On Sunday Eva brought a box to the café. She had thought she wouldn't need much space, then found three notebooks, two mugs, a scarf in the wrong season and the little bag of candles left over from Saturday.
Will told her to take the candles.
“You bought them.”
She put them in the box.
They agreed the handover at the table nearest the door. Two hours that morning and two on Monday. Ordinary pay for the hours, the money she'd spent on the supper things returned with it. Will wrote it down and Eva read it before they both put their names underneath.
Nora came in at half past eleven. Will went into the kitchen, leaving them together with Eva's notebooks.
“I haven't agreed to a permanent role,” Nora said.
“I know.”
“He says he can't offer one now.”
Eva opened the first notebook at the evening bookings.
“Thursday's numbers are here. This is who needs ringing if anything changes.”
Nora didn't look down.
“You could tell him he has to do something for me.”
Eva put the notebook flat.
“What?”
“He made the offer. I did what he asked. Now I don't have Ben and I don't have the job.”
Eva waited until Nora looked at her.
“You want me to help you get paid for it?”
Nora flushed. “It wasn't money for that.”
“It was my job.”
“I know. I know what I did.”
Eva heard the impatience under the shame. Nora wanted to have got past that part because she had admitted it.
“Then don't ask me.”
Nora sat down. For a moment she looked younger, her hands empty on the table.
“I really did need work,” she said.
“I believe you.”
Eva looked at the notices by the door. Somebody from the little café up the hill had asked to put one there earlier in the week. Paid counter shifts, ask inside. She'd nearly taken it down because she didn't want customers reading about another café while they waited for coffee.
She pointed.
“They're looking. It isn't management.”
Nora turned to read it.
“I can show you the booking routines here,” Eva said. “That's the handover I've agreed. I won't argue with him for you.”
Nora nodded after a while.
They worked through the notebook. Nora asked good questions. Eva showed her where she'd put the Thursday guest requests and which cupboard had the spare candles. Nora wrote down the answers without suggesting that it made her the manager.
At one, Eva shut the book.
“That's time.”
Nora looked at the clock, then back at her notes. “All right.”
Will came out as Eva lifted her box.
“I'll carry that.”
“No, thanks.”
He stopped reaching for it.
“Tomorrow at the same time?”
“Ten till twelve. We wrote it down.”
“Right.”
Eva took the box. The bottom sagged under the notebooks and she had to stop outside to put one hand beneath it. Will watched from inside but didn't follow her.
At home she put the mugs in her cupboard. One was chipped at the lip and really ought to be thrown away. She kept it for now. There were plenty of other decisions she had already made.