Chapter Text
‘Dios mio!’ Catalina lunged for the door but it was too late- she could already feel her grip on the pile of papers in her hands slipping. Possibly it was because she also happened to be burdened down with a handbag, a newspaper, three magazines, an umbrella, a bag of shopping and a thermos of green tea. Possibly it was just because the universe hated her and wanted her to do badly.
(Personally, Catalina felt herself leaning towards the latter.)
‘You dropped your papers.’
Setting her other burdens down on the nearest table, Catalina cast her best withering look towards the counter, where her goddaughter was starting up the espresso machine.
‘Thank you Cathy. I am aware .’
Rather than jumping forward with apologies for her lack of concern and offers of help, Cathy merely shrugged, smiling slightly as if the withering look had had no effect on her whatsoever, and carried on scrubbing loose coffee granules out of the filter.
‘Just thought you might want to know.’
Catalina raised an eyebrow.
‘’Rather than just pointing it out, you COULD offer to help.
‘Oh yeah, sorry.’
There was a pause.
‘ Cathy! ’
‘Hm?’
Catalina gestured and Cathy jumped, finally seeming to wake up properly.
‘ Oh! Sorry, yeah-’ Abandoning the machine, she rushed around the counter and started to help gather scattered papers enthusiastically.
Catalina shook her head. Cathy was, in her opinion, damned lucky that she was blessed with the ability to render almost anything the heavens with milk foam-
It (and her unerring knack for coming up with exactly the right catchy puns for the weeks specials) just about made up for her often infuriating absent mindedness.
(The ‘Cat-achino’ for International Cat day was Catalina’s personal favourite. The customers liked it enough that it very nearly made up for the fact that Cathy had called her at 3am to fill her in on it, having apparently come up with it during a particularly intense round of Shot Roulette at the bar of the students union.)
(‘ Catalina !’
‘What?’ Catalina fumbled sleepily for her phone, sparks of anxiety hitting her as she recognised the name on the screen. ‘Mija, what is it? Are you alright? Are you hurt?’
‘’M fine, but listen! Have a wonderful idea! Wonder-ful? WON-der-FUL? Such a good idea, anyway!’
Catalina flopped back against her pillows, her heart rate slowly returning to normal.
‘Catherine Parr. Are you drunk?’
‘ NO !’ Cathy sounded impressively outraged. ‘Not….not at all! Just- oh yeah! Wonderful idea, for the specials!’
‘Catherine Parr.’ Catalina made herself speak very slowly and very deliberately. ‘Enjoy tonight. Enjoy it well. Savour it.’
‘Why?
‘Because I am going to KILL you tomorrow.’)
‘How did you even manage to carry all this?’
Well. I didn’t. As you can see.’ Catalina groaned as she realised that her Waitrose bag seemed to be leaking strawberry yogurt . ‘Oh god not today- Please tell me at least that no one has arrived yet.’
‘Who?’ Cathy looked at her blankly. ‘Arrived for what? Are you expecting someone?’
‘Oh please-’ Catalina pinched the bridge of her nose between thumb and forefinger- she could feel the beginnings of a stress headache just on the verge of forming…
‘It’s ok!’ A pair of hands, adorned with two rings and chipped green nail polish, swooped down to take the remaining papers from her and begin dabbing at the pink spillage with a wad of napkins. ‘It’s all fine! I’ve been keeping an eye out since half seven and no one has so much as come near us- you definitely haven’t missed anyone, don’t worry-’
‘Thank heavens.’
‘-unless they were here before 7.30, but in that case, I'd say they’re weirdly over keen and you wouldn’t want them anyway...coffee?’
‘Please.’
As Catalina straightened up, Anne’s seemingly silent smooth entrance suddenly made sense.
‘Anne. No.’
‘What?’
‘Not today.’
‘What?’
‘You know what.’ Catalina fixed Anne with her sternest I-am-the-manager stare. ‘Take them off.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I want the candidates to think they’re coming to work at a professional establishment and the effect is rather ruined if one of our baristas is rolling around in wheely shoes!’
‘They’re heelys!’ But Anne relented. ‘Ok fine. I’ll take them off before anyone comes in. Admit it though, they do save time.’
‘That’s true Catty, they do-’ Cathy chipped in helpfully. Then she frowned. ‘Of course Anne, the time saved by the heelys could also be said to be eaten up when you drop a tray and have to stop what you’re doing to sweep up…’
‘Tattletale.’ Anne stuck her tongue out at an oblivious Cathy and rolled into the back room, emerging a minute later with a steaming espresso cup which she handed to Catalina.
‘Mmmm. Thank you mija.’ Catalina swallowed it in one gulp- Anne winced as she did- and felt her rather dour mood begin to lift.
‘You’re welcome.’ Anne started to help pile the last of the papers onto the table. ‘Honestly I’m actually very impressed. How did you manage to carry all this?’
‘I had some help-’
(‘Oh!’
‘Oh sorry!’
Catalina barely kept the papers from slipping out of her hands as she recoiled,having managed to walk right into someone. Once she’d assured herself that her work was safe, she was able to take a better look at just WHO she’d walked into: a youngish girl, wearing school uniform and holding a sandwich.
‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry-’ Catalina had barely opened her mouth to explain herself before the girl was already speaking. ‘Did I knock you over?’
‘No, no, you’re fine.’ Catalina was mildly surprised and touched by how concerned the girl seemed for her. Then she wondered if it was because the girl thought she looked particularly frail (maybe was concerned at having nearly toppled a geriatric) and the warm glow dissipated somewhat. Still, she couldn’t help but smile at the girl. ‘It was all my fault, I wasn’t looking where I was going-’
‘Ok.’ The girl stopped apologising but still looked hesitant. ‘Are you sure- because I’m really clumsy and-’
‘No, really, you’re fine.’
‘Ok.’ The girl paused, fumbling with her sandwich. ‘Do you want some help? Carrying them to your car, I mean? So- so you dont drop them again?’
Catalina was gratified at the offer- both the offer and what it meant. The girl was obviously painfully shy; she kept glancing up at Catalina’s face and then looking back at the floor, as if she wasn't sure where she was meant to be looking and her fingers, twisting anxiously, were bitten as if their owner was in the habit of nervously chewing her nails.
Still, she offered, even when she didn’t have to, just to be nice.
Catalina had been on the verge of saying no but something about the girl's manner stopped her. Suddenly she wondered if it would be somewhat churlish to turn down the offer- so sincerely made. So instead of politely saying she was fine as she usually would, she nodded briskly.
‘That would be very kind of you, thank you. Could you take this one?’
The girl nodded and took the bags and Catalina breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Great. Much better. My car is just down here.’
In slightly awkward silence, they walked the few yards and the girl waited while Catalina put the bags safely in the front seat.
‘Thank you, I would have dropped them again for sure.’
‘You’re welcome. I know what it’s like, I- I drop stuff all the time too, I’m so clumsy.’
‘Well, thank you-’ She paused.
‘Katherine.’
‘Oh I have a goddaughter named Catherine. Except she goes by Cathy.’
‘Oh, how old is she?’
‘Older than you I think- she’ll be nineteen next month.’ Catalina paused. ‘Wow, saying that makes me feel old…’
‘You don’t look very old.’ The girl said it with the calm scrutiny of the young: absolutely sincere and without a trace of flattery.
‘That’s sweet of you to say Katherine. Anyway, I shouldn’t keep you. Thanks again for your help.’
Katherine gave a little smile and then ducked her head and hurried off. Catalina pulled out.
Sweet girl. Shame she was so anxious.)
‘Do you think you’ll get anyone good?’
‘Hm?’
‘For the job. Do you think we’ll get anyone good? Because I miss having free time-’
‘Goodness knows. I hope so. Speaking of which….’ Catalina checked her watch. ‘The first one should be here any minute-’
‘Hello- ‘The voice was oddly familiar but Catalina couldn’t quite place it. ‘I’m- here because I think I’m meant to have an interview? With- with Mrs Trastamara?’
‘Oh yes sure. Sit yourself down. Would you like a drink? We have coffee and- stuff that isn’t coffee...’
Catalina could only assume the candidate had shaken their head.
‘Ok, I’ll just get her- Catalina!’
Anne poked her face into the tiny office. ‘First one’s here.’
‘Thanks Anne. Thoughts?’
‘Um. Young? Nervous? Honestly she looks about 12…’
Catalina’s heart sank. ‘Ok. Thanks. We’ll get through it quickly then- at least I know not to get my hopes up….’
She pushed open the door and stepped into the cafe. Her mouth fell open.
It was the girl from the shop.