Page 8 of Eden's Comfort Kitchen
‘Hello!’ Livia said brightly. ‘Having a good day? What’ll it be?’
‘Oh, er…hi. I didn’t know you worked here…’
‘Well, you wouldn’t, I expect. I never said so.’
‘Oh God…’ Eden flushed. ‘That’s such a stupid thing to say.’
Livia smiled. ‘Aww don’t worry about it. It’s the sort of daft thing I say all the time so you’re not alone. What would you like?’
‘Um, do you still do that sour cherry one you used to have? I mean, I used to have a sour cherry thing in a chocolate-coated cone when I’d come here years ago.’
‘Oh yes, we still do that. While Mum’s in charge we’ll never change the flavours!’
‘So your mum owns this place?’
‘Dad used to run it, but he died earlier this year, so it’s just me and Mum keeping things ticking over.’
‘He died? I’m sorry to?—’
‘Thank you,’ Livia said. ‘I expect Dad would have served you if you came here…how long ago?’
‘About thirteen years ago, if not more.’
‘God, yes, it would have been Dad. Me and Zoe – my sister – used to help him a bit on weekends back then, but I think we probably made things worse rather than better.’
‘Does your sister still work here?’
At this Livia’s open and warm expression seemed to darken. ‘No,’ she said, the sparkle gone from her voice too. ‘Not now. It’s just me and Mum. I expect Levi and Nancy will want to get involved when they’re old enough, but that’s a few years off yet.’
‘Oh, I see.’
Eden fell to silence as she watched Livia put together her order and wondered what had happened to make her suddenly so obviously sad. Was she like Eden? Was there some tragedyshe was struggling to come to terms with? Livia had mentioned losing her father – was it even more than that?
Eden handed her a note, and Livia got her change while Eden licked at the ice cream. This was exactly as she remembered, and it was all she could do not to sigh with happiness.
‘That’s stunning,’ she said, bringing Livia’s warm smile back.
‘Glad to hear it.’
Eden moved away from the window to allow the next customer to order and took a seat on one of the chairs arranged in front of it. She wanted to talk to Livia some more, but it looked as if she’d have to wait until the queue died down. She couldn’t put her finger on what it was, but something about her felt right, as if she was a kindred spirit, and she wanted to know more about this woman who seemed to be able to light up a room as soon as she walked into it. The long chestnut hair that had streamed behind her in the wind of the beach the day before was tied up in a ponytail today, and though her face was round, it was freckled and pretty, and her smile was infectious. Eden somehow knew, without having to know anything about her, that she was kind and generous and a good person to have around.
As quickly as the queue shortened, it lengthened again as new customers joined. The tourist season was in full swing, and Eden supposed it was like this all the time for the ice-cream parlour. When her ice cream was finished and she had no need to take up a seat, she wondered whether she ought to leave Livia to it. She looked busy, and Eden didn’t want to come across as her new best stalker. But there was some irresistible pull, something that made her want to stay, like being in her orbit somehow promised some kind of healing. It was difficult to explain, even more difficult to understand, and yet Eden felt it.
Forty minutes passed in this way, Eden losing patience each time she spied an upcoming opportunity to talk to Liviaagain, only to see new customers join the queue. Eventually she decided to leave. Perhaps it would be calmer later in the afternoon, though looking at the weather, she doubted it. People would be milling around the pretty bay and its town well into the evening, no doubt.
Just as Eden was getting up, an older woman who was unmistakably related to Livia appeared at the counter. Eden racked her brain. The woman seemed familiar – maybe she’d served them once on one of Eden’s childhood visits. It seemed reasonable to assume as Livia had told Eden the parlour had been in the family for years. They had a few words, and then Livia took off her apron and emerged from a door at the side of the building with a cold drink. As she looked up, she caught Eden’s eye and smiled.
‘Still here?’ she asked, making her way over. ‘Thinking about getting seconds?’
‘I would,’ Eden said. ‘It was so good, but I’d regret it later.’
‘I don’t think you should ever regret something that makes you happy. There aren’t enough of those things in life – grab the ones that come to you, that’s what I say.’
‘If that’s a pitch to sell more ice cream, you ought to copyright it.’
Livia laughed gently and then sucked on the straw in her drink.
‘Are you finished for the day?’ Eden asked.
