Page 29 of The Seaside Supper Club

‘Hey, of course you haven’t, these things happen. I couldn’t have just left you there at the side of a busy road. It’s fine. Sophie will have been okay by herself for a while. Probably glad to get me out from under her feet.’ Will pulled up kerbside, in front of his house. ‘Come on in.’

Cath felt a little nervous walking up the path, hoping she hadn’t spoilt the day for dad and daughter, especially knowing that Sophie could be bristly at times. She put on her best smile, however, as she stepped forward into the house. Will held the front door open for her, calling out, ‘We’re home, Soph.’

Cath wondered how the ‘we’re’ bit was going down, right now.

Sophie appeared in the hallway.

‘Hi, Sophie, your dad’s been brilliant today. Sorry if I’ve messed up any plans,’ Cath brazened it out.

‘S’okay.’ Sophie didn’t look that happy about it, to be frank. But her words weren’t too harsh. They were going to have to learn how to get along. Both of them wanting Will’s company, time and love. Better that they moved forward as a team. But that was easier said than done.

‘Thanks for being so understanding, love,’ added Will.

‘Thank you,’ Cath confirmed.

Sophie gave a small tight nod. If Sophie had been a hedgehog, her bristles would have been right on end, Cath mused.

‘I’ll go make that coffee,’ said Will, leaving the girls alone.

Sophie was a bit sharper, however, once Will was out of earshot. ‘Well, that’s the afternoon almost over. Dad had mentioned about going to the pub for lunch, too,’ she muttered sourly.

‘I’m sorry, Sophie. I hadn’t realised you were home, or that the two of you had plans. Your dad didn’t say …’

‘Well, that’s typical,’ came the young woman’s retort.

Dammit, she’d evidently landed Will in it too, now. It must have seemed like Sophie’s visit wasn’t important to him.

But actually, after the afternoon she’d had, Cath was beginning to feel cheesed off with this. She loved Sophie’s dad, and she wasn’t going anywhere. This wasn’t a twelve-year-old she was dealing with; Sophie was twenty-one. ‘Look, Sophie, I’ve said I’m sorry. This wheel blow-out was bloody awful and dangerous for me. Your dad’s been great, and I’m really appreciative of that. It’s a shame it’s spoilt your lunch plans or whatever, but please don’t take it out on me … or him.’

Sophie looked up, somewhat startled.

‘I know this isn’t easy for you, me coming into your dad’s life but we’re a couple, and I’m in this for the long haul, Sophie. So, we may as well try to get along. It’ll be very difficult for your dad otherwise, and I think after everything, he deserves more than that.’

Sophie didn’t get time to respond, as Will came into the front room where they were, right on cue, with a couple of mugs of coffee. ‘I made one for you too, Soph,’ he said as he passed them over. ‘You girls, okay?’ He must have sensed an atmosphere in the room.

‘Ah, yeah, fine, Dad,’ came Sophie’s response, as she managed to glance rather guardedly over towards Cath.

It might make the young woman think about their situation anyhow, mused Cath, who gave a small friendly smile, whilst hoping this might be the verbal kick-up-the-bum Will’s daughter needed. She’d very much been the princess of the family, the youngest and ‘daddy’s girl’. It was time to grow up, step up and learn some respect. Enough said, thought Cath.

‘Thanks, Will.’ She took her coffee gratefully, at this point rather wishing it might morph into a gin and tonic.

Chapter 10

Plans were afoot in the village. The supper club gang were settled at Dan and Andreas’s kitchen table in the flat above the stores, after closing time the following Tuesday. They had already spent a half hour discussing fundraising ideas for the tea event: a themed hamper raffle filled with gourmet afternoon tea goodies – this sounded a winner, and Nikki’s boys had offered to go around the village washing cars for a fiver, and happy to put all the funds raised into the pot. Will was delighted with this idea, and he and Cath put their vehicles forward to be the first cleans. Thankfully, the Mini was all repaired and back at home.

Cath also advised that the Brownies group had volunteered to do a sponsored trampoline ‘bounce-a-thon’, and she told them about Julie’s recent offer of a donation from the care home. When she’d visited last week, the manager had explained that the home had been left some money by Christopher, who’d sadly passed away a couple of weeks before. The elderly gent had loved coming to the Tilldale Christmas do, and had apparently been talking about it up until the end. It had seemed very fitting, that a part of his monies go to help another Tilldale event, one that was guaranteed to cheer the home’s residents, Julie had said.

Lily – via a video call to the others, being mid-exams and studying hard – was on the case with organising some live music for the dancing, telling them that she was in discussion with some members of the high school’s band, and negotiating a small fee for their attendance. She laughed about bribing them with the promise of cake for a reduced rate.

‘That’d be brilliant if you can get them involved,’ Cath said, feeling the event was starting to come together. ‘It would be wonderful to have live music for the guests to dance to. Oh, can you check if they can perform any 50s-style tunes?’ she asked.

‘I have already, and they’ve been practising “Swing”, “Sinatra” and “Big Band” sounds for a school concert this year. They’ll be the perfect fit.’

‘Ideal. Thank you so much, lovely,’ said Andreas, with a grin.

‘And how are the exams going, dare I ask?’ queried Dan cautiously.

‘Ahm, okay, I suppose. I’m pretty much knackered. But I’ve just gotta keep going.’ She seemed resigned to her revision-heavy fate.