Chapter 30 #3
‘Of course.’ She stood up and brushed herself down, shaking mince pie crumbs from her skirt, before taking his age-weathered hand.
‘Just take it steady, you two,’ Linda, the care home assistant, warned gently despite the smile on her face. ‘No jiving! We don’t need any trips to A&E today.’
Reggie just gave a cheeky wink. ‘No promises.’
The two of them claimed a space on the wooden parquet flooring in front of the stage, and did a slow-style jive with a few gentle twirls.
Lily dashed out to the kitchen, telling Andreas and Cath to come on through.
This was a moment not to be missed for sure.
The end of the hall soon turned into a makeshift dance floor, as Dan and Andreas moved two of the top trestle tables out of the way to allow others to join in.
Soon other couples and singles came to dance, or clap, as they watched or joined the spectacle, and tunes were called out as requests.
The guests were soon swaying gently to the lyrical notes of ‘Put Your Head on My Shoulder’ by Paul Anka.
Reggie’s face was warm and tender, enjoying the moment, yet no doubt remembering his Elsie, too.
And then the track changed to an Elvis classic, ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’. Even Andreas and Dan moved to the dance floor and began to waltz along together to this.
Cath hadn’t meant to, but at the chorus, she caught Will’s eye across the room, and her heart lurched.
Oh my, she’d never meant to fall in love with him.
She’d been trying hard to mend her already broken heart from her failed marriage.
But oh, how she’d love to dance with him to this, to feel Will’s arms around her once more.
She dropped her gaze as a huge lump lodged in her throat, and she swiftly forced herself to move, starting to collect up dessert bowls, escaping to the kitchen once more, where she wiped a stray tear from her eye.
Despite her personal circumstances, Cath reminded herself that the impromptu dancing and the old-fashioned music, with the guests so obviously enjoying themselves this afternoon, was heartwarming and lovely to see. It made all the planning, the work, digging into their own savings so worthwhile.
As she began to wash the dishes, with a huge pile yet to do stacked beside her, outside a flutter of white began to fall gently beyond the windowpanes. And for a while, no one had noticed that it had started to snow.
*
The snow swirled and whirled silently, stunningly, along with the dancing.
It was Will who first noticed it from the main hall.
The white flakes catching his eye as his gaze wandered from the happy scene before him, catching his breath as the Everly Brothers’s ‘All I Have to Do Is Dream’ came on, stirring a memory of him and Jane.
He’d tried to steady himself by staring out of the window.
It was almost four p.m., and around the time they’d thought to wrap the event up, anyhow. An early winter dusk was pulling in, and with the tricky addition of snow to deal with, Will thought to alert the team to the weather conditions.
‘Oh, the minibuses are here!’ Linda called out just then. ‘It’s a few minutes early, as Julie heard of the change in the forecast,’ she explained to Andreas, adding louder for the benefit of all, ‘And yes, the snow is already here, so we need to get you all home safe and sound.’
There was a mumbling of agreement, and the dancing slowed as Dan turned down the volume on the music, followed by the sounds of several chairs scraping from amongst the non-dancing guests. Coats were gathered, loo trips made, with a flurry of activity much like the snow that kept on falling.
‘Oh, Dan, we’d better offer to take Kenneth, and Agnes and Frank home safely then, too,’ said Andreas.
‘Our car’s outside, anyhow. And then I’ll come straight back again for another group of passengers.
Don’t want anyone trying to walk far in this, or to get stuck in the lanes in the snow.
’ Veronica, who’d reappeared with Dorothy for a cuppa and a mince pie later on – both being mightily impressed by the event – offered to taxi too, so a shuttle convoy was organised.
Gemma, who’d stayed for the duration and loved every minute, also volunteered to help see the guests out to the vehicles. The journeys weren’t far at all, but it would be wise to tackle the country lanes now before the snow began to settle.
‘Thanks, everyone,’ said Cath.
‘And we’ll give anyone who has to walk back up the village a helping hand.
The paths may be a touch slippery,’ offered Kev, kindly.
‘Me and the young elves here will gladly see you back.’ Eyebrows were raised by those elfish-dressed youths, but they didn’t complain.
They’d actually had a good day in all, and were delighted when some of the folk there gave them a few pound coins as a Christmas tip for their hard work.
With preparations on the go for leaving, Nikki and Lily swiftly gathered together the clubbers for an impromptu carol-singing finale, starting with ‘Jingle Bells’ as coats and hats were put on, and a jovial rendition of ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ as Zimmer frames and sticks were gathered up.
The guests were then ready for home, with a supper club member or carer helping them make their way to the exit.
The corridor now alive and echoing with sentiments such as ‘Thanks’, ‘That was marvellous’, ‘Best bloomin’ day I’ve had in years’, ‘Grand food’, along with a host of smiles and waves.
Reggie paused before leaving the hall to catch up with Cath. ‘It’s been a wonderful afternoon, thank you.’
‘You’re very welcome, Reggie. It’s been lovely watching everyone enjoy themselves.’
‘You’ve all worked so very hard. Us old folk appreciate it very much.’ He gave a warm smile, before adding, ‘Oh, and I cannot think of a better person to take care of my Cheviot Cottage than you, dear Cath.’
‘Oh, that’s so nice to hear, Reggie. I’ll be sure to look after her.’ She felt a bit choked up.
Reggie leaned towards her, his own eyes a little misty, and they shared a heartfelt hug. ‘Merry Christmas, Cath.’
‘Merry Christmas, Reggie.’
And she led her elderly friend out to the care home’s minibus, guiding his arm gently as he walked gingerly down the snow-dusted path. ‘Your carriage awaits, sir.’
He gave her a wink as he turned to board the vehicle, his eyes filled with a cheeky, if moist, sparkle. She’d bet he’d been a right character back in the day. In fact, she realised, he still was now.
The remaining minibus was loaded carefully, with the driver and carers helping each traveller to their seat in turn.
Then, it set off with a toot-toot, smiling faces, and a host of time-worn hands waving at the steamed-up windows.
The supper club group stood on the hall’s threshold waving back with flecks of snow drifting down on them.
*
With the lads, including Will, then on ‘snow patrol’ taxi and escorting home duties, the lasses set about the immense task of clearing up.
There was no automatic dishwasher in the hall, so it was over to good old elbow grease.
Music back on, with some cheery Christmas tunes to help them on their way, a sink full of hot soapy water in front of Cath, and Nikki and Lily with tea towels to hand, and they were off, chatting happily about the events of the day.
Almost an hour later, the crockery and cutlery, jugs and glasses were restacked on the storeroom shelves. Ready for any further events to come, with Veronica, Dorothy and the hall committee very much back on board.
With a little TLC, a lot of effort, including an amazing electrician who literally went the extra miles, plumber Gemma and the central heating engineer, the place had worked wonderfully.
Cath had even taken a couple of photos of the Christmas party for the village newsletter and Facebook page, hoping to get the hall noticed, today’s lunch being a showcase for how it might be used.
*
Soon afterwards, the ‘snow patrol’ group returned.
‘Wow, you’re almost sorted in here,’ Dan commented, taking in the cleared kitchen zone.
‘Yep, the dream team have washed up and put away.’ Cath stifled a yawn, the long day seeping into her bones. But still, she felt happy.
There was only the hall to sweep and hoover.
Trestle tables to wipe, fold and stack away.
The decorations to gather together, and the tree to take back to Lily’s.
Fatigue was biting hard, but they decided to finish the job today, and leave the hall spick and span, and ready for its next purpose.
There was already talk, on the grapevine, about some evening classes starting in to the new year.
And a new booking system had been advertised on the hall’s relaunched website.
Hurrah! Their mission had been achieved and more.
*
Cath, Nikki, Lily, Andreas, Will and Dan were stood in the now empty hall.
‘Woo-hoo! We did it!’ Lily gave a smile.
‘And we pulled it off with some aplomb.’ Dan grinned.
‘With DJ Dan D Groove on the decks,’ said Andreas.
‘And the Christmas choir.’
‘Team Supper Club,’ summed up Will.
‘The very best team, and I couldn’t have done any of this without you lot,’ said Cath. And she meant the lunch event and her new second chance at life. ‘Good job, gang.’ She smiled at her supper club tribe – such a mix of personalities and ages that worked in perfect harmony.
They gave each other high-fives, and hugs, even she and Will – and that felt oh so lovely and fragile and she didn’t want it to stop – before Cath turned off the lights, one by one, and then closed the hall’s double doors, and went out through the corridor to lock the main door to the building.
Outside, the snow had stopped and was lying like a frosty-white carpet beneath their feet.
‘Ah, time for a hot bath and a long lie-down.’ Cath sighed, as the group gathered before going their separate ways. ‘Thanks again, everyone. You’ve been brilliant.’
‘Yeah, big thanks to you all,’ said Andreas. ‘It’s been good to give something back today. And so lovely to see the residents from Mama’s care home enjoying their day out.’
‘It had a real party atmosphere, didn’t it?’ said Nikki.
‘Catch up soon, everyone. We need to organise a Christmas drink together at the least,’ suggested Dan.
‘Sounds a plan.’ Nikki smiled. ‘Right, I’d better get back home to my lot. They’ve worked hard today. I think it’ll be a pizza takeaway for tea. As long as Kev can make it out to Kirkton in the pickup in the snow.’
They were ready to head off in their different directions.
Cath’s and Will’s eyes met once again. Holding on for a few heartfelt seconds.
And then Cath turned to go, on her own, the short walk down the street to her cottage, and she couldn’t help but feel a little subdued after all the excitement of the past few weeks.
The fresh snow scrunched softly under her boots, in the silvered-indigo dusk of the December early evening.
A white magical blanket had settled so prettily over branches and shrubs in the gardens that she passed.
Lights were on in the houses, and Christmas trees twinkled behind the glass windowpanes.
As she strolled on, passing John and Mary’s cottage, nestled next to hers, the smile returned to Cath’s face thinking how the team had made it such a success.
Her fabulous, generous supper club gang.
They’d only gone and pulled it off, warming the hearts, tummies and souls of so many in their community.