Page 45 of The Second Chance Supper Club

Cath was kneeling at the border’s edge, trowel in hand, digging out some bindweed that had dared to take root among the fragrant purple lavender.

She knew better than to leave that invasive plant to take over.

It was a sunshine-and-showers kind of day and she was making the most of a dry hour to attack the weeds.

She daren’t let Reggie’s legacy of flowers and shrubs go to ruin.

In fact, she’d even bought new seeds, and after weeding the raised bed, last week, had started a small vegetable and herb garden – all the better for her supper recipes.

Tiny sprigs of life had already started, the warm and at times wet weather bringing them on.

Soon enough there’d be a row of carrot tops, beetroots and lollo rosso lettuce, along with the parsley, sage, thyme and oregano plants that were settling in nicely at one end.

In her jeans pocket, Cath’s mobile burst into life. It took her a second or two to work out the vibration from her hip area.

‘Hi, sis. You okay?’

‘Yeah, fine. Been busy, but good.’ Cath brushed some mud from her knees and settled herself down in a garden chair, holding the phone in the crook of her neck for a few seconds as she peeled off her muddy gardening gloves.

‘Great. And how’s it been with Adam back down in Leeds?

’ ‘Ah, it was lovely seeing him again, but I have to admit that it’s a bit of a relief to have the cottage back to myself.

It’s just … we were so on top of each other here.

I do hope he didn’t feel pushed out, though.

’ Mother and son had been messaging and chatting, but she had this nagging feeling that Adam was struggling with life.

Coming back from his adventures, looking for a bright career, a new focus, and failing in that – other than finding some bar work to tide himself over with – had evidently left him feeling flat.

His youthful get-go spark had dimmed. And she hoped she hadn’t added to that feeling, stressing him out about sharing the small space of the cottage.

‘Ah, he’ll be fine. Be having fun back in Leeds. Can’t have been much going on for him there in your little village …’

‘Not for a twenty-something, no, I suppose not.’ Cath felt a bit better, her sister’s comment helped her put things back in perspective, so she parked her guilt.

‘Sounds as though he’s getting fed up living with Trev.

And, of course, the girlfriend’s back on the scene.

How did I guess that might happen? Adam’s now talking about getting himself moved in with an old uni friend …

they’ve found a cheap flat to rent in Kirkstall. ’

‘Well, it can’t be easy living with your dad and his new bit of fluff. It’ll give Adam a bit of independence, too. Sounds a good idea. Anyhow, that leaves the spare room free again, I imagine?’ hinted Susie.

‘Well, yeah.’

‘Fab. Because guess what, I have a free weekend next week …’

‘Are you inviting yourself?’ Cath grinned.

‘Hah, yeah, absolutely.’

‘O-kay. That’d be lovely. Yeah, let’s go for it.’ There was nothing stopping Cath from having her, no prior engagements other than tuition which she’d squeeze in fine, and already she found herself looking forward to it.

‘Brilliant … I’ll get my little suitcase at the ready.’

Cath could hear the smile in her sister’s voice. And, this was one guest she really would enjoy having to stay.

Cath was whizzing around, puffing up cushions and generally whipping her cottage into shape.

The duster and the hoover had been out, the upstairs windows opened wide whilst she worked, and the spare bed made up with fresh white linen.

She wanted her cottage to look its best for Susie’s arrival.

It wasn’t that her sister was particularly fussy or anything, more that she wanted both herself and her new place to appear homely and welcoming; neat, tidy and sorted, in fact.

Susie was due in around half an hour – she’d phoned en route as she was nearing the market town of Alnwick.

The sisters spoke every week as well as messaging, but hadn’t seen each other in person for a few months now.

With Susie living down in Derbyshire, having a full-time job as a personal assistant in a manufacturing company, and a busy family and social life, getting together wasn’t always easy.

Cath was looking forward to a relaxed girlie couple of days with time to chill, chat and have a damned good catch-up.

A toot of a car horn announced Susie’s arrival. Cath dashed out to greet her. There she was, stepping out onto the pavement dressed in orange-linen palazzo pants and a stylish black V-neck top, glossy-brown hair pulled back by a pair of shades. ‘Helloo.’ She gave a broad grin.

‘You’ve made it! Hello. How was the journey?’

‘Not too bad. Ah, it’s so lovely to see you.’ They fell into a warm sibling hug.

‘Come on in. Welcome to my humble abode.’ Cath ushered her through the hall and into the kitchen.

‘Ready for a cuppa?’ ‘I am indeed. It was a long slog, and I only stopped the once. Aw, it looks gorgeous in here.’ Susie looked around her at Cath’s cosy kitchen.

‘Love the old stone wall there, full of character. And the yellow shade where the shelves are, that’s perfect. ’

‘Thank you.’ And it had, in the end, all gelled together. The mix of old and new. The cottage’s original stone walls, Cath’s splash of yolky colour, the mixing bowl found in the cupboard, now sat on the shelf alongside memories and the odd photo salvaged from their old Leeds family life.

‘And how are you doing?’ Susie asked.

‘Yeah, pretty good. Things are looking up. I’m really starting to feel at home here.’

‘That’s great. And, I have to say, you look much better than when I saw you last.’

‘Ah, thanks … I think.’

‘Sorry, I meant, well, you were so tired, and you had that …’ She paused, trying to find the right word. ‘Sadness about you. It’s been such a shit time, hasn’t it.’

‘Yeah, it’s taken some getting my head around. The hurt, that feeling of devastation and then all the changes … Anyway,’ Cath rallied, ‘I do feel like I’m moving on. And I love this place, my cottage … and it’s all my own. Well, now Adam’s stuff is all away again …’ She gave a wry smile.

Cath got her best porcelain mugs and her little teapot for two out. She’d baked a lemon, lime and thyme drizzle cake for Susie’s arrival, which she now sliced releasing zingy scents of citrus.

‘Ooh, I am being spoilt.’

‘Absolutely. It’s not often I get the chance to.’ ‘So, you’re still enjoying your cooking, then?’ ‘Yep, and it’s helped me make some new friends.’

‘Hah, you’ve been bribing the locals with cake? I suppose there are worse ways to make friends.’

‘Supper actually. And yeah, meeting new people, making friends over food and wine, it’s been good.’

‘Oh, yes, you were telling me … some kind of village supper club. Good for you. Anyone interesting there?’ Susie raised an eyebrow.

Cath knew exactly what she meant and felt the heat of a blush. ‘Now, you know I’m not in the market for any new relationships. Crikey, I’ve only just got out of the frying pan, I’m not jumping into the bloody fire.’

‘Hmm, shame,’ was all Susie uttered.

‘And yeah, there are some really nice people,’ Cath continued.

‘I’ve told you about the lads from the shop, and then there’s Nikki, she runs her own cleaning company, she’s good fun.

Her niece has just joined us too, who seems to be a bit of a baking whizz, full of ambition to make a career in catering.

’ There was a slight pause, and then she added, ‘And then, there’s a guy called Will. ’

Susie’s eyebrow quirked higher.

‘Runs a bicycle repair shop. Nice bloke. But hey, there’s nothing in it …

’ Not yet. Cath left it at that. If she told her sister he was a widower and looked like Marti Pellow, and that she actually fancied him, well that would be it.

Full interrogation, and a kick up the arse for her hanging back on someone dishy.

Cath grabbed their cups, and they took up the two seats at the kitchen table. Over Earl Grey and luscious lemon cake they carried on catching up with each other’s lives.

An hour later, feeling much more relaxed, and still settled in the kitchen, Susie asked, ‘So, what are we doing this evening, sis? Drinks here, perhaps? Oh, and I’ve brought a bottle of champagne with me to christen your new home.

I’ll go get it, and fetch my other stuff in from the car.

And then, can I treat you to supper at the pub?

’ Susie was her usual bubbly and generous self.

‘Well, I had made a quiche to warm up at some point, but I suppose we can always have that for lunch tomorrow. Dinner at the pub does sound good.’

‘It does indeed. I’ll give The Star Inn a quick call – I’ve already looked it up, menu looks great – and I’ll get us booked in.

In the meantime, can you find some glasses for the fizz?

’ Susie was so positive about the village already, the difference between her sister and Helen’s visit was markedly different, and that made Cath relax all the more.

Within minutes they were booked, a table for two in the bar area, and after chilling the champagne in the freezer for a short while before popping the cork, they were soon ready to unwind with flutes to hand. The little bubbles making delightful ripples through the pale-gold liquid.

Cath took a look outside the back door. ‘Hmm, it’s slightly breezy out there just now.

’ The earlier rain clouds had passed, but it was still on the cool side.

‘But are you happy to take these up to the garden shed? We can find a bit of shelter there, and you can see my summerhouse renovations. I’m really quite pleased with it. ’

‘Yeah, ’course, I’d love to see it.’

They wandered out into the garden, where tall Spode-blue-and-white delphiniums, delicate cream roses, and lacy-pink peonies were now in bloom, sheltered in a sunny spot by the fence – more of Reggie’s green-fingered legacies – and headed on up the steps.

Cath opened the glass doors of her summerhouse to reveal its white and sage-green interior with its eclectic chairs and shabby-chic furniture. Earlier, she’d even popped a posy jar of home-grown sweet peas on the table, just in case. She felt a buzz of pride as she showed the little shed off.

‘All my own work. It was more than a bit run down when I first got here.’

‘You dark horse, you. Wow, it’s amazing. I love what you’ve done,’ Susie commented, eyes wide as she took a step inside. ‘So, have you turned into some DIY goddess or something, now Trev’s off the scene?’ Her sister beamed at her.

‘Not quite, but I have given it my best shot. And hey, if I can do a few jobs myself, well, it saves spending a fortune on some handyman.’

‘Hmm, depends on who the handyman might be?’ Susie quirked an eyebrow with a cheeky grin.

And why did Will leap to mind then? He fixed bicycles, not houses or sheds, and certainly not broken hearts, Cath reminded herself sternly.

The girls settled down in the summerhouse, fizz in hand, looking out over next door’s slate roof tiles towards the country hills.

The barley fields, lower down in the valley, gleaming in the just breaking sun, with ripening ripples of green and gold.

The two sisters were ready to catch up on all the goss and family chit-chat from the past few months.