Millie Vanilla’s Cupcake Café

‘Not quite what I had in mind, Sean, but thank you for the compliment.’

‘Cheaper prices,’ Biddy yelled out, making Trevor jump. ‘Or free things?’

‘Good point, giveaways always go down well,’ Zoe agreed.

‘I can’t do that indefinitely, Millie pointed out. ‘I haven’t got the luxury of the profit margins Blue Elephant will have.’

‘Could you buy any supplies in more cheaply, my dear?’

‘No, Arthur. That’s one thing I’m not compromising on. Organic produce and homemade food. That’s what people know me for.’

‘And quite rightly so.’ Arthur put his hand on Millie’s. ‘But I’m happy to have a look at your accounts. See where economies can be made.’

‘Thanks, Arthur. I’d appreciate that. I’m pretty good at them, but a fresh pair of eyes might help.’

‘Ice-cream in the summer?’ Sean put in.

Millie pulled a gloomy face. ‘I don’t want to encroach on the Icicle Works,’ she said, referring to the ice-cream parlour. ‘And besides, I don’t want to wait until the summer before getting anything new going.’ She paused, thinking. ‘I could add in an ice-cream option with my apple pie or fresh strawberry tart, though, couldn’t I? Good idea, Sean!’

Sean blushed rosily and concentrated on eating his cake.

‘What about themed weeks?’ Zoe added. ‘You know, something to go with Valentine’s Day.’ At this she and Sean glanced at each other and giggled.

‘That’s an interesting idea,’ Millie said, slowly. ‘What sort of thing did you have in mind?’

Zoe shrugged. ‘I dunno. Heart-shaped biscuits?’

‘Pink iced cupcakes?’ Sean said. As his reward Zoe hugged his arm to her and kissed him soundly on the cheek.

‘Love Heart sweeties on the tables,’ Biddy added, somewhat unexpectedly.

‘And heart patterns in the froth on the coffee!’ Zoe said, bouncing on her seat with excitement. ‘It could so work! Clare and the gang would love it.’

‘And it wouldn’t cost too much extra on top of your usual outgoings,’ Arthur added, ever practical.

‘Sean and me could do up some flyers,’ Zoe said. ‘Could easily do some A5 ads on the Mac.’

Millie looked at her loyal group of friends with gratitude. Tears welling, she reached out and grasped the hands of Arthur and Zoe, those nearest to her. ‘Oh, you guys. You’re amazing.’

‘There’s Chinese New Year and Pancake Day, Easter and –’

Millie cut Zoe off. ‘Oh, my lovely, that’s great but,’ at this she paused, ‘I really don’t want to seem ungrateful, I really don’t, but as fantastic an idea as themed weeks are, I don’t think they’d be enough. I need a really big event to re-launch Millie Vanilla’s.’

‘A party,’ Sean said. ‘That’s what you need. A party.’ His eyes became enormous. ‘A huge party!’

Everyone stared at him. Sean’s usual utterings were infrequent and monosyllabic but he’d been inspired during this meeting.

‘What sort of thing did you have in mind?’ Millie asked. ‘I can’t really see myself hosting a rave or anything like that.’

‘Mil,’ Zoe said scornfully, ‘that’s so over.’

‘Yes, well, you know what I mean.’

‘We don’t want any of that kind of trouble,’ Biddy sniffed.

Sean shifted in his seat and pushed his plate away. ‘Nah, we could have a beach party, here like.’

‘Ooh, ooh, ooh, a Valentine’s Beach Party,’ Zoe squeaked. ‘It would be cooler than a very cool thing!’

Millie looked from one young eager face to another. ‘Now that might be an idea.’

‘Or a tea dance?’ Biddy’s voice boomed into her thoughts.

‘What an excellent idea,’ Arthur said, in rare agreement.

‘Oh, Granddad, a party would be better than some naff dance! Can we have fireworks at the end?’ Zoe sneaked a glance at Sean. ‘It would be sooooo romantic.’

Biddy began to protest that young people wanted it all their own way and had they any idea how many older folk would appreciate a good old-fashioned afternoon of dancing? Zoe began to argue back and then Arthur tried to mediate.

Millie heard it all as if muffled, through water. Ideas were tumbling into her head so fast and furiously she could barely make sense of them all. ‘Let’s do both!’ she announced. At their stunned silence, she explained. ‘We’ll start with a tea dance in the afternoon, lovely Valentine’s-themed cupcakes –’

‘What did you say? Cupcakes?’ Biddy bellowed. ‘They were called fairy cakes in my day.’

‘Alright Biddy, fairy cakes. Lots of lovely good-quality tea, scones and clotted cream –’

‘And jam,’ Arthur put in.

‘And jam, of course. From Small’s. Strawberry. My Victoria sponge –’

‘Oh, your sponge is lush,’ Zoe added.

‘Thank you, Zoe. Dress code pretty dresses and smart casual for the men.’

‘With ties.’

‘With ties, of course, Arthur. And then we roll into a beach party for later. Let’s hope the good weather keeps up.’ Millie stopped. ‘Oh,’ she said. ‘I don’t have an alcohol licence.’

‘Alcohol’s so over, Mil,’ Zoe said. ‘Isn’t it, Sean?’

Sean didn’t look as certain. ‘I can get hay bales to sit on,’ he offered. ‘I know George Small.’

Millie nodded. ‘Thank you, Sean, that’s a fab idea. I’ve got a really good recipe for pink-coloured fruit punch. We could serve that instead.’

‘The tea-dancers would like that too, I reckon,’ Biddy suggested. ‘I’ve got a recipe for a slut-red raspberry and chardonnay jelly you could use. One of Nigella’s that is. Ooh, I’m looking forward to this. Reminds me of the good old days with the girls. We used to have some rare old parties.’

Millie looked askance at Biddy. She often mentioned ’her girls’. Fellow office workers, she assumed. She knew Arthur had been an accountant, but wasn’t sure what Biddy had done as a career. The slut-red jelly had come as a surprise. She put her hand on the older woman’s. ‘I’m glad you’re looking forward to it.’

‘And we can have heart-shaped ice cubes!’