Page 8 of The Second Chance Supper Club

After the car park drama, the next couple of days passed uneventfully, thank goodness.

Still, the cottage seemed almost too quiet.

Life had moved from the top gear of the family/work/ suburban-social-life motorway to a slow uphill crawl – even if it was the most scenic of hills that she found herself on.

It was as if her emotions, after the rollercoaster of hurt and destruction she’d been on, still needed to slow down to match her new life … her new place in the world.

She was beginning to warm to the yolk-yellow walls of the kitchen.

After re-positioning her recipe books on the shelves, alongside a pretty floral mug and a scented candle, and popping some pink tulips into a colourful spotted Emma Bridgewater jug, which she placed on the window sill, it finally came together, looking more country kitchen chic.

Cath found herself craving another piece of Andreas’s baklava, hmm or perhaps that honey cake.

Yes, something sweet, sticky and satisfying to follow her planned supper of cheese omelette and new potatoes.

(Her cooking inspirations were still rather on hold.) Okay, so she might end up putting on a few extra pounds if she wasn’t careful, but she’d lost weight these past months with the stress of everything.

And, she reasoned, she was now walking far more than she used to, making the most of the glorious late spring countryside around her.

With any luck, she hoped, one might just cancel the other out.

How lovely that he’d remembered her name. She was about to ask after Andreas’s mother, when the doorbell jangled, and in dashed a spritely young woman with a mass of wavy dark-blonde hair, dressed in black jogging bottoms and an orange polo shirt with a logo that read ‘The Canny Cleaning Company’.

‘Hiya, lads,’ the woman called out. She briskly ferreted in the freezer section, pulling out chicken nuggets, French fries and then grabbed a tin of baked beans from the shelf.

‘Ah, this’ll have to do,’ she muttered, in part to herself.

‘I’ve got a twenty-minute turnaround before football training – the kids not me,’ she added for the benefit of Cath, as she suddenly spotted another person in the shop. ‘I’m all out of ideas, and time …’

‘Busy day, Nikki?’ asked Dan.

‘You could say that, it’s been bloody manic. And old Mr T had a fall, so as well as cleaning his house, I ended up taking him to A&E in Alnwick for a check over. No major damage done, thank goodness. But, of course, that was an extra hour and a half on my day.’

‘Poor old Terry. And he’s okay now?’ Dan seemed concerned. ‘Yeah, just a bit shaken up, bless him. I left him back at home with a cheese and pickle sandwich and a cup of tea. I’ll pop back in the morning and check on him again.’

‘Well, let him know if there’s anything he needs from the shop, we’ll happily deliver if he’s feeling a bit shaky.’

‘Aw, will do.’ She whizzed her provisions to the counter, adding, as she glanced at Cath, ‘Sorry, pet, is it okay to nip in with these bits first?’

‘Of course.’ Cath had all the time in the world these days, almost too much time. How life could change.

‘I don’t know,’ Nikki chattered on, ‘I used to love cooking the family meals from scratch, but it’s all such a rush nowadays and it always seems to fall to me to work out what’s for tea.

Well, I’m all out of ideas …’ Poor thing, she sounded stressed.

‘Well, I’m sure they’ll be fine having this tonight,’ said Dan kindly.

‘And if there’re any complaints tell them to cook their own …

especially Kev. That’s the hubbie,’ he added for Cath’s benefit.

‘Oh, to have someone cook for me for once. That would be such a treat. Kev can just about manage to put a pizza in the oven, and that’s it.’

‘Well … nice to meet you,’ said Cath.

‘Sorry, you must think I’m rude, but I really do have to go.’ She gathered up her things.

‘No problem. Bye.’

‘Bye. Thanks.’ And she was off in a buzz of frenetic energy with the woosh of the closing door.

‘Now, that lovely lady is Nikki,’ Dan explained. ‘Lives in the village, three kids, a lazy husband and has her own cleaning company. Really nice, but always in a spin, dashing off somewhere or other.’

Andreas then popped out from the back storeroom to join them. ‘Was that our resident whirlwind, by any chance?’

‘It was indeed,’ Dan answered.

‘Gosh, I remember those days,’ joined in Cath.

‘Working all hours, juggling the afterschool clubs and running Mum’s taxi, doing the washing, ironing, sorting out all the meals.

It’s never-ending when you’ve got a young family.

’ A sudden stab of nostalgia hit her, for her old life, when Adam was younger and she’d felt like the hub of the home.

Then she added, with a twinge in her voice, ‘And now, well I’d love to have someone to cook for.

I’ve recently found out cooking for one isn’t very exciting. ’

‘Oh, I can imagine. It’s the joy of sharing food that makes it worthwhile. We love our cooking,’ said Andreas.

‘And eating! That’s the best part.’ Dan grinned. ‘Absolutely. And I do like trying out a new recipe,’ his partner added.

Cath could imagine Andreas looking very dashing in the kitchen, all Mediterranean chef-style.

‘Oh, so do I … well, I used to. Actually,’ she added wistfully, ‘I’d love to have someone to cook for again. To have someone to savour the flavours, to sit around the table and chat with. Someone to look after, I suppose.’

Both lads were looking at her with sad eyes. Cath suddenly felt a bit awkward. The words had just flowed with her thoughts, and it felt like she’d opened up a little too much. She hardly knew these guys after all.

‘Indeed, cooking with love provides food for the soul. Food was always the heart of our home,’ Andreas agreed. ‘My mother is Greek Cypriot, so food is central to our family. There was always something tasty simmering on the hob or baking in the oven.’

‘Oh yes, talking of which, I’ve come back in for some of your baklava, Andreas. I think I have an addiction already.’

‘Ah, well, sorry, petal, but we’re all out of that today. I took the last few pieces through to Mama in the care home. I’ll be making a fresh batch tomorrow, though. If you call back at around ten-thirty in the morning, it should be ready.’

‘Perfect, just in time for my morning coffee.’

‘And in the meanwhile, can I offer you a slice of my Greek-style honey cake?’

Cath was drawn to the glass-dome-covered cake stand, where a gorgeous honey-drizzled golden sponge sat. ‘Ooh, how can I refuse? Looks amazing.’

Andreas served a generous honey-orange-scented slice, ready to box and take away.

Out of nowhere, there was a sudden scamper of paws and a ‘woof’. A white fluffy terrier appeared with waggy-tailed enthusiasm at Cath’s feet.

‘Ah, sorry. The little minx,’ Dan exclaimed. ‘She’s done it again! Escaped out of the doggie gate somehow.’

‘She’s not meant to be down here in the shop, health and hygiene and all that,’ Andreas elaborated.

‘Well, seeing as she’s already here, meet Shirley … our Westie,’ added Dan.

‘Hello, Shirley.’ Cath gave the cute terrier a rub behind her ears. ‘Love the name.’

‘Right, that’s long enough, Shirley. She’ll be escaping all the more if she thinks she’ll get fussed.’ Dan gave a wry smile. ‘Come on then, madam. Back upstairs now. Before we have the environmental health agency on our backs.’

‘Named after the dance presenter – the very sassy Shirley Ballas,’ Andreas filled Cath in, as the terrier was gathered up by Dan, ‘Or “Shirley Ballsie” as Dan sometimes refers to her. The dog that is.’ With that, canine Shirley gave the most huffy look as she was despatched back out of the store, and up the stairs.

‘A bit of a madam at times, but adorable. She’s such a character. ’

‘Hah, I can tell.’ Cath chuckled. She’d always loved dogs, but between her and Trevor’s hectic working lives, they’d never been able to get one of their own.

With the kerfuffle over, Cath remembered the phone call Andreas had received last time she was in the shop. ‘Oh, how is your mother, Andreas? Feeling better, I hope.’

He gave a small sigh. ‘She’s so-so, just now.

She’s had a couple of bad weeks with a chest infection that she can’t seem to shake off.

I’m just back from visiting her actually, been trying to keep her spirits up with baklava and banter.

But she’s really not herself. Mama’s usually so with it and chirpy …

even being in her eighties. But she seems shattered, bless, like the stuffing’s been knocked out of her. ’

‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I do hope she feels much better soon.’

‘Me too. If she can shake off this damn cough, then she might be able to sleep a bit better.’

‘Oh, let’s hope so.’

‘Can we tempt you with anything else today?’ asked Dan as he returned, still drying his just-washed hands.

‘Hmm, I was thinking of making an omelette for supper, so I’ll take some mushrooms and a red onion to spice up the filling.’ It was going to be plain cheese, but hey-ho, she needed to make more effort with this cooking-for-one.

She couldn’t help but think about the lads planning and enjoying their meals together, Andreas baking baklava for his ill mother, even Nikki, feeding her brood among the full-on buzz of family life, albeit in a rush.

‘Ah, it’d be so nice to cook for someone again …

’ she said, her thoughts spilling into words once more.

‘Well, why don’t you?’ Andreas was matter of fact. ‘Umm, well for starters, I don’t really know anyone here, yet,’ Cath confessed. And with Adam away, and no one due to visit soon …

‘You know us.’ Andreas gave a cheeky wink. ‘Sometimes, when we’ve been cooking for the shop all day, and with the busy life we lead, cooking at night can be a chore. It’d be wonderful to be served a cosy supper.’

‘It would indeed.’ Dan raised a hopeful smile accompanied by a tweak of an eyebrow.

Had they just invited themselves over? Cath couldn’t help but grin.

She sensed with the extra worry about Andreas’s mum, and a shop to run, life might well be a bit tough for the lads just now.

‘Ooh, well I could … I suppose.’ The lads seemed friendly enough, and everyone knew them here in the village.

Why not? Her mind began racing … Hmm, having another person might just help the numbers, four was a better number table-wise, and would help keep the conversation flowing.

It was out before she knew it. ‘What about asking Nikki along too?’ Cath ventured.

‘Do you think she’d like a supper out? Would her husband look after the children for her?

Seemed like she might be in need of a break. ’

‘Ooh, I bet she’d love it,’ said Dan. ‘She’s good fun too, when she gets the chance to let loose, that is.’

‘Oh, yes, remember that time at the Christmas pub quiz?’ Both lads grinned. ‘A Prosecco or two was enjoyed … dancing on the table in The Star she was.’

Cath smiled. ‘Okay, well I’ll check some dates …

’ she started. What on earth was she saying?

What exactly did she have on socially, in the next couple of weeks?

And wouldn’t it be good to start some new friendships here in the village?

‘Actually, lads, you tell me when’s good for you in the next week or two.

And would you mind putting the suggestion to Nikki, seeing as you know her better than me?

I’m pretty flexible on days just now. Evenings are good after seven …

Oh, other than a Monday, and a Wednesday, that is, as I do some tutoring then. What do you say?’

‘That would be lovely. And hey, it sounds like we just launched ourselves on you. We could take a turn too … we’d love to have you back here sometime. Wouldn’t we, Dan?’

‘Of course.’

‘Sounds like a plan,’ said Cath. ‘Oh, it sounds a bit like a supper club,’ she added with a bubble of excitement, already picturing the cosy gathering.

‘Brilliant, yes. Food with friends. I’m feeling perkier already,’ said Andreas, the buoyant mood catching. ‘Something to look forward to.’

And with that, the hostess-with-the-mostess-to-be went off with her provisions and a newfound spring in her step.

Hmm, a supper club indeed! Good Lord, had she just gone and made herself a social life?