Jill was standing on the corner where I had picked her up the day before when I arrived. She hopped into the car, and immediately said "I need to ask you something about what you said yesterday."
I wondered what that could be - we had talked about a lot of important things the day before.
"You said you own a cafe. Where is it?" she asked.
I laughed. Of all the things I said this was not one I thought would be top of the list to discuss. "Down on the Lisburn Road. Not far from here. Why?"
"Because I want to talk to you about other things and I want a coffee."
My partner Paul was behind the counter, and happy to bring two Americanos. I had to introduce Jill, and pass some words about business, but he was sensible enough to bugger off.
Jill said "How did you get into this? I mean, you're eighteen and at school. How do you know him, and how can you be a partner?"
"He was doing the catering for my cousin's wedding. I got chatting, he said he wanted to set up a cafe, I suggested Lisburn Road, he said he needed capital, I had the money, so we did a business plan and I got my solicitor to draw up the contract. Easy. I'm silent, he does the work, we do the books once a month."
"You have a solicitor?" she sounded astonished.
"Yes. And a stockbroker, and an accountant. You have to have professionals to do it right." I said, and smiled at her disbelief. "I know, I'm weird, but this isn't rocket science."
"But where did you get the money?" she asked.
"I had a summer job and some birthday money and bought a clapped out car with my dad from an auction a few weeks after my sixteenth birthday. I did it up, and it didn't take as long as I expected. So it was ready to drive, but I couldn't get a license until seventeen, so I sold it, made two hundred quid, and bought another. Then I did it again and again. Each time better cars, more profit. When I turned eighteen, I put five thousand into this place and traded the rest on the Stock Market. Oh yes, and I have an old MG I got for two hundred in the garage. I might keep it, but I could get three grand for it if I do it right."
Jill had her mouth open. "You are serious. You really are. You were telling the truth yesterday."
"Yes. I told you, I joke when things are serious, but I never say something serious as a joke. I have money, I know how to make money. I plan to have made enough money by the time I am thirty to retire, although I probably won't retire, just not have to work if I don't want to."
She was silent for a moment and said softly "When I got home last night I was scared. I mean if you had dumped me for lying to you, thought I was trying to trap you, or said that if I was pregnant it was my fault and I had to get rid of it or something, I could have understood that. I would have been really hurt, but I would know it was my fault, and you can't expect a guy to promise to look after you forever after two days together. No one does that. But you did. And then you started spinning this story about having thousands of pounds in the bank. It all sounded wonderful, and then it sounded too good to be true. I didn't know what to think. I still don't."
"Well I suppose I could take you to see my solicitor, and accountant. Or you could talk to my father. He knows about almost all my deals. As for the other stuff, time will tell. I am not a mad man. I'm sorry I scared you. I'm not trying to tie you down or rush you or trap you. And I don't think you were trying to do that to me."
"No, no, I wasn't, really!" she said quickly. "I just, I just wanted, I wanted... I wanted to do it. With you. I... didn't want to wait. I did not really think about it, once I decided to do it I just wanted to do everything. With you. And that is what is so hard now. I, I feel, I don't know, I have never felt like this. Confused, scared. I don't want you to be making this up. I don't want to think I did that with you and it turns out that you're not that special." Her eyes were pleading.
I made a decision. "Come with me." I said and took her hand. I took her up the stairs at the back of the cafe, and took my key ring from my pocket. I opened the office door, and lead her in. I went straight to a shelf and lifted the ledgers down and placed them on the desk.
"First page, first entry, my name, Β£5000.00. Turn over the pages, my handwriting."
I turned to a cupboard and opened it with my keys. Inside was the safe. I dialed in the numbers, and opened it. Jill gasped. There was about two hundred pounds in it. I pulled a folder from the bottom.
"Partnership agreement. Joint ownership, me and Paul."
I placed it in front of her. "No one in school knows this. No one except my parents, Paul and my legal and accountancy advisors. I don't want this to be known about. Not even your parents. People are funny about money. I mean, Owen is my mate, and he gets a fiver a week from his parents. It would make it awkward. And he'd expect free coffee, and this is business."
Jill looked up from the papers. "Okay I won't tell anyone."
"I know. I trust you."
"So it is all real." She glanced at me and down again "And the stuff about having kids?"
"I've been thinking about yesterday. I really did mean it, but I realise that it is a lot to think about for you. This has all been so fast. And I have surprised myself with this. I mean, I have known for ages that I really do want children, and a wife, and all that. And I know that's supposed to be unusual for a guy at school, but it is how I feel." I took her hand and went on "And I didn't expect it, but I really am incredibly fond of you. Really. I mean I have fancied you for ages, but now, I am just, just, I don't know. Speechless. Every time I think of you I feel good. Everytime I see you my heart skips. I just want to be with you, and make the world a better place for you. And I know that sounds crazy scary and a bit over the top. And what I said about kids and all that sounds crazy too. But I also know that things will change for us, in the next few weeks and months. You can't stay this high for long. So, if I scared you yesterday, maybe you could not just run away just yet? Give it a few weeks, see if I start looking a bit less mad?"
"Oh Sean. Oh please." she said and flowed into my arms, tears and kisses mixed.
Minutes passed.
Eventually she said "Sean, I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"Lying to you. Doubting you. Worrying. Doubting me."
I kissed her, and said "All in the past. And you had a hell of a scare, and a load of big new things to deal with, plus hormones. It isn't easy to keep your head straight. How is it now?"