Rachel’s Pudding Pantry. Caroline Roberts

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СКАЧАТЬ numerous texts, phoning and leaving answerphone messages as well as trying a couple of emails to his last known contact address, Jake hadn’t bothered to respond. Rachel had tried to let Maisy down gently, but she knew that her daughter was still clinging onto the belief that he’d turn up.

      Jake hadn’t made it for the last three birthdays, so Rachel didn’t expect to see him at this one. She didn’t actually even know where he was in the country, or if he still was in this country. His parents lived over a hundred miles away too, so they wouldn’t be visiting, though they had sent a gift and always kept in touch with Maisy at birthdays and Christmas and the like. Rachel didn’t think even they knew where their son was most of the time. In some ways, it was easier for Rachel that he did keep his distance so she could get on with raising Maisy her own way. But it was Maisy who was starting to need him now, or at least to need to know who he was. Who he was, was in fact an unreliable, commitment-phobic, selfish tosser. In reality, he might well be a disruptive influence and a disappointment to Maisy, Rachel mused, but maybe that was unfair. Perhaps, by some miracle, he might have grown up a bit himself by now, and of course her daughter did need her dad. She certainly wanted to be like the other kids who had dads around, her little girl having become more aware of his absence since starting school. Well, if he did turn up it would be a bit of a shock and a minor miracle, but only time would tell.

      With the birthday cake completed, Rachel needed to crack on with getting the barn ready. She passed Moss in the kitchen, giving him a pat on the head, and headed through to the porch to pull on her wellies.

      ‘Come on Moss, boy, let’s go and get this party started.’

      Rachel headed across the yard and yanked open the two heavy wooden barn doors that shaped into an arch. A sparrow darted out – it must be nesting in there. The morning light filled the space and the honeyed-stone walls glowed. It really was pretty in there. For years it had been hidden in dust and straw, with heaps of old sacks, discarded tools, and a few bags of sheep feed. Yesterday, they’d had a damned good clear-out, moving what was useful to one end of the lambing shed, discarding the rest. The flagstone floor was brushed clean, and the cobwebs and dust dispersed – it had taken some time!

      Rachel did a quick count of all the chairs they’d ferried in there. They had nineteen bottoms to seat plus parents – hmm. She took out her mobile phone. She needed a friendly neighbour.

      ‘Tom?’

      ‘Hi, Rachel. All okay?’

      ‘Yes, thanks. I just need a bit of a favour.’

      ‘Okay, ask away.’

      ‘It’s Maisy’s birthday today and we’re having a bit of a party for her friends. I’m here getting the barn ready, but I’ve realised we haven’t enough chairs for everyone.’

      ‘Hah, it’ll be bedlam. And yes, I thought her birthday was sometime soon. She’ll be excited.’

      ‘She sure is. She’s across with Eve and Amelia just now, whilst we get everything ready. There’re eighteen children coming … I can’t wait,’ Rachel groaned. ‘Anyway, do you have any spare chairs that we could borrow for this afternoon? Just some old ones will do, we don’t need anything fancy.’

      ‘Hah, there’s not much fancy in my house. I can bring across my patio ones and my kitchen set.’

      ‘Yes, please, that’d be brilliant. Cheers, Tom.’

      ‘No worries. I’ll be across in a while. I’m just up at The Ridge checking the ewes and lambs.’

      ‘Okay, well there’s no mad rush, just whenever you can make it before the two o’clock kick-off, if at all possible.’

      ‘Yeah, that’s fine. See you soon.’

      ‘You’re a star. Thank you.’ Rachel put away her phone.

      Tom really was turning into a bit of a knight in shining armour these days, though she hoped she wasn’t leaning on him too much and becoming a pain.

      Time rushed by in a whirl of bunting-fixing and paper-chain-hanging. Tom had arrived with the chairs and didn’t bat an eyelid when Rachel asked him to blow up thirty fuchsia-coloured balloons and to help lay the tables with paper plates and unicorn napkins.

      She glanced at her watch – it was gone one-thirty already.

      ‘Crikey, we’ve only got half an hour to go. Maisy’ll be back any minute too, to change into her party dress.’

      ‘Well, I’ll let you get on. I have bought a little something for the birthday girl, so I’ll pop back across with it in a while,’ Tom said.

      ‘That’s very brave. Are you sure you’re up to handling nineteen four and five-year-olds?’

      ‘Well … I can try, but I’ll leave it at least an hour or so, let them all settle in. When are they expected to go?’ He gave a wry smile.

      ‘Hah – good thinking. It finishes around five-ish.’

      ‘Best of luck then, and I’ll see you all later. Wish Maisy a lovely time from me.’

      ‘Will do.’

      ‘It looks great in here by the way,’ he added, scanning the barn as he turned to leave.

      ‘Yeah, I’m really pleased with it. And, it’ll be far better than them all going crazy in the house.’

      ‘Hah, yes – well, have a good time!’

      Jill arrived with a tray of clingfilmed sandwiches and freshly baked sausage rolls, just as Tom was about to leave.

      ‘Don’t tempt me.’ He grinned, eyeing the platter hungrily.

      ‘Go on, help yourself. A sausage roll won’t hurt, I’ve made a double batch. There’s a load more in the kitchen.’

      ‘Well, it’d be rude not to, I suppose.’ He took a bite of the crispy, melt in-the-mouth, sage, onion and sausage goodness. ‘Delicious!’ And with that he set off in his truck, giving a farewell toot.

      Five minutes later, Eve turned up with a very excited little girl in tow – in fact two!

      Maisy dashed out of the car. ‘Mumm-ee, we’ve been making finger puppets for the party. Animal ones – look, they’re so cute. There’s one for every party ba …’ She stopped in her tracks and stared, open-mouthed at the inside of the barn. ‘Wow-wee!’ she shouted, running in and doing a lap of the trestle tables. ‘A-maz-ing!’

      Phew, she liked it! Rachel and Jill were beaming, their efforts having evidently been worthwhile.

      ‘Right petal, well you need to go upstairs and get changed into your new party dress right now, before all your friends get here.’

      ‘Ooh, yes.’ And Maisy skipped off towards the house, Amelia by her side, with Moss on their heels scooting across the yard, picking up on the buoyant mood.

      ‘Shall I stay and help?’ offered Eve. ‘Amelia’s already in her party gear, and I’ve got time on my hands. No point heading back home just to turn around again in twenty minutes.’

      ‘Aw, you СКАЧАТЬ