Chapter 7 #3
‘We can swish around in tea dresses, serving sandwiches,’ Cath added. ‘Aw, I remember Reggie talking about tea dances with his Elsie. He’d adore this.’
‘Yes, 50s music and dancing. Why not, indeed, it sounds a splendid idea,’ agreed Will.
‘It’ll bring back so many memories for the older people, too. They’ll love it,’ said Andreas. ‘And Dan, just think, you can bring out your gorgeous old black leather jacket and go all Danny Zuko!’
‘I adore the sound of this!’ Nikki was grinning.
‘Okay, so shall I check out some possible dates? I take it a Sunday afternoon’s generally good for us all, with the village stores and your cycle shop closed, lads.
And of course, I’ll make it after your exams are all done, Lily,’ said Cath, taking a sip of fizz.
‘So, yes, later on in the summer. I’ll check some dates with the hall committee, and also coordinate with the care home,’ offered Cath, feeling excited at the prospect.
‘Any dates you know you can’t make, gang? ’
‘We have a family holiday late July, I’ll check the timings on that,’ said Lily.
‘Nothing major for us at that time of year,’ said Dan. ‘Other than good old work.’
‘Okay. Great, let’s get a date fixed in the diary, then,’ said Cath.
‘A Tilldale Afternoon Tea … has a lovely ring to it, don’t you think?’ Andreas smiled. ‘Simple, but it works,’ he added.
‘Sounds a bit like you, Andreas,’ chuckled Dan.
Andreas then swatted his partner as if he were a wasp. ‘Cheeky git.’
‘It sounds perfect,’ confirmed Cath.
Andreas continued animatedly, ‘And we can let the village folk know about it, too. Get a poster up in the shop window, get the community involved.’
‘The supper club strikes again!’
‘It’s going to be tea-licious,’ said Andreas.
‘Tea-lightful,’ added Dan.
The group’s groans turned into big grins.
‘This calls for cake!’ And with that, Lily went off to fetch her showstopper of a sponge.
They celebrated their great idea over slices of moist buttery Victoria sponge, with fresh juicy strawberries and a hint of custard in the cream.
‘Oh my,’ Andreas said dreamily, after taking his first bite.
‘You’ve excelled yourself with this one, Lily,’ said Dan.
Cath was left speechless momentarily, as she savoured the perfect combination of bouncy soft sponge, creamy custard and sweet strawberry. ‘That is heavenly,’ she finally managed. Honestly, it was like having the best-ever trifle in a cake.
Lily gave the brightest of smiles.
It was, in fact, the perfect cake for an afternoon tea event.
*
Cath felt sun-kissed, content and very full.
A relaxing while later, sat beside Will, he reached for her hand where it rested on the table top, giving it an affectionate squeeze.
Life felt good, with everything on the up, at last. They certainly had some great things to look forward to, and life as a couple was beginning to take shape – with a community afternoon tea event now to plan, and the beach bungalow project to forge forward with.
Oh, they hadn’t mentioned the hut as yet to the others, so perhaps this was the ideal time. ‘We’ve got a bit of exciting news, too,’ Cath started, as she looked to Will. It was his inheritance and project, after all. Will gave an affirming nod, seemingly guessing where she was going with this.
Before she could begin to explain, Andreas blurted out gleefully, ‘Oh, we’ve not got wedding bells ringing out, already?’
Crikey. ‘Of course not, we’ve only just got together.’ Cath firmly batted down that idea, feeling herself blush. Though she was surprised to find herself secretly lifted by the thought, but then equally terrified that Will would get spooked.
Will too went rather pink in the cheeks, and it wasn’t just the effect of the sun.
‘Shame, I was looking forward to buying a new hat for the occasion,’ Andreas continued.
‘Pipe down, Cilla,’ Dan warned. ‘After that set-up of a supper club for two, he thinks he’s some kind of matchmaking hero.’
With that, Andreas was off singing, ‘I need a hero …’ As the group collapsed into a fit of the giggles.
‘Aw, it would be lovely, though,’ chipped in Nikki. ‘A wedding in the village … Now that would be some event to organise.’
‘Behave, you lot.’ Cath suppressed a smile as she tried to steer the conversation back on track, and steady her matchmaking pals.
Will took over, swiftly changing the subject. ‘Well then, the news is … that I’ve just inherited a beach hut.’
‘Ooh, how fantastic,’ said Dan.
‘Sounds great … and more than a little intriguing,’ added Nikki.
‘Tell us more. Where is it?’ Lily was curious.
‘Now don’t go getting yourselves too excited. It is in a beautiful spot on the coast. In the dunes over at Low Newton, but the building has been left empty for a while, so it’s rather shabby and neglected,’ explained Will. ‘It’s not really habitable just yet.’
‘Think ramshackle,’ added Cath. ‘We went over to have a look. And, put it this way, the only guests of late have been mice and spiders. So, we won’t be staying there any time soon.’
‘Sounds lush,’ Lily noted sarcastically, raising a neatly drawn eyebrow.
‘Yep, there’ll be lots of work to do to get it shipshape,’ confirmed Will. ‘But it certainly has potential.’
‘Oh, it does sound exciting, though,’ said Dan. ‘And that’s such a beautiful spot.’
‘Yeah, it is. Once we’ve had a chance to get the main structure sound and rainproofed, you’ll have to all come over and see it sometime,’ offered Will, the sense of excitement apparent in his tone, despite all the work to come. And that was lovely, thought Cath.
‘Oh, a supper club trip to the coast. I can feel a picnic coming on …’ Andreas grinned.
‘A picnic sounds like the way forward. The kitchen facility is limited, let’s put it that way,’ added Cath.
‘Cool,’ said Lily. ‘But oh, please, don’t clash with my exams …’
‘It’ll take a while to get the initial work done, I’m sure,’ responded Will. ‘But of course we’ll bear that in mind, Lily.’
‘Yeah, that sounds great, we’ll give it a few weeks – a supper club gathering by the sea to look forward to.
But back to the mission in hand, we’ve an afternoon tea to organise, don’t forget.
I’ll contact Julie at the home in the morning, and try and get a date for early August fixed in the diary. ’ Cath felt a tingle of anticipation.
Reggie and his fellow residents would love this idea for sure. Oh, and she might even look to organise a live band, though she realised that might prove expensive. Finances had yet to be considered. But how wonderful would a proper 50s-style tea dance be?
‘A Tilldale Afternoon Tea’ was in the making!