The first course went well. The birthday mother broke her bread into the tomato juice and told her daughter that was how she'd always done it. The daughter replied that she knew, and stole the last piece from the basket.
Eva saw it from the counter and felt a small, unexpected pleasure. People were enjoying something she'd helped make.
Then the chicken came out and the pleasure acquired several immediate problems.
One table still had all its first-course plates. Jo had put three clean forks where she meant to put used ones. A guest beside the door was trying to give Nora a long answer about wine, and Will had six hot plates waiting in the kitchen.
“Two minutes,” he said as Eva came in. “These can't sit.”
She looked through the door. Nora was trapped beside the guest, a bottle in each hand.
Eva took two plates out herself, cleared the window table on the way back and went to get Jo.
“Leave those. Come with me.”
Jo put down the forks as if they had accused her of something.
“I don't know which—”
“Doesn't matter. Two plates. That table.”
She led her to the kitchen. Will pointed out the right plates, Jo took them, and Eva got the other pair.
Nora met her at the door, freed at last.
“I'll clear while you serve,” she said. “Give me the tray.”
They switched places without stopping. Nora carried four used plates, tucked the extra butter dishes between them and got the whole lot to the counter in one trip. Eva could have kissed her for it if the week had been a different week.
At the birthday table, a guest knocked his knife onto the floor and reached under his chair.
“I've got it,” Eva said. “Stay there.”
She fetched a clean one and found Jo standing by the water jug with a look of profound concentration.
“I promised water,” Jo said.
“You've excelled.”
“Don't ask me about forks.”
Eva laughed. It came out before she had time to decide whether she was allowed a laugh tonight.
The room settled again. Hot food on tables. Empty glasses filled. Will's voice came through the kitchen door asking if the last pair had gone out.
“All gone,” Eva called.
He looked through at her. His shoulders dropped in relief.
For a second he was simply Will after a rush, flushed, sleeves up, hoping the food was good. Eva wanted to tell him about the man beneath the chair and Jo's war with the forks. He would have made it funnier.
He smiled a little, seeing her look.
She turned to straighten a chair.
Later, while the guests finished their main course, she took a small plate into the kitchen for herself. Will had saved a piece of chicken and some vegetables. She hadn't eaten since breakfast.
“There's gravy,” he said.
She poured some. He watched while she took the first bite.
“Good?”
It was good. She was too hungry to pretend otherwise.
“Yes.”
He nodded and went back to the puddings.
Eva ate standing by the sink. She had once imagined evenings like this ending upstairs, the room still warm with success, him sleepy against her while they decided what to cook next time. She let the thought be there while she finished the food. It hurt. The chicken was still good.
Nora came in with more dishes. Her scarf was slipping out of her hair.
“I'll do those,” Eva said, putting her own plate down.
“You've got the room,” Nora said. “I'll take the water.” She picked up the jug beside the sink.
Eva left the dishes for later and followed her out with the puddings.
By half past nine, people were leaving slowly. The birthday mother thanked all four of them. One couple didn't mention Eva's departure. Another wished her luck so quietly that she nearly missed it. Nobody asked for the whole story.
When the last guests had gone, Jo sat on a chair and stared at her shoes.
“I may never walk again.”
“You'll have to. We don't do rooms,” Eva said.
Nora was taking the candles off the tables. Will was washing the pans. The café looked used and warm, crumbs everywhere, one napkin floating in a water glass.
Eva looked at the little paper boat on the till. It had survived the evening.
“I'll come at eleven tomorrow,” she told Will.
He nodded without turning round.
She took her coat from its hook and walked home with Jo. At the corner, Jo asked if she'd like company in the flat.
Eva said yes. They sat on the sofa without speaking much. For once she didn't try to make the room easy for either of them.