Rachel's Rolls

Chapter One- Rachel

"RACH!"

I hear my best friend Theo calling me from the kitchen to my café. He has been out shopping for supplies for my Christmas extravaganza tonight. Every first week of December since I opened the doors to Rachel's Rolls 3 years ago, I have invited our families, friends, and owners of the other businesses on our quaint little street round to the café for a night of fun, laughter, and tasty food. Each year has been a resounding success, and this year is going to be extra special, as Theo has a surprise for us all. I just wonder what it may be?

"Just a minute!" I reply. I finish fiddling with the table centre's for the 10th time today and head through the café. As I enter the kitchen, I can't help but giggle at the sight before me, Theo with a bright red face, balancing boxes of champagne and flowers in his arms chuckling while Nellie is bouncing around with her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth.

"Control your dog will you woman!" he says to me with a chuckle. "Nellie, give over, will you?! I'll give you tickles and kisses in a minute!"

I race over to him, telling Nellie to wait and grab the flowers from him and place them on the worn, antique wooden table in the centre of the kitchen.

"Champagne? This is funny looking hot chocolate Theo" I say, while putting the boxes of champagne on the table next to the flowers.

"Yeah, well..." he says while glancing at his shiny black ankle boots, nervously.

"Does this have something to do with your BIG SUPRISE tonight?" I say, putting emphasis on "big surprise" by doing jazz hands.

He just stands there chuckling, shaking his head before crouching down to give Nellie her promised tickles and kisses. She's all over him like a bad rash, rolling all over the floor soaking up his attention. You wouldn't guess she was mine when Theo's here.

When I found her in the local dog shelter last year, looking at me with so much hope in her beautiful brown eyes, tail down in-between her legs, begging to find her forever home, I simply couldn't leave her there. Nellie had been at the shelter for almost a year, people took one look at her and walked away. Shes a beautiful black and white Staffy-Cross with a huge black love heart at the bottom of her back that stands out against her white fur. Now I can't remember how I've lived these past 27years without her.

"Does anything need doing in the front, Rach?" Theo says while standing back up from giving Nellie tickles and distracting me from the memory of the day I found my fluffy best friend. Who promptly, flops over Theo's feet dramatically and lets out a huge sigh, in protest. She's a sassy lil' one.

"Nope, all done! Mum came over earlier to help. Food is ready, coffee machine filled with my best coffee beans and the café is looking magical, if I do say so myself." I say with a huge grin, sounding slightly smug.

We walk from the kitchen into the front of the café, me smiling to myself while Theo looks around with a twinkle in his eyes admiring the beauty that weve turned the little café into.

As you walk through the shop door, you are greeted by a roaring log fire to the left, tables topped with berry red tablecloths, beautiful table centre pieces which are covered with berries, mistletoe and acorns with thick pillar candles standing proudly centre, fairy lights twinkling up above on the wooden beams in the roof and a huge spruce of mistletoe hanging above the shop door for those who can't resist giving their loved ones a quick kiss. Who said romance is only for Valentines Day?

When you look in through the bay window from the street or walk into the shop, the focus is on the huge Balsam Fir Christmas tree standing proudly in the middle of the window. This year, I've gone for the traditional vibe when decorating the tree, its filled with shimmery gold tinsel, fairy lights which give it a lovely warm glow and the many baubles that I've collected over the years. Some people say I have a bit of an addiction to buying baubles, but I don't see it. 300 isn't that many, right?

I watch as Theo walks over to the huge tree in the bay window and pinches a branch between his fingers looking at the decorations hanging on the tree. I see his eye's catch on the bauble I've had made and added to my ever-growing collection. Theo reads the words thats written inside in hushed tones to himself and gently wipes under his eye to catch a falling tear.

"Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure.

Nothing can ever take away a love that the heart holds dear."

Maxine Travalghan, Theos Mum, was a huge part of the community here in Pine Brooke. When she walked into a room everyone wanted to be near her, she radiated happiness and a light that you dont see often anymore. When the news of her passing drifted through the town, everyone was heartbroken and wanted to pay their respects to her. So the town all grouped together and had a bench made with a plaque. Maxines memory can live on forever and we placed it outside the shop where she spent a lot of her time. Theo sits on the bench every day once we have closed with a cup of tea and a slice of fruit cake (which was his mums favourite) and fills her in on how his day has been.

I know he misses her and the pain of losing a parent never goes away but we wanted him to have something that shows how her memory is still very much alive with those who knew her.

I walk up to Theo, hugging from behind, resting my head in between his shoulders.

"Do you like it?" I ask quietly. He gently squeezes my hands that are wrapped around his middle and turns around to elope me in a tight hug and rests his chin on the top of my head.

"I love it, thank you so much Rachel" he says kissing my forehead. I let go and take a small step back and tilt my head so I can look at his face, I find him smiling down at me.

"Mum was the biggest fan of Christmas and I know I got my love for it from her. She always used to laugh when she would hear us singing the wrong words and completely out of tune while putting Christmas decorations up at home. She loved that we never grew out of that. Mum loved you like you were her own, you know?" Theo says, with a huge smile on his face as he remembers happy memories that we both hold dear.

"I know, I loved her too. She was like my second Mum who gave the best hugs and her cooking? Goodness, I loved her cookies! I'm so glad she shared her recipe's with me, even though I did have to bribe her with finding you a girlfriend. Because you know... you're not so smooth when it comes to the ladies" I say laughing.

Watching Theodore Travalghan try to flirt with a girl who he liked was extremely painful. You wouldn't think it to look at him though. He is a tall man, 6 foot 2 compared to my 5 foot 5, with jet black hair which he never seems to be able to style so it's always a messy array of waves with some flopping onto his forehead, a muscular, wide frame and a cheeky smile. I would say he is good looking, hot actually, but he is my best friend, so I wont boost his ego too much.

Theo looks at me while clutching his chest as if hes hurt then bursts out laughing.

"I must have got better at as I've got my beautiful girl at home waiting for me!" he says while still chuckling.

"You did, Tilly is an amazing girl and a great match for you Theo. I am so happy for you!" I say smiling at him. He deserves to be happy, and Tilly does that effortlessly, she's perfect for him. Tilly is almost 6 foot I reckon, fire red hair cut into a short bob, an athletic build and is one of the kindest people Ive ever known.

"Right! Get going you nuisance and I'll see you at 5pm. Make sure you wear one of your bad Christmas jumpers tonight!" I announce as I'm pushing him out of the door eager to jump in the bath before I start getting ready.

I lock the front door to the shop once I've managed to kick Theo out and head into the kitchen to find Nellie then head upstairs to my little flat. It comes in handy living above the shop that you own, you don't have far to go until you are home. As I climb the stairs with Nellie at my heels, I can't help but smile. Tonight is going to be the best Christmas Extravaganza ever!

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What do you think Theo's big surprise is?

Read on to find out!

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