It was when they were all out walking in the park that Jan brought up divorce. Victoria was on one side of her and Sakura on the other with Spice on a lead as she pushed Teddy in the pram. The winter sun was low in the sky and they cast long shadows over the path as they walked together.
'I really am contemplating a divorce,' she said in a matter of fact tone, looking straight ahead in a determined way. Neither of the girls said anything. They were all wrapped up in winter coats as the weather had turned rather cold. Victoria in an elegant fitted black coat that showed off her slim figure and Jan wearing her long camel coat with her red scarf. She was glad she had put on her gloves at the last minute.
'It's so cold!' said Sakura after a while, breaking the silence. She had borrowed Jan's navy pea coat and she really needed to get home at some point but had been putting it off. She needed to get some warm clothes for a start. Sakura had settled in nicely and had been made to feel so welcome. Jan said she could stay as long as she liked and she already felt part of this family.
Jan had been talking all morning about the situation with Andy and although they all knew that the relationship was going through a tough time it was still a shock for Victoria to hear Jan talk of divorce.
'Mum don't be too hasty about divorce maybe you and Dad just need some time together to work it out,' said Victoria.
Jan stopped to fix Teddy's blanket and said quite firmly, 'I'm sorry Vic I know he's your dad but I can't be with him anymore and I've made up my mind. We have both lived a lie for so long and neither of us are happy.'
Victoria looked at her Mum and knew that this was more than recent events this was something much deeper.
'We've ended up with a friendship but we both deserve more than that,' Jan went on, 'Our marriage fizzled out not long after Emma was born but now the friendship seems to be gone too. The fact that he took the vaccine and the way he's embraced all these new rules without question makes it impossible for me to continue.'
'But the main reason is he just won't accept that I have a different opinion and that's something I can't live with. I should be able to voice my opinion shouldn't I? Well, I hate to say it Vic but I've been happier without him.'
Victoria looked at her mum and knew it was the truth. Sakura didn't feel it was right to get involved but reached over and gave Jan's arm a squeeze and said, 'What's important Jan is for us all to be honest in life and face the truth.'
Sakura had never met Andy but felt protective and loyal to Jan. Jan she felt was an inspiration that despite her sadness she was pushing forward and facing what was in front of her. She admired her strength and they had easily developed a friendship and mutual respect.
As they walked along Victoria turned and said, 'Look Mum if this is what you want to do then you have my support. Maybe you have both gone in different directions and actually you do seem to be happier without him.'
'I am Vic I really am,' said Jan, 'I was living a lie and I just can't continue anymore especially after everything we have been through in the past year. Life is too short to live a lie and I'm still young despite being a grandmother,' she laughed.
'But what will happen with the pub?' Victoria said.
'God I don't know,' said Jan. 'It's a mess but at the moment the government are paying us some money but that will run out. Well we own the freehold and it's still our home she said reassuringly.'
'Maybe you could open a new business,' said Sakura.
'Yes but what?' Jan replied.
They walked on in silence all thinking of different ideas.
'Well we have the kitchen,' Jan said 'Maybe we could do some sort of takeaway. Everybody is ordering in these days and it doesn't look like the Pub will open soon.'
'Well that's a good idea,' said Victoria.
As they got back into the house all of them were relieved that they hadn't been stopped by the police.
'Honestly its lucky we didn't come across any police,' said Jan, 'As I would have given them a right earful.' she bristled angrily as she hung her coat in the hall.
Darren was in the kitchen drinking a coffee and listening to some old soul music.
'Did you finish your video?' Sakura asked smiling at him.
His face lit up anytime she spoke to him and his blue eyes shone just that bit brighter.
'I sure did,' he said, 'It was just a short piece about the vaccine. If the Doctors are correct in their analysis, then we could see a sharp uptick in the death rate in the heavily-vaccinated countries in less than a year. Cardiac arrests are already rising. I mean is the vaccine a ticking time bomb? Already heart attack rates have increased and you know some doctors and scientists are saying that it will affect your immune system leaving you more vulnerable to getting seriously ill from a virus. For God's sake how can this be happening?
'I know,' said Sakura, 'You're right and why are the government pushing a vaccine that has had no proper trials and is not approved?'
'Well, I'm never taking it,' added Jan.
'I hope Dad and Granny are going to be okay taking this poison,' Victoria said in a really worried voice with tears welling up. Jan went over and gave her a big hug, 'Come on now Vic's we have to be strong.'
Later that day Victoria had a chance to have a chat alone with Darren and she told him what Jan had said.
'Mum wants to get a divorce Darren can you believe it?' she said.
Darren looked his sister in the eye and said, 'Come on Victoria can't you see that their relationship is not what it should be?'
Victoria knew Darren was right but she had just never wanted to face it.
Then out of nowhere Darren added, 'Look Vic I think Dad is probably Gay.' Victoria burst out laughing at this.
'Come on Darren you can't be serious,' she gasped. Then she saw by the look on his face that he was deadly serious.
'Mum told me once that they hadn't had sex since Emma was born,' Darren said.
'Oh my god Darren maybe your right!' said Victoria.
It was too much to take in and Victoria was speechless until she said 'why on earth did Mum tell you they weren't having sex?
'That's a bit weird!'
'Oh it was back when she was drinking a lot and she said it one night and cried her eyes out.' Darren explained, 'I just put two and two together.'
'Okay, well let's not jump to conclusions,' said Victoria not really wanting to believe it could be true. 'Anyway Mum is much happier now, look at her she's embracing life and despite her grief she is trying to live so I totally support her.'
Sakura entered the living room and feeling a bit embarrassed that she was maybe interrupting things she quickly asked if they would like her to make some cakes.
'Hey why not?' said Victoria, 'Let me help you and you can show me how to make those delicious cakes. We can use the pub kitchen.'
Jan joined Sakura and Victoria in the pub kitchen and all three of them laughed and joked as they followed Sakuras instructions and in a matter of hours they had produced some chocolate eclairs and Sakura's doughnuts which were her specialty.
It was that day that a new business was born.
'We could do this said Jan and sell them online. Delivering fresh pastries, come on it's a winner!'
They all realized that this was seriously something they could do.
'The kitchen is just sitting here empty,' said Jan.
'I would love to just bake all day,' said Sakura, 'That's my dream.' 'Well maybe we have our new business,' Jan said excitedly.
Later they all gathered in the open plan living room and discussed the idea with Darren.
'Brilliant idea and then I can eat cake all day,' he said smiling.
'What about a name for the business? How about Sakuras?' said Victoria.
'Oh, her name means cherry blossom,' said Darren, 'Isn't that beautiful just like you,' he said leaning over and kissing her on the cheek making Sakura blush.
They all talked for the next hours about the possibility of setting up a business. They already had a Health & Safety license and a kitchen. Victoria was good with design and could easily create a logo and a website. She talked excitedly with Sakura about Instagram and getting the product out there. It would be friends and family and word of mouth at first, that was how they saw their sales plan.
We can start small they agreed and see what happens. It was wonderful for them all to have a project to work on and in a matter of weeks they had pulled it all together and were ready to start.