Changes at The Walnut Tree

 

The first thing that Linda did every morning was to write the specials on the board at the front of the cafè.

 She smiled at Mr. Roberts the owner who was putting out a tray of freshly baked croissants and Danish pastries. He smiled warmly and she had to fight back a tear. This was to be her last day working at 'The Walnut Tree' cafè. 

Linda glanced at the piece of paper that Doreen from the kitchen had handed to her and wrote down the dishes. There was always a traditional one like Shepherd's pie or Steak and Kidney pudding, then a salad of the day and something  like a Thai curry or Fajitas. Linda thought how the menus had changed since she started working as a waitress over thirty years ago. Back then it was all baked potatoes and cheese on toast.

Doreen called out from behind the kitchen door,

'Linda add home-made Salted caramel ice cream with Pecan fudge sauce to the specials will you please? Piotr has excelled himself today, it's delicious. He's also made some sort of Polish carrot cake that's got a whole day's calorie allowance in it.'

She smiled at Linda and patted her ample stomach.

Piotr was the young chef from Poland and Doreen looked after him like a son, teaching him English and inviting him round for meals at the weekend and to watch the football with her husband Eric.
They'd even been out to Krakow for a holiday with Piotr's family. Borscht soup made with beetroot was a regular dish on the menu. It was very popular with the older customers as it was easy to eat and highly nutritious.  Piotr followed a recipe handed down from his great- grandmother.

The mothers from the playgroup came bustling in. Without their small charges they were self conscious, not having little hands to hold and pushchairs to manoeuvre they danced about laughing and chatting and finally came to rest in the two large sofas by the window. One of them Tamara, had been at school with Linda's son Matt and she put her hand on Linda's arm as she came to take their orders.

'Oh Linda, you must be so excited. It's your last day isn't it? Matt told me that you'll be looking after little Markus when Eva goes back to work. You can come have coffee with us and bring him along.'

The other mothers all shouted out their approval. Linda went to give their orders to Samira the lovely young woman who was going to take over as head waitress.

Linda thought of how not only the menu had changed over the years but the people she worked with. At first they had all been young women like her, who hadn't got qualifications and needed to earn some money. Then along came a steady stream of young people wanting to learn English. Many of them were qualified as doctors and teachers in their home countries and hoping that by learning English they would have a better chance of employment. Linda now had friends from all over the world. Matt had taught  her how to use Facebook and she loved seeing all their photos.

Linda had been working at 'The Walnut Tree' since Matt started school. It was her doctor's idea. When he told her that she wouldn't be able to have any more children she'd broken down. As she sobbed and told him that she felt so useless, she wasn't good at anything, she was a real nobody, he had cleared his throat and said that he'd seen a notice on the window at the Walnut Tree for a head waitress. The doctor knew the owner and said he was sure she was just who they needed. Linda went along to the café straight away and was amazed when she was offered the job. The hours meant she could pick up Matt from school. It was perfect, she got out of the house and was in contact with lots of people. The depression that was threatening to take a hold on her had melted away.

Mr. Roberts came out from his office with the daily papers to arrange on the oak table at the front.

'You can leave early today Linda,' he said briskly and she had to turn away to hide the hurt at his tone as a wave of emotion hit her. She remembered one of her Italian grandmother's favourite sayings that had always made her feel sad and she never understood why until now, 'we're all useful but no-one's necessary.' No-one would even notice that she'd left.

A young couple came in and sat down facing away from each other, their expressions angry and drawn. Linda handed them the menu and two chocolate hearts wrapped in silver paper.
They looked up at her surprised and then smiled at each other. Linda saw their hands reach across the table and a warm glow filled her heart as they held onto each other.
She went to check on the old people who were sitting on their own by the window. Sometimes when the cafè wasn't busy she would sit down beside them and ask about their grandchildren and talk about the changes in the town.

Over in the Free Wi Fi section there was a group from the university. She knew it was exam time. They were all quiet and busy concentrating. She had seen so many students over the years. She had consoled them when they had been homesick at the beginning of term and reassured them when they had disappointing results. Many of them came to her for comfort and advice. She thought of their hopes and dreams and what she would have done if she' d gone to university.

 Linda had got in with the 'wrong crowd' when she was fifteen and failed all her 'O levels' as they were called then. Her parents had been so angry it had frightened her so much and she had lost all interest in studying. They had kept on comparing her to her sister Jean. They couldn't understand her. They had washed their hands of her. Jean was now a top manager in  a bank in London. When Matt had turned out to be so clever and got his PhD in Bio Physics, her parents just said how he must have taken after Jean. Her sister had laughed and assured Linda that Matt's success was all down to his own parents.

Just before closing time the cafè door opened and a handsome man with silver streaks in his thick curly hair walked towards table six. As he passed through the cafè the mothers stopped their chattering, the women with their bright shopping bags sat up straighter and patted their hair. Linda smiled and walked towards him. Her heart gave a lift as it always did when she saw him, her husband Andy, her love.

'Would you like your usual sir,' she gave a saucy wink.

She loved the way he was so completely unaware of the effect he had on women.

'Oh yes please, you know just what I like.' he grinned up at her and she felt herself blush.

Table six was Linda's special table, she felt it was enchanted, a magic table where dreams come true. It was where she had first seen Andy. It had been love at first sight.
Three years ago her son Matt had sat there and told her that he had fallen in love with a nurse from Estonia called Eva. He said that he knew it was Linda's special table and it seemed the best place to tell her. Mr.Roberts had opened some fizzy wine and offered round the last eclairs.

Matt and Eva had sat there and told her they were expecting Markus and then again when they had asked her if she would consider looking after him when Eva went back to work at the clinic. They said they knew it would be a change for her and they would understand if she said no.
Linda hadn't hesitated. The thought of her little grandson, his warm sweet smelling chubby little body, his soft brown hair and ready smile. The thought of cuddling him, washing him and playing with him. Nothing had prepared her for the force of her love for her grandson. For Matt it was natural, a given. She had loved him from the moment she knew she was expecting him. The moment she had set eyes on her grandson she was bowled over by the full force of her love for him.  Andy was due for retirement from his job at the local Garden centre and they were both looking forward to looking after Markus.

Samira came over to Linda. 

'Thank you for all the help you've given me Linda. You'll be a hard act to follow.'

'Samira you're lovely, you'll be fine. I've loved working here and I can't believe that it's been thirty years. It's like a chapter closing and part of me feels sad but I 'm so looking forward to looking after Markus  and spending more time with Andy. I'll go and change now but I'll be coming in regularly.'

Linda took off her waitress uniform for the last time. She brushed her hair and put on a new lipstick that Eva had given her. She looked at herself in the mirror. She smiled at herself to try and cheer herself up, 'You're going to be fine Linda, a chapter is closing and a new one beginning.' Then she took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders.

She pushed open the door into the café and was totally overwhelmed by the loud cheer that went up. 

'Surprise!!'

 

Balloons and streamers filled the air and before her she saw the regular customers, the students, the mothers, her sister Jean, Matt, Eva and Markus, Samira and Mr. Roberts, Doreen and Piotr, then at the front her mother and father holding up a banner saying 'We love you Linda,' her mother was crying and looking proud,  and at table six her dear Andy, on all their faces, reflecting back at her, was all the love and kindness that she had given over the years.