Page 53 of The Seaside Supper Club

On the way out, pausing at the threshold beside Cath, as the group made their farewells, Andreas said, in a hushed voice, ‘You know we’d love to help Will with those renovations. Get the beach bungalow shipshape for him again.’

‘We would indeed,’ agreed Dan.

‘We understand how careful he’s got to be, just now, of course,’ continued Andreas. ‘No reaching or bending, painting and decorating, for him. But it seems such a shame for you two not to be able to use the beach house …’ he sought the right word. ‘… Comfortably, yet.’

‘I know, but it’s just one of those things. No point in Will worrying about it,’ said Cath.

‘Exactly. Hmm, leave it with me. I’ll get my thinking cap on.’ He gave a wink.

*

Back home in her cottage, later that evening, Cath heard her phone buzz. She answered it to find it was a video call from Andreas.

She was tucked up in bed, propped against her pillows with a book, doing her best to try and decompress from these full-on, emotional and unusual few days. It hadn’t seemed right to assume, or even ask, to stay over at Will’s with Sophie now there. Will would likely prefer the comfort of having the double bed to himself, and some privacy to sort his catheter, anyhow. In these early post-op days, intimacy was naturally off the agenda, but Cath would have happily stayed in one of the spare rooms to be on hand to help.

‘So how are you doing, lovely?’ Andreas brought her back to the here and now. ‘All this with Will must have hit you so hard. Oh …’ He peered at the screen. ‘Are you in bed there?’

‘I am.’ She smiled. ‘You’ve caught me having an early night. It seemed very tempting.’

‘Well, I don’t blame you, petal. You’ve been through the mill lately, I bet.’

‘Ah, I’m all right. Tired, but fine. Just need to get the patient on the road to recovery again.’

‘And that’s exactly why I’m calling. So, we’ve been talking, me and Dan with the supper club girls …’ And he began to tell her all about their incredible plans.

Cath listened with her heart swelling. ‘And you’d really do all that? It sounds amazing, but that’s a big job. And you’re all working …’ She didn’t want them to feel under any pressure. There’d be a whole host of tasks involved with organising the Tilldale tea event as well, which was creeping up all too fast. She’d naturally put that on hold these past few weeks, but they’d all have to get back on track with that soon enough.

‘Yep, we’ve discussed it as a group, and we have some time at the weekends, and in the evenings, too. After all, the summer days are long just now.’

Dan, hovering beside Andreas, added, ‘And it’ll surely be at least two weeks before Will’s feeling up to making that walk to the hut from the car park.’

Andreas commented, ‘Oh yes, watching him try and move today, oh my, I’ve been wincing for him.’

‘I know, the poor soul,’ Cath agreed. ‘So yeah, he won’t in reality be able to get over there very soon.’ And, she mused, if much of the decorating plans that these guys were talking about were completed by the time he did get there, it might well stop Will trying to do too much too soon.

‘Lily’s on board; she agrees it’ll be wonderful to help Will. The cancer news, and his surgery, that’s been such a lot for you both to deal with. She and Nikki are right up for this,’ Andreas confirmed.

‘Oh, my goodness.’ Cath was still trying to take in their generous offer.

‘If you can get the keys, we’ll aim to please,’ added Dan with a quirky smile, delighted with his rhyme.

‘It’ll be a lot to take on, quite a challenge,’ warned Cath, still wary of them overloading their already busy lives, yet feeling delighted that they’d come up with such a kind project.

‘Oh, go on, let us do it. It’s all for Will. I can feel another DIY SOS coming on,’ urged Dan with enthusiasm.

‘A beach hut-athon!’ announced Andreas.

‘Okay. And of course, I’ll try and help out too, where I can.’ Cath found herself grinning, despite the thought of yet more work ahead. ‘And please don’t go too wild with the decor. Remember Will’s a lot more reserved than you lot.’ She raised a smile, remembering the talk of cocktail bars and pink flamingos at their paella day.

Their offer of help was amazing. Will would so love this. And she could just picture taking him down there, once it was all completed and he was feeling brighter. Their friends all there, ready for the big reveal.

And so, the ‘Beach Hut Challenge’ was born.

*

‘You okay to talk?’ Nikki’s hushed tones came down the phone line. ‘Did you manage to get the keys?’

It was two days later, and on hearing her friend’s voice, Cath moved to the downstairs loo at Will’s house. ‘Ah, hi … Yes,’ she then whispered back. ‘I found them in the kitchen drawer. They’re safely in my handbag. Shall I drop them in to you shortly? On my way back to the cottage.’