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Chapter Eleven
‘Ican’t believe I’mrunning late. I never run late when preparing our roast dinners.’ Elsie slid a tray of roast potatoes from the oven and carried them across to the stainless-steel table.
‘What shall I do now?’ Tammy finished draining the vegetables and tipped them into the large ceramic bowls placed next to the first roasting tray of potatoes. She watched as the steam from the vegetables mixed and mingled with that from the potatoes.
‘Umm, could you make the gravy, please, love?’ Elsie slid another tray of potatoes onto the table. ‘I normally have Ian, bless him, help me, but of course, he’s finishing off some training with the lovely Josh and I seem to have got a little muddled with my timing.’
‘I’m sure it’ll be okay. People won’t mind waiting a little.’ Tammy looked towards the kitchen door. She could hear another group of people coming in now and, judging by the excited screams, it was probably Wendy, Connor and little Hudson. Teresa’s daughter, Pippa, had been waiting for him and popping her head through the door, asking Elsie how much longer they would be for at least the last fifteen minutes. She smiled. Elsie had hit the nail on the head when she’d described the staff and former volunteers as her bakery family. Even from the little she’d witnessed, she could tell just how close everyone was to each other.
The kitchen door opened, and the noise of chatter and children running around seeped into the kitchen before Daisy stepped through. ‘Are you sure you don’t want any help, Elsie?’
‘Oh no, love. We’ve got it all under control now thanks to Tammy, love.’ Elsie placed the last tray heaped with roast potatoes on the table and rubbed Daisy’s arm as she walked back to the oven to retrieve the Yorkshire puddings. ‘You should be putting your feet up whilst everyone is cooing over our beautiful Bonnie. Who’s got her now?’
‘Diane has been holding her for the past half an hour.’ Daisy grinned. ‘You should see Harry, he’s been grinning from ear to ear since Diane began fussing over her.’
Elsie chuckled. ‘That’s Harry for you, baby mad he is, Tammy. Isn’t he, Daisy?’
‘Yep, I think he’d have kids tomorrow if Diane agreed.’ Daisy began piling up empty plates at the end of the table nearest the door.
‘Oh, he definitely would.’ Elsie nodded before wiping her hands on her apron. ‘There. I think that’s us all done now. Daisy, do you want to tell everyone to come and help themselves?’
‘Will do.’ Grinning, Daisy disappeared back into the bakery.
‘Thank you so much for your help this evening, Tammy, love. I really do appreciate it.’ Elsie pulled her apron over her head.
‘You’re welcome.’ Tammy smiled as she stirred the gravy. When Elsie had asked her to help, she’d jumped at the chance to keep busy. Anything to keep her mind off Josh and the way she’d pushed him away. She knew she’d done the right thing to preserve her heart, but there was still a niggle of doubt asking ‘what if?’.
‘Well, anytime you want some extra time off from the bakery, you just ask, love. You deserve it, the amount of work you put in.’
‘Thanks.’ Not that she’d need any extra time off. The best thing she could do now was to spend as much time working as she possibly could. Having as little time as possible to wonder if she’d made a mistake with Josh. Carrying the saucepan to the sink, she began pouring the gravy into the large gravy boat, jumping back quickly as she watched the boiling hot brown liquid splash onto her top. ‘Oh!’
‘Are you okay?’ Rushing across to her, Elsie took the saucepan and gravy boat from her and placed them down before looking at Tammy.
‘Yes, sorry. I just got some down me, that’s all.’ Tammy brushed her top, the liquid spreading into a large brown stain across the pale blue fabric.
‘Don’t apologise. As long as you’re not hurt, it doesn’t matter.’
‘No, I’m fine, thanks.’ She turned to the door as Harry walked in, followed by Teresa and her children as the rest of the bakery family queued for their turn to heap their plates with the roast dinner.
‘Do you want to go and change, love?’ Elsie rubbed Tammy’s forearm.
‘Yes, I think I will.’ She held her top slightly away from her skin, the gravy still hot.
‘Pop it straight in the kitchen sink upstairs in some cold water and I’ll get the stain out later.’ Elsie smiled before turning to Harry. ‘Do I see you taking two plates, Harry, love? Is Diane still besotted with little Bonnie?’
‘She is indeed.’ Harry grinned as he piled roast potatoes on the plates.
Upstairs, Tammy perched on the edge of the bed, the thick duvet sinking beneath her, and pulled her top over her head. It didn’t matter if it did stain. It was an old one. Well, not particularly old, but it had been Andrew’s favourite, so it was probably about time she stopped wearing it, anyway.
She pulled on another top, smoothing the creases with the palms of her hands before she glanced over at her mobile. She had to admit, Josh had been right. Ellie’s idea to keep all the wedding talk away from her had been a good idea. She was no longer waiting to hear the ping of a message or checking her phone constantly.
Sighing, she rolled her shoulders back. Josh. Maybe she had made a mistake. After all, not all men were the same and surely it would be her turn soon to be The One rather than The One Before The Wedding? Wouldn’t it?
She laughed at herself. Who was she kidding? Why would anything be different next time she got involved with someone? It had been the same story for the last few boyfriends. Why did she think things would suddenly change? She hadn’t. She was the same Tammy as she had been with Andrew and with the others before him.
Standing up, she pulled her hair from beneath the collar of her top and shook her arms out. She was going to put Josh out of her head and enjoy this evening. She’d met almost everyone who was here at the pub quiz. It would be good to have the opportunity to get to know them more.
As she walked down the stairs, she grinned. It felt just like Christmas Day at her parents’ house, everyone coming together, a busy bustling household and an excited buzz in the air. Pushing the door open, she made her way towards the large makeshift table spread across the entire floor of the bakery.
