Page 45 of The Happy Hour
Lola nodded. ‘We’re already thinking about the next one, aren’t we?’
‘That we are, dude,’ Spade said. ‘And we agree with Jess: we can use our platform to do good things for Enzo.’
‘Like a scaled-down version of Live Aid,’ Roger suggested.
‘Exactlylike that!’ Spade pointed at him.
‘But how will the music help Enzo?’ Susie asked.
‘I do not know if this is necessary,’ Enzo said, his voice quiet but firm.
‘We can use the popularity of the music to promote you,’ Kirsty called over, making the woman who was waiting for her summer berries muffin jump. ‘We can put a link in the TikTok profile that highlights your stall.’
‘How about a fundraising page?’ Roger said. ‘If we could cover your market rent for a few months, would that take the pressure off?’
Enzo looked down at the table. ‘I do not want charity.’
Jess’s heart squeezed. She understood his desire to hold on to his dignity, his pride, alongside the need to provide for his family. Sometimes, though, people needed a bit of support. She thought of Felicity, how she’d tentatively reached out to her. Jess still hadn’t come up with a plan to help her, either.
‘Totally understand, Enzo, mate.’ Spade slapped him on the back. ‘Everything’s doable though, right?’
‘What if we raise the money?’ Jess said. ‘We do things toearnit, rather than just asking for handouts. Bake sales, baked beans in the bathtub, some kind of run – or dance – in hats!’ God, how often had she thought about Ash’s tour? His silliness, his grey eyes sexily shadowed by his trilby. That kiss. She cleared her throat. ‘We use Lola and Spade’s popularity to get word out, but instead of just asking for donations, we get sponsored for things –or we sell something specific, maybe?’
‘Are you still trying to come up with a name?’ Susie asked. ‘How about the Greenwich Market Musicians? Something that ties it all together.’
Lola chewed a fingernail. ‘Do we have time to organise a sponsored run?’
‘The Market Melody Makers,’ Roger suggested. ‘Alliteration is always good.’
‘I can bake some muffins,’ Kirsty said. ‘Sell them separately for the cause.’
‘Not sure about Melody Makers.’ Spade drummed his hands on the table. ‘We need to be immediate, catch everyone’s attention right from the off.’
Jess watched everyone pitching in, trying to find all the answers, while Enzo sat quietly, looking forlorn. They needed to come up with the right way of raising the money, something that wouldn’t make him feel powerless. ‘We just need to be proactive,’ she said, ‘fix on something that can work quickly. It’s about propping you up, Enzo, not taking over.’
‘That would be... good,’ he said tentatively. ‘Thank you.’
Spade clicked his fingers at Jess. ‘A sponsored kite tournament. What d’you think of that nugget of genius?’
‘What?’ Jess coughed a laugh, her cheeks burning. ‘I don’t think...’
‘How is your boy, anyway?’ he asked. ‘Art, isn’t it?’
‘I think he was called Ash,’ Enzo said helpfully.
Jess resisted the urge to dive under the table as all eyes turned towards her. One pair was more hawklike than the rest, so she studiously avoided meeting Lola’s gaze.
‘We should all go away, have a think and then reconvene,’ she said. ‘When are you planning on posting your second video, Lola?’
‘Spade’s cameraman, Deano, is free on Sunday,’ Lola said, ‘so how about we meet again on Sunday morning? We can plan the fundraising, decide on a name, get some shots under our belt. I have a shift later in the afternoon, but we could meet here at twelve?’
‘Sounds great,’ Spade said.
‘Good for me,’ Roger added.
‘I’m here.’ Kirsty waved.
‘Sunday will be far too busy,’ Jess said. How had Lola managed to fix on theonetime of the week that Jess categorically couldn’t do? Had Wendy let it slip? Had Spade or Enzo said something when she hadn’t been paying attention?
