The Seafront Tea Rooms

by Vanessa Greene

  Ben tapped her on the shoulder and passed her a coffee. ‘Peace offering,’ he said, with a smile.

  She took it reluctantly, feeling the same uncomfortable mix of irritation and anxiety she’d experienced the last time they’d talked. But she reasoned that if they were going to work in the same office it was easier to be civil.

  ‘How about I take you out for a drink to celebrate your promotion?’ he said.

  Charlie shook her head, putting the coffee to one side. ‘No. No way.’ She felt a rush of power as she realised the words had come out just the way she’d wanted them to – clear and assertive.

  Ben’s face fell. ‘Why not?’

  Charlie looked back at him. ‘Do you really have to ask?’

  ‘What happened – well, it’s all water under the bridge now, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘Don’t you want to move on, be friends? We work together, after all.’

  He looked so pathetic, standing there on his own, failing to comprehend her rejection of his friendship. His shirt was cheap and synthetic, fitting too tightly over his chest. Charlie wondered what she’d ever seen in him.

  ‘I want to move on, yes,’ Charlie said calmly. ‘But I don’t want to be friends. My life is infinitely better without you in it.’

  She noticed that people working at the desks around her had fallen silent, and their eyes were all on her and Ben.

  ‘Come on,’ Ben said, lowering his voice. ‘Be reasonable, Charlie. Don’t be a cow.’

  ‘No, you’re the one who needs to be reasonable, Ben. You took me for a fool. You lied to me, you cheated on me, and you humiliated me. I’m lucky enough to know what true friendship is – respect, support, kindness. I don’t think you’re even capable of those things.’

  Ben’s mouth was agape.

  ‘You’re being harsh,’ he said, almost under his breath.

  Jess was watching from her doorway, a huge smile on her face – and a couple of Charlie’s other colleagues were discreetly giving her the thumbs up.

  As she looked at Ben, a small, floundering man, trying to find a way to erase his wrongdoing through forgiveness, she felt a wave of relief. She’d escaped marriage with him. The hurt she’d felt hadn’t been a broken heart but a deep sense of humiliation and wounded pride. At last she could see him for what he was – pathetic, needy and shallow. She no longer felt tied to him in any way whatsoever.

  ‘No, Ben. Trust me, you don’t want to see me when I’m being harsh.’

  43

  Friday 17 October

  From: Séraphine

  To: Kat and Charlie

  Re: LONDON. Can’t wait to see you!

  Hello you two,

  It’s tomorrow!

  I wanted to say how much I’m looking forward to seeing you again in London before I leave – it will be the perfect farewell to England, and to you, my good friends.

  Séraphine x

  From: Kat

  Hey you two,

  Can’t wait to see you both. Charlie – hope it’s going well back at the office. We have so much to catch up on!

  See you at the station at eight tomorrow, Séraphine.

  Kx

  44

  Saturday 18 October

  Charlie, Séraphine and Kat walked across Green Park in the crisp winter sunshine, chatting happily as they made their way towards the Strand.

  ‘London’s exactly how I pictured it,’ Séraphine said, passing the queues outside the Royal Academy of Art. ‘I’ve wanted to come here since I was a teenager, hooked on watching Love, Actually.’

  ‘Oh, it’s every bit as romantic as that,’ Charlie said. ‘That’s exactly what my life is like!’ She smiled.

  There was a spring in Séraphine’s step as she passed the Ritz and snapped a photo. ‘I’ve only got a fortnight left of being a tourist and I need to take advantage of it.’

  ‘So where is it you’re taking us, Charlie? You’ve been very mysterious about it all,’ Kat said.

  ‘Here we are.’ Charlie pointed to the sumptuous displays in Fortnum and Mason’s windows. ‘One of the finest afternoon teas in the city.’

  They walked inside and Séraphine looked eagerly at the hand-crafted chocolates and tables laden with fine treats and boxes of tea.

  ‘My parents would love some things from here,’ she said.

  ‘We’ll have time to shop later,’ Charlie said, ‘Right now we’ve got a lot of catching up to do.’

  The lift climbed to the top of the building, opening on to a spectacularly elegant high-ceilinged reception area of the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon. After giving Charlie’s name, they were seated by the window, with a view overlooking the tall buildings of central London, and Charlie gave the waitress their order.

  ‘I’ve got a surprise for you both,’ she said. She bent down to rummage in her bag.

  She took out copies of Indulge magazine, glossy and bright, with a picture of a teacup on the front.

  ‘Ta-da! It’s hot off the presses.’

  ‘It’s out!’ Kat said, delightedly.

  ‘These are early copies. I practically snatched them out of the hands of our production manager so that I could bring them to you. It’ll be in the shops next week.’

  Kat flicked through the pages, seeing her and Charlie’s words in type next to photos of the places they had visited. ‘It looks gorgeous.’

  ‘Here, see – both of your names are in print.’

  ‘And this is the feature you wrote? The history of the Seafront?’ Kat asked.

  ‘Yes – I had to get it in somehow, it wouldn’t have been right to leave it out. But don’t worry – I haven’t given away too much, and I ran it all past Letty first. Here, I’ve got another copy for you to give to her.’

  ‘It’s so… real now,’ Kat said, holding it in her hands.

  ‘And there’s something else, Kat. Indulge were delighted with your writing and they’re very keen to use you again. It would be on a freelance basis, so I can’t guarantee a regular income, but it should be interesting work when it happens. Would you be up for that?’

  Kat could hardly believe what she was hearing. Here was an opportunity to earn money doing what she loved – it was no longer a distant dream, it was something that was actually happening to her.

  ‘Yes,’ she said, a smile spreading across her face. ‘You’re serious about this?’

  ‘Of course,’ Charlie said. ‘You’ve certainly proved yourself.’

  ‘This is amazing.’ Kat was almost numb with the surprise of it.

  ‘You deserve it,’ Charlie said. ‘We’d be lucky to have you.’

  ‘Congratulations,’ Séraphine said, giving her friend a squeeze.

  ‘Thank you,’ Kat said, beaming. ‘So, is everything going well at the magazine?’

  ‘Yes, I’ve settled right back in to London life,’ Charlie said. ‘It’s busy, since I got the promotion, but that’s how I like it.’

  ‘No regrets about coming back then?’ Kat asked, innocently.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Just a hunch.’ Kat shrugged.

  Charlie’s voice took on a cooler tone. ‘If you’re talking about Euan – and I know you are – then I’m completely committed to my decision. I’ve been working towards this promotion for years.’

  ‘If you say so,’ Kat said, and she and Séraphine exchanged glances.

  ‘Don’t look at each other like that. I’m not about to throw it all away.’

  ‘Has he been in touch?’ asked Kat.

  ‘Yes,’ Charlie said, toying with her spoon. ‘He sent an email.’

  ‘And what did you say?’ Séraphine asked, her eyes lighting up.

  ‘I haven’t replied yet.’

  ‘It seems a shame to let it all go,’ said Kat. ‘I could have sworn there was something special happening between you two.’

  ‘I haven’t replied to him because I don’t know what to say,’ Charlie told them, letting her guard down a little. ‘It feels easier to just say nothing at all.’

>   ‘Who’s having the last macaroon?’ Kat asked, an hour later. ‘Everyone’s being far too polite.’

  ‘You have it,’ Charlie said. ‘I couldn’t eat another thing.’

  ‘Macaroons are one of the few things I’ll be able to get back home. I’m happy to let it go,’ Séraphine said.

  ‘How’s Letty doing?’ Charlie asked.

  ‘Good,’ Kat said. ‘She’s helping my dad out with Leo later – she wanted to be sure I’d come down and see you. Not that wild horses could have kept me away. It’s so nice to have a day off and relax with you two. It’s a real escape.’

  ‘How have things been since I left?’

  ‘OK. Leo and I are getting on well, in our own little way – it’s brilliant having him back, and to have Dad home too.’

  ‘Adam mentioned that he saw you the other day,’ Séraphine said.

  ‘Don’t start —’

  ‘You see, you dish it out, but you can’t take it!’ Charlie laughed.

  ‘Ha, perhaps you’re right. It was nice to see him, actually. Really nice. I have a feeling we might be seeing a bit more of each other, too.’

  Charlie walked Séraphine and Kat back to the train station, the sun low in the winter sky. They were surrounded by people carrying bags of shopping, and commuters bustling past.

  ‘What a wonderful day,’ Séraphine said.

  ‘It’s been fantastic,’ Kat agreed. ‘Thanks, Charlie.’

  ‘No – thank you,’ Charlie said, touching both women gently on the arms. ‘You helped me out when I needed it most. I couldn’t have been there for Pippa if I hadn’t been lucky enough to have the two of you being there for me. It’s been brilliant getting to know you both. I feel blessed to have met such good friends.’

  ‘Same here,’ Séraphine said. ‘I was lost at first. I thought I’d made a huge mistake – but instead it’s turned out to be one of the best things I’ve ever done.’

  ‘Aw, you two,’ Kat said, bringing them into a hug. She pulled away and spoke despite the lump in her throat. ‘Where do I even start? I feel much stronger knowing that I have you both on my side.’

  ‘We’ll always be there,’ Séraphine said. ‘Even if we’re not living in the same place. Because I guess this is goodbye, Charlie. Well, let’s call it au revoir. I’m hoping you’ll come out to France. Both of you.’

  ‘That’s very tempting,’ Charlie said.

  ‘You’ll always be welcome,’ Séraphine said.

  They hugged each other close.

  45

  Saturday 18 October

  Séraphine climbed the stairs to her room. The house was quiet, Adam and Zoe must still be at the cinema. She and Kat had mostly dozed on the train journey home, both tired from the day, comfortable with the silence in each other’s company.

  She took the items out of her handbag and laid them on her small desk:

  A model of a red London bus

  A tube map

  Serviette and packet of sugar from Fortnum and Mason

  A pink and yellow flowered vintage teacup, wrapped in white tissue paper

  A worn paperback of 84 Charing Cross Road

  A black-and-white postcard of the Beatles on the zebra crossing outside Abbey Road Studios.

  She turned the postcard over and wrote on the back:

  Dear Carla,

  A few souvenirs from London – one day let’s go back together?

  Love, Séraphine x

  ‘Do you have to go?’ Zoe asked at breakfast the next day. ‘Can’t you stay longer, maybe until Christmas?’

  Séraphine laughed. ‘I’d love to. But I think my family might have something to say about that.’

  She looked over the kitchen table at Zoe, and felt grateful that in the short time they’d known one another Zoe had come to trust her. In Zoe, Séraphine had seen true resilience, and the suffering the young girl had endured in her life had helped her to put own experiences in perspective. And then there was Adam. She thought of what Kat had said the day before. She really hoped that the two of them might get together.

  ‘You’ll be missed,’ Adam said. ‘It feels as though you’ve become part of our family.’

  ‘It’s true,’ Zoe said. ‘It’ll be strange, without you.’

  ‘You’ve been so kind to welcome me the way you have,’ Séraphine said. ‘You’ve made me feel completely at home.’

  ‘It’ll be boring when you’re gone,’ Zoe said.

  ‘I’m sure your dad will bring home some enormous dog or other soon,’ Séraphine said. ‘Then you’ll forget all about me.’

  ‘I won’t,’ Zoe said. ‘For starters, dogs aren’t nearly as good at baking.’

  ‘I hope you’ll keep up your French studies,’ Séraphine said. ‘I left you those books, and I’ll be expecting full reviews. I’ll email you in French too.’

  ‘OK,’ Zoe said, with a playful sigh. ‘I can’t believe you’re leaving the country and you’re still going to be bossing me about.’

  Séraphine laughed. ‘I only bother bossing around my most able pupils,’ she said.

  ‘You must be looking forward to getting back to your own life,’ Adam said. ‘I imagine there are a lot of people who will have missed you.’

  ‘One or two,’ she replied, with a smile.

  Séraphine thought of Carla, and how soon their long wait would be rewarded. More than anything she wanted them to be together again.

  Dear Carla

  I’ll be home a week on Friday. Maybe we could meet and talk on Saturday afternoon – shall I see you outside the bakery at two? I have been craving one of your blueberry brioches the whole time I’ve been here. Perhaps you could save some from the Saturday batch and we could have them with coffee in the square?

  I’ve missed you so much, and can’t wait to hear how you have been. I don’t know what’s next for us, all I know is that I have so much I want to say to you, and when I am by your side again, I know I will feel complete.

  Sx

  Dear Séraphine,

  Of course I want to meet you. I’m so excited about you coming home that I’ve barely been able to think of anything else. Apart from making brioches for us.

  I don’t want us to hide who we are any more, though. I don’t want to live a lie when we have nothing to be ashamed of.

  Cx

  Dear C,

  You’re right. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about it while I’ve been away. When I get home I’m going to tell my parents about us, about you. And I’m going to tell them how happy I am.

  Sx

  46

  Tuesday 28 October

  Kat looked through the photos on her phone, of the day she’d spent in London with Charlie and Séraphine. Raising cups of tea in a toast, the elegant high ceilings of the Fortnum and Mason tea room in the background.

  Ten days on, it seemed like a dream. She’d been in touch with Indulge about writing more for them, and Charlie had promised there would be work in the new year, but payments for her heating couldn’t wait until then. That morning she’d accepted a job at a call centre on the outskirts of town – it would give her enough to cover the bills that were due.

  ‘Mummy, I can’t sleep,’ Leo said, standing in the living-room doorway in his pyjamas.

  ‘It’s late, darling,’ she said, walking over to him. ‘Back to bed.’

  She led Leo quietly to his room, and tucked him in under the covers. Then she gave him his stegosaurus to hold and kissed him on the cheek. ‘Go to sleep now.’

  ‘I can’t. I’m not sleepy.’ He looked up at her. ‘When will I see Daddy again?’

  Kat took a deep breath. She’d known the question would come. ‘We’ll call him tomorrow and you can talk to him then.’

  ‘OK,’ Leo said, turning on his side and playing with the cuddly toy. ‘It’s not the same though, as seeing him.’

  ‘I know.’ She felt a stab of guilt. ‘We’ll work something out, I promise.’

  He nodded and pulled his duvet up under his chin.


  ‘Sleep tight, darling, sweet dreams.’

  She went back into the living room, and dialled Jake’s number on her mobile.

  ‘Hi, Kat,’ he said. ‘How are you?’

  ‘All right. I got a job today.’ She tried to sound excited, even though the prospect of starting work at the characterless concrete offices left her feeling numb with dread.

  ‘Really? That’s good news.’

  ‘Thanks. I start on Monday. I got your payment this month, by the way.’

  ‘Glad it came through. Listen, I know I’ve got some catching up to do. I’ll send the money when I can. Work’s coming in more regularly now.’

  ‘I understand.’

  ‘I’ve started the counselling,’ he said. ‘And it’s going OK.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear that,’ Kat said.

  She wavered. She thought of how it had seemed, for a brief moment, as if she could have a life aside from all of this. Adam had called her to arrange to go out, but she kept putting him off. In her heart she knew what mattered most was getting Leo and his dad’s relationship back.

  ‘Leo’s been asking about you,’ she said at last.

  ‘He has?’ Jake’s voice lifted.

  ‘I said we’d call you tomorrow, have a chat.’

  ‘Sure.’

  ‘But what he really wants is to see you. So I was wondering, would you like to come and visit us?’

  ‘Are you serious? You wouldn’t have a problem with that?’

  ‘It’s fine. But I’d want to be there. The whole time – and I’m not sure when that’ll change, when I’ll be happy to let go again. We’ll have to see how things go.’

  ‘I know. I understand.’

  ‘I don’t want to cut you out of his life, Jake. No matter what’s happened or what happens between us. You’re Leo’s dad, nothing can change that.’