Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop (25 page)

‘Wow, you have been busy,’ Imogen said.

‘I know,’ Anna said. She’d normally have shared her worries with Imogen, but right now it helped to act normal. ‘So, what do you reckon? I’m calling them “The British Summertime Collection”. I’ve got some wafer cones to serve them in today.’

‘Sounds good,’ Imogen said. ‘Sounds delicious. But what are you going to do with it all? I mean, you know how it’s been round here. Who’s going to eat it?’

‘Freebies,’ Anna said. ‘I’ve been mulling it over for a while – some of the ice cream places in Italy give away samples, and it makes a lot of sense. How do we persuade customers to come to our shop if they don’t know what we sell? Jess said she’d help me out. You don’t mind keeping an eye on the shop on your own for a while today, do you?’

‘While you’re working up a sweat walking up and down the beach with freezer bags? Fine by me.’

A few minutes later Jess arrived, and Jess and Anna sorted through the ice creams and put them into freezer boxes, strapping them on to themselves.

‘I feel like a packhorse,’ Jess said, laughing. She picked up a bag of wafer cones and the two of them headed out and over to the beach, treading carefully on the pebbles in their flip-flops.

‘I’m glad you brought the sunshine back with you,’ Jess said, her dress floating prettily in the breeze. ‘Makes this a whole lot more fun.’

‘I try,’ Anna said. It was wonderful to see the seafront come to life at last, as locals enjoyed the longed-for sunshine. ‘I think I can see our first targets.’ She pointed over at a young family who had brought a picnic and set up a rug. Their two children, toddlers, were laughing and playing with a ball.

‘Free ice cream! Come and get your free ice cream!’ Jess bellowed out. Her complete lack of shame, which had caused Anna a good deal of embarrassment over the years, was making her the ideal partner today.

The larger of the two toddlers looked up at them and pointed animatedly. ‘Would you like two?’ Anna asked their mum.

‘Anything to quieten these two down,’ the woman said, taking a couple of cones gratefully.

Then – ‘Over there,’ said a girl of about nine, pointing over at them. ‘They said “Free ice cream”!’

Within fifteen minutes, Jess and Anna found themselves surrounded by children and parents clamouring to try their wares. A couple of hours later, the boxes were empty.

‘That’s everything gone,’ Anna said with a satisfied sigh, closing her freezer box and taking a seat on a bench facing out to the sea. ‘I reckon we deserve a break, don’t you?’

Jess sat down next to her and smiled, tipping her straw sunhat back slightly so that the rays could warm her face. The British Summertime Collection had been a hit. They’d talked to all of the families who came to try the ices and handed them flyers for the shop.

‘We did OK, didn’t we?’ Jess said, her cheeks already a little rosier for the early July sun.

‘Even better than I expected,’ Anna said.

‘I’d say Vivien’s is well and truly back in the game!’ Jess laughed.

Jess gave her a hug and Anna relaxed into her friend’s arms. What Anna needed now, more than anything, was to forget about what was happening with Jon. Thankfully the shop was the perfect diversion – and even if they weren’t making any money yet, she’d seen today that her and Imogen’s instinct had been right – there was definitely a local market for gourmet ice cream. The people who’d tried their samples had loved the home-grown, fresh and seasonal tastes in Vivien’s ices.

‘So, why is it, Anna … ’ Jess said, her face suddenly serious, popping the bubble Anna had felt safe in. ‘ … Look, I don’t want to step out of line here … but I thought today went amazingly – so why don’t you look happier ?’

‘Oh, I’m fine,’ Anna said, brushing away Jess’s concern. ‘It’s been a hectic couple of weeks, that’s all, sorting out everything that went wrong.’

‘Right,’ Jess said, waiting for her to say more.

‘Jess, it’s fine, honestly.’ Anna assured her. ‘I mean Jon and I have had our ups and downs lately, but what couple doesn’t?’

‘As long as you’re OK,’ Jess said. ‘Remember I’m always here for you, if you want to talk.’

‘I appreciate that. But really, there’s nothing to say.’

On the specials board – Pear and Ginger Sorbet.

The following Friday, Jess popped into the shop early before work, as Anna was getting ready to open.

‘Jess,’ Anna said, stirring her mug of tea, ‘I’ve had an idea. After we gave out those freebies last week, business has really lifted. We’ve had customers flooding in, in fact.’

Jess got up and gave a bow. ‘There’s no need to thank me,’ she said, smiling.

‘All the same, I’m very grateful,’ Anna said. ‘Your loudspeaker voice definitely helped draw attention to us. It’s got me thinking … this stuff really makes a difference, doesn’t it? Maybe we should hold a local event.’

‘Oh, right,’ Jess said, curious. ‘Like an in-shop promotion, that kind of thing?’

‘Something community-based. A lot of people never stray this far down the seafront unless they’re coming for a reason – like they’ve heard about Finn’s surf school. But once they do make it down here, they tend to come back. The other Arches shop owners have been great so far – Evie and Finn, and the couple who own the newsagents. Maybe if we did something together, a party on the bandstand perhaps?’

‘Love it,’ Jess said, her face lighting up. ‘I could ask Dan’s band to come along – you know, the band from our wedding? They do the odd free gig for friends, local stuff – as long as they get to flog a few CDs, they’re happy. And there’s the Brighton Community Brass Band – you could start up with them. They’re a big hit with the oldies and I bet they’d perform at the opening of an envelope.’

‘Perfect,’ Anna said, jotting the ideas down in her notebook.

‘We could have a barbecue on the beach too,’ Anna said. ‘I reckon Finn would be up for organising that, and that would ensure plenty of his surfing crowd came along. Hopefully Evie could make us some bunting, or make some cakes to sell – she’s pretty good like that. It would be a day for the community to come together and enjoy the sunshine, making a feature of this part of the seafront.’

‘What are you guys plotting?’ Imogen said, taking off her jacket and hanging it up.

‘A party,’ Jess said. ‘Although I shouldn’t really be plotting it at all,’ she added, checking her watch, ‘as I’m late for work. Still in holiday mode. See you guys later.’

‘“Summertime Under the Arches”,’ Anna said, trying out the phrase as Jess rushed out of the door. ‘An event where all the local businesses chip in and get involved.’

‘Nice,’ Imogen said approvingly. ‘Why don’t we strike while the iron’s hot – have it the weekend after next? I could call Finn about it. He’s away in Cornwall on a surf camp for a couple of weeks, but I could ring him, see if he has any other ideas.’

‘Really?’ Anna asked. ‘So, what, are you guys friends now?’

‘Not exactly,’ Imogen said. ‘But I suppose I may have read him slightly wrong. I bumped into him in Glastonbury and he actually seemed kind of OK.’

‘Wonders will never cease,’ Anna said, smiling.

‘No point holding grudges,’ Imogen said. ‘Summer’s here, so we may as well make the most of it.’

Grabbing a teaspoon, she took a scoop of Anna’s freshly made pear-and-ginger sorbet. ‘Now this isn’t bad at all.’

At home that evening, Anna was sitting in Alfie’s room with him, cross-legged on the floor. He was dressed in a yellow T-shirt with a giraffe on it that she’d bought him the first time he stayed over, piling coloured building bricks on top of one another.

‘Alfie buildin’ a house,’ he said triumphantly, placing a green brick on top of the others. His cheeks glowed with a sense of achievement. ‘Building a house for Anna.’ Hepburn shuffled in through the door and waddled his way over to Alfie, narrowly dodging the brick tower, and nuzzling his head against Alfie’s side. Alfie collapsed in giggles. ‘Hep-urn,’ he said, breathless with laughter. ‘Tickling me!’ Anna pulled Hepburn away gently and brought him onto her lap, from where he proceeded to lick her face enthusiastically.

‘House for Anna and Hep-urn!’ Alfie laughed, adding one more brick to the pile.

Anna smiled. Spending time with Alfie brought her right into the present like nothing else could. When she was reading him a bedtime story, or collecting stones with him on the beach, everyday stresses lessened or lifted altogether. She couldn’t help but get caught up in his bright and uncluttered way of seeing the world, this capacity for make-believe.

Jon peeked around the door. ‘Everything all right in here?’ he said with a smile. ‘Because it sounds crazy. Dinner’s almost ready.’

‘We’re fine,’ Anna said, looking up at him. She saw the warmth in his expression that she’d fallen for on that very first night they spent together.

‘Good,’ he said. ‘It’ll be about five minutes. Nothing for us yet, I’m afraid, Anna – unless you’re keen on some chicken nuggets?’

‘I think I’ll wait for ours,’ Anna said.

Jon closed the door and Anna turned back towards Alfie. With one swift move, Hepburn leapt off her and darted out, knocking the bricks in every direction.

‘Oh NO,’ Alfie said, his giggles bubbling up.

‘It’s OK, sweetheart,’ Anna said. ‘It just means we get to start the game all over again.’

She swept the bricks up so that they were all within reach of his tubby arms.

‘Now, what shall we build next?’ Anna said, putting a finger to her lips as if she was thinking up a plan.

‘A-Nother house,’ Alfie said.

‘A different one?’

‘Yes,’ Alfie said, putting down a yellow slab as a base. ‘This house is where Mummy and Daddy live.’

The words hit Anna like a jolt.

Maybe it wasn’t Alfie who was playing ‘Let’s pretend’. It was her.

Once Alfie was in bed, Jon got his and Anna’s dinner ready, plates of steaming spaghetti Bolognese.

‘So, how did it go today?’ Anna said. ‘You had a meeting, right?’

‘Oh … yeah,’ Jon said, dishing up. ‘Nice guys, and it sounds like an interesting agency. Not sure it will lead to anything though.’

‘OK. Well, still worth a shot.’

Jon shrugged. ‘Hopefully. By the way, I’ve been meaning to tell you that Alfie’s going to be staying a bit longer than usual next week.’

‘That’s fine,’ Anna said. ‘You know I love having him around.’

‘Mia’s bringing him around on Thursday. She has some fundraising event or other to run that evening.’

‘OK,’ Anna said, forcing herself not to react to Mia’s name. The thought of seeing her again – now – after all that had happened, made Anna feel sick.

‘You don’t have a problem with that, do you?’ Jon said. ‘I mean I could meet her somewhere else, if that’s easier.’

It was all too soon.

‘It’s OK,’ Anna said. ‘I mean –’ something inside her gave, a thread snapped – ‘I’d rather never see Mia again, if I’m honest – but I can be adult about this, if she can.’

‘Come on, Anna,’ Jon said, ‘there’s no need to be like that.’

‘Isn’t there?’ she said, glaring at him. She felt dizzy all of a sudden and needed some space. ‘I’m going to have a bath.’

As she left the kitchen, her head was spinning. She sat down on the bench in the hallway, next to a pile of post she’d dumped there during the week without sorting through it.

She saw now that a colourful postcard was nestled in among the bills and she pulled it out. A bright blue sky shone out behind terracotta-toned buildings and a sparkling river. There in the centre of the photo was a bridge she instantly recognised: the Ponte Vecchio in Florence.

She flipped the postcard over.

Anna,

she read in elegant black handwriting

Tell me you haven’t forgotten about Florence, and about the power of ice cream, just yet.

She smiled in spite of herself, as she read the words in Matteo’s warm, Italian-accented voice.

Hugs,

Matteo

She tucked the card away inside a book and put it on the shelf, her own slight feelings of guilt about her friendship with Matteo mingling with the anger she felt towards Jon. One point was clear – the last thing she needed right now
was daydreams, sunshine memories that had nothing to do with her real life.