Chapter Three

‘ T hat’s great, thanks.’ After taking the money from her customer, Robyn slid the bag of doughnuts across the counter and dropped the coins in the till before turning back to the queue which had formed in front of the counter.

‘Can I put this up, please?’ A small girl’s face peeked above the edge of the counter as she held up a cardboard angel hanging from a piece of red ribbon.

‘On the Christmas tree? Of course you can.’ Robyn smiled as she took the angel, looking at it. ‘It’s very beautiful. Did you draw it yourself?’

The girl glanced up at her mum, who was standing beside her talking to Brooke, and nodded, her blond pigtails bobbing up and down. ‘Mummy helped me cut it out.’

‘You’re very talented. A super artist.’ Passing the angel back to the girl. Robyn walked around the other side of the counter. ‘Shall we go and find a spare branch you can hang it on? Is that okay with you, Mum?’

The girl’s mum looked across at them. ‘Yes, thank you. She’s been so excited to add to Elsie’s tree.’

‘No problem.’ Smiling, Robyn pointed to the tree. ‘Come on then, now where would you like to hang it?’

Standing in front of the large tree, the girl hopped from foot to foot. ‘Can I put it at the top, please?’

Robyn pointed to one of the top branches. ‘How about here?’

‘Ooh, yes. My angel can be flying right under the star on top of the tree.’ The girl grinned.

‘Great idea. Do you want me to hang it up there for you?’

Nodding, the girl passed her the angel.

Carefully looping the red ribbon over the dark green branch, Robyn stood back and smiled. ‘How perfect does that look?’

‘I like it there.’ The girl clapped her hands, a huge grin filling her face.

‘Oh, that looks lovely there, Jessie.’ Jessie’s mum joined them, a cake box in one hand and a paper bag in another. She turned to Robyn. ‘I love this idea of Elsie’s to let the children decorate the tree.’

‘It’s great, isn’t it? It’s nice for them to see the decorations they’ve made on display and equally great for everyone else who comes in and gets to see them.’

‘Yes, it is. It gives the place a really homely feel.’ Jessie’s mum turned to her daughter. ‘Right, we’d better get back and see what your dad and brother are up to. Say thank you to this nice lady.’

‘Thank you, nice lady.’ Jessie waved at her.

Laughing, Robyn smiled. ‘My name is Robyn and you’re very welcome.’

‘Thanks. See you.’ Jessie’s mum smiled before they made their way towards the door. ‘Pop your gloves on, Jessie, sweetheart. It’s cold out there.’

Turning back to the Christmas tree, Robyn frowned. Homely? That’s what Jessie’s mum had called the bakery. What did homely feel like? Cosy? Happy? She shrugged. It definitely didn’t feel like her experiences of Christmas, or home for that matter. No, her childhood home hadn’t felt cosy. Or happy for that matter and the flat she shared back in Bedford with her friend from work, Kelsy, and her boyfriend, Matty, was far from being cosy.

‘Robyn, coffee time.’ Brooke’s voice wafted across the bakery.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, Robyn turned back to the bakery counter. Teresa, who served behind the coffee and cake counter, was standing at the end, balancing a tray on the counter in front of her and was passing steaming mugs to Diane and Brooke who were working at the bakery counter. Walking across to them, Robyn took a deep breath, the bitter aroma of coffee filling her lungs. ‘That smells so good.’

‘Tired?’ Teresa passed her a mug.

Robyn shrugged. She hadn’t slept much last night; her encounter with Jasper playing over and over in her mind. Plus, the fact she now needed to find a few hundred pounds to get her car fixed... Still, Scott from the garage had towed it the few yards from the road into the garage for free and had promised her he’d do his best to keep the repair costs as low as he possibly could. ‘I just didn’t sleep much last night.’

‘And I bet this morning’s rush didn’t help either, then.’ Diane took a tentative sip of her coffee.

‘It’s decaf before you ask.’ Teresa laughed and leaned forward, resting her hand on Diane’s belly. ‘Only the best for this little one.’

Taking a huge gulp of coffee, Diane grinned. ‘I’ll just try to trick my brain into thinking it’s caffeinated, then. You know, as soon as I’ve had the baby, the first thing I want is the biggest, most caffeinated coffee I can get my hands on.’

Brooke wrapped her hands around her own mug. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll swing by the coffee shop on the way to visit you at the hospital and bring you one.’

Diane held up two fingers as she swallowed. ‘Two. No, make that three. Two for me and one for Harry.’

‘Consider it done.’ Brooke smiled. ‘Aw, I bet Harry can’t wait until the little one pops out.’

Diane grimaced. ‘I don’t think it’s as easy as popping it out, but I’ll bury my head in the sand on that part. But yes, he’s super excited. In fact, he’s driving me crazy with all the preparations.’

‘Didn’t you say he’s been painting the nursery?’ Teresa asked.

‘Umm, he’s painted it twice so far and has just brought another two tins of paint to do it again.’ Diane helped herself to a croissant and tore a piece off before popping it in her mouth. ‘Help yourself Robyn if you like?’

‘I’m okay, thanks.’ She was still full from the croissants she’d eaten after helping Elsie and Teresa with the morning’s baking.

‘He’s painted it twice? Why? What was wrong with it the first time?’ Brooke raised her eyebrows.

‘Nothing. He just didn’t like the shade of yellow. He said it was too bright.’ Diane shrugged.

‘And now he’s painting it again? What’s his excuse this time?’ Brooke shook her head.

‘Too pale so he’s planning on painting it brighter again and if you ask me, I’m almost certain the paint he’s bought this time around is the exact same shade of yellow he painted it in the first place.’

‘I wouldn’t complain. At least he’s doing it. Gavin doesn’t know one end of a paintbrush from the other. It’s me and the kids who decorate at our place.’ Teresa laughed.

‘Haha, no, I shouldn’t complain. I don’t think he’d ask me to help even if I wasn’t pregnant, though. He knows how rubbish I am.’ Diane finished the croissant.