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‘Absolutely. I enjoyed it so much that I’ve moved down here.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes.’ Roxie looked towards Mitch, a smile illuminating her face before nodding towards the bakery, a mere few metres from them now. ‘Not far now.’
Carmen nodded and looked down at the cobbles beneath her feet. So, it was like that then, Roxie had moved down here for Mitch. Unless they’d both volunteered at the bakery and decided to move down together? She shrugged. It was none of her business.
‘Here we are, The Cornish Bay Bakery.’ Roxie grinned as she held open the door for Carmen.
‘Thank you for bringing me here.’ She looked from Roxie to Mitch. ‘And thank you for lugging that monstrosity.’
‘You’re very welcome.’ Mitch grimaced as he lifted it up the small step into the bakery.
Carmen stepped aside as a group of customers filtered through the doorway. The bakery was busy. The queue of patiently waiting people ran all along the edge of a large bakery counter to the left and in the short few minutes since they had arrived, the queue had begun snaking out of the door. She looked around. They were standing between a group of tables which stretched towards the back of the large shop floor. Another counter was positioned across the back wall, smaller this time and with a smaller queue of customers. Was it a café in the middle of the bakery? She glanced across at the far wall. Yet another counter lined that wall. Again, it was smaller than the main bakery counter, but longer than the café counter along the back wall. Photographs of weddings were displayed on the wall behind. Was this more than a bakery? She was sure the advert for the voluntary position had just called it a bakery?
‘Here, come through to the kitchen. Elsie will probably be in there.’ Roxie indicated a door in the back wall.
‘I’ll pop this at the bottom of the stairs.’ Mitch grasped the handle of the suitcase again.
‘Thank you.’ Carmen thanked him before following Roxie towards the back of the bakery. As she weaved between customers, the woman behind the small counter at the back waved and grinned at her. Smiling back, she felt her shoulders relax a little. She hadn’t realised quite how nervous she had been until now. Of course, she was excited to be in Cornwall and having a break from her reality, but this was the first time she’d ever done anything like this. The first time she’d literally just browsed volunteering holidays and booked the first one she’d come across. The first time she’d volunteered, in fact. She stepped around a pushchair. No, that wasn’t true. She’d had to volunteer as part of her college course, but this was definitely the first time she’d done anything like this as an adult.
Roxie held the door open for her.
‘Thanks.’ Stepping inside, she took a deep breath. The aroma of baking bread laced with the fragrance of vanilla surrounded her.
‘Elsie?’ As soon as Roxie had closed the door, the chattering and noise from the shop floor faded and the quiet whirring of a dishwasher could be heard.
‘One moment, love.’ A voice called from the back of the kitchen before a woman appeared, standing up from where she’d been crouching behind some cupboards. ‘Sorry, Roxie. I spilt a bottle of vanilla extract and I’ve been searching for this replacement for ages now.’ She held up a small brown bottle.
‘I thought it smelled of vanilla.’ Roxie turned to Carmen. ‘We ran into Carmen on the way out of the pub.’
‘Carmen. Oh, good to meet you, love.’ Elsie walked towards them and placed the bottle of vanilla extract on the vast stainless-steel table before holding her arms out for Carmen.
‘Nice to meet you too.’ Carmen stepped into Elsie’s embrace before stepping away. ‘I’m so sorry I’m so late. The journey has been a nightmare.’
‘Oh no, sorry to hear that, love. What happened?’ Elsie held up an empty mug and nodded towards Carmen and Roxie.
‘Not for me, thanks. I’d better get a move on. Mitch is waiting.’ Roxie hugged Elsie before waving at Carmen and disappearing back into the bakery.
‘Yes, please.’ Carmen shrugged out of her thin cardigan. She had barely needed it outside and the kitchen was even warmer. ‘It was my own fault, really. I missed my connection train, and it was the last one of the night, so I ended up sleeping on a bench at the side of the track.’ She grimaced. She must sound so disorganised.
Elsie placed a mug of fresh coffee in front of her and leaned against one of the stainless-steel cupboards encircling the room before picking up her own mug. ‘You must be shattered. Have your coffee and I’ll show you to your room. You can have a nap if you need one?’
‘No, don’t worry. I’ve messed you about enough as it is.’ She took a sip of her coffee. It was a good coffee. Strong. Just what she needed. Placing her mug on the tabletop, she shook her hair loose and raked her fingers through. She must look a complete mess. She hadn’t even brushed her hair before jumping on the train this morning, let alone put deodorant on or changed. Or anything, really. Part of her had felt she’d feel dirtier if she’d attempted to have a clean-up in the station toilets. ‘I wouldn’t mind a quick shower if that’s okay though, please?’
‘Of course it is, love. Take all the time you need.’
