Page 74 of The Second Chance Supper Club

‘Umbrellas at the ready … and we’re off,’ Nikki declared at the doorstep.

‘Never fear, nothing can dampen our spirits. That was a cracker of a night, Lily,’ said Dan.

Cath stood waving and watching them go. And then her heart sank. Though she’d tried her best to stay chirpy, keeping up the ‘hostess with the mostess’ act, her spirits had been well and truly dampened by Will’s continuing coldness towards her. Dammit, could things ever be right between her and Will from now on? Had she and her naïve and thoughtless antics from years ago ruined the future of the Supper Club group?

Another voice rang out in her mind and tremored in her heart too. Had she totally scuppered any chance of getting to know the real Will anymore? The man that Matty had become? And if so, why did that hurt so much?

Chapter 42

Cath sat nursing a cuppa. It was slightly chilly there in the potting shed, so she was huddled with a fleecy rug wrapped around her. She’d just finished clearing the last things from yesterday’s pudding night, and though that had been lovely and was a big success for Lily, she couldn’t help but feel tired, and a touch lonely. This was the place, after all, that only a few weeks ago, she and Will had talked, watched the stars, and held hands. She had this sinking feeling that life was going amiss again. That she was somehow sliding away down the wrong path.

Sitting there, thinking about her and Will, the past and the future, Cath decided she was going to have to grab the proverbial bull by the horns. She held her mobile in her palm, intending to message, but then stalled over the best wording. She had a couple of false starts, deleted them, and then, before she had chance to change her mind, fired over a text:

Will, I know this is difficult, but would you mind calling by my cottage for a chat? Or I can come to you. I think I need to explain why I did what I did, back then. I feel I owe you that much.

She also owed it to herself, she realised. What she had done back then had been a regret of hers, for so many years now. And, as well as explaining that to Will, perhaps giving them both a second chance, she felt she very much owed it to their wonderful Supper Club group to try and put things right between them … or as right as she could. She’d work at building a bridge for the two of them; it might never now lead to romance, but it might make living in this same small village that little bit easier over time.

She took a slow breath. She could only try. And, after that, it was over to Will to see if he could forgive, if not yet forget.

Cath had an anxious wait for a reply, trying her best to get on with everyday life in the meanwhile. And finally, twelve hours later, there it came. A sinking feeling lodging in Cath’s gut as she began to read his response:

I don’t think that’s a good idea, Cath. Best just to leave things be, okay. It was a very long time ago, after all.

The hurt was there in the tone of his text. Cath sighed, thinking that the damage must have been done all those years ago. She knew he’d gone through so much else recently, too. He must still be hurting from the trauma of losing his wife … the woman who’d rebuilt his trust. No point adding to his turmoil, stirring up the past once more.

Well, there was her answer and she had to abide by his decision. The past was staying firmly in the past, and only she and Susie would ever know the truth about it. Even though it would be hard, she’d cover up the coolness between her and Will from the others somehow, and come up with some white lie to tell Nikki. But beyond that, oh, who knew how it would affect her life in the village from now on? She felt like she was missing Will already. Her heart felt leaden.

But it was what it was. The impasse was evidently to continue. She was walking the next day, getting a blast of fresh air and a nature hit to try and bolster her mood, when she saw him passing by in his car. She felt winded as she gave a polite half-wave. He nodded, an acknowledgement but no smile. And her world felt all wobbly … but she’d just have to learn to live with that, wouldn’t she?

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, which was never a good thing, Cath decided to go and do some good with a visit to Maria. A short drive through the leafy hawthorn-hedged country lanes with sunny rays blasting through the windscreen, brought her to Kirkton and the care home.

She was told Maria was out in the garden, making the most of the sunny day, and found her with a wide-brimmed hat on and a cup of tea, sat in the shade of an old oak tree. The birds were singing all around, and a sparrow was hopping near the elderly lady’s feet, no doubt on the lookout for biscuit crumbs.

‘Hello, Maria.’

‘Oh, hello. It’s Andreas’s friend, isn’t it … Cath, yes. Isn’t it beautiful out here. I get fed up being cooped up inside all the time.’

‘Yes, it’s a gorgeous garden,’ Cath agreed. The hydrangeas were in full bloom, bold bushes with deep-purple and red bursts of ball-shaped blossom. ‘Are you warm enough? Can I fetch you anything?’ She’d noticed a slight breeze.

‘Oh, I’m fine, thank you. It’s quite balmy today.’ The old lady was wearing a navy cardigan over a polyester blue-floral dress and thick tights. ‘How kind of you to visit again.’

‘I really enjoyed it last time. It’s no bother at all.’

‘Well, pull up a seat. And if you ask Linda, that’s the one in the green top, just over there, I’m sure one of the ladies will fetch you a cup of tea. I quite fancy a top-up, too.’

Cath was soon settled on a white plastic garden chair beside the elderly lady, with a cup of tea to hand. ‘And how are you doing?’

‘Pretty good. I get the cast off next week, thank heavens. So, no more being treated like a baby.’ She puffed out a sigh. ‘Anyway, how are you, young lady?’

‘I’m good thanks.’ Cath appreciated that she was very lucky with her health and her new home – all the other Will stuff could be put aside for now. ‘Oh, and can you tell me more about the wedding?’ she added. ‘Andreas said the family had sent some photos to you.’

‘Oh yes, I had some marvellous prints in the post, and they sent a piece of wedding cake all boxed up. Delicious it was, proper iced fruit cake, plenty of brandy in it too.’

‘Ah, lovely.’

‘It was a big fancy do in some posh hotel, by the looks of it. Andreas said how wonderful all the food was. Shame I missed all that.’ Maria gave a small tut, but then smiled. ‘And Eleni, her dark hair all piled up like a princess … and oh, her dress looked so magical. Many, many layers of tulle in a beautiful ivory, with a fitted bodice that sparkled with little jewels. Reminded me of photos we had of her when she was little and off to ballet class, such a pretty girl.’

Cath smiled too, picturing the little girl now all grown up and at her own fairytale wedding.