The Vintage Teacup Club (32 page)

‘Oh God,’ Maggie said, slumping back and letting the sofa cushions take her weight. ‘I’m old enough to know better, aren’t I?’

‘Well, you’re certainly in good
company,’ Alison said. ‘Sophie may have been planned, but Holly is our favourite mistake, a mini-break on the Isle of Wight when I’d left my pills at home.’ She smiled.

‘But at least you’re in a relationship,’ Maggie said. ‘I really should have been more careful.’

‘What’s happened has happened,’ Alison said. ‘There’s not much point dwelling on it now. And anyway, last time I checked it took two to make a baby – the responsibility doesn’t all rest with you, you know.’

‘Thanks,’ Maggie said. ‘You’re right.’

‘Is it Dylan’s?’ Alison asked, gently.

‘No,’ Maggie replied. ‘It can’t be, we were always really careful. I think he was probably terrified at the idea of an accident happening, in retrospect. But with Owen the moment swept us up, more than once. Plus I think it’s really early, just a couple of weeks, so that ties in too.’

Maggie lifted her feet up and hugged her knees to her. ‘Oh God, Ali. I hardly know Owen … and he’s all, you know, all
free
.’

‘OK,’ Alison said. ‘Forget about Owen for a second. How do you feel about it?’

Maggie hesitated. ‘Sick.’

Alison raised an eyebrow.

‘OK,’ Maggie continued, ‘I suppose after Dylan and I got divorced I just resigned myself to the fact I wasn’t going to be a mother. And I really am fine with
that. I mean I
was
fine with that. I don’t know, Ali,’ she gestured to her immaculate living room, taking in the white carpets, the orchids, fragile glass ornaments on every surface. ‘I don’t have my life right for a baby.’

‘Does anybody?’ Alison said, with a shrug.

‘I suppose not,’ Maggie said, her feelings searching for space among the practicalities. ‘But the business, I have all these plans for it. To set up in London … I can’t just give up on everything I’ve achieved to have a baby.’

‘It doesn’t have to be either/or, Maggie,’ Alison said. ‘Lots of mothers work.’

‘But I’ll be … I’m going to be a single mum, aren’t I?’ She started to chew on a manicured nail.

‘You don’t know anything for sure,’ Alison said, her voice calming.

‘I will be,’ Maggie said. ‘I’ll be on my own trying to work out how to do up a nappy and remember the words to lullabies, and deciding what to do when it gets ill … God, Ali, I don’t know if I can do it.’ Adrenalin rushed through her veins as she pictured it. Alone. With a
baby
.

‘I’ve only known Owen five minutes, Ali. He’s not going to sign up for this, and to be honest I can’t blame him.’

‘But let’s get back to what I said,’ Alison said, taking Maggie’s hand. ‘Do
you
want to sign up for this?’

The answer came to Maggie more
quickly than she’d expected. She stopped chewing on her nail and looked up at Alison. ‘It’s completely and utterly terrifying.’ She took a deep breath. ‘But yes, I think I do.’

‘There you go,’ Alison said, with a smile. ‘So there’s a start,’ she put her arm around Maggie’s shoulders. ‘But before you make any decisions you need to speak to Owen. Call him. He needs to know.’

Maggie felt sick to her stomach. Here she was, meeting Owen for lunch at the Queen’s Head, a cosy, quiet pub hidden round the back of Charlesworth train station. This would normally have made for a dreamy escape from the shop – but not today. How was she supposed to handle a conversation like this? Would Owen be reasonable, or bolt for the door?

When they’d kissed hello, Maggie had felt a rush of happiness; being in Owen’s arms felt right and for a fleeting moment she almost forgot the reason she’d asked to meet him. But as he let her go, reality hit. If she kept the baby, she was going to lose this good man she’d found.

The pub was empty apart from one other couple in the far corner, a pretty red-haired woman about Maggie’s age and a man in a dark suit with his back to them. Maggie and Owen ordered their food and
then settled in a booth by the window.

‘How’s the Japanese garden going?’ Maggie asked Owen, feigning calm.

‘Oh, fine,’ he replied, ‘but I’ve been looking forward to seeing you so much that it’s been hard to focus on the bonsais.’ He reached over and gave her a kiss.

‘By the way,’ Owen said. ‘I called Lucy and reassured her that everything is going fine with the wedding plans. She was a bit concerned she hadn’t heard from either of us for a while.’

‘Ah, yes, thanks for that.’ The wedding was getting closer but keeping the bride-to-be updated seemed to have slipped down both of their priority lists.

‘It’s great to see you,’ Owen said. The top buttons of his shirt were open and Maggie couldn’t stop her eyes drifting down to his chest. ‘And I’m absolutely not complaining,’ he continued, ‘but I thought you were normally too busy for a proper lunch?’

‘I made time today,’ Maggie said, then paused for a moment. ‘It’s important.’

‘OK,’ Owen said, a curious smile playing on his lips.

‘Owen, look,’ Maggie said, sitting up straight. ‘I’ll get to the point. I didn’t see this coming, and you won’t have either.’ She bit her lip. ‘I’m pregnant.’

‘Woah,’ Owen said, sitting back in his seat, his face registering the shock.

‘Yes, I know,’ Maggie said, breathing out. ‘That’s how I felt too.’

‘I suppose I just assumed you were on
the pill,’ he said, after a long silence.

‘I wasn’t, and I should have discussed it with you,’ Maggie said, her voice a little tighter than normal.

‘It’s only been a few weeks—’

‘I know, I know. We hardly know each other.’ Maggie felt alone all of a sudden. ‘And I’m not sure yet how I feel about all this. But, I’m thirty-six, and while I didn’t expect this to happen I just don’t think I could face – I mean, I wouldn’t expect …’

Maggie’s sentence trailed off as at that moment the food arrived. ‘One jacket with chilli and cheese, one chicken caesar salad,’ the stocky, middle-aged barman said as he arrived at their table.

‘The salad’s for me please,’ Maggie said, taking it swiftly and putting it down in front of her. As she looked up, she saw the couple at the back of the pub get up to leave, and realised that the man was Alison’s husband, Pete. He caught Maggie’s eye, but looked startled, a rabbit caught in headlights. Maggie smiled hello, distracted, as he led his attractive female companion to the door.

Owen waited for the barman to walk away and then put his plate to the side, taking Maggie’s hands in his again.

‘Impeccable timing,’ he said, nodding towards the barman’s back and smiling. ‘Anyway Maggie, what I was about to say is I know it’s only been a few weeks, but strange as it
sounds, I’m already pretty sure how I feel about you.’

A lump formed in Maggie’s throat as Owen continued.

‘And I don’t imagine that’s going to change. I know I’m younger, but I’ve lived a bit, and I know what I want. I want to be with you, Maggie. And while I didn’t expect it – the idea of having a baby together makes me happy. I think we should do it.’

Looking into his face, so open and earnest, Maggie felt tears start and rushed to brush them away. ‘Good,’ she said quietly, her voice cracking, ‘because I didn’t realise until now how very much I want this too.’

Owen smiled, and reached across the table to kiss her. ‘Don’t cry,’ he said, catching a stray teardrop with his finger. ‘It’s good news, Maggie.’

‘But seriously,’ he said, slumping back and putting both hands to his head. ‘Seriously,’ then he started to laugh. ‘It’s a lot to get your head around, isn’t it?’

‘Yes,’ Maggie said, gathering her strength again, ‘and it certainly shouldn’t be done on an empty stomach.’ She pushed Owen’s food towards him and took a bite of chicken from her salad.

‘Woah,’ Owen continued, cutting a chunk of his baked potato. ‘You’re going to be a
mum
,’ he whispered, trying out the word, ‘and I’m going to be a
dad
. We’re going to have to pretend we know what we’re doing, aren’t we?’

‘I think so,’ Maggie said, then
shrugged. ‘But I reckon we can do it.’

Owen was beaming. ‘I’ve always wanted to have kids,’ he said. ‘Obviously I didn’t think it would happen like this, but I feel ready, I think. Do you?’

Maggie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and thought about it before
answering.

‘As ready as I’ll ever be.’

‘Cheers!’ Alison chinked her cocktail glass with Jamie’s. The launch party was buzzing, people were wondering around, chatting, drinks in hand, admiring the café interior and the vintage furniture. ‘Here’s to Blitz Spirit,’ she said. Jamie’s eyes were bright with pride.

Jamie had worked tirelessly on the café over the last few weeks, with Alison helping out whenever she could, but the person by his side throughout had been Adam. While Jamie had clearly been holding back at first, the two of them were now virtually inseparable.

The café’s backyard, once just a plain square of concrete with rubbish strewn across it, had been transformed. Adam had brought some railway sleepers and created flowerbeds that Maggie had filled
with lavender plants and wild flowers. Tiny lights nestled in holes in the wood, brightening the mural on the back wall – a Bovril ad that Alison had painted, giving it a faded look, as if it had been there all along.

The fringed standard lamps, glass-fronted cabinets and wall-mounted flying ducks the Spencers had donated gave the place a genuine wartime feel, and with 1940s tunes playing out from a gramophone the scene was perfectly set. Alison’s favourite feature was the dummy by the window, dressed in an original cinema usherette’s uniform and presiding authoritatively over the party. She was carrying a wooden tray with a strap that, for one night only, was laden with Manhattans. Authentic blitz cocktails they might not be, but they were certainly doing a great job of livening up the crowd. Union Jack-themed bunches of poppies, cornflowers and sweet peas were in glass vases on the tables, put together by Anna.

Pete came back in from having a cigarette, and as he and Jamie started talking, Alison leaned in towards Adam.

‘So,’ she said, conspiratorially. ‘Looks like you’re doing something right.’ She nodded her head in Jamie’s direction. ‘You really have put the smile back on his face.’

Adam laughed warmly. He was younger than Jamie, maybe mid-thirties, and was handsome in a rugged
way, but with a style that was sleek and retro; hair cut short at the sides, with a longer, styled quiff. Tonight he was dressed in a checked shirt and indigo jeans.

‘You don’t meet a man like Jamie every day, do you?’ Adam said with a smile. ‘I’m just lucky he let me snap him up.’

Alison saw Jamie glance over Pete’s shoulder and catch Adam’s eye.

‘Will we be seeing you in Charlesworth a bit more often now?’ Alison asked.

‘Maybe,’ Adam said, teasing, ‘although I can’t see myself moving here,’ he mimed an extravagant yawn, ‘too sleepy. And I hear the burlesque scene is pretty dead too.’ He gave Alison a cheeky smile. ‘Brighton’s the place for me,’ he said. ‘But happily it’s close enough that Jamie and I can see each as often as we like. While he’s getting this café off the ground we’ll spend more time here, but hopefully when there are staff on board we’ll get more time by the sea.’ He took a sip of his cocktail.

‘Sounds good,’ Alison said. ‘And, like I say, it’s great to see Jamie so happy again.’

Alison spotted Jenny and Dan then, weaving their way through the crowd towards her. Jenny had her hair styled into big blonde curls and was wearing a sailor-style dress in navy and cream paired with red heels. Her make-up was normally muted, but the bright red
lipstick and thick eyeliner she had on tonight really suited her. She made a perfect pair with Dan, who was dressed in jeans with a khaki forage cap on at a jaunty angle.

‘Alison,’ Jenny said, breathless from squeezing through people. Alison introduced Jenny and Dan to Adam and they kissed their hellos.

‘Nice hat,’ Adam said to Dan. As they started to chat, Jenny swept around to Alison’s side.

‘Alison, you’ll never guess what’s happened,’ she said, a huge grin on her face.

‘It’s not … did you hear …?’ Alison started, hardly daring to hope.

‘Yes! Your friend JoJo contacted me about
Charlie, Carlitos and Me
and she loves it! They want me to make a couple of changes but she’s gone ahead and made me an offer.’

‘That’s fantastic,’ Alison congratulated her. ‘I
knew
there was something there. I’m glad JoJo was smart enough to see it too.’

‘Jenny!’ Jamie snuck in between the two women, putting his arms around them both and looking Jenny up and down. ‘You look hot, dear girl. But where’s your cocktail? And Dan’s without a drink too? Ah, a new café-owner’s work is never done!’ He reached behind him to the usherette’s tray and passed them both glasses.

‘Jamie, congratulations. This place is
fantastic,’ Jenny said.

‘Quite a transformation, isn’t it?’ Jamie said, sweeping his arm from the front door to the back garden. ‘I was sad to leave the hospice shop behind, but it was time to move on. The ladies have been right behind me actually,’ he pointed with a nod of his head at the group of older ladies standing by the gramophone. ‘I think they’re excited to have a place to come for tea that isn’t Joey’s,’ he said.