Page 71 of Eden's Comfort Kitchen
‘Missing you. We all are.’
Eden doubted he was speaking for all the family. Caitlin, for one, was definitely not missing her. But to her surprise, she suddenly realised thatshewas missing Caitlin. Sour-faced, judgemental, disapproving Caitlin, the sister she could never please…Despite that, she was still Eden’s sister, and the thought of how long it had been since they’d last been together provoked a pang of longing that caught her completely off guard.
‘Do you think you might come home soon?’ he added. ‘Caitlin says you quit your job.’
‘I’d planned to stay here for a while, until things…well, until things settled.’
‘They’re settled now.’
‘I don’t know. Maybe with you, Dad, but I don’t think Caitlin is ready to forgive me yet – and I honestly don’t blame her. Besides, I have things going on here.’
‘You’ve met someone?’
Eden couldn’t help a small smile. If only he knew. ‘No, nothing like that. I’ve got involved in…well, I’ve got a job.’
‘Doing what you did in London? I didn’t think there’d be much call for?—’
‘At a pub, actually. Behind the bar.’
‘Oh.’
‘You’re shocked?’
‘I must admit I didn’t see you working behind a bar. But if you enjoy it, that’s the main thing.’
‘I do. I love the people I work with.’
‘Good for you then. Is it permanent? Is that why you don’t know when you can come back?’
‘Just for the summer, I think. I suppose things might change, but so far that’s all I’ve been asked to do. It’s not full-time, just shifts as and when. It suits me, gives me time to do other things.’
‘And you have enough money?’
‘I’m fine – don’t worry about that.’
Eden’s mind went back to all the times he’d asked that question and she’d taken the cash no matter whether she needed it or not, simply because it had been on offer, or all the times she’d asked for money for something frivolous or unnecessary just because she could. As she recalled that version of Eden Sherwood, she realised she was beginning to hate her. But she knew her dad would always ask and he’d always give what he could. She understood that in many ways he felt it was the only tool he had to stay relevant in her life, and the thought of that made her sad. Her past behaviour had probably made him feel that way. She didn’t know how to put it right, but she knew that she’d have to start trying.
‘I’ve got plenty,’ she said. ‘I have some put by, and I have the wages from my bar job, and I’m really not spending much at all here.’
‘But you’re not struggling?’
‘Not one bit. Dad…are you doing OK?’
‘Yes, don’t worry about me.’
‘Because Caitlin said?—’
‘You know what your sister is like; take no notice. She worries far too much.’
For the first time, Eden was glad about that. She was glad her sister was fussing over their dad because she wasn’t there to do it. But there was guilt too – guilt upon guilt. Eden knew she ought to be there. She could go home today, but now she had things going on here and it wasn’t so simple.
‘I started this…’ She searched for a way to make her dad understand what she was doing. He’d be confused, he would wonder why and she didn’t blame him. Most of the time she still didn’t understand what was driving her to keep the community café open; she only knew she had to. ‘It’s sort of a soup kitchen,’ she concluded, hating the term that Livia had warned her not to use but knowing her dad would instantly get it.
‘A soup kitchen? Like those places you see on the streets around Euston?’
‘Not exactly, but that’s the gist. Nicer than those. More like a café where people don’t have to pay the bill. I mean, they pay if they can afford to, but a lot don’t have all that much to give. That’s sort of the point.’
‘How can you make a profit?’
