Page 37 of The Seaside Supper Club

With the crockery now stacked on the side, Andreas popped his head in to advise that the colourful Spanish-style dishes, which they’d served the paella in, were to stay as a ‘hut-warming’ present.

‘But they’re your special holiday ones. We can’t take them,’ said Will.

‘Of course you can,’ insisted Dan, appearing at his partner’s shoulder. ‘It seems very fitting that their new home is here by the sea.’

‘That’s so kind of you, lads,’ said Will, evidently touched.

‘That’s wonderful, thank you. They are gorgeous,’ added Cath.

‘We think they’ve found their rightful home in the beach bungalow,’ Andreas told them, with Dan smiling warmly on.

It also meant they wouldn’t have to lug them back over the dunes, confessed Andreas more pragmatically to a chorus of laughter. After farewell hugs all round, Andreas was once again looking like a pack mule as they set off; loaded with the huge paella pan, sangria jug, Tupperware items and a rucksack filled with a heap of kitchen utensils. Dan had two half-empty cool bags; one packed carefully with the sangria wine glasses, tea towels and some spare ingredients. The girls were also loaded for the return walk, with the fold-up chairs, picnic rug and Nikki’s wine bag filled with several empties, ready to recycle at the local bottle bank.

It couldn’t have been a more joyful day. And Cath’s heart, bruised from the news of Will’s PSA test and impending scan, felt like it had been lifted with love.

Their supper club gang were waving merrily as they set off, calling out ‘Bye’, ‘Thanks’, ‘It’s been brilliant!’, ‘Love the beach bungalow!’ and were soon on the trek across the dunes once more, back to the little car park behind the pub, and then on to Tilldale.

‘Well, that was really lovely,’ said Cath with a happy sigh.

She couldn’t help but feel a touch of sadness, however, as she watched their friends go. It had been such a fun and magical day. The quiet that moved in as their gorgeously sociable supper gang moved out, left space in their minds for concerns about the impending MRI scan, and what it might reveal, to shift uneasily back to the forefront.

The beach below them was emptying, with just the odd dog walker about, and an early evening calm took over the bay. Eider ducks bobbed on the gentle waves, and terns glided across a sky that was now an inky-mauve-blue with hints of faded gold and peach as the sun began to dip lower. The ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle stood shadowy on the far headland.

The bungalow deck was now a space for two. It seemed right to stay a while longer. To ease into the evening, and make the most of this view, this place, before they inevitably headed home and back to reality.

‘That paella was amazing, wasn’t it,’ said Will, as he topped Cath up with a glass of Rioja wine. He’d switched to sparkling water.

‘Yeah, it was really good. Delicious.’

‘I’d go as far as to say it’s the best I’ve ever had. The lads always do a brilliant job of catering. And you know, it’s really helped take my mind off things, today.’ Will’s eyes had a hint of their gorgeous sparkle back. Today really had been a light in the shadow of his recent news.

‘I can tell. And that’s so lovely. Yeah, having everyone here has helped me too,’ agreed Cath. It had been a welcome relief. Even though their supper club friends hadn’t known a thing about their current worries, their kindness and their friendship, and of course their sense of fun, was support in itself.

‘I had a really good time,’ acknowledged Will.

‘And just think how many more wonderful times we can have, especially when we get the bungalow shipshape. Perhaps we can freshen it up with a lick of paint, and find some more furniture.’ It was nice to make plans, to think of the future. And there would be a future for them with all sorts of things to look forward to, once they got past this hurdle. Cath felt her resolve strengthen.

‘Yeah, it’ll be good to get my girls over here, once I’ve got it a bit more sorted too. They’ll love it.’ Maddie and Sophie, though curious on now hearing about their dad’s inheritance, hadn’t made it over to see the hut in the dunes as yet. Will hadn’t been in a big rush to show them either, to be fair, until he’d had chance to get some of the work done, making it look and feel a little more the part. He didn’t want them to end up disappointed.

Talking of his daughters, Cath was jolted by the thought that the results of the scan which was booked for later this week, could change all of their lives … She tried to keep those fears down. Why spoil such a lovely day. But surely Will couldn’t help but think about that, too. It was like life was on hold for them both until this next step. Cath sent a silent prayer to the golden-hued evening sky that all would be well for Will, and that perhaps, hopefully, it wouldn’t come down to having to tell the girls at all.

She reached a hand out to his, and held on. Neither said anything as they looked out across the bay. There was almost too much they might say, and somehow right now they didn’t feel the need to. Who knew what was next in life? What curveballs and pain, and what moments of joy and love, might lie over that next horizon.

They stayed in the now, holding hands, with the most stunning of North Sea views before them. One day, and one moment at a time.

Chapter 14

Cath found the wait excruciating. Being asked back in for results was, in her experience, never a good sign. She was pacing the hospital corridor whilst Will spoke to his doctor. Though Cath had offered to be there by his side, Will had wanted to face this one alone, heading into the consultant’s room by himself.

The past couple of weeks had been tough. And since the wonderfully uplifting beach bungalow paella day, Cath and Will had had to plough on at work and at home, until the scan day finally arrived. Both of them hoping against hope that all would be well, and that this nightmare they’d suddenly been plunged into would end. But that wasn’t to be.

After that, the biopsy had come next, and again, yet more days to get through. More nights at Cath’s in each other’s arms, words often failing them. Cath couldn’t help but notice that Will didn’t seem to want to be intimate in his own home, not more than a brief kiss and a cuddle. Perhaps the ghost of Jane, and his family ties felt so strong there, that it still seemed inappropriate for him, somehow.

And then, he’d had to deal with presenting cheery-faced video calls to his girls, trying hard to hide any trace of his fears or this dilemma he was facing. He was determined to protect them for as long as he could. Cath could understand that, respecting his decision, especially after all they had been through as a family, but she couldn’t help but think that if she was in his daughters’ position then she’d have wanted to know. And unable to offload her stress and fears in a private chat perhaps with her sister, steadfastly keeping her promise to keep Will’s health scare as a secret until they knew the outcome either way, the tension for them both had been palpable throughout.

And here they were. The outcome imminent. What kind of conversation was going on between those consulting room walls? A relieved or extremely difficult one?

The sound of a door opening from along the corridor. Cath was on high alert. Oh, here he was. Will was coming out. His face looked pale. Her heart felt all jittery. The sucky swish of his trainers on the grey lino floor filled the corridor as he approached, sounding very much like the swishing of her own stomach.