“How’s Uncle Sergio?” asked Joey.
Dani looked happier than she had in some time. “Oh, he is making so much progress. It’s amazing. It’s such a relief, too.”
“I’m so pleased,” said Vanessa.
“I think that conversation about my great grandmother – and yours – sparked something in him.” Dani gestured with her hands. “He’s been going through all our old family papers and photos. It’s incredible. The great thing is it’s something he can do while taking it easy, sitting down. It’s given him a focus.”
Joey spoke. “I’m so pleased for you. For you both.” She took a sip of her drink. “I still can’t believe the connection you and Vanessa have.”
“No, it’s completely ridiculous,” said Vanessa.
“Yep, totally,” agreed Dani. “But you know, to be serious for a minute, I do want to thank you both. You were there for me when Sergio had his stroke.”
“Yeah, and I couldn’t be there myself,” said Pedro, wearing a frown.
Joey smiled. “But that’s what you do when you care about someone. I’m sure you’d do it for any one of us.”
“Well definitely chalk it up as a favour I owe you,” said Dani.
“You are completely welcome, no favour required,” Vanessa replied.
“I can see why you want to stay here, Vanessa,” said Carl. “You’ve clearly found your place.” He smiled. “In lots of ways.”
“And how about you,” asked Joey, looking fondly across at Vanessa’s brother. “Have you found what you needed here?”
“Well, I haven’t found the love of my life,” said Carlwith a wink. “But yes, I think it’s done me good. Sometimes a change of scene can make all the difference.”
“It really can,” said Vanessa, her heart feeling three times its normal size.
“I’ll be going back to Birmingham in a few days. I do have to go back to work,” Carl continued. “But I will be back with annoying regularity.”
“We wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Vanessa.
“Definitely,” Joey agreed. “Besides, I feel like I still need to hear all the embarrassing stories about Vanessa’s childhood.”
“Now that, I can help with,” said Carl.
Vanessa laughed. “That works both ways, of course.”
She looked across at Joey, picked up her hand and kissed it, thanking her lucky stars for the impetuous plan to run away to Barcelona after her grandma’s funeral.
Chapter Fifty-Three
VANESSA
Dear Gran,
I have so much to tell you. It’s hard to know where to start.
You told me that I needed to make up my mind what I wanted. You told me I needed to commit to something. And you were right.
To start with, I thought that meant sticking slavishly to my idea of opening a Spanish cafe in Kings Heath. But, things have changed. While I still see my future in baking and a Spanish cafe, I think in fact that future is here, in Barcelona.
Although I’d love to know why you left here, and why you never came back, I guess I never will. I also want to know what you knew of your mother from before she married your father. But it is too late for answers from you to those questions. And of course, the old recipe book did unravel something of our shared past.
Did your mother ever tell you about her love for Teresa? I hope she mentioned her name at least. Sophia and Teresa were in love a hundredyears ago. It was a love that was impossible, thanks to the time and family pressures. Sophia moved to a different part of Barcelona, leaving just a short note for her lover. A note she wrote on the torn-out page of the old recipe book.
As fate would have it, Teresa’s great granddaughter is my friend. Dani is an amazing person, so caring. She’s teaching me Spanish. I think you’d be impressed.