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Chapter Twelve
Carmen stifled a yawnas she slipped her apron over her head. She wasn’t even sure if she’d managed four hours of sleep at the most. She’d spent the night tossing and turning, vivid dreams waking her every time she’d nodded off. Rob’s words from yesterday at the summer fete had echoed around her mind each time she’d closed her eyes and she’d relived those last few days with Rob four years ago. The date at their favourite restaurant, a picnic in the park with Adele, Stephen and their boys. And each time she’d relaxed into the memory, flashes of him breaking up with her had resurfaced. Each and every time.
She shook her head. She knew why she’d been thinking about the past so much. It was only natural given that she’d run into him again all this time later. Particularly now he’d explained why he’d broken up with her, the apology, the admittance of having loved her even when they’d split up. He’d only been doing what he’d thought was best. Right or wrong. He’d tried to do what he’d thought best in an impossible situation.
Pushing the door from the bakery into the kitchen open, she stepped inside, the warm aroma of freshly baked bread immediately surrounding her.
‘Morning, love. Did you sleep well?’ Elsie tipped rolls from a hot tray onto the cooling rack.
‘Morning. Not really, to be honest. No Teresa?’
‘Not yet.’ Elsie glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned. ‘Teresa’s not one to be late. I hope everything’s okay. I bet one of the kids is coming down with something, bless them.’
‘Hopefully it’ll just be one of these twenty-four-hour bug things then.’
‘Yes, hopefully.’ Elsie shook her head. ‘I’m sure everything’s fine. She may have just slept in. If anyone deserves a lie in, it’s her.’
Carmen nodded as she stifled another yawn.
‘Anything you want to talk about, love?’ Elsie wiped her hands down her apron and brought the cafetière to the table. ‘Here, sit down and have a coffee before you get started. I know I could do with one after yesterday. I do so love the summer fete, but anything like that wipes me right out.’
Carmen sat on the stool Elsie indicated and took a mug of fresh coffee. ‘Thanks. I used to know Rob. Before he moved down here, and I guess the past is just all playing on my mind a bit.’
‘Oh, I wondered if you two knew each other.’ Sitting down on the stool opposite Carmen, Elise took a sip of coffee.
‘Yes, we used to date, and he finished with me when he found out he had a daughter, Ava.’
‘Ah, he told me about the way Ava’s mum left and wrote him a letter telling him she was leaving Ava in his custody. It must have been years ago when he mentioned it.’
Carmen shifted on her stool. ‘We’d been dating when he received the letter. Although he’s only just told me about what happened, about Ava. At the time, he just finished things with me with no explanation.’
Elsie tutted and shook her head. ‘That must have been difficult, love. Unfortunately, shock makes us do funny things. He’s a good one, Rob is. I’m sure he had his reasons.’
‘Maybe.’ Carmen shrugged. ‘He told me that he hadn’t wanted me to make a decision I’d regret. He hadn’t wanted me to follow him down here and end up resenting him. I don’t really know how I feel about it all.’ She didn’t. ‘I know I’m not being fair. I know he had a million other things to think about.’
‘Do you want some advice?’
Carmen nodded.
‘I would take his explanation at face value. As I said, he’s one of the good ones and his heart would have been in the right place, however misplaced you feel his reasons were.’ Elsie patted Carmen’s hand before standing up.
‘Yes, you’re probably right. I just need to move on.’ And she could do. Now he’d explained himself, maybe she could finally begin to lower her walls and begin to trust again, begin to believe she deserved someone who loved her as much as she loved them. Downing the last of her coffee, she stood up. ‘What shall I make a start on?’
––––––––
‘WHERE’S TERESA?’ DIANEpicked up a tray of freshly baked pasties and looked around the kitchen. ‘I thought she said Gavin would be taking the kids to their holiday clubs so she wouldn’t have to go home after baking like she usually does?’
‘Morning, Diane.’ Elsie looked up from the phone in her hand. ‘I don’t know, love. I was rather hoping she’d slept in. Maybe forgotten to put her alarm clock on as it’s the beginning of the school holidays, but I’ve tried ringing her about four times now and it’s been engaged each time.’
‘Oh, that’s weird.’ Diane placed the tray back on the table and pulled her phone from her apron pocket. ‘I’ll try messaging her.’
‘It is strange, isn’t it? I keep telling myself not to overreact, but I think something’s wrong. I’ve never known Teresa to be late, not without letting me know.’ Elsie tapped her phone against the palm of her hand. ‘I think I’m going to take a drive round there, make sure she, the kids and Gavin are okay.’
‘Good idea.’ Diane frowned. ‘I hope everything’s okay.’
‘Me too, love. Me too.’ Elsie pulled her apron off and flung it onto the table before reaching her hand up to the shelf by the back door. ‘Now, where did I put my car keys?’
‘They’re here.’ Stepping forward, Carmen picked them up from the work surface by the kettle and passed them to Elsie.
