Full of ire, he’d slapped the table when he said that, causing many people around them to glance over. Minnie had felt her cheeks burning and it fired her on. She hadn’t had a near-death experience at the shops this morning, then spent all day preparing to come here, only to fall at the last hurdle of her mission. But first she had to de-escalate his temper down to a point where he’d listen, and begin to try to pave the way for what she had to say.
He’d opened his mouth to resume his rant, but she’d put her hand up to stop him and uttered a sharp, ‘Gino!’
His surprise at the gesture had been evident by the way he seemed to swallow his words and lose his train of thought.
She’d gently removed the napkin that had been on her lap, and placed it rather delicately in front of her, sendingthe subliminal message that the banging of tables was not acceptable. Then she’d waited until she felt his blood pressure may have subsided from ‘explosive’, before speaking in a firm but loving voice.
‘Gino, first of all, I warn you that you may not like all that I have to say, but please stick with me because it’s very important and I truly think you need to hear it.’
He’d said nothing, but he hadn’t disagreed, so at least that was something.
‘First of all, I have to tell you that I feel Alicia would indeed agree to sell the restaurant if there was no viable alternative and if she felt it would release pressure on you or your sons.’
His eyes had narrowed, and she could see he was about to interrupt her, so she’d put her hand up again to make it clear that wasn’t an option. Two thoughts had struck her at the same time. The first was that there was something quite energising about speaking her mind like this. The second was more a feeling than a thought. In the place in her mind where she saw Henry, now she could imagine that she saw Alicia too. Her friend had been in the very fabric of these walls, and now Minnie had an unequivocable sense that Alicia was listening in and that she would be standing behind Minnie now, hands on hips, telling her to do what must be done.
Now, time had caught up with them. Dario had given the ten-minute warning and Nicky had passed out drams of whisky for the toast. As midnight came almost upon them, Minnie knew she had to get to the point.
An air of anticipation was sweeping around the room, and behind Gino, she saw Carlo prepare to climb back up onto the chair for the final countdown, the way his father had done for over fifty years. It was now or never. And Minnie Ryan wasn’t giving up.
‘Gino, the thing I’ve come to understand since losing Henry is that time moves on. And if you’re so busy clutching on to the past, then all you do is destroy any chance for a happy future. I know how much you love this restaurant, but it’s time to let it go. And I say that as a friend who loves you and wants the best for you too. And as the wife of a man who viewed you as a brother.’
There was a split second when she wondered if he was going to storm off and leave her sitting there alone, but, of course, he would never do that because, for all his temper and his stubbornness, he was a good and decent man.
Her gaze met his, and the tenderness and love in his eyes told her that her words were hitting home.
‘Gino, the reason that I came here tonight, was because, before he died, Henry asked me to do something for him.’ Minnie almost gasped, as the act of mentioning Henry’s death threatened to steal her breath.
An internal monologue began to calm her heart and encourage her to go on. It was Henry’s voice, as always, that she heard.Come on now, Minnie, you know you can do this, ma darling.
Her greatest love. Last year, they’d danced the night away in this very room, and only two days later, his heart had failed for the first time. The skill of the paramedics had brought him back to her, but only for a bittersweet evening. That’s when he’d beckoned her close and told her what she must do if the heavens were to claim him.
‘Go to Gino, ma darling. And tell him…’
The memory of Henry’s words was interrupted by Carlo, who was now banging a glass with a spoon and calling for hush.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, it’s almost midnight…’ A roar of excitement made the floor tremble. ‘So if you’d all like to grab your drinks, I’d like to say something…’
Minnie forced herself to carry on, all too aware that if she didn’t do this now, her words would be drowned out in the chaos. From the chair beside her, she lifted the box that she’d collected from the jewellers this morning.
‘Before Henry passed, he asked me to have this made for you. And he asked me to deliver it to you tonight, with a message…’
Once again, she was back in the hospital, holding Henry’s hand, listening to him say. ‘Wait until next New Year, ma darling, because I’ll want you to be strong and to be ready to laugh again.’
So, here she was…
‘I’d like to propose a toast,’ Carlo was saying now. ‘To the wonderful people who would tell us every year about how they danced in the street outside this restaurant on the first Hogmanay it was open, because there were no customers inside. And how the music brought them friends that would last all of their lives.’ Carlo held his glass high. ‘To my father, Gino. To my mother, Alicia. Who created this world for us. And to all of you for sharing it with us.’
Another deafening roar of appreciation shook the room and as soon as it was over, Carlo checked the clock, and then beckoned to his audience.
‘Friends, let’s say goodbye to the year behind us and welcome the wonders to come. Please raise your glasses and count down with me.’
Everyone in the room did exactly as he asked, beginning with a rousing chorus of, ‘Ten…’
33
MIDNIGHT
As the crowd bellowed out that first number…
