Back in Business
Chapter 2
Author's Note & Disclaimer: There's references to episodes old and new in this and the previous chapter! See if you can find them, that's if you can put up with my boring style of writing! Plus, I spelled Bronwen's name without the "wyn" at the end, because the "wyn" suffix is masculine in Welsh, therefore not used for girls in Wales, but only used in names for girls outside of Wales. Fireman Sam and all related characters belong to the people who created them. And my OC belongs to me.
In the space of three weeks, Ella's hardworking Italian ethic and shrewd organizational skills somehow got her through the entire paperwork process, which involved letters to and from her aunt's lawyer, confirming the cafe's new ownership, about accountancy and that food and health regulations were maintained to a high quality standard. She also bought herself a beige apron with felt chocolate bars stitched onto the pocket and had to clean up the entire cafe floor and build up a nice comfortable living space for herself above it. She absolutely refused help from the few people she had met when she'd arrived in the first place, opting to keep as low a profile as she could, in case they found out about her leg.
And then it was all done. Her new home looked nice, vintage and cosy. And the cafe itself was just beautiful. Ella had jumped for joy when she had seen the authentic, rustic pizza oven that her aunt had installed a long time ago (and almost burnt out, because of a bird's nest) and when she saw that the bound-up old recipe tomes that her aunt had left in a kitchen drawer were still perfect, she hugged them to her chest, feeling closer to Bella than ever in this strange little town.
Now, it was another beautiful day in Pontypandy. But this day was special, because Ridoli's Bella Cafe was officially open for business again. The gossip around Pontypandy had spread like the plague, thanks to Mrs Price, who ran off at the mouth a lot, which meant that Ella expected customers to pour in. But it was still very early in the morning, nobody was awake yet and Ella just stood there inside, surveying her new home, her new workplace, this little lost bracchi that Bella had left alone for a long time. It was a real family treasure indeed. Ella breathed in deeply, taking in the sweet smell of the goodies she'd just prepared and laid out, as she remembered...
-Flashback-
"So you will-a do it?" Bella asked her, "You will-a go to Pontypandy and take-a over my little cafe?"
Ella nodded with conviction, "Si, Auntie Bella. I decided that not only will I have fun running your bracchi, I will also be able to live in a town where no one knows who I am."
Bella looked sadly at her niece, "You still have-a not got over it then?"
"No, Auntie. It still hurts and this..." Ella pointed at her right leg "...is the reminder of that hurt. It will never go away."
"Bambina," Bella replied, "What matters is-a that my beautiful niece is-a still alive and with-a me. And I love-a you very much. I am-a very sure that Pontypandy will-a take the good care of you."
Ella blushed. "I'm not beautiful anymore, Auntie! Not since..."
"But do you love-a me?" Her aunt comically stared at her with puppy eyes. The younger woman rolled her eyes and laughed.
"Of-a course I love-a you!" Ella scoffed, nailing the stereotypical Italian accent dead on, "But that's not the point! It's just...I'm nervous. But Pontypandy sounds like a lovely place. Even if everyone knows each other. Especially the *gulp* Fire Brigade."
"The Fire Service, she is-a full of cara amici. And if-a you ever get in trouble, call Fireman Sam."
"Er...you mean, call the Fire Service right?"
"Si, si, call Fireman Sam, call Fire Service, both same thing. Now give-a your Auntie Bella a big hug."
Ella laughed and they embraced. They broke apart and Ella ran off to pack.
-End Flashback-
"Where have you been all my life?" Ella thought aloud.
"Why, right here in Pontypandy, of course!" A male voice behind her laughed.
Ella jumped and turned around. She hadn't realized she had actually blurted her thoughts out loud. And how could she have not heard the bell atop the doorway, was she deaf? she thought. A vaguely familiar looking man was standing in her open doorway. He wore (Oh my giddy aunt, Ella thought) a firefighter's uniform. Of course she had seen him before. Him and his red fire engine.
"I know you!" she exclaimed, "You're that firefighter who helped me fix my punctured bicycle tyre a few weeks ago!"
"Why, you're right!" he replied, as surprised as she was, "I didn't think I'd meet you here in Pontypandy!" His friendly Welsh-accented voice warmed up Ella's insides for some reason and she smiled brightly. She cleared her throat and bowed with a mock-flourish of her hand, "Step into my parlour, good sir."
"Gladly." He entered the cafe and looked around admiringly, "Bronwen says that you've restored the place brilliantly and she's right. Why, it's almost as if Bella never left!" "I'm glad you think so, sir. And it's officially open for business too," Ella replied, examining the fireman from a reasonable distance with fascination. He seemed young enough, maybe a little older than Bronwen. He had auburn hair, wise sky blue eyes and a smile to go with the voice. She knew what he had sounded like, but regarding what he looked like, well, she was too worried about her precious bicycle at the time...
-Flashback-
She was riding along on the way to a new life in Pontypandy, getting to know the Welsh scenery again and taking whiffs of fresh country air. Ella hoped her luggage was safe in the long journey from Italy to the UK. Then she realized that she was following a route to Tonypridd.
'Oh my giddy aunt,' she swore under her breath and stopped. She pulled her map out of her bag and found a fine enough route. It was long, but it didn't matter as long as she stayed away from Tonypridd. Ella smiled, shoved the map into the bag and rode on. It was a bumpy, gravelly path, but it would have to do. Anything not to go near Tonypridd and open old wounds. She eventually arrived at Newtown and wondered if she could stop and visit her old friend, Mor...
Pfffsssss...
Suddenly the bike went all wobbly and Ella would've fallen if it weren't for her quick reflexes. She stepped off like lightning and the bike fell at her feet. An examination revealed that a sharp piece of broken bottle had caused a puncture in the back tyre. Air was hissing out fast.
Drat! Her spare tyres and air pump were all in her luggage on the way to Wales! At least she had a patch in her pocket, but it was no use, the tyre became as flat as the crempog pancakes she loved making so much. She'd have to make the journey on foot. No matter. If the pain in her leg bothered her again, at least she had her pills. Ella picked up the bike and carried on. She walked on until she could see Pontypandy from a hilltop road. It looked beautiful...
HONK-HONK!
Ella hopped onto the side with the bike. A fire engine was driving up the road. It looked really familiar. Ella felt a lump in her throat as she wondered if it was him...
"Hello, ma'am, how are you today?" No, it wasn't him. This was a different man's voice.
He looked different too. Before Ella could answer, the driver noticed her bike, "I see you have a flat tyre. Don't you have any patches with you just in case?"
"Yes, I do," Ella replied, slightly embarrassed, "But I don't have an air pump."
She couldn't even look him in the eye. She was suddenly bashful. She fixed her eyes on the bike as the man sat there in deep thought. Then she heard the vehicle's door opening, some metallic sounds and then he was kneeling down and examining the bicycle tyre. He wore a firefighter's helmet and uniform.
He got up and said, "I have an air pump. If you'd like me to..."
"No, no, please!" Ella pleaded and took a look at him. He was a tad taller than her with a stocky build. She added, "Please, I don't want to trouble you. Allow me." She almost snatched the air pump from him. But she gave him the patch and let him paste it over the puncture. Then she pumped away, until the wheel was as good as new.
As she detached the pump and gave it back to the firefighter, he asked concernedly, "Why on earth are you cycling without a safety helmet? If you fall down, you could get seriously hurt. You also need to oil your chain, it's slightly rusty. And you wouldn't be able to ride if it got stuck between the spokes, you know. Also, you may need to see a mechanic, because you have only one brake on the handlebars." This offended her immediately.
"For your information, I have been riding bicycles without a helmet since I was five and the only injuries I ever had were to my arms and legs. Do you know why? Because we were children back then, not complete morons. And, as it happens, I AM as aware of safety as you are. Also, I can take care of my own bicycle, thank you very much." She hopped on her bike and rode away with a speed that surprised even herself. What had come over her? And where was the firefighter going? Was he going the same way she was?
-End Flashback-
"Miss? Miss?" The firefighter was talking to her.
"Oh, sorry, I don't know what came over me." She smiled sheepishly, "So, you were saying...?"
"I was saying that I also wanted to apologize if I had made you angry that day. About all those safety tips..." the firefighter replied nicely. The man does have manners, Ella thought, feeling ashamed. "We take safety regulations to heart in Pontypandy and I didn't mean anything personal about how you take care of your bicycle. So I'm..."
Ella turned red, "Oh no, please. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. You were right, I should have worn a helmet, but to be honest, I feel so free without one. Besides, if I had to wear a helmet, it would have to accommodate this, haha." She gestured to her crown braid with an awkward laugh.
"It suits you well," he nodded appreciatively, "Looks like quite the effort too."
"Thank you! It takes me ten minutes to...Oh, where are my manners, I forgot to introduce myself!" Ella came forward with an outstretched hand, "I'm Ella. I'm sure you knew my auntie well. Bella Lasagna?"
"Yes, I did. I'm Fireman Sam," said the firefighter, shaking her hand.
Ella gasped, "You're the Fireman Sam that Auntie Bella goes on and on about? Well, it looks like I owe you a lot for helping her keep this place safe from fires. Although I just realized that the cafe needs a push button alarm installed in here. Preferably near the phone. And that smoke alarm," she looked at the ceiling, "...needs to be replaced. Wouldn't want it working with those dead batteries, would we? I'll buy one from Dilys when my shift's done for the day."
"And I'll help you install the push button alarm. Just let me know once you order it," he replied, amazed, but smiling at her apparent knowledge of fire safety.
"Thank you, Fireman Sam, but I can do that myself." Then she cheekily added, "By the way, does Fireman Sam have any other names?"
Sam laughed, "My full name is Firefighter Samuel Jones, but everyone calls me Fireman Sam."
"I see. Um, did you come into the cafe looking for something?"
"Ah yes, I would like to order some sandwiches please."
"Of course!" Ella enthusiastically whipped out a notebook and pencil and scribbled away. Her first order of the day! How exciting!, "What filling?"
"Cheese and chutney, please. That was my usual when Bella used to run the cafe."
"Hmmm, I see..." She rolled the sleeves of her red cardigan up to her elbows, "I'll be back in ten minutes, if you don't mind waiting."
Sam did wait and, sure enough, Ella arrived, gleefully bearing a brown paper bag, "Here you are, five sandwiches with a cheese and chutney filling, in the style of my Auntie, but better, because I made them!"
"...Delicious, I'm sure! Thank you!" Sam happily accepted the bag and dug into his pocket, "How much are they?"
"They're free!" Ella grinned proudly, "It's my gratitude for helping me with the tyre. I did owe you for that time."
"Oh!" Sam smiled, "Well, thank you again! I better be off then, while I'm still early. Nice to meet you, Miss Bella Lasagna!"
Ella waved from the door as he jogged out, "Nice to meet you as well, Firefighter Jones!"
"Call me Sam, please!"
"Then call me Ella! Not Bella!"
"Haha, bye, Ella, NOT Bella!"
"See you around, Fireman Sam!"
Once he was out of earshot, she sadly said to no one in particular, "Lasagna is not my surname, you know."
"A new arrival in Pontypandy?" "Wow! Bella's Cafe is reopening!" "Really?! I can't wait! Maybe she's back after all!"
Ella's first day of work was happily busy. She made cakes, pastries, pizzas, pasta dishes, you name it, she made it, for citizens to eat inside or take away. She met more and more people who had known Bella, like the Pritchards, whose one-year-old had been taught by Helen to finally burp properly. Ella, who adored children, immediately took to him. There were also people she didn't know, like the Chens, whose little Lily clung onto Ella's leg and refused to let go without a bribe. She also met Tom Thomas and Moose Roberts, who decided to show her around the mountain range, though they somehow ended up bickering over who'd take her out where first.
During her lunch break, she typed up new ideas for inventing new recipes and revamping the old ones on her laptop. She also decided that the doorway between the kitchen and the cafe itself needed a lovely bead curtain for a more home-like feel. She then ordered two long banquette seaters from Pontypandy's furniture supplier and headed off to Dilys' shop so that she could borrow her stepladder and buy a new smoke alarm and batteries.
While Ella was working, the firefighters were having a fine day as well. They'd gotten back to the station after rescuing Lambykins from the top of Trevor's bus again to find that some new equipment had arrived in the mail. Steele was examining them and taking notes, while the firefighters were all upstairs, waiting on Elvis' cooking.
While Elvis was cooking and singing, Penny whispered to Sam across the table, "I know he has his moments, but if anything goes wrong, could I have one of your sandwiches, please? I've missed Bella's cooking as well and being on duty tonight means I can't stop by the cafe to meet the new girl."
"Don't worry, Penny," Sam whispered back, "I'm sure Elvis' stew will turn out fine. Actually, it's funny you should mention Ella. The new girl, that is. It turns out that she was the very same girl with the bicycle that I met a few weeks ago."
Penny laughed, "What a happy coincidence! She must have given you quite a handsome discount then!"
"Not just any discount! The ultimate discount!"
"Really? They're all for free?!"
"Are you talking about me?" Elvis asked, turning away from the stove. Penny replied, "Not you, Elvis, the new girl at Bella's. Apparently, she gave Sam free sandwiches for helping her repair her bicycle tyre!"
"There's a new girl at Bella's? I knew the cafe was back in business, but I thought Bella would be coming back."
"Doesn't seem like it, Elvis," Sam shook his head, "Bronwen and Charlie told me that Bella won't come back. But I'm sure Ella can cook just as well as her aunt."
"Oh, but I'm sure she can also cook as well as me!" Elvis said proudly, then sighed, "But I really miss Bella." Then he smelled something burning, "Oh no! Not again!"
"Well, what are you waiting for!" Penny said to Sam, as Elvis frantically turned off the stove, for which he'd turned the heat up for twice than recommended, then tried to get his tureen out of the way, only to realize that the handles were metallic, then howled in pain and rushed to turn on the cold water tap and held his hands under it.
Sam chuckled and handed her one of his sandwiches. He took a bite out of another and enjoyed it immediately. The cook was definitely not a person to be trifled with.
"Hmmm, this is delicious!" Penny said with her mouth full. She took her last bite, "Can I have another please?"
Sam looked inside the paper bag and was surprised again. It was empty! "Sorry Penny, I'm afraid I've eaten them all."
"Are you sure Radar didn't eat any?" Penny pointed at Radar, the Fire Station's beloved Dalmatian, who looked up at Sam, then at Sam's lunch bag and whined. Nope, Sam definitely didn't give him any sandwiches.
Sam shook his head, "Radar couldn't eat cheese and chutney."
Penny sighed and went over to help Elvis, who had just tripped over a stray oven mitt, "Oh well. Anyway, we better get ready. Nurse Flood will be here soon to teach us the next step in First Aid."