Winter Magic in Port Berry (Port Berry #3)

Chapter 4

Ginny

Ginny entered Cockle Cottage, groaning with delight at the aroma of beef stew wafting from the kitchen. It was nice to be invited out to dinner, even if it was round Sophie’s house and because her friend was alone for the evening. The week before, she’d had a fish pie at the pub, joined by Robson for all of half hour. Still, it was better than eating all alone.

‘Hope you’re hungry,’ declared Sophie, lifting a large wooden spoon.

Ginny glanced into the pot. ‘Ooh, yum. Have we got to save any of this for Matt?’

Sophie giggled. ‘Yep, and Grandad. I’ve told him to move in now, before the weather really turns, but you know what he’s like. Reckons he’ll be back mid-November.’

‘I really have no idea how Jed sleeps on a boat, let alone live there. I think it would make me sick, all the swirling and bobbing about.’

‘Yeah, well, he’s used to it. But at least he’ll be here for dinner later.’

‘What they up to?’

‘Grandad wanted to take Matt out for a bit of night fishing. I can’t see Matt making it past ten.’ She laughed and scooped some stew into bowls.

Ginny grabbed the cutlery and sat at the table. ‘Ooh, I don’t know, chick. He seems to have found his sea legs since he moved here. How is Matt getting on?’

Sophie placed the bowls on the table and sat down. ‘He’s doing great. He’s always so happy, and there are splodges of colour in his cheeks.’

‘He certainly looks heaps better than he did when he first arrived.’

‘If I walked all the way from London to Cornwall, I reckon I would have looked worse.’

Ginny brought some beef to her lips and blew. ‘I’m so glad Matt found us.’

Sophie smiled a smile that seemed to be just for her. ‘Me too.’

‘Aww, look at you all loved up.’

‘Oh, hush. But I so am. It feels good to be in a relationship where it just works.’

If only Ginny knew what that felt like. She was sure she’d never find such happiness.

Sophie glanced up and, as though reading her mind, changed the subject. ‘How’s it going next door with all the noise?’

‘I’m at work when all the crash, bang, wallop goes on, so all good for me, so far. Lottie did say the renovations should be finished in a few weeks, then it’s just decorating and stuff.’

‘She’ll have the biggest harbour house up Berry Hill now she’s joining two homes.’

‘Yeah, I guess it might look odd for a while seeing a double front. Ooh, speaking of which, brainstorm with me.’

‘About?’

Ginny quickly chewed a piece of potato. ‘I have an idea for the café. It won’t be anything I do straight away, as I want to wait till Mum is in a home, then I’ll have more time to myself.’

‘Sounds intriguing. Spit it out, Gin.’

‘I was thinking of pinching a bit of the café to turn into a tearoom. You know how much I want one, and there’s no way I can get rid of the café. The locals would make me walk the plank.’

Sophie laughed. ‘True.’

‘So, I was wondering, as you’re a local, what would you think?’

‘Erm, well, elaborate.’

Ginny put down her fork and rested her elbows on the table. ‘The café has a lot of space, double front and all that, so what about if I shave a quarter off one side? Put up some sort of partition wall? The café would still be big, and it’s only a small section I’d be changing, and . . .’ Ginny groaned, slapping a hand to her face. ‘Don’t say it. I know. The pitchforks will come out, won’t they?’

Sophie looked sympathetic. ‘It’s hard to say. Look, it’s been your café for seven years now. You can do what you like with it, but it has been around since the dawn of time, so—’

‘Yeah, I know, the locals would come in for a T-Rex burger, it’s that old.’

Sophie smiled. ‘I guess if you made the tearoom an extension of the place it might be okay. You know, keep the nautical theme, maybe call it something like Harbour Light Tearoom. I don’t know, I’m just a fishmonger. Sea Shanty Shack was named by my grandparents. If it was left to me, not sure what name it would have.’

‘I like Sea Shanty Shack.’

‘But do you like Harbour Light?’

‘The previous owners did get away with adding Café on the end, so there’s hope for me yet.’

Sophie shrugged. ‘It’s something to mull over. Harbour Tearoom sounds nice. Not so much of a mouthful.’

‘My cakes would be a mouthful. I wouldn’t do those skimpy slices.’ Ginny sighed as she scooped up some more food. ‘I really want a tearoom, Soph, but I can’t sell the café. It’s such a great business, and there’s nothing else available along the front, and I don’t want a shop somewhere else.’

‘Then pop up to Lottie’s during the day, ask Shaun to take a look at the café, and see what he says can be done. Get a quote at least. Like you said, there’s no rush. You probably wouldn’t want it open till spring anyway.’

‘Yes, ready for tourist season. Although Christmas in the tearoom could be nice.’

‘I noticed you put some pumpkins in the café’s window. I need to decorate for Halloween as well.’

‘Speaking of which, I’m going to ask Robson to have a Halloween party in the pub this weekend. We can tell people to dress up, give a prize for best costume, and charge for tickets to raise money for the Hub. We haven’t got long, so best spread the word fast.’ She pulled out her phone and sent Robson a quick text.

Sophie nodded. ‘Great idea. It’s been years since we had a Halloween party.’

Ginny tucked into her grub, cleaning the bowl within minutes. ‘Mmm, I need to come here for dinner more often.’

‘You can come every night if you like.’

If there was one area of Ginny’s life where she was blessed, it was with her friends. They were such a close circle and always there for each other, no matter what. Her heart warmed from the love she always felt in Sophie’s kitchen. Her own seemed to lack something. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was definitely something missing.

‘You know what, Soph, I will talk to Shaun about divvying up the café. It’s worth an ask. I’ll pull him to one side when he comes in for lunch. Ask on the quiet if he can come back at closing. The last thing I need is to wake the troublemakers before I’ve decided anything.’

‘If you do decide to go ahead with it, do you think it’ll cost a lot?’

Ginny couldn’t be sure until she spoke to the builder. ‘I’m going to sell the flat above the café. The tenants move out soon, and I told the estate agents I didn’t want to renew. I plan to use that money to set up.’

‘Ooh, you’ll get a good price for that flat. I know the flats above the shops aren’t that big, but the sea view is the selling point. Why don’t you convert that into the tearoom?’

‘I did think about it, but I want my tea shop to be wheelchair and pram accessible.’

Sophie waggled her fork. ‘Hmm, good point. Lottie would get the right hump if she couldn’t get her wheelchair in your new premises.’

‘A lot of my customers are elderly as well. I don’t want to exclude anyone. And if I convert the flat to use as part of the café so I have more room downstairs, it means the staff will be up and down stairs all day. No, best I sell the flat.’

Sophie raised her fork higher, almost catching it in her dark hair as glee flashed across her face. ‘Ooh, Gin, I know something that might help. I recently read about a tearoom repair shop.’

‘What the blimming heck is that?’

‘It’s supposed to help stop people wasting clothes. They repair them, see?’

‘I don’t see what that has to do with tea and cake.’

Sophie finally put her fork down. ‘It’s part of a help-out scheme. Anyone who can sew, for example, can sign up, come down the tea shop at certain times, and help repair clothes brought in by those who aren’t very good at that sort of thing. Luna would help. She can make anything out of a piece of cloth.’

‘Well, it’s something to think about, I guess.’

‘It could help get people onside if things start going belly up.’

‘Yeah, but is it hygienic? All that material dust flying around.’

‘You could choose days when the weather’s nice so they can sit outside. Put a canopy up, perhaps. Look, just stick this one in your back pocket so you’ve got it there as your weapon if needed. Plus, it’s a lovely idea. We could set something like that up at the Hub next spring. Might be something we can offer once a month. We’ll bring it up at the next meeting. See what everyone says.’

Ginny yawned. ‘Oh, sorry. I’m just feeling it lately.’

‘Gets you like that when it gets dark early.’

It was more all the running around she was doing. Suzanne was struggling to lift Birdy, leaving Ginny to pick up the slack. The sooner a place in a care home came up the better. She knew her mum hated the idea, but what else could be done? No one was coping.

Sophie reached across the table and lightly patted Ginny’s hand. ‘Hey, you burning the candle at both ends?’

‘Seems that way. Mum’s getting worse, so I have to do more. When I leave here, I have to go put her to bed, as Suzanne has to leave early tonight. She’s so good. I swear she works after her hours have ended. She’s sent another email on Mum’s behalf as well. Demanding more help soon.’ Ginny tapped her collarbone. ‘You know, I’m the one expected to be chief carer, but I can’t do it, Soph. I work full-time.’

Sophie gave her hand a gentle squeeze. ‘It’s hard, isn’t it? I wouldn’t want to put my grandad in a home.’ Her green eyes held nothing but sympathy. ‘I’m so pleased he can still take care of himself.’

‘And he’s older than Mum.’

‘Not by much, not that it makes a difference. These things can happen to any of us at any age. Look at Lottie. Only last year she was knocked off her bicycle by a car and put in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. You just don’t know what’s going to happen.’

‘At least Lottie can do loads for herself. Mum’s going downhill fast lately.’

‘I’m sure a home will come up soon. They can’t leave people like that.’

Ginny shook her head. ‘They’re full up, Soph. People are living longer nowadays, and there’s hardly any room. We’re expected to look after our elders now.’

‘But we can’t unless we give up work, then what?’

‘We were told she might get a place further away. Even out of Cornwall.’

Sophie’s eyes widened. ‘They can do that?’

‘Yeah, they moved Shaun’s gran to a place in Hastings. Some home the council are in association with. Mum would flip if they tried to move her further than Penzance.’

‘What about your brother? Can’t he help?’

Fat chance!

Ginny didn’t like to badmouth him, even though he deserved it. Lee had done bugger all to help their mum, and he was the one she doted on.

‘Oh, he lives too far away, chick.’

And the last time she tried to involve him, he told her quite bluntly to use her own money to pay for their mum’s care.

She glanced at her friend clearing the plates, wondering if anyone else thought she should use her money to pay for a private care home. The sale of the flat might buy her mum a few years somewhere nice, but then what? And could she really go against her dad’s wishes? He was so adamant in the letter he wrote accompanying his will that not one penny of his money was to be spent on Birdy. The curse words that followed were embedded in her forever. Whatever happened between them, one thing was for sure, they hated each other.

Talk about rock and hard place.

‘You want some afters, Gin?’ asked Sophie, head in the fridge.

‘Sure, whatever’s good.’ Something sweet was in order to help cheer her weary soul, especially as her next stop was her mum’s. She already knew she would hit the pillow later and cry.

Sophie plonked some chocolate cheesecake on the table. ‘Why don’t I come with you to your mum’s after this. I can help you put her to bed, have a tidy-up, put on a wash, whatever. I don’t mind.’

Ginny’s tears almost surfaced there and then. What a wonderful offer and so utterly and completely needed, but she had to refuse. There was no way she wanted Sophie to hear the way her mother spoke to her. No one could know. The shame was too much to bear.

Pretending the task was not a big deal, Ginny politely declined and cut herself a large slice of cheesecake and quickly shoved some into her mouth, making the most of the sweetness.