The Waffle House on the Pier - Tilly Tennant Page 0,67
path. Sadie watched him, the imprint of his lips still tingling on hers.
‘Goodnight, Luke.’
As distractions went, it hadn’t been bad at all.
Chapter Twelve
‘Somebody is burning the candle at both ends.’
Henny gave Sadie a stern look as she plonked a full toast holder onto the breakfast table.
‘I decided to pop into the Ship last night and got talking to someone,’ Sadie said. It was a half-truth – and her parents didn’t need to know who she’d got talking to just yet. She was tired and not in the mood for a lecture, which she knew she’d get soon enough once Vivien had opened her big mouth and word had got round that Sadie had been out with the newly arrived owner of the Old Chapel.
‘Well I don’t know how you expect to do a full day at the waffle house if you stay out half the night. You’ll be neither use nor ornament to your grandmother if it becomes a regular thing.’
‘It was just once, Mum. I am allowed a social life surely?’
‘I’m just saying that April is relying on you, and this was all your idea after all.’
‘Where is she anyway?’ Sadie asked. Currently there was only her and her mother at the table.
‘Your dad has taken her to the cemetery to see… She wanted to go early because she’s been too tired in the evenings.’ Henny paused. ‘Sadie, have you noticed anything… off about your grandma lately?’
‘Like what?’ Sadie asked carefully, teacup halfway to her lips.
‘Little lapses of memory… judgement… that sort of thing. And little mood swings too. Nothing major but sometimes she’ll say something quite unexpected…’
If any time was a good time to say something, now would be it, and yet Sadie could barely bring herself to. If all this came out now, would that mean the end of the waffle house? She wasn’t ready to give it up yet, and she still clung to the belief that once Gammy was back into a routine all would be well again. April wasn’t one of those old ladies who would fade from view and become someone they no longer recognised – not her Gammy. It wasn’t possible and Sadie wasn’t going to believe it. She was just a little lost right now, still struggling to come to terms with Gampy’s death, that was all. She’d be fine in a few months with Sadie’s help.
‘Don’t make me too much breakfast,’ Sadie said. ‘I’d better get down to the waffle house and start getting ready to open in case Gammy’s a while at the cemetery. You can phone Dad and tell him there’s no rush if she wants to spend a little time there; I can’t imagine we’ll be that busy first thing.’
‘Your grandma won’t be happy if you open up without her,’ Henny said briskly.
‘She might have to get used to the idea… Mum… I know you said just now that you thought she might be a bit off. Well I don’t know about that but she is slowing down, isn’t she?’
‘She’s been slowing down for years – they both were. The trouble is neither your grandmother nor grandfather would listen to anyone’s advice on the matter. You know already that part of the reason we didn’t want you to take that place on is that the books weren’t looking good. It’s why we’re still against it, though you seem to be hell-bent on doing what you want.’
‘I’m not stupid, Mum – I knew full well they weren’t making as much money as they’d once been. For a start, there’s a lot more competition in the bay than there was when they first opened. I can make it work again though. If I didn’t believe that then I wouldn’t have pushed to try.’
‘So this isn’t purely an emotional attachment?’
‘It’s that too. I thought we’d sorted this out – why are we going over it again?’
‘Because we don’t want to see you pouring your heart and soul into this only for it to fail and for you to be heartbroken.’
‘It’s lovely to have such a wealth of support from my family,’ Sadie said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. ‘Lovely to know you have such faith and belief in my abilities.’
‘There’s no need to be like that.’
‘Dad’s not saying this, surely?’
‘There are no flies on you, are there?’ Henny said with a faint smile. ‘You know he’s as resistant to the idea of the waffle house closing as you are but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t share my concerns about you.’