Read Online Take a Chance on Me by Carol Wyer - Free Book Online Page A

emotions overtook her. She owned a mug that Amy bought for her. It said World’s Greatest Mum . She never used it, but every now and then, she removed it from the cupboard and washed it with care before replacing it at the front of the cupboard.
    There was a regular in the Quiet Room when Charlie walked in. She sat in her usual seat with a notepad resting on her knee. She smiled at Charlie then went back to her scribbling. She was a poet and often came into the café to get inspiration and jot down some verse. The café encouraged a variety of artists to visit. Inspired by cafés in France and Prague where great artists, philosophers and writers, gathered in the past to share ideas and enjoy a convivial atmosphere, Art and Patricia sunk all their savings into renovating an old house and transforming it into the Art Café.
    There were three separate small rooms at the front of the building: the Quiet Room where writers and readers would enjoy some peace and gather thoughts, the Main Room where general customers or business people had access to Wi-Fi and the Rainbow Room, for families.
    The Rainbow Room was Patricia’s idea. It offered something different to ordinary cafés. Parents could purchase food and drink for themselves, children’s meals for their little ones and also buy a plain pottery plate, cup or mug for the children to decorate with the special paints that were supplied, and then Patricia would fire them in her kiln. Parents loved the idea and brought their children in to make gifts for relatives.
    Behind the rooms, a restaurant catered for twenty people with a small open kitchen. A corridor with walls covered in artwork led from the restaurant to the toilets and into another room filled with goods created by local artists, ranging from key rings and bookmarks to paintings. Patricia and Art wanted to showcase local talent and give artists a place where their goods might be purchased.
    Upstairs were two large rooms equipped with tables and chairs that were for hire to anyone who needed a conference room. When they first opened, a Reiki master used one room for classes but after a while had moved on, saying the noise from the café below disturbed concentration. Since then, various groups had hired the rooms, but interest was drying up and they were often empty.
    Charlie enjoyed working at the café. Time went by quickly when she was at work, giving her little chance to brood on anything in particular. She baked her cakes at home rather than risk falling over Art in the cramped kitchen. It also meant she was free to serve.
    The doorbell chimed as a woman entered carrying a squirming toddler.
    â€˜Morning Alex. Hello Molly, that’s a lovely blue dog you’re carrying. What’s its name?’
    â€˜Doggy,’ replied the little girl, struggling to remove her coat and race over to the table to grab some coloured pencils.
    â€˜A cappuccino for me and a small orange juice for Molly, please,’ said Alex. ‘I’ll look at the cakes when the others get here.’
    The doorbell rang again. More mothers with pushchairs came in. It was going to be a busy morning. Charlie beamed at them. She knew most of the mothers and children.
    â€˜Hi Lewis. Are you going to paint a pot today?’
    The wide-eyed toddler nodded and went to join Molly as the doorbell chimed once more and a man and woman came in.
    â€˜I’ll be with you in a moment,’ Charlie called to the couple who were settling themselves in the Main Room. The woman acknowledged her. She was an arresting woman, with piercing blue eyes and the longest hair Charlie had seen. It was golden mahogany brown in colour and shone as if she was in an advert for a luxurious hair conditioner. The woman was wearing a short skirt, tailored jacket and pale cream silk blouse but it was her shoes that made Charlie stare at her own scruffy trainers and wish she had more style. She was wearing the most glamorous high-heeled