Game Café has gone. Demolished.’

‘Demolished? That’s a bit dramatic. What did you do? Burn the all-day breakfast and set fire to the place? I thought that was more Kate’s style than yours.’

‘The landlord wanted the building back. He’s sold it to a developer. They’re building flats there now. I didn’t do enough research. Do you think Mum’s looking down on me, furious that I’ve lost my inheritance?’

At that moment, the roses toppled over.

‘That’s her saying no,’ said Dad. He bent down, setting them upright again. ‘Your mum would never be furious. She’d be proud of you for giving it a go. Let’s go and have a cup of tea.’ He lowered his voice. ‘I’ve gone back to Yorkshire Tea. Don’t tell your mother.’

And at that, the flowers toppled over again.

*

Dad filled the kettle. ‘I thought things were going well for you.’

‘Not at first. I had no customers. Then things went well for a month or so, until I heard that the landlord wouldn’t be renewing my lease and there didn’t seem much point after that. I still wish you’d seen it.’

Dad ignored her last comment. ‘Why didn’t you get many customers?’

‘It wasn’t a great location, to be honest. No passing trade. People tend to stay in the town centre. That’s why I turned it into a board game café. I thought I could lure them in by offering something extra. My USP. It worked for a bit.’

‘Why didn’t you buy in a better location?’

‘It was all I could afford.’

‘You could have borrowed some money.’

‘Too much of a risk.’