Chapter 11
11
‘What can I do?’ Rick’s mother asked him as she peered around his arm to try and see what he was doing.
You can go away and let me get on with it . ‘Nothing, Mum,’ he assured her, keeping his eyes on the chicken browning in the pan. ‘The whole point of me cooking this evening was so you and Dad could chill out a bit. Go and sit down and watch TV or something.’
‘I don’t want to watch the TV , not when I can be lending you a hand. Are you sure you don’t need to turn the chicken? It looks a little dark on the edges.’
Rick turned his head and gave her a look. Amused, Rachel raised her hands and backed away but only as far as the kitchen table where she took a seat. ‘So what are you making, anyway?’
‘Chicken and chorizo ragu. I got the recipe from Anya and she promised me it was straightforward enough.’ Rick flipped the chicken over with a spatula.
‘How is she?’
Rick shot a quick glance at his mother. ‘Anya? Okay I guess, I haven’t seen her since I popped over to sort out her contract for the hotel.’
‘Haven’t seen who?’ Ed Penrose swept into the kitchen like the force of nature he was, his limp barely noticeable these days. Twelve years previously, an accident had almost cost Ed his leg and it had taken months of physiotherapy and strength exercises before he could walk again. After bending over to peck a kiss on their mother’s cheek, Ed came to lean against the counter next to Rick. ‘Mmm something smells good, Freddie-boy,’ he said, reaching into a bowl of sundried tomatoes and snagging a piece, which he chucked into his mouth. ‘What’s the special occasion?’
‘Don’t call me that,’ Rick said, wishing for the umpteenth time that he hadn’t come out the worst when it came to their mum’s obsession with Jane Austen. She’d been pregnant with Liam when the BBC had shown a new adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Rachel had been hooked from that moment on.
Bloody Colin Firth and his wet shirt had a lot to answer for.
It hadn’t been so bad for the twins because Henry and Edward were pretty acceptable names as they stood, but being saddled with Frederick and Fitzwilliam had required a little more creative thinking from Rick and Liam to find acceptable diminutives.
Having finally read Persuasion a few years ago, Rick had come to accept his mum had meant it when she’d told him being named after Frederick Wentworth was a compliment because he was the best of the Austen heroes, but his younger self had found it an utter torment, which is why at thirteen he’d grandly announced he would no longer answer to Frederick or the utterly cringe-inducing Freddie and wanted to be known as Rick. Most people had accepted it without any fuss, though it had taken the family a bit longer to adjust. But this wasn’t a slip of the tongue on Ed’s part, just him being a brat. Rick raised the wooden spoon ready to smack the back of his brother’s hand, which was edging towards the bowl again. ‘Stop picking.’
‘Leave your brother alone, darling, and come and help me set the table,’ Rachel admonished Ed fondly. She said everything to him fondly, Rick thought, somewhat uncharitably, then immediately felt bad. Though Harry and Ed were identical twins and separated by a matter of minutes, Ed was definitely the baby of the family. Rick was just as bad as the rest of them when it came down to it, he acknowledged to himself as he fished out another piece of tomato and handed it to his brother before shooing him away. Given the months of worry they’d all gone through after his accident, it was no wonder he got spoiled.
Deciding the chicken was well done, Rick scraped it into the waiting casserole dish then chucked the chorizo into the hot frying pan, stirring it quickly before tossing in the diced onions and garlic. A fragrant hiss filled the kitchen and more than a little smoke, so he reached above his head and flipped on the extractor fan above the hob.
‘Smells like something’s on fire in here,’ his dad said as he walked into the kitchen straight past everyone and pushed wider one of the windows Rick had already opened to let out some of the heat. ‘So this is where everyone’s hiding.’
‘Not hiding, darling. I just came in to offer Rick a hand,’ his mum said. ‘But he’s made it clear that I’m not needed.’ Though she said it in a teasing manner, Rick could sense that she was a little hurt by his rejection of her offer to help.
He blew out a breath and wondered why he’d suggested making dinner in the first place. He loved his family, he truly did, but none of them were very good at taking a back seat. ‘There’s not really anything you can do here, Mum. I’ve done all the prep, so it’s just a case of putting everything in the pot and that’s really a one-person job. Besides, I thought you and Ed were going to set the table?’
‘Yes, of course. Ed, get some plates down while I get the cutlery.’
They all set to work, including Jago, who opened the cabinet behind him and retrieved a set of wine glasses.
When his mum came to stand in front of the drawer next to him and began pulling out knives and forks, Rick gave her a gentle bump with his hip. ‘Tell you what else you could do. There’s a load of bits I picked up from the deli earlier; you can put a selection out for nibbles. I’ll only be a few minutes and then we can all sit down together.’
‘Leave it to me,’ she said, giving him a sunny smile. ‘What about drinks?’
‘There’s a bottle of white wine they recommended to go with it.’ Rick was more of a lager drinker, but he wasn’t averse to a nice glass of wine now and then, particularly on a warm Friday evening.
That was enough to distract them so Rick could finish up in peace. With all the ingredients added to the dish, he gave it one final stir before putting on the lid and placing it in the oven he’d set to preheat.
Taking his seat at the table, he accepted the wine his father had poured for him and raised his glass. ‘Cheers.’
They all clinked and took a sip. ‘Oh, this is a nice one,’ his mum said, approvingly. ‘Lovely and fresh. Make a note of the label, Jago, and we can pick some more up next week.’
‘Yes, dear.’ His father pulled at his fringe like an old-fashioned servant tugging at their forelock.
His mum picked up her napkin and swiped at her husband’s head with it. ‘Cheeky so-and-so.’ But they were both smiling fondly as his dad picked up the bottle and took it over to the little blackboard they used to build a shopping list and made a note.
Resuming his seat, Jago swapped the bottle for his glass and raised it to Rick. ‘Cheers again, son, and thanks for dinner.’
‘You haven’t tasted it yet!’ Ed pointed out, earning a swat from their mother’s napkin.
‘Stop teasing your brother. Pay him no mind, Rick. I’m sure it’ll taste wonderful. Anya gave you the recipe, you said?’
He nodded. ‘Yes, when we had dinner I asked her for something foolproof.’
Ed whistled low through his teeth. ‘Blimey, you’re a fast worker.’
Rick shot him a shut-your-mouth glare. The last thing he needed was Ed stirring, especially when there was no cause for it. ‘We were going through a contract because Anya’s working for Uncle Davy over the summer. It was easier to do it at her place because she’s got Freya to think about, remember ?’
‘Oh I remember lots of things,’ Ed said, foolishly choosing to ignore Rick’s warning look.
Time to change the subject fast, and Rick had the perfect distraction. You’d think after all these years Ed would’ve learned not to take him on because only one of them ever came out on top.
Rick rested his elbows on the table and made a point of leaning too close, as if studying Ed’s face. ‘You’re looking a bit tired. Late night, little brother?’
Ed’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. ‘Not especially, why do you ask?’
‘No reason.’ Rick leaned back in his seat letting a slow smile spread across his mouth. ‘I had a great sleep and woke up early. It was such a lovely morning that I went for a jog along the sea front, must’ve been about five-thirty. The air at that time is so refreshing, don’t you think?’ Ed had looked anything but refreshed when Rick had seen him climbing out the passenger seat of a little red sports car Rick hadn’t recognised.
Ed’s face flamed about the same shade as the paintwork had been. ‘Bit early for me.’
‘Uh huh.’
Their mother cast a considering look between them, clearly sensing the undercurrent but deciding to ignore it when she asked, ‘So how is Anya getting on?’
Rick shrugged, taking a sip of his wine. ‘I haven’t seen her since she started the job. Thought it would be best to give her some space to find her feet.’
‘Probably better to ask how Davy’s getting on,’ his father said with a gruff laugh. ‘I’m still amazed you persuaded him to finally take on a bit of help.’
Rick stared into his glass, wishing he could just blurt out the truth. But he’d given Davy his word. ‘That bump to his head must’ve finally knocked some sense into him, I guess.’
His dad smiled. ‘Well, whatever it was, Pa’s grateful you found a way. Seems like it’s not only me and Ryan that have been worried about things. He said it’s a weight off his mind knowing Davy’s slowing down a bit. Mind you, he’s a fine one to talk! You know him and Ma have taken on looking after young Freya while Anya’s at work?’
Rick shook his head. ‘I had no idea.’ It hadn’t occurred to him to ask her about childcare, which honestly should’ve been the first thing he’d thought about. It just wasn’t something he was used to, because none of them had kids.
‘Helen’s doing a couple of afternoons a week. She offered to do more but Ma and Pa are loving having a little one around the place.’ The slightly wistful tone in their mother’s voice had both Rick and Ed shifting in their seats.
‘Don’t be getting broody on our behalf, Mum,’ Ed warned her. ‘Besides, you’re too young to be a grandma.’
Rachel laughed. ‘That’s very flattering, darling, and I’m in no hurry. Not that I wouldn’t mind at least one of you showing some sign that you might settle down.’
‘Liam has a girlfriend,’ Ed pointed out. A heavy silence fell over the table and Rick wished he liked his elder brother’s choice of partner a bit better.
‘What about you, son?’ Jago asked Ed, in a not-so-subtle attempt to move the conversation on. ‘Met anyone new lately?’
There was that hint of a blush again, Rick noticed. What was Ed up to, and more importantly, who was he up to it with?
‘Who, me?’ Ed shook his head just a fraction too quickly. ‘Nothing to report, I’m afraid. Rick’s your best bet for that kind of thing. Especially now.’
Their mother perked right up. ‘Oh, have you got something to share with us?’ she asked Rick.
‘No. Ignore him, Mum, he’s being a di—’ It only took a raised eyebrow from his father for Rick to swallow the word. ‘He thinks he’s being funny.’
Ed held up his hands, his face the picture of innocence. ‘What? I just assumed you’d be thrilled that Anya’s back in the village given how often you wrote about her in your diary.’
If Anya caught wind of any of his nonsense, Rick would never forgive him. ‘I was fourteen, for God’s sake, just a stupid kid. I don’t want to hear another word about it, understand?’ he said in a dead-flat tone, and Ed winced as he finally got the message that Anya was one thing he was not prepared to be teased about. He knew his brother was only messing around, but there were times when he pushed a joke too far .
Ed held his hands up again, but his expression was serious this time. ‘I was just mucking about, Freddie. I’m sorry.’
Rick nodded. ‘Fair enough. Look, you can take the piss out of me as much as you like, but after everything Anya’s been through, the last thing she needs is to be subjected to any more gossip, especially when there’s no foundation for it. I helped Anya out because she’s a part of this family now, that’s all.’
It was too early to check on the ragu, but Rick got up and did it anyway, channelling his frustration with his brother’s teasing into the wooden spoon until little flecks of tomato sauce spattered the top of the hob and more than a few landed on the front of his T-shirt. At least he’d chosen black, he thought, dabbing at the spots with a wet dishcloth after returning the pot to the oven. He could hear murmuring behind him, but whatever his father was saying it was too low for him to catch the words. Probably just as well.
By the time he returned to the table the conversation had turned and Jago was recounting a story about the lifeboat being called out from Port Petroc, the largest town along their part of the coast. ‘A couple of blokes on paddle boards got taken out by the current near the Black Rocks,’ his dad said, shaking his head. ‘Didn’t even have life jackets on, stupid fools. Thought they knew what they were doing because they’ve paddled around their local lake a few times.’
Rick frowned. ‘What were they doing near the rocks?’ The Black Rocks was a notorious outcrop about five miles south of Port Petroc with a nasty rip current that had caused more than a few boating disasters.
‘They’re down for the week with their wives and spotted a pretty beach, a lovely quiet spot .’ Jago said the last bit in a sing-song voice, clearly quoting something that had been said. ‘Didn’t occur to them to wonder why no one else was sunbathing there, nor to read the massive warning signs in the car park, for that matter. Luckily one of the wives called for help as soon as she realised they were a lot further out than she expected, and the crew managed to get them off the rocks with the D class.’
‘Were they all right?’ Rachel asked, brows drawn down.
‘A few scrapes and bruises, but other than that they’re fine.’
‘It’s the start of the silly season,’ Ed observed, plucking an olive from a bowl in front of him and popping it into his mouth.
Rick sighed, hoping very much it wasn’t a sign of things to come. They’d all been raised to respect the sea, and not just because of their father’s job. Every child at the village school was given safety lessons in the run-up to the summer holidays, and the council had a ring-fenced fund for lifeguards during the peak months of July and August. It was a big expense for a small village, but they all knew the grim truth – one disaster could ruin a season, and when so many of their livelihoods were bound up in the holiday trade, it was a price everyone deemed worth paying. ‘Speaking of silly season, are you looking to pick up some hours at The Hire Hut again this year? I need to start recruiting, so I want to give you first dibs.’ Ed was in the middle of a part-time marine biology PhD, dividing his time between his course and an administration job he hated but which paid him just enough to keep a roof over his head while studying.
That shifty look from earlier appeared on his brother’s face. ‘I, uh, I’m not sure yet.’ Not meeting his gaze, Ed began forking bits of cheese and cold meat onto his plate.
Was he worried that Rick was mad at him because of his teasing about Anya? ‘Well, I’ll need to know one way or the other by the end of next week.’
Ed nodded. ‘Sure. Look, I don’t mean to mess you around, there’s just a chance I might be able to pick up some extra hours at work, and no offence, but it pays better.’
Rick supposed that made sense. ‘Things improving at the office, I take it?’ Normally Ed couldn’t wait to get out of there.
His brother gave him a funny little smile. ‘Yeah, you could say that.’
‘I’m glad things are looking up for you. I mean, I’d always rather have you around but we’ve all got bills to pay, so I get it. I won’t have any problems filling the job, so don’t worry if you’ve got a better offer.’
‘Yeah, cheers, like I said I’ll let you know asap.’
Ed still looked a bit unsettled, but at least Rick had made it clear to him he was happy to have him. His phone buzzed and he pulled out and read the brief message from Harry.
Can’t make it 2nite. Russ sick.
‘Harry isn’t coming,’ he told the others as he typed a reply back. ‘Russ is sick, so I guess he’s taking charge tonight.’
U ok?
The only reply was a meme of a burning rubbish dumpster floating down a flooded street. Rick chuckled and set his phone back down. As long as Harry was joking, he was fine.
‘Oh, that’s a shame,’ Rachel said. ‘We hardly see him these days.’
‘He has to work in the evenings, love,’ Jago said, reaching for her hand. ‘And the responsibility will do him good.’
She squeezed his hand. ‘I know you’re right, but sometimes I feel like we need to book a table at the restaurant to spend any time with him. ’
Jago grinned. ‘Now that sounds like an idea! It’s Ma’s birthday in August. Why don’t we get the whole family together for a party at the restaurant?’ He started counting on his fingers. ‘With all of us, Ma, Pa and Davy, Ryan, Helen and the kids, plus Anya and Freya, of course, that’ll be what? Thirteen? Fourteen?’
Rick ran a quick mental calculation through his head. ‘I make it thirteen, unless you were counting a seat for Harry.’
‘He might get a chance to grab a few minutes here and there.’ Jago turned to Rachel. ‘What do you reckon?’
She beamed at him. ‘I think it sounds wonderful, but perhaps we should book for sixteen just in case Liam and Caroline can make it.’
‘Don’t get your hopes up about that, love,’ Jago warned her.
‘Well, we can at least ask them. It’s not until next month so it’s plenty of notice.’
‘I’ll give him a call over the weekend,’ Rick offered. Not that he had much hope he’d be able to persuade his brother to come home for a visit, but at least he’d be able to soften their mum’s disappointment when the invitation was inevitably rebuffed.
Rachel’s expression brightened and her initial enthusiasm returned. ‘Give him our love when you do speak to him. and in the meantime I’ll text Helen and we can get the ball rolling.’
As she pulled her phone out, Ed leaned towards Rick and whispered, ‘You know she’ll find an excuse for them not to come.’
Rick nodded. ‘Doesn’t mean we stop inviting them, though. Liam is one of us.’
Ed gave him an I-don’t-know-why-you-bother look then turned to their mum. ‘I’ll work on the seating plan, shall I?’ Turning back to him, Ed gave Rick a wink and leaned in once more. ‘Play your cards right and I’ll fiddle the seating plan and put you next to Anya. ’
‘Dickhead,’ Rick muttered under his breath, refusing to rise to the bait.
‘Oh, darling, that’s a lovely idea, thank you!’ Rachel said, eyes on her phone, fingers flying, as she continued to text with Helen. ‘We should go through the photo albums and put together some memories for Ma.’
Her enthusiasm was infectious and Rick could already picture his grandmother’s delight, but even as he felt himself getting swept up with the idea of a big family celebration, a black cloud loomed heavy on the horizon. How was he going to sit and smile and enjoy the evening with Uncle Davy at the table and only the two of them knowing the truth?