Chapter 3
Carla and Roy had been in the café since 6am, setting things up for today’s trade. Roy had never slept well since Hayley, his late wife had passed away, and so was always an early riser. Carla occasionally helped Roy out early doors as she was so used to being up early in the past at the factory she ran back in Weatherfield, and today with Lisa coming, she wanted to be sure she didn’t look like she’d just got out of bed! Carla still wasn’t sure why she felt strange at the thought of Lisa, a woman she’d just met less than 24 hours ago, and quickly shook the thoughts away.
Carls let Roy know she going back home, next door, with Lisa coming, but that she would be back if he wanted any help with the morning rush and ahead of the lunchtime rush.
Roy had assured her he’d be okay if Carla wanted to stay at home - especially with leaving a stranger in the cottage - alone - but Carla was very protective of Roy since he lost Hayley and so insisted she would be here if he needed.
Roy was more of a father to Carla than anyone else had been in her whole life. He had been there for her through all her trauma, heartache, health scares. Heck, he’d even got tested when she needed a kidney transplant. They had formed an unformidable bond. He was definitely a keeper. She felt very lucky.
Carla picked up the two coffees she’d made, with the two bacon butties and was just closing the door to the cafe behind her when she saw a little blue van pull up outside the cottage, 8am. Not a minute early and not a minute later. Carla smiled.
Out stepped a small blonde woman, hair tied up in a messy bun. Dressed in blue dungarees with a white t shirt showing underneath. These were clearly Lisa’s painting clothes, as she’d noticed the several paint splodges all over her. Carla thought she looked very cute.
“Hi” Carla smiled, warmly.
“Hi” Lisa replied, shyly. “I’ll just get my things out the van and I’ll make a start.” Lisa announced.
Very professional. Carla thought to herself. She opened up the cottage, with Lisa following her in. Lisa hadn’t made eye contact with Carla since she came into the cottage, she sensed some tension in the air. What was that? Sexual tens- Carla brushed it off. She was being stupid she told herself.
Carla held the coffee and bacon butty towards Lisa and said “breakfast?” with a smile.
Lisa blushed. “For me?” Lisa asked. Stupid, Lisa. She thought. Who else? For reasons Lisa couldn’t quite put her finger on, the woman standing in front of her made her nervous, a butterflies in the belly kin of nervous.
“No.” Carla responded. “For my imaginary friend who’s stood next to you” Carla said matter of fact. A smug look on her face.
Lisa laughed, and rolled her eyes playfully. Sense of humour, she thought to herself.
“That’s very kind, thankyou Carla. Although you really shouldn’t have” Lisa said, not really knowing how to take the woman’s kind gesture.
“Can’t have you working on an empty stomach, can we?” Carla replied, bashfully.
The two women ate their breakfast in a somewhat strange and comfortable silence. Then Carla popped back to the café and Lisa got started, laying out all the dust sheets, setting up her ladders, paint and paintbrushes and got to work.
It was quiet in the café after the morning rush. The not so good weather possibly putting people off heading out today. So Carla came back into the cottage, after Roy insisted he would be fine. Carla was amazed at how much progress Lisa had made, and her attention to detail was second to none.
“By you don’t mess around do you” Carla quipped. “I’ve got some free time, can I help?” Carla asked.
Lisa was stunned. No one had ever offered to help her with work they’d called upon for her to complete.
“Honestly, there’s really no need” Lisa replied, careful that this woman would be paying her for her handiwork and so not wanting to offend her.
Before Lisa could say any more, Carla had gone upstairs and changed into a relaxed black t-shirt and joggers and picked up a paint roller and started.
The women had painted in shared silence for almost an hour, occasionally glancing over at each other but, cheeks reddening whenever eye contact was made. In fear of what this was becoming, Carla broke the unusually comfortable silence and asked, “What got you into this then?”
Lisa hesitated. Unsure of how much to divulge. “I, uh…” She had never told anyone before how she had ended up in Devon. No one knew of her late wife or that she had a daughter. She didn’t want people’s sympathy but more so, she was afraid to show vulnerability.
“Sorry” Carla said. Sensing there was more to the answer to that question than a “I just wanted a change.”
“My turn looking like I’m being nosy now” Carla laughed nervously, lightening the mood and trying to make Lisa feel better for yesterday when Lisa felt like she’d pushed too much asking about the café when they’d only just met.
Neither realising their simple questions came with a life story, but both feeling an inner warmth that the other woman brought, with an eagerness to share but a willingness to not show too much.
Sensing a bit of awkwardness, Lisa stepped down from the ladders and said feeling strangely confident announced “you’ve got paint on your face” and giggled.
Carla looked mortified. “What? Where?” She replied, feeling around her face with her paint-free hands.
Lisa approached Carla with her paint brush, planting the biggest dollop of paint on Carla’s cheek she possibly could and then running the paintbrush down her neck, to her collarbone.
“Right…there” looking quite proud of herself at what she’d just done.
Lisa didn’t know what had overcome her though. She was never normally this forward, or this playful with anyone she’d just met, but there was something about Carla that made her feel…alive.
Made her feel things she hadn’t felt since before her wife’s passing. It had taken Lisa some time, but she realised the more she felt settled in Devon, the more she perhaps thought she should start making some friends, and Carla was the first person to be truly kind to her. Don’t get me wrong, plenty of the locals were kind enough. The people she’d done odd jobs for too. But no one had gone beyond that with Lisa. Whatever this was, with Carla. The last 24 hours, she’d felt far less lonely than she had in such a long time.
Carla’s face dropped. She couldn’t believe the boldness of the other woman, stood there giggling in front of her, looking nervous as hell obviously not knowing how Carla was going to react.
Carla smirked as her eyes met Lisa’s, then without a second thought, got the paint roller and planted it on Lisa’s forehead, running it all the way down her face, and body. Carla taking everything in about the woman as she did this.
Lisa looked equally as shocked at the other woman’s boldness - but Carla, stepping back and looking Lisa up and down, looked quite proud of the huge white streak she had created down Lisa’s face, and dungarees, right to her feet. They both looked at each other and broke into fits of laughter.
Both women jumped as Ryan interrupted them as he walked into the cottage. A puzzled look on his face as he wasn’t really sure what he’d just walked into but nevertheless, smiled, shook his head and said “I’m pretty sure the paints for the walls, but by the looks of it, there’s more on you two!”
They laughed. Carla made light introduction. “Lisa, this is my nephew Ryan. Ryan, this is Lisa. My new…” she was going to say friend, but wasn’t sure if that was speaking out of turn so she mumbled “handy-woman”
Lisa threw her a playful look, quirking her eyebrow.
“I just came home to shower and change. I’ll leave you two to it” Ryan smiled. “Nice to meet you, Lisa”
“You too, Ryan” Lisa smiled. She thought Ryan was sweet and wondered how Carla had ended up here with these people in her life. She made a mental note to try and find out at a later date in a not so nosy way.
“Right, I think you’ve done enough for me today” Carla quipped.
“I’m not sure that’s really how this works, Carla” Lisa replied, playfully. “I think I’m supposed to let you know when I’ve had enough” Lisa said jovial.
Carla blushed. She liked Lisa’s drive to get things done, but for some reason didn’t want to overwork the blonde, and at the same time, didn’t want the work to be over quickly and to never see this woman again.
“Look, Lisa. This might sound a bit weird or a bit pushy and probably the wrong time seen as we’re half way through painting and I could send you running with a half finished job - “
“Carla, I’m not like that. I always finish my work, no matter what” Lisa interrupted.
Carla continued “but I haven’t made any friends since I’ve been here. I mean don’t get me wrong, I’ve got Roy and Ryan who are both amazing, and I chat to the locals in the street and in the café, but you’re the first person who’s shown me a different side.” Carla hesitated, unsure whether to continue but she did, using the confidence she’d just found to cover the other woman in paint.
“You’ve shown me a warmth, a friendliness more than just a simple passing conversation. I have no plans to move away from here. I came here to start a new life and well, gosh I’m rambling now” Carla was blushing, stumbling on her words but Lisa was patient with her, letting her finish after she’d interrupted her previously.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is would you like to have that glass of wine I offered you yesterday? Just…down at the local pub instead. I’d really like to get to know you, and I could use a female friend” Carla let out a breath as if she’d been holding it in forever.
Carla loved Roy and Ryan but she deeply missed that female connection that Michelle had given her for so many years.
Lisa blushed. She felt the reddening creep up from what felt like her boots all the way up her body, right into her cheeks. Like Carla, Lisa made small talk all the time with the locals, but since being in Devon, nobody had been as warm and kind as Carla had, and she barely even knew the woman standing in front of her.
“I’d like that actually. Although it’s my treat because you brought me breakfast unexpectedly this morning!”
“Oh that was nothing.” Carla smiled.
“No, it was really kind Carla.” Lisa stated. “You’re supposed to be paying me to paint your room, and you’ve brought me coffee, bacon butty and helped me with half of today’s work!” Lisa exclaimed.
Carla smiled bashfully. They’d got one coat of paint done and couldn’t progress any further till it dried, tomorrow. Carla helped Lisa pack up, much to Lisa’s reluctance. Lisa still couldn’t get over the kindness of the other woman, the softness. She’d felt a smile tug at her lips, a warmth in her heart and a fire in her belly and then a tingle somewhere south of her belly - feelings she hadn’t experienced, at all, for at least the last six years.
Lisa had moved to Devon on her own after a long six years of grieving following the passing - murder - of her wife. Yes, she was a DS back home, but she’d thrown herself so much into her work, and then when Betsy had flown the nest to go to university 12 months ago, she’d spent the last year feeling the most alone she’d ever felt in her whole life. So, she decided to take a break from work - with no real knowing of how long for - and ended up in Devon. Sometimes she felt like she’d never feel joy again, that was, until she’d just met Carla.
Both women agreed to meet in the pub at 6pm. It gave them 3 hours before they would be meeting again.