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‘So, what would you do, if you were me?’ I ask him.
He thinks for a minute. ‘Honestly, I’m not sure. I know there’s a lot wrong with this place, and I’ve come close to handing in my notice a couple of times over the years, but I owe Nora, and I can’t do it to the customers. Most of our regulars are elderly, and coming in here for a cup of coffee and a bit of breakfast is the only social contact most of them get. If we close down, some of them will literally have nowhere left to go, and they’ll be stuck in their flats, fading away until they die. I’d love to see it restored to how it was in Nora’s day. I think she had the right idea, and it was lovely being here when it was busy and thriving. I know it’s a risk, but I think I’d try to save it if I had the money. Having said that, I wouldn’t blame you if you decided to sell it.’
‘Thank you,’ I tell him, before turning to Bronwyn. ‘And what would you do?’
She laughs. ‘Leave me out of this, I’m just the Saturday girl! Listen, I love it here, but I totally get what you’re saying. It is a bit of a shithole, but the customers are sweethearts. If you close it down, I’ll be okay because Gary, who runs the art gallery, will probably give me more hours.’
‘Presumably you’ll be off to college at some point anyway, won’t you?’ I ask her.
‘No. I want to build my portfolio and get myself known, rather than wasting three years of my life listening to lectures and writing essays about how other people did it.’
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Katie’s jaw drop open. Bronwyn obviously spots it too, as she quickly changes tack.
‘Don’t get me wrong. I know college is good for lots of people, and loads of jobs are only available if you’ve been to college or uni. It’s just not for me. I’ve got good GCSEs, so it’s always an option for later if my current plan doesn’t work out, but I’ll never know unless I try it my way first, will I?’
I can’t help smiling at Bronwyn’s ballsy attitude to life. I hope she succeeds, whatever happens to the café. Silence has descended again, and I’m aware that they’re waiting for me to make the next move.
‘Okay, thank you all,’ I say, getting up. ‘We’ve got a lot to think about, and I need to have a proper conversation with Katie. I promise you that, whatever we decide, we will think hard about everything that’s been said today. I’m conscious that I’ve taken up enough of your time, so I’ll let you go.’
Bronwyn smiles widely and wishes us luck, before slipping her sunglasses onto her face and disappearing into the summer sunshine. I feel a massive sense of relief when Rita also gets up and waddles out without any more acerbic remarks. She looks rather deflated by Matt’s assessment of the situation, but I feel no pity for her.
I’m no closer to working out what to do about this café, but I’m completely certain about one thing: I really,reallydon’t like Rita.
11
‘I’m sorry about Rita,’ Matt says to me, as soon as it’s just the three of us and he’s locked the front door again. ‘I’m not really sure what got into her this afternoon.’
‘Are you going to tell me that she’s normally a sweetie with a heart of gold?’ I ask, disbelief plain in my voice.
‘No. She’s always been prickly, but she does normally manage to be a little more tactful than she was just now. She probably just needs to get to know you a bit better.’
‘Yeah, but the problem is that she was just as rude when we came in earlier, and she didn’t know who Katie and I were then. If she’s being rude to customers, then we have a serious issue.’
‘I can’t help you much there,’ he replies. ‘I’m always in the kitchen, so I don’t see what goes on out the front. Anyway, would you like to have a look round now?’
At that moment, my phone pings with an email from Jonathan Moorhouse. I apologise to Matt and turn away to read it. I skim past the usual pleasantries to the substance, which is that Jonathan has submitted all the paperwork to transfer the directorship of the café to me as promised. His secretary has drafted a letter that I can take to the accountants tomorrow, and I can collect it from reception whenever suits me. He also says that he’s sent the forms to the bank, and I just need to call in there to show them ID and sign some documents in front of them to finalise myself as the signatory on the business account. Finally, he informs me that he’s transferred a pound to my savings account and will transfer the rest as soon as I confirm receipt. I log into the app on my phone and see that the pound has arrived. I reply quickly to thank him and tell him that I have received it, and that I’ll pick up the papers shortly. I glance at the Rolex, which tells me that it’s already four o’clock. The bank will close in thirty minutes.
‘I would very much like to have a proper look around in here, and also see the flats,’ I tell Matt, ‘but I’ve just had an email from the solicitors, and I need to pick some stuff up from them and get to the bank before it shuts. I’ve got an appointment with the accountants at half past two tomorrow. Would it be okay if I came back after that?’
His brow furrows. ‘I normally go to the cash and carry after we close on a Wednesday,’ he explains. ‘I won’t be back until after six, I’m afraid.’
An idea pops into my head and, because I really need to get out of here to avoid missing the bank, I blurt it out without thinking it through properly. ‘I tell you what. I can’t see the meeting with the accountants taking more than an hour at the most. Why don’t I come straight here when I’m done with them, and you and I can go to the cash and carry together, maybe see if we can get some better-quality stuff. Then you can show me around when we get back.’
Matt is silent; I’ve been too pushy, I realise. ‘Sorry,’ I backtrack. ‘I’m not trying to railroad you, it’s just that I’m going back to work on Monday, and I thought it might be an opportunity…’
‘I think it’s a good idea, actually,’ he interrupts. ‘You caught me slightly by surprise, but yes. I can show you what I normally buy and what I’d like to buy. Let’s do that, if you’re sure it works for you.’
‘Great. Now, I hate to be rude, but we really have to run. Do you have the keys to Fred’s car? I was going to take it with me today.’
‘They’re up in my flat, but I haven’t started Fred’s car for a few weeks, as it’s out of petrol. I’ve been meaning to fill the container up and put some more in it, but I haven’t got round to it yet. Sorry.’
He can obviously see the frustration on my face, because he continues. ‘Look, why don’t I run you both up to town in my van? You can get your bits of paper and go to the bank while I fill up the container. Then we can come back, put the fuel in and you can go on your way.’
‘Are you sure? I don’t want to put you to any trouble.’
I’m lying. I do. He’s now my only hope of getting to the bank today. I know it’s not the end of the world and I could go in the morning, but I don’t want to delay anything more than I have to. If I end up with things being pushed out into next week, they’re going to be a lot harder to deal with.
‘No problem. Follow me.’
