Page 62 of The Second Chance Supper Club

‘I hear the lads are at a wedding?’

‘Yes, that’s right. Family down in London.’

‘Ooh, lovely. And do let them know Maria’s been fine. We have already messaged them, but I know Andreas was particularly concerned about leaving her.’

‘Ah, that’s good news, and I will do.’

‘Well, here we are, and that’s Maria, just over there by the window.’

If Cath hadn’t been shown, she reckoned she would have soon worked it out. Despite her thick grey hair and wrinkled skin, which was far paler than her son’s, she had a look of Andreas across those dark eyes, still with a twinkle, as she looked up. She also had her arm in a cast and sling.

‘Hello, Maria, it’s Cath. I’ve brought you some biscuits. Shortbread, I’ve made them myself. And there’s plenty there, if you want to share.’ Cath set the tin down on the coffee table beside her.

‘Why, that’s lovely of you, spoiling me. Those other two, yesterday, came here with all sorts. We had some with our tea. Beautiful it was … a big sponge cake, and chocolatey little squares.’

‘Oh, chocolate brownies, I bet.’ It sounded like Lily had been baking too. ‘That was Nikki and her niece who came to visit you.’ They’d said they’d call in too, Cath remembered, so that Maria would have company on both days.

‘Very nice of them. Nikki … that was it. And Lily. Pretty girl. Lovely to see the young ones coming in. Get fed up with all these oldies at times.’

Cath had to smile. Maria was talking as though she was a ‘young one’ herself.

‘So, how are you feeling after your fall? How’s your wrist doing?’

‘Not so bad, not so bad. Silly old boot, aren’t I, falling over like that.’

‘Of course you’re not. These things are easily done,’ said Cath. ‘Oh, and I’ve heard from Andreas. I can show you a couple of photos of the wedding on my phone.’

‘Ah, that’d be marvellous. I’d love to see that … And our Eleni, I bet she makes a beautiful bride.’

‘She does indeed.’ Cath firstly showed Maria the image of her great-niece in all her wedding finery.

‘Omorfi. Beautiful!’

It was lovely to see the elderly lady’s face light up.

‘Do you have a mobile phone, Maria? Then I can send them over for you to keep.’

‘Well, I do, it’s back in my room. But I don’t know how to work the darned thing … or remember my number, come to that. Andreas is always showing me how to do things on it, and then telling me off when I forget.’

‘Don’t worry. The mobiles can seem complicated if you’re not used to them. I’ll ask one of the team here for your number before I go, and I’ll send them on anyhow. They can find them on your phone, and show you them when you want, that way.’

‘Thank you.’

Cath then scrolled on to the image of Andreas and Dan. Maria looked like she might burst with pride. ‘Oh, so handsome the pair of them.’

One of the carers came over, and asked both Cath and Maria if they’d like a cup of tea from the trolley, before serving the hot fragrant liquid in little green cups and saucers, and placing them on the coffee table before them.

‘Thank you. Oh, can I help you?’ Cath offered, realising it might be tricky for Maria to drink with her broken wrist.

‘If you can just put it there, to this side of me, then I’ll be fine, thank you. I’ve worked out how to do rather a lot with my left hand. Needs must.’ Maria, though frail physically, seemed bright as a button. Cath was very much warming to her.

‘Okay, there you go.’

‘So, how do you know my boy, Andreas?’

Cath explained how she’d recently moved into the village, and how kind Andreas and Dan had been to her. She mentioned the Supper Club and how their friendship had grown. ‘Ah, Andreas has told me about you … so you are the lady who cooks like an angel, with the fuckwit of a husband.’ Well, Cath hadn’t expected that, she nearly spat out her tea.

But yeah, the cap fitted.