Chapter 22
I didn’t have to be at Prosperous Place until the following morning, but I would have used whatever excuse I could have dreamt up to leave Cavell Care when Freddie had started talking about the possibility of me, rather than my father, falling in love.
That brief conversation combined with Rafe’s knowing comment about Erik was enough to give me palpitations without the assistance of those moving eye paintings I was becoming borderline paranoid about!
‘Just a heads up,’ I said to everyone I found in the Prosperous Place kitchen early on Friday, ‘I saw Freddie yesterday and he’s planning to open the event on Monday with a rendition of “The Phantom of the Opera”. You have been warned.’
A cheer went up and I realised that everyone assembled was more excited about that than I was.
‘I did know that was his plan,’ smiled Luke. ‘Freddie emailed me his playlist last night and that was billed as the opening tune. We’re going to rig up a speaker or two outside, so his playing will eerily drift over the grounds.’
I wondered what else we were in store for from Freddie’s repertoire but didn’t ask. It could be a surprise.
‘So,’ I said instead, ‘where do you want us this morning Kate?’
Along with her and Luke, Erik was also there and so were Freya and Finn.
More of the neighbours would be forgoing their stints in the Grow-Well to help in the house and grounds over the weekend if needs be and it felt strange for me not to be checking the schedule of what needed to be done but instead waiting to be assigned a task.
‘Erik and Finn are installing the speakers in the garden,’ Kate reeled off. ‘The fog machines are coming today, so they’ll also be dealing with those, and they’ve got some lighting to rig up, too.’
‘Machines plural?’ I questioned.
‘Yes,’ Kate confirmed. ‘When I phoned to book and confirmed the delivery address, the chap I was talking to said he’d heard Luke on the radio and that his nephew loves his sessions at The Chapel.’
‘What a coincidence,’ I smiled.
‘And a money saver for us, too,’ she added thrillingly, ‘because he offered the fog machines for free and heavily discounted some lighting that’s going to add some real drama to the end of the day trail explorers along with the evening tours.’
‘He’s coming himself to help set everything up,’ Erik told me. ‘So, we’d better get out there, Finn, and open the gate so he can get his van in.’
‘See you later,’ I said as he and Finn rushed off.
‘And a couple of other suppliers have also been in touch to say they’re happy to discount their bills if I mention them in the interview I’ve been asked to give the local paper following the event,’ Luke added excitingly.
‘At this rate we’ll make a fortune for The Chapel,’ Freya said, handing me a mug of coffee. ‘Isn’t it great?’
‘It certainly is,’ I agreed.
‘This is the sort of thing that happens when we all pull together,’ Luke cheered and raised his mug.
It was yet another poignant reminder that working as a team could have even bigger and better results than when you took everything on yourself…
like I previously had for this event. It was a total change when compared to what I was used to being responsible for but sharing the load certainly had its benefits.
Perhaps if I did go freelance, I might consider taking on a partner.
‘So,’ I said, before I got further sidetracked, ‘what needs doing first? I’ll do anything that doesn’t involve finding a spot for those moving eye paintings.’
‘Erik mentioned you weren’t keen,’ Kate grinned.
‘Which is a shame because I’ve got two more being delivered today,’ Luke said and I gave a groan loud enough to rival the most miserable ghost, which made everyone else laugh.
By the end of the day, most of the rooms that were going to be open were transformed and we’d had a run through in those to check how long it would take to switch out the decorations that needed changing between the daytime spooky trail and the more sophisticated and scarier evening tours.
‘As long as there are half a dozen of us here every day to do it, an hour will be plenty long enough,’ I said, checking the timer on my phone. ‘And we’re bound to get faster as the week goes on.’
‘We’re almost done in the house now, aren’t we?’ Freya asked.
‘We’re getting there,’ Kate said. ‘There’s another bedroom to sort and the dining room. That’s the room that will take longest.’
‘Count me in for that,’ I said. ‘I can’t wait to see it banquet ready.’
Even though the grand finale wasn’t until Halloween, which was a week and a day away, we’d worked out there wouldn’t be enough time during the week to really be able to do the decorations justice, and as the tickets to attend had been pricey, it needed to be spectacular.
‘And if a little dust settles between tomorrow and Halloween,’ Luke shrugged. ‘Even better because it will add to the ambience.’
‘True,’ I agreed.
‘So, I’ll rally the troops to help in the garden tomorrow and Sunday, shall I?’ Freya asked. ‘I know there’s a lot to do out there and with you three and Erik in here, assuming he’s finished with the lighting and so on, the rest of us could get on outside.’
‘That sounds like a plan,’ Kate said.
‘And we’ve got the volunteer room hosts coming on Sunday for a dress rehearsal,’ Luke reminded us.
‘I’m going to stay away for that, if you don’t mind?’ I asked. ‘I want to have the full experience on Monday when you open to the public.’
‘Of course,’ Luke said. ‘You deserve a day off, Skylar! You’ve been flat out for weeks.’
Even though I hadn’t needed to be as Erik had gently pointed out, but I wasn’t going to highlight that.
‘And I’m going to get Lisa and John to round up their kids and perhaps a cousin or two, along with our girls for a trial run,’ Kate informed us. ‘They’ve got a good age range of youngsters in their family.’
‘That’s a brilliant idea,’ Freya said.
‘Even if they just walk around the house we should be able to get a feel for how the ticket holders will react and we can tweak anything that doesn’t have the desired effect,’ Kate continued.
‘We’ll need to see the full range of human emotions,’ grinned Luke. ‘Terror, tears, tantrums and laughs.’
‘No tantrums!’ Kate objected.
We all jumped as someone thudded on the back door.
‘That’s a good start,’ Luke laughed. ‘And that’ll be the paintings. Stay there, Skylar, I want to see if you’re terrified, tearful or both when I unwrap them.’
‘No chance,’ I told him. ‘I’m off to the pub. Anyone else coming?’
With no takers, I rushed ahead of Luke and collided with Erik, who was holding the parcel, at the back door.
‘Keep that away from me,’ I said warningly, and given how broad his smile was, I guessed he knew what was inside.
‘Did I hear you mention the pub?’
‘You did,’ I confirmed as he handed Luke the package. ‘But it’s just me going.’
‘I’ll come with you,’ Erik said, ‘that is, if you don’t mind.’
‘Of course I don’t mind,’ I told him. ‘Why don’t you get washed up here then meet me over the road in half an hour?’
‘Are you suggesting I need a wash?’ he laughed, threatening me with his mucky hands.
‘Don’t!’ I squealed and ducked out of the way.
‘What’s going on out there?’ called Kate, who was getting ready to pick the girls up.
She sounded very much like a cross mum.
‘Nothing!’ Erik and I chorused and grinned at one another.
‘I’ll see you in thirty minutes,’ Erik said and I let myself out, shrugging off how much I’d enjoyed our playful moment.
Once home, I had a wash, changed my clothes and brushed my hair which had been tied up all day.
It didn’t look too bad considering. Not that it really mattered because it was only a drink in the pub.
A drink in the pub and the perfect opportunity to launch my renewed determination to be a good friend to Erik.
And as it turned out, it couldn’t have come at a better time because when he came to meet me, his former bright mood seemed rather dimmed.
‘I don’t suppose you had a chance to look at what we’d done in the house, did you?’ I asked, to kick our conversation off.
‘Not yet,’ he said as I struggled to keep up with him as he strode along.
‘Could you slow down a bit, Erik?’ I puffed. ‘For someone with a knee problem, you do walk fast.’
‘Sorry,’ he said and slackened his pace.
I had been hoping for a wry smile or being teased about being so unfit but neither the change of expression nor a dig about my fitness was forthcoming.
‘You grab a table,’ I said, when we arrived at The Dragon, which was already quite busy, ‘and I’ll get us a drink.’
‘And some chips,’ Erik requested. ‘Just a bowl to share will do.’
I was hungrier than I realised so I ordered us a bowl each and carried our pints to the table while the food was being prepared.
‘Cheers,’ I smiled and clinked my glass against his.
‘Cheers,’ he responded.
‘I’m pleased you said you’d come with me tonight,’ I forged ahead rather than starting to fret over why he looked so glum when less than an hour ago we’d been laughing and messing about.
‘You are?
‘Yes,’ I smiled, ‘because I wanted to thank you and preferably not in earshot of anyone else.’
‘Oh? What have I done to warrant that?’
‘The gift you gave me.’
‘The gift?’
‘The nudge I needed to realise that I’d taken over the fundraiser and had fallen back into old habits. You opened my eyes at just the right time.’
‘You really are grateful about that?’
‘So grateful,’ I said sincerely. ‘I might have only stepped back very recently, but working as a team has already proved to be fun and it’s benefited the event because of the discounts Kate and Luke have secured.’
‘Well,’ Erik said, sounding happier, ‘you’ve all had some skills to bring, and I’m pleased you don’t think I overstepped when I said what I’d noticed you were doing.’
‘Not at all, and if anything else comes up,’ I told him as someone came over with our chips, ‘feel free to fill me in.’
‘I will,’ Erik said and his smile was genuine. ‘You got two bowls.’