‘Oooo, it really is as cute and pretty as I remember!’ Lily says, beaming at us from the open door of the BMW. It’s the Monday after the Easter holiday week and the first day that the cafe has been closed for eleven days straight. I’ve worked right through to make the most of the holidays and I’m hoping I don’t keel over with exhaustion. Although judging by the look of Lily, she may flake out first.
Harry helps her down onto the cafe parking area like she’s a grand lady descending from a carriage. Despite her breezy manner and smile, I’m a bit shocked. She’s even thinner than she was and her eyes are puffy and dark as if she hasn’t slept for days.
‘I’m sorry Ben couldn’t make it, He had some ADR work to do for his latest film.’
‘Oh, I see. I think,’ I say, though I’ve no idea what she means.
She laughs. ‘It means he has to re-record some of his lines from the film. Sometimes the dialogue isn’t clear the first time or they make last-minute script changes before the movie comes out. I’ll probably have to do some myself soon.’
‘Hi, Harry. How are you?’
‘Very well, thank you.’
‘Rachel’s on her way. Can I get you both a drink and something to eat?’ I ask.
‘A chamomile tea, please, and do you have any of those rice cakes with the dark chocolate on them? I know I shouldn’t but I feel like pigging out and Ben’s not here to see me.’
‘Surely he doesn’t mind you eating?’ I’m shocked.
‘No, of course not. I’m not under Ben’s thumb.’
‘You need to keep your strength up,’ Harry says before turning to me. ‘Do you have any figgy ’obbin today?’
‘Sorry, no, but I’ve made some sample canapés and there are some triple chocolate brownies and a citrus cake. How does that sound?’
He rubs his hands together. ‘Would it be awfully rude of me to try one of each?’
‘No. I’d love to know what you think of them. Lily says you like baking and cooking?’
‘Gosh, no. It’s Giles who’s the baker. I’m more of a main course man.’
‘We’ll have to swap some recipes. I’ll get your drinks and cakes.’
There’s still no Rachel by the time I’ve served Lily and Harry so I make an excuse about the lack of mobile signal and head outside to phone her. It’s not like her to let me down and we really can’t afford any more disasters after the last two meetings. I let out a huge sigh of relief as her car rolls into the cafe car park and hurry to meet her. Immediately I spot Freya in the passenger seat and she’s screaming fit to burst.
‘Sorry! I had to bring Freya. My mum’s gone down with a bug and there was no one else to have her at this short notice … and guess what happened on the way here even though I only changed her before I set out. Shh. Shh. Darling. I’ll sort you out in a minute.’
‘Do you want me to ask Cal to have her?’ I say as Freya lets the whole of Cornwall know how she feels about being stuck in the car in a dirty nappy.
‘Would he mind? I can’t take her in to meet the celebrity couple in this state.’ Rachel wrinkles her nose.
‘I’ll call him if I can get a signal. Let me take her into the customer loo and clean her up while you go in and talk to Lily. Ben couldn’t come,’ I call loudly, while freeing Freya from the seat belt. ‘Which isn’t a bad thing,’ I whisper to Freya who momentarily stops howling.
Rachel grabs her tablet and Freya’s changing kit.
‘Let’s go round to the staff entrance,’ I say over the sound of Freya’s wails. ‘And I’ll sort her out while you speak to Lily. I’ll message Cal over WhatsApp if I can’t speak to him.’
‘This is beyond the call of duty,’ Rachel says.
‘Well, she is my sister.’
Cal jogs over within a few minutes as I’m walking Freya around the cafe, trying to distract her with a toy.
‘Good timing,’ I say.
He grins. ‘I came as soon as I could.’
‘I bet.’
‘You’re lucky I was working on the campsite wash block. I get all the best jobs. I need to wash my hands and then I’ll take Princess Freya,’ he says, smiling at her.
She lets out an even louder howl.
He winces. ‘I must be losing my touch. I also think I should have brought the ear defenders I was using while I was trimming the bushes behind the toilets.’
After he’s washed his hands in the customer loo, I hand Freya over and take a few deep, calming breaths before I face Lily. As I walk in, I can see that Rachel has everything in hand. Harry sits in the corner, flicking through a food supplement in one of the lifestyle magazines.
‘Right, sorry, I was tied up. What can I get everyone?’
While I gather a plate of the mini scones that I’d like to serve at the wedding celebration tea, I pop my head around the door of the loo. At least Freya calmed down once she was out of her seat and lying on the changing mat. Her eyes are huge, taking in all the new sights and the mobile we hung from the ceiling above the flip-down changing mat.
Cal flips the lid of the nappy bin and drops a heavily scented purple bag inside.
I can’t help but giggle.
‘I ought to get a picture of this for the blog.’
‘Very funny but I’ve seen worse than this, you know.’ He turns back to Freya. ‘But not much.’
She gurgles at him and reaches for the mobile, before treating Cal to a cute smile. ‘How are you, little Miss Grumpy Pants?’ he says, tickling her tummy.
‘Not Miss Grumpy Pants any more by the look of it. Rachel’s mum has a bug so Rachel had to bring her to this meeting. She’s gorgeous but we need to concentrate so would you mind looking after her for an hour?’
‘Me?’ Cal addresses Freya. ‘Would you mind, Freya? Would you?’
He picks her up and she smiles again and blows a bubble of approval. Cal holds her against his shoulder as her mouth widens at having a new view of the world.
‘See, she likes me,’ he says. ‘Don’t you, Freya?’
‘You are so smug sometimes, Cal Penwith.’
He grins. ‘You’re only jealous. I’ll take her up to the farmhouse. Polly will be in ecstasy when she sees her.’
I leave him struggling to get a pair of tiny tights on a pair of wriggling little legs. It’s funny but I’ve never been a baby person, and never imagined Cal as one either, but then I realise how attached he was to Esme and how much he enjoyed working with the children in the camp. I wonder if he ever thought about having a family one day with Isla. I wonder if he still does? I can’t imagine being responsible for a Freya. Not yet anyway. One day?
Wow. That’s way too big and scary to think about. Gathering up my tray, I head into the cafe where Rachel has managed to make Lily smile.
‘Can we announce that your ceremony is being held here?’
‘Yes. Addison and Jade are dealing with all that. We’ve sold the rights exclusively to Grapevine! We’re happy to split the fee fifty-fifty between our charity and yours. Do you have one in mind?’
‘I need to discuss it with Cal.’
Lily goes to use our bathroom. I hope she won’t mind it not being luxurious. Rachel lets out a sigh of relief. ‘Is Freya OK? I heard her crying and had to tell Lily about her. Then things went quiet.’
‘She was fine once she was changed.’
‘Are you sure Cal didn’t mind looking after her?’ Rachel asks.
‘He used to work with kids, though I don’t think he changed many nappies. He’s taken her to see Polly. You may never get her back now.’
‘Thanks. I appreciate it.’
‘How’s it going with Lily, do you think? She seems OK about the arrangements?’ I ask.
‘She seems happy to leave it all to us. She said that Addison and Jade can be “very forceful” but it’s her and Ben’s decision to hold the wedding here. Oh, hello, Lily.’
Lily walks in. Her face is even paler than before.
‘Are you OK?’ I ask her.
Lily waggles a hand. ‘I feel a bit icky to be honest.’
‘Can I get you a glass of water?’
‘Yes, please … that might be a good idea.’
Harry is over to our table like a shot, crouching by her side. ‘Do you want me to call a doctor?’ he says, looking into her face the way Mitch does when I have homemade dog treats in my pocket.
Lily smiles and pats his hand. ‘I’m OK. Really.’
‘You can’t be too careful. Is it something you ate? A bug?’
Oh no, I think, while I fill a glass from a fresh bottle of Cornish spring water, please don’t say Lily’s got food poisoning from Demelza’s even though she’s only had a nibble of a Cornish Yarg canapé and that was barely half an hour ago.
‘Harry. I’m fine. Stop fussing. I’ve had a few late nights and there’s possibly a bug going about. There always is.’
‘Shall I take you home, then?’ he asks.
I hand Lily a glass of water and the rest of the bottle. And she mouths a thank-you.
‘I think we’ve covered everything. I can email everything else and we can Skype you to save time.’ Rachel smiles at her. ‘Harry’s right. You should go home and rest. Everything’s being taken care of here.’
‘OK. It might do me good. Harry’s going to drive me back tonight and Louie misses me so much. Ben will be back later too. It’s not often we have time together in our cottage like a normal couple.’
‘Will Louie be attending the ceremony?’ I ask her while Harry holds up her coat.
‘Oh of course!’ She brightens up. ‘I’ve found him the cutest little tux to wear.’
‘I thought he might like to have his own cushion in the front row of the log pews,’ I say.
Lily smiles. With her huge furry coat, she looks tinier than ever but I do really like her. I wish she’d found someone nicer than Ben to marry but we can’t always help who we fall in love with, I suppose.
‘That sounds perfect,’ she says, kissing me and Rachel goodbye. ‘Thanks so much for organising this. I’m totally confident it’s going to be a-mazing, even if Addison and Jade think it will all be a disaster.’
Rachel and I share glances and I know we’re both thinking the same thing at the same time: well, thanks for sharing that confidence-booster, Lily.
She walks outside and stops by the car.
‘Oh, there’s something else I ought to tell you,’ she says. ‘Though I’m pretty cross with Ben for doing this without asking me. I mean, I shouldn’t mind really and I do have two of my own friends and Ben doesn’t have any sisters or female cousins … and Ben says she is practically family but…’
I brace myself for what news is coming next as Lily sighs.
‘He’s asked Mawgan to be a bridesmaid – and she’s agreed.’