Packing

All the way along the river, Ana tried to put Helen’s words in order, the way she put loaves on a tray. Half the bakery belonged to Michael. The sale needed his signature. Walter was going to Leeds on Friday. And Michael, who had just been told by his own father to stay away, probably had no idea that the whole future of Bridge Street was waiting for him to pick up a pen. She walked faster.

Pe tot drumul de-a lungul râului, Ana a încercat să pună cuvintele Helenei în ordine, așa cum așeza pâinile pe tavă. Jumătate din brutărie îi aparținea lui Michael. Vânzarea avea nevoie de semnătura lui. Walter mergea la Leeds vineri. Iar Michael, căruia propriul tată tocmai îi spusese să stea departe, probabil habar nu avea că întregul viitor din Bridge Street aștepta ca el să ia un stilou în mână. A mers mai repede.

By the time she reached the canal, Ana was out of breath and the light was already going. The ducks were settling for the night under the old bridge. On one of the boats somebody was frying onions, and the smell drifted along the water. Everything looked exactly as it always did, which seemed unfair.

Când a ajuns la canal, Ana își pierduse suflul, iar lumina deja dispărea. Rațele se așezau pentru noapte sub podul vechi. Pe una dintre bărci cineva prăjea ceapă, iar mirosul plutea pe apă. Totul arăta exact ca de obicei, ceea ce părea nedrept.

The Second Chance did not look as it always did. Its side doors were open, and there were cardboard boxes on the path next to it, some taped shut, some still empty. The little stove was out. The hatch over the engine at the back had been lifted, and Michael was kneeling beside it with a torch and an oily cloth, his sleeves pushed up to the elbows.

The Second Chance nu arăta ca de obicei. Ușile ei laterale erau deschise și pe aleea de lângă ea se aflau cutii de carton, unele lipite cu bandă adezivă, altele încă goale. Soba mică era stinsă. Trapa de deasupra motorului din spate fusese ridicată, iar Michael stătea în genunchi lângă ea, cu o lanternă și o cârpă uleioasă, cu mânecile suflecate până la coate.