Page 71 of The Second Chance Supper Club

Soon after the date was set with Nikki and Lily, she’d texted ‘all’ on the WhatsApp group inviting them to ‘Puddings and Patisserie Night’, care of Lily, at Cheviot Cottage. Whilst the boys answered immediately with a big ‘Whoop, we’re in!’ and a thumbs-up emoji, it took a further twenty-four hours to hear back from Will, with his muted ‘Yes, thanks.’ Had he been busy, or in fact mulling over whether or not he wanted to go? It was certainly going to be tricky for the two of them. And, having kept their heads down recently, it was the first time they’d be face to face since their childhood sweetheart revelation.

And, if he and Cath couldn’t get past their youthful hurts, then how did that bode for the friendship group? All those wonderful suppers she’d hoped were yet to come for them all. She didn’t want a black cloud cast over this evening for everyone else’s sake, so whatever had happened between them she vowed to be polite, but not to crowd Will either. To be fair, in her current guilt-tinged state of mind, she was more than happy to give him some space. They both needed time to get their heads around this blast-from-the-past revelation.

Lily had gone to a huge and impressive effort. She was going to take a load of photos to help support her Food Science coursework, and of course for her social media – you never knew who might be looking, she said animatedly. It was all a big dream, but she was very much hoping for some local chefs to spot her talents, just a comment or a ‘like’ would be a boost. To add to the fun this evening, she was going to let the supper clubbers vote for their favourite puddings; she would then use them for the dessert course of her A Level three-course menu. Cath loved her enthusiasm, and the support that Nikki, her aunt, was giving her. She wanted Lily to feel the whole group were behind her too, sort of pastry-chef cheerleaders. Yet, they needed to be honest and fair with their judgements. After all, nobody learned by being told they were perfect all the time. The schoolteacher in her was coming to the fore. It was core to who she was.

The guests (well, the three lads) were due to arrive at 6:30 p.m. for a glass of fizz in the garden, eek. She was so damned nervous about seeing Will again. Whilst fluttering queasily inside, Cath tried to put those feelings to one side. She needed to make this evening right for the girls; Lily had gone to so much effort. With a batch of tuition fees coming in, she’d splashed out on a nice French sparkling crémant, not quite champagne but as near as. Wonderful aromas of baking filled the cottage kitchen and were drifting up to the shed – a mouthwatering promise of what was to come – where she was laying out forks and spoons, a small white tea plate and napkin for each person, as well as her pretty glass jars for the tea-light candles.

The sun was shining for now, phew, though the forecast showed the chance of showers later. At 6:29 p.m. sharp, Andreas and Dan arrived with three tied posies of roses in various colours, one each for Lily, Nikki and Cath. Oh, how sweet of them. They also presented two chilled bottles of fizz, and an elderflower pressé – especially for the young chef. After all, Lily wasn’t quite the legal age to drink.

‘Hello, hello! We are so excited about this evening. Puddings and Patisserie, Lily, you’re a little gem,’ exclaimed Dan.

‘Hi, lovelies! So looking forward to this one. A bit of time out and some R&R is much needed, so bless you,’ Andreas added.

With that, the doorbell went again, and Cath felt her heart seize. She walked to the door filled with trepidation, taking a slow breath before opening it. Will was stood there, reticent, and looking anxious himself. Oh crikey, did they kiss on the cheek, give a friendly hug?

The awkwardness was so apparent, like an electric field. Cath remained a step or two away, and merely said, ‘Hi, come on in. We’re all here.’ As if to send him on his way to chat with the others … and give him a chance to escape her. Her heart was pounding inside, and felt all amiss. Oh, Matty.

Cath chatted with the lads, asking after Maria, who Andreas was concerned about again, saying she didn’t seem quite herself. Though her wrist was healing as well as could be expected, she’d mentioned having dizzy spells.

‘Oh, that’s such a worry for you, Andreas. I really did enjoy my visit with her, when you were away. She had so many wonderful stories to tell.’

‘I bet she was full of London life in the Swinging Sixties, was she?’

‘Yes, and it sounded so interesting … oh, and I heard about how you were a plump little angel.’ Cath grinned cheekily.

‘Oh no, not the tales of my puppy fat again?’

They both snorted with laughter.

Cath snuck away, busying herself helping Lily in the kitchen. She knew she couldn’t avoid the group for long though, as a rather anxious Lily was ready to serve her delicious savoury pastry nibbles. There were mini cheese and nduja sausage whirls, and Northumberland Nettle Cheese straws. Now outside in the garden – avoiding the far too cosy constraints of the summerhouse shed for the moment – with a glass of fizz to hand, Cath made sure to stick near Nikki, to avoid being stranded beside Will, who seemed as keen to keep his distance too.

Food and friendship filled the balmy summer air, along with some fun, with the lads telling tales from the Greek Cypriot wedding and their trip to London, but Cath couldn’t help but feel the tension between her and Will all the while. This was harder than she’d imagined. There was a huge and uncomfortable divide between them. She just hoped the others didn’t see it.

An hour into the evening, and Nikki went looking for Cath, catching up on the landing outside the cottage’s bathroom.

‘Hey, Cath, what’s up between you and Will? You’ve hardly shared a word all night. And there’s some really odd looks going on? Talk about frosty, it’s like bloody icicles between you.’

‘Ah, don’t worry. It’s nothing, honestly …’ Cath said, unable to stop the heat rising in her cheeks.

‘Which tells me it really is something,’ was her friend’s response.

Damn, Nikki wasn’t going to be fobbed off that easily. ‘It’s a bit complicated, but we’re fine, honestly.’ She did not want to be talking about this now. And, she realised, if anyone needed to know their youthful story, and her side of things, then firstly it was Will. Then perhaps this horrid stand-off might get resolved.

‘He’s not still holding a grudge about that bloody car park thing, is he?’ Nikki hazarded a guess. ‘But you two seemed to have sorted that a while back.’

‘Hah, no, that was ages ago.’ Cath wished it were something that simple. Mind you, it might be a good hook to rest this on. ‘Well, at least I had thought so. But hey, who knows …’ She tried to sound light-hearted.

‘And nothing’s happened between you? Ooh, you haven’t gone and told him you fancy him or something?’

She flushed bright pink. ‘Of course not, Miss Bloody Marple. Enough said, okay.’

‘All right, all right. Keep your hair on.’

‘Anyway, please, just leave it … He might just be feeling a bit off or something.’

‘Sure.’ Nikki pulled a ‘been told-off’ kind of face, as she disappeared into the loo.

Lily walked carefully up the garden steps and into the fairy-lit shed, where the five other supper club members were waiting in mouth-watering anticipation. She came bearing the first of her Puddings and Patisserie platters.