Page 11 of One Month's Notice

“Slow down!” Nat laughed. “You’ll scald yourself. I could do without a hospital trip, thank you!”

“Alright, Mum! Come on, let me show you around.”

Lexi talked non-stop as she walked Nat around the shop. The estate agency had only given her the keys that morning, and she was eager to get started. Nat tried to block out the chattering as she took in every little detail, imagining the possibilities for how the space could be transformed into something beautiful.

Lexi had dreamed of owning a music shop or a cafe since she was a little girl. The space she had rented would allow her to do both, with enough space for the shop and the facilities to run a cafe alongside. It was no surprise that Lexi would want Nat to do the interior design of the shop, but she still felt honoured to play a part in fulfilling Lexi’s dreams.

“So, what do you think?” Lexi’s eyes were wide with expectation.

Nat took her time to look around the shop, giving nothing away.

“It’s like walking into a song that’s just waiting to be sung.” She grinned as Lexi jumped up and down, clapping her hands together.

“I knew you’d love it!” Lexi twirled around in a full circle. “I can’t wait to see you work your magic on it.” She pulled another chair over to the table and they both sat down.

Nat opened the black folder, revealing a collage of images, fabric samples, and magazine clippings. Lexi leaned in, eyes brimming with delight as they skimmed over visions of what the future might look like for her business. Nat took a fresh sheet of paper and began sketching. Before long, drawings filled every corner of the page, showing the different parts of the shop and how they could be designed to be both stylish and practical.

“Imagine this,” Nat said, pointing at a sketch of a counter near the entrance. “We could set up a counter here for the cafe side.”

“I see.” Lexi nodded as she scanned over the drawings. “Yes, that’s perfect!”

“And over there, by the window, we could create a special nook with soft armchairs and bookshelves filled with sheet music.”

“Maybe we could find an old record player and keep records there, too?”

“That’s a fantastic idea!” Nat loved Lexi’s enthusiasm. “Then, I was thinking we could hang instruments on the walls, like art pieces. Guitars, violins—”

“—pianos!” Lexi finished, her voice bursting with excitement.

Nat raised an eyebrow. “Somehow, I don’t think these walls were designed to take the weight of a piano!”

Lexi ginned sheepishly.

“Anyway, here is the really special bit.” Nat turned the page and nodded towards the other side of the shop. “That’s where we are going to build a retractable stage.”

“How’s that going to work?”

“You leave the mechanics of it to me.” Nat winked. “You just need to apply for a licence so you can stay open later in the evenings. And with the push of a button, you will have a stage for live performers.”

Lexi’s jaw dropped. “Oh, it’s going to be even better than I could have imagined! I’m so excited for the launch party—it’s booked for the 27th May so we have just under six weeks.”

Nat couldn’t stop laughing as Lexi pulled her in for a hug and planted kisses all over her face.

“OK, enough!” Nat pushed her off. “Hold on, I can hear buzzing. Is that me or you?”

The women patted their pockets, checking to see whose phone was the source of the noise.

“Oh, shit!” Nat pulled her phone out of her bag. “It was mine, but I missed it.” Her face fell as she unlocked the screen.

“Who was it?”

“It’s the man from the job interview I had yesterday.”

“Oh, of course!” Lexi’s hand flew up to her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I was so wrapped up in my shop and I completely forgot to ask you how it went.”

“You know the feeling in a dream where you are in front of a crowd of people, and you realise you are totally naked? Well, it was like that, but a million times worse.”

“It couldn’t have been that bad?” Lexi frowned. “Could it?”

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