The bells above the door announced her arrival with a merry jingle. Katherine looked up from wiping down the gleaming countertop and smiled. ‘Good morning, Tammy.’
‘Morning Katherine.’
‘I wondered if you’d be in today.’ Katherine ushered Tammy over to a table by the front window. ‘Sit right there. You have the perfect vantage point to people-watch. Drink?’
‘Oo yes, I’d love a strong tea with milk, but no sugar.’
Katherine nodded. ‘Have you eaten yet?’ Tammy shook her head. ‘Okay. Say no more. I’ll make you my special.’ Before Tammy could object, Katherine strode behind the counter and disappeared through an open door into the kitchen.
Nondescript music played low in the background and Tammy sat back in her chair and turned her head to look at Katherine’s customers—hopefully soon to be her own. They were old and young. Some were unmistakable tourists in their bright get-ups and flip-flops. Others Tammy recognised from the pub last night as being local residents. She smiled and said hello to the couple who caught her looking their way. Slightly embarrassed, she turned her attention to the window. Leaning over, she could see her uncle packing the ice in the cart around the remaining fish he had. Seagulls flew overhead and her uncle looked up and shuffled closer to the cart, protective of his livelihood.
Tammy fell into a daydream trance as she people-watched. Some idled by with all the time in the world, while others were more frantic. She wondered if her parents had ever sat here in the café on one of their dates, doing just as she was doing while holding hands across the table.
Katherine pulled Tammy from her daze when she placed a large oval plate and a mug down in front of her. The smell of the offering instantly made her salivate, even though Tammy hadn’t really been very hungry a moment ago. Her eyes widened when she saw what Katherine had whipped up for her. It was a hearty breakfast of fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon, and scrambled eggs, served up with a mug of piping hot tea.
‘Enjoy,’ Katherine winked. ‘We can have a chat in about thirty minutes when it goes quiet.’
‘Thanks Katherine. This looks tremendous.’
As Tammy ate, she watched Katherine bantering cheerfully with customers, thinking she had a lot to learn about running a café hospitality business. She wasn’t a novice when it came to running a business, but Richi had always been the face of theirs, preferring to interact with customers in their bakery shop while she stayed in the background, or kept in the kitchen doing anything but serving. If only she’d been a bit more hands-on in that area, then maybe Richi wouldn’t have met and flirted with the woman who took her place in his heart.
The lump of emotion was back in her throat and Tammy had to swallow her pancake hard to get past it. She clenched her teeth together. She refused to cry—especially in the café in front of others.
When the mid-morning rush died down, Katherine finally sat down in the seat across from Tammy. ‘Phew. That was a busy morning. I’m going to miss the hustle and bustle of it.’
Tammy smiled warmly at Katherine. ‘Do you mind me asking why you are renting out your business? I hope you don’t think I’m prying—it’s just that—your business is booming at the moment.’
Katherine sighed. ‘It’s my mum. She’s elderly and the time has come for me to move back and be there for her. She has always been fiercely independent and it will take some time for her to get used to me being there again, but it has to be done.’
‘Oh, I am sorry, said Tammy earnestly. What she wouldn’t give to be in the same position.
‘Sadly, it’s life, Tammy. You might find yourself in my shoes in the future.’
Tammy shook her head and looked out of the window towards Ben. ‘Ben’s the only family I have Katherine.’
Tammy felt Katherine’s hand cover hers and squeeze. ‘Then you’re a very lucky young lady because Ben is a wonderful human being.’ Katherine released Tammy’s hand and patted it. ‘Come on. Let’s talk shop before the lunchtime rush starts.’ Katherine’s smile and enthusiasm were infectious. ‘Let’s talk about stock first. I don’t know what type of eatery you plan to do, but I’ll gift you everything that’s left over in the café come Friday when I hand the keys over to you.’
‘Friday?’ Tammy’s stomach did a loop-the-loop with excitement and nerves. ‘Katherine nodded. ‘That’sverygenerous of you. Are you sure, Katherine? Uncle Ben is helping me out, so it’s not a problem to buy your stock from you.
Kath held the palms of her hands up to Tammy. ‘No. I insist.’
‘Thank you.’
Katherine nodded. ‘What do you plan to do? Are you still planning on doing hot food?’
Tammy crossed her arms on the table and leaned forward to Katherine, her enthusiasm rising to the surface. ‘Well, I have an idea of turning the café into a tearoom with hot simple lunches like toasties, bacon, or vegan alternative baps and baked goods. I have a list of cakes I’ve already planned to do.’
‘Oh, that sounds truly wonderful. I might have to drive back up here with Mum for a cream tea. She’d love that.’ Katherine was fully supportive, and it was as if a weight had been lifted off Tammy’s shoulders. ‘I get most of my fundamental supplies from the local cash ‘n’ carry, but for sourcing staples like eggs, bacon, and sausages as well as organic ingredients, I recommend the local farm shop. They give me a great deal. I advise you introduce yourself to the owner to negotiate pricing.’
Using the notes app in her phone, Tammy’s thumbs were going ten to the dozen, as Katherine spoke. Looking at the screen full of helpful advice from Katherine, Tammy was filled with renewed confidence. She looked up at Katherine. ‘Thanks Katherine. Is the farm shop walkable from here?’
Katherine spluttered a laugh. ‘Goodness no. You’d probably get trampled by cows anyway if you tried to get there by foot. Didn’t you drive here, Tammy?’
She shook her head. ‘I-I shared a car with...someone, but he has it now.’ Saying it out loud made her sound so pathetic. ‘Is there a local taxi or uber?’
Katherine pointed to the notice board. ‘Mina is our local uber driver in the daytime while her children are at school. Her business card is on the board.’
The doorbell tinkled, alerting Katherine to another customer. ‘No rest for the wicked eh Tammy?’ She stood up as she winked at her. ‘Call in anytime if you think of something else you’d like to ask me. Otherwise, we need to meet up sometime after closing so I can show you the working of the till, the oven, and whatnot.’
‘Sounds like a plan,’ Tammy grinned as she got to her feet, too. ‘By the way. That breakfast was utterly divine. Thank you.’
Katherine smiled. ‘You’re welcome.’
