Im sure Stella will be all right, he said reassuringly. She seems like a child wholl say if she wants anything.
Oh, yes, she can be a real bossy boots and she was certainly determined to get one of those gingerbread pigs, wasnt she? And she ate most of it. I offered to make her some, but no, she says yours are special, so I suppose Id better take one back with me today.
Ill send you the recipe, if you give me your email address? he suggested.
Id love the recipe, but I dont think even then I can compete with the lure of yours.
Ive left David in charge of the shop while I have my lunch, Jago said. Its really busy on Saturdays, but his fiancée, Sarah, comes for the weekends to help out. In fact, I tend to feel a bit of a spare part and Ill feel even more so when Sarah gives up her job and moves into the flat over the shop with us permanently.
I suppose three is a crowd, even if they dont mean to make you feel left out.
It doesnt help that I got disengaged about the same time David proposed to Sarah, he said, and his thin, handsome face became gloomy. Very disengaged.
Im so sorry, I said sincerely.
Dont be, because she went off with another man a couple of weeks before the wedding, so it was better she did it then than after we were married.
Thats true, I suppose, though it doesnt stop it hurting, does it? I was engaged before I had Stella, but my fiancée signed up for a second long contract abroad without telling me and then dumped me for someone else hed met out there.
Jago raised his coffee cup. Heres to a fresh start for both of us, then, he said, and smiled at me. His mouth went up a bit at the left corner when he smiled and so did the corner of his eyebrow on that side. I found myself smiling back.
So, how did the Happy Macaroon come about? I asked. Ive only just emailed David my questions for the article.
It was literally a stroke of luck. We both worked for Gilligans, as you know, and we were in the lottery ticket syndicate when our numbers came up.
Wow! I said enviously.
It wasnt millions, nothing like that, but our shares were enough to change our lives, if we wanted them to. Some of the older members of the syndicate just paid off their mortgages and took holidays, or bought new cars, but David and I decided we wanted to get out of London and set up our own businesses.
Great idea.
David found his premises first, so I came up to help him start off and fell in love with the area. Now Im hoping to find somewhere nearby to run my croquembouche wedding cake business, and the sooner the better. We thought it would take quite a while to get the Happy Macaroon off the ground, but actually business took off like a rocket from the first day.
But what made him choose Ormskirk? When I heard about the shop, it seemed the most unlikely place yet I can see its a huge success.
David comes from Southport and fell for the old bakery after he spotted it on the internet, and luckily there was an empty flat above it, too. What about you, he asked tentatively, why did you move up here?
I sold my flat near Primrose Hill and we moved in with my mother because I needed to raise some capital quickly to fund treatment for Stella. I took a sip of coffee, which was strong and good. Perhaps you noticed how small and frail she looks for her age?
He nodded, his eyes soft and sympathetic.
Its because she was born with a heart condition, a serious and complicated one.
Hence the hospital appointments you mentioned? Im so sorry it must be an enormous worry to you and shes such a bright, lovely little girl.
Yes, it is, I confessed. The hospital here has taken over monitoring her progress, but theyd really like her to put on some weight before she goes to America in autumn for an operation Its very risky, you see, experimental surgery, but without it the consultant in London said that eventually her organs would begin to suffer under the strain of coping.
I dont know what came over me, but I found myself describing in detail Stellas problems and what the consultant said, just as if Id known Jago for ever. It felt that way.
But surely she could have the operation here, on the NHS? he demanded. You shouldnt have to go abroad for it.
They can do so much these days with surgery, but in Stellas case, theyd reached the end of the road over here. But Celia and I thats my best friend researched on the internet and found a surgeon whod pioneered the operation she needed in Boston, but hes the only one who can help. I got the hospital in London to send him all the X-rays and her notes and stuff, and hes willing to do it, but of course itll cost an absolute fortune.
So you sold the flat and moved here? I see
We thought wed have longer to raise the money, but Stella was ill back in January and they advised us to move the operation date forward to this autumn, so I put the flat on the market. Ive put the profit I made into the charitable fund that Celia and her husband, Will, helped me to set up and run, called Stellas Stars. Donations are coming in all the time, though not big ones people are so kind, even strangers.
Stellas Stars? Thats a good name.
Shes my little star, I said, feeling better for telling him all about it. Some of the people I know in London have fundraised, but even after selling the flat Im still around twenty thousand pounds short, even though the surgeon has generously offered to waive his fee for doing the operation. But the operation is booked for the start of November and we need to fly over at the end of October, so Ill have to find the rest of the money quite quickly somehow.
I smiled at him ruefully. It looks like weve both taken a gamble in moving up here you and David on the success of your new businesses and me on being able to raise the rest of the money.
Your gamble is much more important than mine but couldnt Stellas father help? Jago asked tentatively.
Stellas father is my ex-fiancée that I told you about. Hed left me by the time I found out I was pregnant and he wasnt remotely interested in being a father when I told him. In fact, he suggested I have an abortion, and when I refused, he cut off all contact with me changed his email address and everything. He was back in the Antarctic by then, which made him even more uncontactable.
The Antarctic?
Yes, he was working out there as a marine biologist. I dont know where he went after that. He could still be there, for all I know.
He doesnt sound much of a loss.
No, I think he probably comes under the heading of lucky escapes.
Thats pretty much what David said when my fiancée ran off with someone else, he said wryly. Sarah works in a Mayfair hair salon so shed heard lots of gossip about my ex, Aimee, and she was pretty blunt about telling me what she thought of her. Aimee organised events for her rich friends for a living, and she was beautiful, smart, classy and connected way out of my league, but I did think she loved me
They sounded an unlikely combination: a rich social butterfly and a hard-working baker, even if the said baker was the quietly handsome sort that you might pass in the street, but then turn round and go back to have another look at.
They sounded an unlikely combination: a rich social butterfly and a hard-working baker, even if the said baker was the quietly handsome sort that you might pass in the street, but then turn round and go back to have another look at.
He shook off his fit of abstraction. Well, at least the lottery winnings gave me the chance of an exciting new start somewhere where Ill never come across Aimee again.
Stella had already turned my life upside down before I moved here. I had this idea that babies just slotted into your life, especially if like me you do most of your work at home. But even if she hadnt been born with so many health problems, everything would have changed once shed arrived anyway, I can see that now.
Children do have a way of turning lives upside down, Jago agreed. But Im sure youve never regretted having her for an instant.
No, my only regret is that she has to suffer the effects of the heart problems and even if I manage to raise the money for the operation, theres no guarantee of success so I worry about that, too: but its her only hope of living a normal life.
I finished off my very excellent sandwich and Jago ordered two madeleines to go with another cup of coffee, which he said was his treat.
They do perfect madeleines. I dont think Ive tasted such good ones outside Paris.
I used to make them years ago, but had sort of forgotten about them, I said, distracted as usual, even if only temporarily, from Stellas problems. I still have a madeleine baking tray, though
Ill send you my recipe for them, if you like? he offered. Its a genuine French one and usually turns out well. I worked for a year in Paris, thats where I learned how to make the croquembouches.
When they came, we dunked our madeleines in the coffee, companionably.
Madeleines would be a really good thing to feature in one of my articles, I mused. Im trying to stockpile as many as possible, to leave me free for several months later in the year. Ive been thinking about doing a feature on proper Eccles cakes for The Cake Diaries, too.
It must be difficult constantly coming up with ideas when all the Stella stuff is going on?
It is, but I have to keep them coming and bringing in the money and anyway, I find baking cakes a sort of a comfort and eating them too.
Yes, so do I, Jago agreed.
At least yours hasnt hit your hips, I said wryly. I must have put on stones in the last couple of years.
I think Im just the type who burns it off. And you dont look overweight to me, but just right.
Im sure that was a kind lie, but even so, I warmed to him even more.
So, have you had any more ideas for fundraising the rest of the money you need? he asked.
Nothing major. The Sticklepond vicar visited us the other day and when I told him about Stella he said he was sure the whole village would get together and help me, and hed think of how best to organise it and get back to me and you know, I added ruefully, I suddenly seem to have gone from being one of the most buttoned-up women in the world, to one who tells everyone her whole life story on first meeting. Im so sorry to unload on you, when you just wanted a quiet lunch.
Im glad you did. He laid his warm hand momentarily over mine on the table and squeezed it. I want to know all about you, because the moment I saw you, I felt as if wed known each other for ever. Were obviously on the same wavelength and I hope well become good friends.
I felt much the same, I admitted, and our eyes met and held, just like the first time His wrinkled up around the edges as he smiled.
We do have so much in common, dont we? Broken hearts, a love of cake
I dont suppose you also love watching rom com films? I asked, laughing.
I certainly do! Love Actually is my all-time favourite and Ive put it on so many times that David has hidden the DVD.
Thats my favourite too or maybe its Pride and Prejudice.
Or Mamma Mia! Oh, and While You Were Sleeping.
Yes! In fact, I like anything with Sandra Bullock in, but that is one of her best.
We discussed rom coms for a few minutes and then I said, Do you think we were separated at birth, or simply knew each other in a previous existence?
I dont know, but Ill settle for knowing you in this one.
Me too, and I certainly need a friend especially one who understands that Stellas needs must come first right now, and that I cant think beyond getting her to the USA for the operation, I said directly and honestly, just in case he was thinking about anything in the romantic line. Though actually, given the weight thing and that Id stopped bothering much with makeup and what I was wearing, I should be so lucky even if he wasnt clearly still carrying a torch for his beautiful ex.
I not only understand that, but Ill help you, he offered. In fact, Id give you the money if I thought youd take it, but already I know you well enough to be sure youd turn me down.
Quite right, I would, because thats the money you need to buy your own premises, isnt it?
Yes, but I could always rent for a while, or get a small mortgage.
No you couldnt. But thank you for the offer And dont try doing it anonymously through the site, because Ill guess its you, I warned him, then paused. The vicar said I should trust in God to provide and go ahead and book the tickets and the hotel and everything, so Im going to take his advice, even if finding the rest of the money does give me sleepless nights.
The vicar was right, he said encouragingly. It is a lot of money to raise in a small amount of time, but its not impossible, by any means.
His mobile rang just then and when he finished the call he said it was David sarcastically asking if he planned on going back to the shop that day.
Ill have to go. He and Sarah want to have their lunch too, and the shops still busy.
We exchanged mobile numbers and email addresses, and then I went back with him to the shop to buy a gingerbread pig for Stella, though he refused to charge me for it. I only hope he isnt as generous to all his customers or he wont be making much of a profit
Driving home from Ormskirk, I thought how amazingly easily Id opened up like that to a man Id only just met. But then, we had so much in common and he was so sweet and sympathetic that hed instantly felt like an old friend. We were comfortable together.
I liked his thin, mobile face and the way it reflected every passing emotion, something he probably wasnt aware of, his unusual light brown eyes and the way his dark hair, released from the pirate scarf, was just a little too long and trying to curl around his ears
When I got home Ma and Stella were in the garden Ma sketching and Stella sitting in her blue plastic clam-shell sandpit, carefully arranging a pattern of bits of sand-washed glass that wed picked up on Southport beach into an intricate pattern. Toto wagged his tail but didnt get up from under the lavender bush.
The May sun was quite warm, but there was still a bit of a chilly breeze, so I was glad to see that Stella was wearing her little purple corduroy coat. She must have put it on herself, because only one of the big buttons was fastened and it was in the wrong hole.