Two More Chairs

At twelve, rain started to fall. Mia went to the garden and touched the chairs. They were already wet. The birthday lunch was at one, and eight people were coming. “We need a different plan,” she said to Rosa.

There were two small tables inside the café, but only six chairs. Leo pushed the tables together. “Eight people can sit here,” he said. “But we need two more dry chairs.” Mia looked through the window at the bookshop next door.

She went to the bookshop and spoke to the woman at the desk. “Can we borrow two chairs for a birthday lunch?” Mia asked. “Of course,” the woman said. “Please bring them back at four. We have a book club then.” Mia thanked her and called Leo.

Mia and Leo each carried a chair back to the café. Rosa took the apple cake out of the oven at quarter past twelve. It looked good, and the soup was ready too. Mia put eight bowls on the table while Leo checked the chairs.

At ten to one, everything was ready. Mia put a small jar of garden flowers in the middle of the table. Then a car stopped outside. A man got out with an umbrella. He opened the other door for an older woman. “They’re here,” Mia said.