The Pink Cafe

By Catherine J. Logie

Do you ever really know someone?

To the people of St Andrews, The Pink Cafe is just another coffee shop, but to its customers and staff, it's so much more than that. This cafe is a place to feel safe and know they belong but amidst the noise of the coffee machines and the chatter, some people are deeply troubled.

Jul

• Language: English
• Publisher: Waggle Publishing
• Release date: May 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9781068605611

Book preview

Chapter 1

In true Scottish fashion, the wind howled around Glasgow airport, and the rain fell horizontally. Tatiana McIvey sauntered across the arrivals lounge, relieved to be inside, away from the October weather. She was tired. Again. The early Sunday morning start and the drive down from St Andrews hadn’t helped. There had been roadworks at Cupar. And then there were the seemingly never-ending restrictions on the Kingston Bridge. All these had contributed to an arduous journey.

No doubt her cousin, Fiona, would have let her stay with her last night at her home in Helensburgh; that would have certainly made for a shorter journey, but Tatiana knew Fiona would ask lots of questions. Tatiana wasn’t ready to answer these yet. She also wanted to avoid Aunt Kathleen, who always seemed to know when Tatiana was troubled. Tatiana would tell her soon. But for now, Tatiana needed to avoid difficult questions from anyone until she spoke with Alex. It was only fair on him.

Today, she’d had this time to think before Alex arrived. She could ponder about how to break the news to him. Today was the day he would finally return home, and the past would be behind them. How was it possible to miss someone so much, thought Tatiana.

Smiling, she hoped this would be the beginning of a much-wanted chapter in their lives. Deep down, she was so sure Alex would be happy. After all, hadn’t they spent many evenings dreaming about this situation?

Beginnings always have a sense of childlike excitement, like you know something magical is about to happen. Recently, Tatiana had been careful to hide her excitement from her close friends and was pleased she’d done such a good job that no one seemed to notice anything was out of place. Tatiana could keep a secret and knew how to put up barriers if she had to. In the past, she’d had to be good at that.

Sitting on an airport chair, Tatiana smiled and glanced around the arrivals area. Were all these people hiding secrets, too? She watched a small blonde girl, who looked about four years old, running towards her grandparents as they came through the arrivals gate. A well-dressed older lady hugged a similar-aged lady. Then there was a man who looked like a driver holding a piece of cardboard with ‘McLeod’ written in big red letters.

Tatiana wondered how she would feel at the exact moment she physically saw Alex once more. Would she feel that same sense of fascination that she did when she first set eyes on him all those years ago?

Tatiana tried to blend into the airport arrivals lounge. At five feet six inches tall, with pale skin and strawberry blond hair, Tatiana imagined she looked average. She wore black trousers, a matching polo-neck top, and a caramel coat. Her skin was always pale and creamy, the sort of skin that never tanned, just burned, going from red and then back to white again. Her figure, she thought, was not really a figure. With a small chest and round hips, she never looked skinny, even if she dieted. And she hated exercise! Her most striking feature was her dark blue eyes, which her Gran always said made her look like she was away in a dream, which was probably not far from the truth, as Tatiana loved to daydream. When she was younger, it was her way of escaping from her troubled mind and dealing with her school situation. Daydreaming also helped her cope after her gran died and the terrible events in her life that followed.

Placing her hand on her stomach, Tatiana felt happy. According to the midwife she saw yesterday, her baby was growing well.

You should feel the kicks starting soon, said Debbie, the midwife. You’re sixteen weeks pregnant.

The pregnancy books described a flutter like a little butterfly. Well, not this baby. This was more like a wiggle from a tadpole, thought Tatiana. She wondered if the baby would be a boy and sporty, just like Alex.

Debbie, whom Tatiana knew from the Pink Cafe, supported her, but she encouraged her to tell Alex before he came home.

Why don’t you tell him? asked Debbie. You know he’ll be mad when he finds out you didn’t tell him sooner.

But Tatiana thought it would be best to tell him face to face, as she wanted to see his reaction. Debbie was her confidant at the moment, and she trusted her. Everyone trusted Debbie. Tatiana had hidden anything related to her pregnancy in their home just outside St Andrews. When visitors arrived, she refused to drink alcohol, making the excuse she had a lot of work on at the moment. Surprisingly, no one even questioned her.

Two weeks ago, Tatiana met Prof for coffee and chocolate cake. She suggested they order scones rather than chocolate, explaining she was trying to cut back on chocolate. The real reason was that, at the moment, chocolate made her feel sick. Prof loved the scones anyway and didn’t seem to question her. Tatiana was grateful the nausea had almost gone and that she could start to enjoy the pregnancy. Recently, Tatiana had been trying to hide her bump with loose clothes but couldn’t do it for much longer. Her friend, Mary, had seen her recently and wondered if she was comfort eating due to Alex being away. Mary, as always, listened sympathetically; she was too polite to say anything.

Tatiana knew she was ready for motherhood but had told no one. She was desperate to have her own family. She would love this child and knew she would never abandon him or her. Her child would always know love and affection. Life would be better for this baby. She couldn’t wait to tell Alex. Yes, she thought. She wanted to tell Alex and tell him now. Alex was the last person she ever thought a few years ago she could speak to, let alone share this secret. Julie was right about Alex.

Tatiana glanced at the airport arrivals board. Alex’s flight was delayed again. The expected arrival time was now another hour away. She had time to plan how to tell Alex. What would he say when he realised he would be a father much sooner than they had both expected? Tatiana breathed in, wishing this plane would hurry up and land. But then she wondered where and when she would tell him. This news needed to be special for him. Oh, she was so confused. The pregnancy hormones were making her more emotional than usual.

She was deep in thought when an overweight, middle-aged man sat beside her. The man smiled at her. Tatiana was praying he didn’t want to have a conversation, but unfortunately for her, he did.

You waiting for somebody? he asked.

My boyfriend, she replied, sighing.

Been away with the boys, has he? he said jokingly.

Actually, he’s been working away for the last year, but now he’s coming home, she muttered.

Oh, what does he do then, this lad of yours? the man asked.

Hotel management, she answered, wondering if she could change seats to avoid his questions.

Very fancy. Why didn’t you go with him? Might have been a wee holiday for you?

Tatiana kept her replies short, not wanting to speak with anyone, but the man was persistent.

I’m a driver. Used to be in the army. Now I collect these posh types from the airport. I suppose some of them are ok. This one I’m picking up is called Robertson, a scientist coming to Glasgow for a big conference. Don’t usually ask them questions. Still, the job pays for me and the Missus to get our week at Tenerife in the winter, he continued. So, what do you do with yourself? Do I detect an Edinburgh accent there?

Frustrated with the constant small talk, Tatiana turned to face him. I’m so sorry, but I’m going to try to get some sleep. It was an early start. I don’t mean to be rude. She looked around the arrivals lounge. All the other seats were taken. There was nothing else to do but wait it out.

Tatiana thought about the other news she had to tell Alex. She knew it would not be the homecoming news he would want to hear. This news would break his heart and evoke so many memories for him. How on earth could he process this news, too? He certainly was going to be taken by surprise when she told him. This news would be a lot to process. She had to stop worrying. She was getting upset again. Prof’s lunch party next Sunday would be interesting.

Tatiana closed her eyes, fell asleep, and dreamed about Alex again.

Across the airport, Julie smiled as she watched Tatiana sleeping in the airport chair. She wanted to wake her and say, Tatiana lass, just tell him. He’ll be just fine. Julie adored Tatiana. She knew this secret Tatiana had taken so much time to conceal would be a very happy time in all their lives. Tatiana hadn’t fooled everyone.

Chapter 2

A thunderstorm made its way across America, forcing the cancellation of just about every flight. Sitting on a grounded plane at Newark Airport, New Jersey, Alex felt frustrated. But he was secretly pleased about the wait as he watched yet another bolt of lightning. The roar of thunder signified that his plane’s take-off would not be anytime soon. Alex sighed. After the last twelve months working in San Francisco, he was more than ready to go home.

This was a change for him. The old Alex wanted to rule the world, travel, and never settle down until he was at least thirty-five. Across the plane aisle, he could sense someone watching him, a pretty blonde girl. He could tell she was trying to make eye contact with him, tilting her head and smiling. Flattered, Alex smiled back but didn’t attempt conversation, pretending to lower his head into his book. Alex would have turned on his charm with this girl a few years ago. But not today. Not since he met Tatiana, the last person he ever expected to fall in love with. Tatiana had turned his world around. Meeting her when he did was the best thing to happen to him. Quite simply, he was now a much better person because of Tatiana.

Alex Gordon was good-looking, or so everyone told him. Standing at almost five feet ten, with a firm, muscular body and broad shoulders from his regular gym workouts and swimming, he stood out from the crowd. His curly blonde hair, now lightened by the American summer sunshine, complemented his striking grey eyes. He knew that he made the ladies look twice at him. Alex’s skin tanned easily, even with just a hint of sunshine. From a young age, he quickly attracted unwanted attention from girls who swooned over him. And, of course, their boyfriends always felt threatened by him.

On his way home from San Francisco, Alex stayed in New York for three nights with his old university pal, Marco. Marco was one of the few friends who remained loyal to him following the incident in his life. If it hadn’t been for him, Alex would never have ended up working in the hotel, which then changed the course of his career.

Marco Logan was from Dublin but always wanted to live in America. He worked hard at university and was determined to succeed in life. Marco secured a scholarship at St Andrews Business School in Scotland. After proudly gaining a first-class honours degree, he applied for a job at a top American bank. In typical style, Marco had charmed them all at the interview and landed himself a dream job. Marco had the gift of the gab, and soon after arriving in New York, he found himself a girlfriend. He made friends easily, and he was well-respected by his work colleagues. But Marco never took his situation for granted. Yes, he was ambitious but always grateful for the chances life had given him.

Over drinks in a bar near Central Park, Marco teased Alex after he confessed that he was in love with Tatiana. Alex remembered that he had nearly told Marco his big news.

Look at you, mate. All loved up. Don’t forget, this is the girl you used to call Tattie! I knew it. I knew she was the one for you when we first saw her in St Andrews, teased Marco as they ordered more vodka shots.

Just over four months ago, Tatiana visited Alex in San Francisco. They toured around California, from visiting vineyards to seeing beautiful beaches and tasting seafood. It had all seemed like a dream. They flew to New York to see Marco for a few days, taking in all the sights, including watching the sunset from the Rockefeller Center. After that trip, Tatiana flew back home to Scotland. Alex loved spending time with her and felt so lonely without her. Alex had pleaded with her to fly out again and have a few days together, but Tatiana refused.

I can’t fly out at such short notice, not at this time of year. The students will be settling into their course, and the museum needs me. Plus, there is a major golf tournament in town! Tatiana had argued.

Alex was puzzled. What was wrong with her? It seemed that Tatiana was now always in a hurry to finish their phone calls. He hoped Tatiana wasn’t changing her mind about him. He wanted this homecoming to be perfect. Alex had news to tell Tatiana. He hoped she would be happy to hear all about it. Alex had it all planned out, even enlisting someone to help him, someone he knew he could trust.

Prof was having everyone over for Sunday lunch the following week. Alex was so excited about sharing the news with the others. This was going to be one lunch to look forward to. This news was a dream come true. It was all going to be wonderful. He just knew it.

Alex closed his eyes, thinking of Tatiana as he fell asleep. Julie had been so right about Tatiana.

Chapter 3

Professor Angus Hamish Cameron, Prof to his pals, gazed out into the garden of his townhouse in St Andrews on a blustery October Sunday morning and sighed. His late mother had often told him, Windy weather means changes; mark my words!

Today, she was probably right; there were lots of changes. The first was that Alex was returning from his time in America. Alex Gordon. Who would have thought they would have become friends? Alex, of all people, considering the circumstances of how they met.

Prof laughed to himself. Maybe. However, there was the matter of the other changes, he thought. Secrets have to come out sometime. What would Alex say? Prof hoped he would react well, but sometimes you never knew how Alex would act.

He remembered the first time Alex came to his house as part of the tutorial group. It was late November. Alex had been a gifted history student. He was one of the most outstanding students the professor had ever taught. During the academic year, Prof invited some of his most promising students to his house for an additional tutorial. Usually, it was the second-year students or above. But that year, he had invited four first-year students who, judging by their school qualifications, would show great promise and commitment to their chosen degree.

Alex had arrived at Prof’s townhouse at Kinnesburn Road a little early. Prof heard Tatiana showing him to the drawing room on the ground floor.

Tat, do you work here too? You’re the girl from the cafe. Do you just waste your life taking coffee orders? said Alex sarcastically.

Actually, I’m Professor Cameron’s housekeeper, if you must know. Now, if you wouldn’t mind waiting in the front room and try not to offend anyone else today, Tatiana shouted at him as she headed towards the kitchen.

Tatiana almost knocked Prof over on her way to the kitchen. Prof was surprised. Tatiana had never raised her voice in all the months she’d worked with him. She was always so polite and gentle-natured, so this was totally out of character for her.

Alex was rude to everyone during the tutorial and frequently gazed out of the window. He didn’t engage with the lesson at all. What really annoyed Prof was