Chapter 30
Where the hell had the time gone? Cath glanced at her watch.
It was ten to twelve already. Her pulse rate zoomed.
Dan had just nipped off in his car to go and collect Kenneth.
They still had the final veggies and stuffing to cook.
And very soon, they’d be busy making welcome teas and coffees for all.
The big WI water urn was on, and she now filled a couple of kettles as backup.
Lily and Nikki were busy plating up the shortbread, deciding to keep the mince pies as an option for dessert along with the Christmas pudding.
If they put too much out, they figured their guests might get carried away and not have enough room for lunch.
Cath watched as Nikki popped a holly leaf sprig onto each platter as decoration.
‘They look perfect, ladies.’ She gave a nervous smile.
It was exciting and scary all at once.
One of Nikki’s sons popped a head through the kitchen door at that point. ‘We’re here!’
‘Ah, good timing, boys.’ Nikki beamed proudly. She’d been working hard to persuade them that helping out in the community was a good thing. Adding that it might also help to show Santa that they’d been nice this year and not at all naughty, thus upping the gift stakes.
Good old Kev had turned up with them, too.
He’d already done more than enough with all the electrical work, but here he was ready to help once more.
All four now appearing in the kitchen doorway dressed in festive jumpers.
Kev as Father Christmas – he’d even put on red trousers – and the youngsters as elves.
Nikki’s eyes widened; she’d evidently had no idea.
‘Well, we thought we’d better dress the part,’ said Kev with a grin. ‘It was Hamish’s idea, actually. Thought it might cheer the guests up. And hey, it might let us off the hook a bit, if we happen to spill anything, being amateurs at this.’
They were under instruction from Nikki to help with the waiting on, serving the Christmas lunches to their guests at the table, and little did they know it, but any other jobs she might find for them before and after that important task.
Veronica arrived along with Dorothy ready to lend a hand, as well as have a nosy at how it had all finally come together, of course.
‘Best foot forward, troops,’ Veronica chanted, after thanking them for all their efforts.
With a reassurance that after the event her hall committee would help with the tidying up, and check over the hall for them the next day.
It seemed they might be ready to retake the reins, and carry the hall and its new life forwards for the village.
And that filled Cath with so much hope and joy.
‘Thank you.’
So, the moment of reckoning was here. Could they successfully pull off the big Turkey and Tinsel Christmas community lunch? The team were here, the hall was ready, the food was looking fantastic, and the guests about to arrive. Deep breath, Cath.
*
First to arrive, at five to twelve, was dear old Kenneth, of course.
‘Oh, I haven’t set foot in the old school in years.’ He looked about him as he entered the corridor. ‘Bit barer than I remembered.’ But then, as he got to the hall, his face lit up. ‘My, you’ve done wonders in here. And it looks so very Christmassy. The tables all decorated so prettily.’
Cath felt herself brimming with pride. She looked around her with fresh eyes, remembering that day when they’d walked into the murky old hall with its dust and cobwebs.
She’d been so busy in the kitchen this morning that she’d hardly had chance to notice the transformation.
The fresh cream walls and navy trim. The tables laid out so beautifully.
And Lily had even dashed home, saying they just had to have a Christmas tree, and that they had a spare one up in the loft.
Her mum had bought a new bigger and better version for this year.
Lily had carried it back down the street, set it up in the hall, and she and Nikki had done some last-minute baubling, whilst warbling merrily making up their own words to ‘Oh, Christmas Tree’.
An elderly couple arrived next. It was Mary and John, Cath’s neighbours. They had a brief chat as she ushered them through to join Kenneth in the hall.
And then, ‘Hiya. Oh, how fantastic is this? What a great job you’ve all done.’ A grinning Gemma popped her head round the hall’s open doorway.
She’d called in with her school photos. A wonderful selection, showing the old classrooms, sports day out on the field, and the stage in action for the Christmas nativity show with Gemma dressed as a shepherd in a beige tabard with traditional tea-towel and curtain-tie-back headgear.
‘That’s brilliant. I’ll add them to the board, if that’s okay? Thank you so much. And I hope you’re staying for the lunch?’
‘Of course.’
Cath was delighted that Gemma had remembered.
She added the pictures to the large pinboard she’d discovered in one of the old classrooms and had moved into the hall.
The Christmas nativity scene took pride of place at the top.
Then suddenly she thought to move the board into the corridor, just before the doors to the hall, so everyone had to pass by it.
It would make a lovely welcome for everyone to the refurbished ‘school’ village hall, as well as being a good talking point, stirring old memories.
And today was all about making some new magical memories, too.
Oh, and perhaps if they took some pictures today, and everyone was happy with that, they could add those to the board too. History in the making!
Just as she and Gemma had shifted the picture board into place, the first minibus arrived from the care home. Out came Reggie, Vera, Betty, Joan, Phillip and several more, along with Linda and another carer to help with the group outing. They were all very much looking forward to their big day out.
Will went out to greet them, and Cath watched as he helped a frail old lady down off the bus.
He could help others, Cath mused, but in his smothering loss, he really didn’t know how to help himself.
How could she be cross with him, when she just felt so very sad that he …
they might be about to miss out on so much, their wonderful second chance.
The new arrivals loved looking at the memory board, making comments, some mentioning that they had been pupils at the school back in the day and some that their children had been there, too.
‘I think you were in the year above me, Reg,’ said one of the gents. ‘Always up to mischief, you were.’
‘That’ll be about right,’ said carer Linda with a smile.
‘Oh, I bet you’ll have some wonderful stories from back then,’ said Cath, delighted that her idea was already sparking conversations and connections.
‘And, if anyone has any photos or any mementos they’d like to add to the board, that would be wonderful.
We’d like to keep this memory board here in the hall for the future. ’
Coats and hats were taken off and placed on the original school wrought-iron pegs, which had been moved up to an adult height several years ago.
‘Come on through,’ Cath announced to the newcomers. ‘And welcome to the newly refurbished Tilldale Village Hall.’
‘My, it looks wonderful in here,’ said Joan, taking in the main hall and the festive displays all around her. ‘All these marvellous decorations too, the streamers, garlands, and look, a gorgeous Christmas tree.’
Others began arriving from the village, including Terry, known as Mr T, who was one of Nikki’s elderly cleaning clients, Agnes and her husband Frank, and Sheila from ‘the lane’, a single lady whom Cath had met from her times working in the shop.
It was time for coffee, chat and some buttery-spiced shortbread.
*
Dinner was now cooked, the mammoth feat accomplished, and the guests were now seated and waiting with anticipation.
In the kitchen, they needed some kind of dishing out and serving system.
A production line was duly set up with Dan plating the sliced meat, Andreas on the roasties and parsnips, Lily on sprouts and carrots, and Cath adding the sausage wrap, stuffing and a good splash of hot, tasty gravy from one of the many jugs she’d just filled – it felt like she’d created gallons of the stuff using the meat juices and her trusty Bisto granules!
Waiting in the wings were the serving team. Will had been nominated as ma?tre d’, co-ordinating Nikki plus her three boys in elf jumpers, much to everyone’s amusement, and Kevin in the Santa suit! Well, that had raised some smiles from the gathering.
Crackers had been pulled and party hats, in varying colours, were on at all angles. Chatter and laughter filled the room as the guests waited in anticipation for their hopefully delicious Christmas dinner.
Cath was in the throes of the hottest flush of her life, but kept on going.
Plate one, two and three were done, looking very tasty indeed.
Ready to be whisked away by elf Angus, who had managed to tear himself away from his Xbox for the day, and was actually wearing a smile above his elf top.
Nikki was next, followed by Hamish, Scott and Kev.
Two more helpers, from the care home staff, stood in line ready to take plates out, too.
Bless them. Operation Turkey and Tinsel was a go!
It was feeling very much like one of the MasterChef challenges.
Forty-one plates, fifteen minutes later and bloody hell, phew, they’d done it! Mission accomplished.
‘Wow, well done, Team Supper Club!’ Cath felt so happy. ‘And jeez, does anyone have a large glass of wine at the ready?’
Cath stood for a few relieved seconds.