scattered rose petals across the table. As a final touch, Emily tied some pastel helium-filled balloons to the back of each chair, each with a lavish amount of ribbon.
Half an hour later, the birthday girl arrived, accompanied by four of her friends and her mother. The girls were all carefully dressed in “going out” clothes, and they oohed and ahhed over the pretty display before carefully taking their seats around the table. The balloons formed a cordon around the table that bobbed gently as the girls chattered and giggled.
Michael watched, charmed as Kate greeted the mother and birthday girl with a broad smile, before signaling Wren and Emily to deliver the main event. The girls broke into squeals of delight as their High Tea was delivered, and Kate settled them down before describing the fare that was being set out before them.
His lunch forgotten, Michael leaned forward, chin in hand as he watched the tea party unfold. The girls were quite taken with the fine display and under the watchful eye of the attending mother began to eat. Kate reappeared and carefully poured each girl cup of milky chai tea. Michael was surprised to see that the noise was kept to a minimum as the girls carefully passed plates, toasted each other with their teacups, and seemed to delight in what appeared to be a fine dining experience for the young group. The birthday girl opened her presents, and soon Kate reappeared with individually boxed cupcakes for each of the young guests to take home with them. The check was discretely presented and settled, and each girl left with her chair balloon carefully tied to her wrist, calling out thanks and goodbyes. Kate stood in the doorway of the shop, waving them off, and then turned to walk back into the store with a pleased smile on her face.
She stopped at the table to assist Emily, who was gathering up the cups and plates. The two of them shared a quiet conversation about the afternoon as they cleared away the leavings of the party. Wren finished serving a customer and went to the table to gather up the tablecloth, being careful to collect the loose rose petals along the way. By this stage, Michael had returned to his lunch and newspaper, and looked up in surprise as a cupcake appeared beside his coffee. He glanced up to see Kate sliding the plate onto the table, a pleased smile on her face.
“This is becoming a habit.” She smiled. “But we had some spares from the birthday party and I thought you’d like one.”
“Thanks.” Michael couldn’t help but smile back; Kate’s smile was infectious as she turned and went back to the counter. He watched as she dispensed some extra cupcakes to customers free of charge, noticing how everyone was smiling after Kate had spoken with them. He wished he had her easy way with people. She looked busy, which was a pity; he’d hoped they’d be able to talk a bit more. He decided that he wanted to stay awhile longer and went up to the counter again, where Wren looked up with a bright smile.
“More coffee?” she asked.
“Please,” he replied as he turned his head to see what the cupcake of the day was, grinning as he saw the name, and automatically looked at Kate’s T-shirt before reading the sign again.
I can’t get no satisfaction: Bitter dark chocolate and cherry with creamy frosting.
He looked back at Wren, who winked.
“Private joke,” was all she offered. “Want one?”
“Sure, why not? I haven’t been getting much lately either.”
“What, cupcakes?” Wren deliberately misunderstood.
“No.” Michael raised an eyebrow at the sign. “The satisfaction.”
“Oh,” Wren replied. Her mind was working furiously. He’s got to be single. “And what do you do when you’re satisfied?”
Michael shrugged. “I write.”
“Really? Been writing much lately?”
He gave a short laugh. “Hell, no, can’t get no satisfaction, remember?”
“Ahh.” Wren nodded. “And is your …” she gave a delicate pause as she poured some
Half an hour later, the birthday girl arrived, accompanied by four of her friends and her mother. The girls were all carefully dressed in “going out” clothes, and they oohed and ahhed over the pretty display before carefully taking their seats around the table. The balloons formed a cordon around the table that bobbed gently as the girls chattered and giggled.
Michael watched, charmed as Kate greeted the mother and birthday girl with a broad smile, before signaling Wren and Emily to deliver the main event. The girls broke into squeals of delight as their High Tea was delivered, and Kate settled them down before describing the fare that was being set out before them.
His lunch forgotten, Michael leaned forward, chin in hand as he watched the tea party unfold. The girls were quite taken with the fine display and under the watchful eye of the attending mother began to eat. Kate reappeared and carefully poured each girl cup of milky chai tea. Michael was surprised to see that the noise was kept to a minimum as the girls carefully passed plates, toasted each other with their teacups, and seemed to delight in what appeared to be a fine dining experience for the young group. The birthday girl opened her presents, and soon Kate reappeared with individually boxed cupcakes for each of the young guests to take home with them. The check was discretely presented and settled, and each girl left with her chair balloon carefully tied to her wrist, calling out thanks and goodbyes. Kate stood in the doorway of the shop, waving them off, and then turned to walk back into the store with a pleased smile on her face.
She stopped at the table to assist Emily, who was gathering up the cups and plates. The two of them shared a quiet conversation about the afternoon as they cleared away the leavings of the party. Wren finished serving a customer and went to the table to gather up the tablecloth, being careful to collect the loose rose petals along the way. By this stage, Michael had returned to his lunch and newspaper, and looked up in surprise as a cupcake appeared beside his coffee. He glanced up to see Kate sliding the plate onto the table, a pleased smile on her face.
“This is becoming a habit.” She smiled. “But we had some spares from the birthday party and I thought you’d like one.”
“Thanks.” Michael couldn’t help but smile back; Kate’s smile was infectious as she turned and went back to the counter. He watched as she dispensed some extra cupcakes to customers free of charge, noticing how everyone was smiling after Kate had spoken with them. He wished he had her easy way with people. She looked busy, which was a pity; he’d hoped they’d be able to talk a bit more. He decided that he wanted to stay awhile longer and went up to the counter again, where Wren looked up with a bright smile.
“More coffee?” she asked.
“Please,” he replied as he turned his head to see what the cupcake of the day was, grinning as he saw the name, and automatically looked at Kate’s T-shirt before reading the sign again.
I can’t get no satisfaction: Bitter dark chocolate and cherry with creamy frosting.
He looked back at Wren, who winked.
“Private joke,” was all she offered. “Want one?”
“Sure, why not? I haven’t been getting much lately either.”
“What, cupcakes?” Wren deliberately misunderstood.
“No.” Michael raised an eyebrow at the sign. “The satisfaction.”
“Oh,” Wren replied. Her mind was working furiously. He’s got to be single. “And what do you do when you’re satisfied?”
Michael shrugged. “I write.”
“Really? Been writing much lately?”
He gave a short laugh. “Hell, no, can’t get no satisfaction, remember?”
“Ahh.” Wren nodded. “And is your …” she gave a delicate pause as she poured some
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