The Waffle House on the Pier - Tilly Tennant Page 0,52
this work out.’
‘It doesn’t hurt to have a plan B,’ Natalie said.
Sadie grimaced. ‘No offence, but I don’t want my life to be full of endless false starts and plan Bs.’
‘Well, as you qualified that statement with the words “no offence” I think it has a meaning that will offend me,’ Natalie said briskly.
‘I didn’t mean it to sound like that,’ Sadie said. ‘I just mean that… well, I feel I’m getting too old to keep on starting again because I’ve messed yet something else up. I need what I start now to work out or I’ll run out of time for any more new starts.’
Natalie rested her elbows on the table and looked up at Sadie. ‘Still offended. Some of us don’t have any choice but to start again, whether we like it or not, and some of us aren’t the cause of them. Some of us are on the receiving end of the messes.’
‘I know, and what I said wasn’t meant as a reflection on you. But you deal with it differently too. You bounce back and you’re strong enough to start again. I don’t think I am, not in the same way. And you’ve got a successful career, at least. You haven’t messed that up. I haven’t even got that… I’m nowhere right now.’
‘You’re happy,’ Georgia said. ‘You have the happiest life of anyone I know.’
‘I’m not saying I’m not happy,’ Sadie replied patiently. ‘I realise I probably sound a bit ungrateful, and I know I’m lucky to live in a place like this with my brilliant family and brilliant friends but…’ She sighed. ‘Is it selfish to say I want more?’
‘We all want more,’ Georgia said, turning her gaze to the windows where a cornflower sky topped the sage of the waves. ‘It’s in our DNA; we can’t help it – I read it somewhere. Some philosopher said it.’
‘I don’t know who said it,’ Natalie replied, turning to Sadie, ‘but even if it’s true that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still be thankful for what we’ve got.’
Sadie shrugged. ‘That’s just it. When I really take stock I don’t feel that I do have a lot that actually means anything. I’m sorry if that sounds selfish and entitled, but there it is. I can’t help what I feel and you are two of the few people I’d dare be honest enough to say that to. I have a nice home and family, but I don’t have any purpose. I’m just floating around. Can you see what I mean?’
‘Yes,’ Natalie said, her tone softening again. ‘And maybe this place will be your purpose if you just give it enough time to work.’
‘Aristotle!’
Natalie and Sadie spun as one to look at Georgia.
Natalie grinned. ‘Remembered it, did you?’
‘No.’ Georgia held up her phone to show them the screen. ‘But Mr Google did!’
Sadie smiled. ‘Well, things seem better already for knowing that.’
But then her attention was diverted by a woman who was approaching the unmanned counter. She glanced back at her friends. ‘Better go; work to do. Catch up with you later.’
‘That’s OK,’ Georgia said, angling her head towards the kitchen doors. ‘Our food is here.’
Sadie looked to see April marching over with two plates piled high with waffles, fruit and cream, one topped with chocolate curls for Georgia and one with sprinkles for Natalie. Sadie smiled. From here their orders looked bang on what they’d asked for. Yes, it did look as if they might be on the right track now after all.
* * *
Sadie was humming softly to herself as she turned the key to lock the front door of the waffle house for the night. Her grandmother was cleaning tables and outside the sky was still bright and the air warm. Plenty of people were continuing to mill around too – walking the pier or sitting on the scrolled iron benches looking out to sea, or on rides or heading into the amusement arcade, and the beach was still dotted with families and parties of friends messing around on the sand.
‘Gammy…’ Sadie began slowly, ‘didn’t you ever think about staying open a bit later in the summer months?’
April looked up, sleeves rolled to her elbows. For a lady of her age, her forearms were strong and toned and the skin smooth, but then, she’d spent her whole life working, hardly still for a moment. Perhaps it wasn’t a surprise that she was in such good shape when you thought about it that way, and April herself usually said so