Chapter 16
Consequently, it was decided in advance that the celebration should take place indoors and everyone was notified via the WhatsApp group.
Consensus was that this was the best plan, though John was still hoping he’d be able to fire up the outdoor oven as long as someone was willing to hold an umbrella and help with ferrying the pizzas to the house.
The day dawned disappointingly dull, but I refused to let it dampen my spirits and, straight after breakfast, I began to get everything together ready to take over to Prosperous Place for setting up.
‘What’s all this?’ Rafe asked, when he wandered into my sitting room and stretched out his back after a long stint at the keyboard.
‘Don’t look too closely!’ I commanded. ‘It’s stuff for the party tonight.’
‘What all of it?’
‘Well, no,’ I said, looking at the bags of decorations as well as the boxes of flower bulbs, ‘some of it is mine. I got a bit carried away buying autumn decorations at the garden centre, but they’ll look lovely in the house after I’ve used them tonight,’ Rafe laughed at that. ‘What’s so funny?’
‘Decorating for fall was very big in my neighbourhood in LA,’ he explained.
‘And I shipped quite a lot of my own stuff back with me. It’s currently in boxes in my writing room because I didn’t see the point of putting it in the loft when we arrived because autumn was so close.
I was going to suggest we decorate the house this weekend. ’
I hadn’t considered that my father might have decorations of his own. I’d never visited him in the fall, as he endearingly called it, but knowing the US was so big on Halloween, I probably should have realised.
‘The best dressed house in the square is bound to be awarded to us then!’ I laughed.
‘I think you’re right,’ he said with a nod to all the bags.
‘We’ll be able to festoon every room with this lot and don’t worry about the cats.
’ I hadn’t considered them either when I’d been piling garlands into the trolley.
‘Just like the Christmas tree, they’ve never been interested in any of it before. ’
That was a relief to hear. I’d seen enough cats going crazy with Christmas decs on social media to belatedly realise that could have been an issue!
‘Are you missing LA?’ I asked, because Rafe had barely mentioned the US since we’d moved in together.
He came properly in and sat on the sofa, and I flopped down on the armchair.
As I did so, I heard the sheet of paper with the Devon job details on crinkle, and I realised I’d never thrown it away.
The recycling bin was due for collection that day, so I made a mental note to stuff it in there when I left.
‘I’m not missing it at all.’ My father smiled. ‘I have my memories, mostly good ones, and it was time to come home. And of course, all my best people are here.’
I glowed at that.
‘Don’t let Mum hear you say that,’ I warned him. ‘I’m sure she thinks she should be included as one of your best people.’
‘You’re right,’ he laughed. ‘And actually, she is a favourite of mine because she gifted me you.’
‘Oh, Rafe,’ I sighed happily.
‘I mean it. You’re the best thing I’ve ever done, Skylar.’
‘Even better than winning your Dagger Award?’
‘Hey now, that’s not fair,’ he pretended to sulk. ‘How can you make me choose between you and that?’
‘I’m only joking. I wouldn’t do that to you.’
‘You know,’ he said, ‘you do remind me of your mum.’
My glow was replaced with a glare.
‘I hope you don’t mean that,’ I huffed. ‘I’ve spent my entire life attempting to be the complete opposite to her in every conceivable way. You know the carnage she leaves in her wake and if you think—’
‘If you let me finish,’ my father mildly butted in, ‘I meant in looks not personality.’
‘Oh.’
‘You have her gorgeous green eyes. You’re nothing like her otherwise and I’m most grateful for that.’
‘Sorry,’ I said, feeling chastened.
‘And I’ll tell you who else has got gorgeous eyes,’ Rafe went on, my defensive reaction apparently forgotten.
‘Who?’
‘Erik who lives across the road.’
I had been expecting him to say his beau, but so far all I knew about him was what he looked like at a distance from the day Erik and I had spotted him (assuming that was him) and Rafe during our walk back from the pub. And apparently, it was going to stay that way.
‘Has he?’ I shrugged, making out I hadn’t noticed. ‘I didn’t know your paths had crossed.’
‘I’ve met everyone at Prosperous Place and from the square now.’
‘You’ve done better than me then,’ I said and stood up. ‘I’ve still got a couple of neighbours to go, but I’m not sure who they are. Anyway, I’d better get on. I want to make an impact and a good impression tonight, so the sooner I start setting up, the better.’
‘And don’t forget to tell Kate and Luke that I’ll be arriving a bit early to welcome Dad and former Nightingale Square resident, Harold, who are sharing a taxi from the care home.’
‘Already done.’
‘Efficient as ever,’ he said, and kissed my head on the way out. ‘I’m making a coffee; would you like one to take with you?’
When I was ready to leave, I stuffed the job sheet into the recycling bin and loaded everything else into my car.
The short journey wasn’t really justified, but it would take more trips to and fro on foot to carry everything than I had time to make.
Erik had opened the gates to the drive so I could pull straight in, and as soon as I had we began unloading.
‘There’s even more than I remember,’ he laughed as we ferried everything to the house.
‘I think it’s breeding when I turn my back,’ I quipped. ‘I’m sure the garlands are twice as long as before!’
The Prosperous Place kitchen smelt divine as everyone contributing food had decided to get together and make and bake en masse. The scene was both charming and convivial, and it was an ideal demonstration of the strength of community spirit the square enjoyed.
‘Skylar,’ Kate smiled, ‘tell me what you want me to do? Is there anything you need?’
‘Just Erik,’ I said and immediately blushed. I thanked my lucky stars that Mark hadn’t been around to hear that. ‘What I mean is, Erik knows what I’ve got planned, so he’s going to help me set it up. That way it’ll be a surprise for you and everyone else.’
‘That’s a brilliant idea,’ Carole, who was stirring a huge pot on the Aga, commented. ‘We’re all very excited to find out what you’ve got lined up for us, Skylar.’
‘It’s only a couple of things,’ I said, hoping they wouldn’t be disappointed.
‘But a brilliant couple of things,’ Erik chimed in as he arrived with the last of the bags. ‘Now come on, we’d better get on. Where do you want this lot?’
As the table in the kitchen was large enough to accommodate everyone, with the youngsters sharing a smaller table, I decided that would be the best place to set up the first activity.
It didn’t require much preparation so didn’t need doing until after we’d eaten.
Once I’d put the box of supplies next to the dresser, and asked everyone not to look inside it, that was it for in there.
‘So,’ I said to Erik, as he showed me the drawing room where the open fire was already laid and would just need lighting later in the day. ‘Once the first part has been completed in the kitchen, we can come in here in lieu of Finn’s braziers and then move on to the dining room for the messy bit.’
‘Perfect,’ Erik nodded. ‘And as that’s the room that’s going to need the biggest transformation, let’s head there now.’
The first thing we did was cover the table with a felt backed table protector that Luke came in and showed us, and then, with him banished, we covered the whole of the surface with a thick layer of brown paper which could be recycled.
I then set to decorating the centre of the table with my silk leaf garlands and battery-operated fairy lights while Erik went to collect the terracotta pots Freya had found and cleaned up for us.
He stopped in his tracks when he staggered back in with the crate of heavy pots, and I rushed to close the door behind him in case anyone else was about.
‘What do you think?’ I asked. I noticed his hair and shoulders were wet and guessed the promised rain had arrived. ‘Will it do?’
While he’d been gone, I’d piled up some small pumpkins and gourds in strategic places around the room and lit them with more lights and battery-operated flickering candles.
There was also a wreath on the back of the door and autumn incense burning to add a layer of seasonal scent.
I didn’t intend to leave it burning longer than a minute or two in case any of the neighbours had asthma, but it would be enough to enhance the seasonal ambience.
‘Will it do?’ Erik laughed as he put the crate down.
‘Skylar, it’s perfect.’ I felt my shoulders relax.
‘I had been going to say it was a shame we couldn’t celebrate in the Grow-Well, but then I stepped outside, and with the rain pouring and the wind getting up,’ and right on cue a fierce gust rattled the window casing, ‘I realised how lucky we are to have an indoor alternative and your efforts have made me even happier.’
‘You like it then?’ I said, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
He looked down at me and shook his head. Rafe was so right about Erik’s eyes but then I already knew that.
‘I love it,’ he beamed and I had to force myself to look away.
Having then helped a little in the kitchen, I only had time to drive back to the square to get changed ahead of everyone starting to arrive. Rafe was just leaving as I rushed in. He was carrying the cake he’d baked the day before and looking rather grim.
‘If you hang on,’ I said, ‘I’ll only be a minute and I’ll drive us both back over. There’s a lull in the rain, but I don’t think it will last, and it’ll be a travesty if your cake gets soaked.’
‘No,’ he said, his eyes not quite meeting mine, ‘you’re all right. It’ll be fine in the tin. I’ll go over now so I’m in good time to meet Dad and Harold.’
‘Is everything all right?’ I frowned.
‘Fine. Why wouldn’t it be?’