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‘You have to accept the sea for what it is,’ Nikki said at the time. ‘And I feel as if joining is the one way to prove Dad didn’t die for nothing.’
Bravery. That’s what every single member of the crew had. Without that courage the sea would win every time. They did their duty with no questions asked, just as William and Rik and all the rest of the men had that night. As Helen stood up to follow Nikki, she realised the twentieth anniversary was as important as the first.
17
Nikki was wary of Tamara Lethbridge. Her voice was a little too drawly, her eyes a little too wide, and her boho dresses must have cost an arm and a leg.
When her mum had finally resigned as chair of the Speedwell Memorial Committee last year, Nikki had presumed one of the old stalwarts would take over, but somehow Tamara had elbowed her way in, dazzling everyone with her contacts and her confidence. Now Nikki was wondering if she should have volunteered herself. Surely it was better for the committee to be in the hands of someone with close links? Rather than someone with a different agenda. Tamara and her husband Duke were sponsoring the twentieth anniversary, and they had poured money into the pot to make sure their company name was plastered all over everything. She had basically bought her way in.
Nikki also didn’t like the way Tamara had Suzanne in her thrall. Nikki admired her sister-in-law for spotting an opportunity. She was in high demand decorating many of the houses that had been snapped up in Speedwell after the pandemic by people wanting a slice of sea life. It had been wonderful to see Suzanne blossom and grow in confidence: it must have been tough, marrying into the North family as a bit of an outsider. Nikki knew she and her mum and Jess were all strong women and might be seen as overpowering, but now Suzanne had her own identity and was becoming quite a mover and shaker locally. Nikki feared Tamara had her dangling with the promise of the contract to do up the Pier, and worried that the job would end up going to one of her London cronies. Suzanne would be crushed.
Now the minutes were over, Tamara had taken the floor and was about to make an announcement to the committee.
‘I am absolutely thrilled – over the moon, in fact – to let you know that Zak Glazier has agreed to compose and perform a special song for the ceremony. Free of charge.’ Everyone looked at each other in astonishment. Zak was a chart-topping singer-songwriter who had bought a country retreat along the coast. He was seen around the town quite often, in his big coat and cowboy boots, his red curls flying out behind him.
‘This is going to move things up a gear,’ Tamara went on. ‘It pretty much guarantees us television coverage, certainly local, maybe national. And lots of interviews in the press. Zak has taken Speedwell to his heart since he moved here, and he told me it would be a privilege to honour the memory of those we lost that night.’
Nikki felt a flicker of irritation. Tamara had absolutely no experience of or connection to those who had been lost, so how dare she say ‘we’? And the committee had agreed at the last meeting to Juno writing and performing something special. Juno had been thrilled to be asked, and it had given a much-needed boost to her confidence. To have that snatched away would be a disaster.
Nikki knew the deal, though. There was money involved. Zak Glazier would pull the crowds in. Did that make it right? Yes, one of the aims of the committee was to raise funds for the lifeboat station, but it was also a very emotional and poignant event, and a very personal one.
She raised her hand, and heads turned towards her.
‘I thought we agreed at the last meeting that Juno was writing a song?’
‘Of course.’ Tamara smiled. ‘We’d still love that. Zak will need a support act. It will be great exposure for her.’
Nikki wasn’t going to let her get away with this. ‘I thought she was the headline? I’m sure that’s what we agreed. Can we check the minutes?’
She turned to Mandy Elwell, who was the secretary. Mandy looked alarmed, and started to leaf through her folder.
‘Nikki.’ Tamara spoke with exaggerated patience. ‘I’m sure you can appreciate this is a fantastic opportunity.’
‘For who, though? Zak doesn’t need the exposure.’
‘It’s very generous of him to give up his time.’
‘Juno’s giving up her time too. Is hers not worth as much as his?’
Nikki felt her mum put a hand on her arm in an attempt to calm her. Tamara’s smile was a little fixed. Nikki could see she wanted to shut her down as quickly as possible.
‘We can hardly ask Zak to be the support.’ Tamara held up her hands and appealed to the rest of the committee. There was a ripple of nervous laughter.
‘But he’s got nothing to do with what happened. He’s lived here for what – eighteen months? He has no personal connection whatsoever.’ Nikki looked around but no one met her eye. She frowned. Was she wrong, to think that this mattered?
The smile was still there. The I’m listening but I’m not listening smile.
‘I do understand. But we’re trying to spread the net a little wider to get coverage. And with that coverage will come more funding. You know how difficult it is to get donations and this is a gift.’
Nikki shut her eyes. She could just see it. It would be like a roadshow. Full of screaming teenagers. Not in keeping at all. The whole point of the memorial would be forgotten. And she wasn’t just being old-fashioned, or mealy-mouthed because it wasn’t her idea, or ungrateful. It was because this ceremony meant so much to her and the others. It was up to her to preserve its ethos.
Or was it? Should she just let it go?
‘We could put it to the vote?’ said Tamara.
Nikki could see, by the fact that no one had come forward to back her up, which way that would go. So that was it, she thought. Showbiz and money trumped respect and honour. She could picture the evening news. Zak there in his big coat, hunched up and mumbling some platitude. Tamara next to him, lapping up the attention. And Juno relegated to the warm-up act. She fought back tears of frustration.
‘That’s not necessary.’ There was an edge to her voice that people didn’t hear very often. Several members of the committee looked at each other, wondering if they should speak up. ‘I understand we must move with the times.’
