Chapter 21
He looked so pale and fragile as they wheeled Will back in from recovery. But the worst was over, the operation done. Cath gave him the gentlest of hugs, afraid of hurting him.
Will was to stay in overnight. The girls arrived early evening with relieved kisses, a cycling magazine and a couple of his favourite chocolate bars.
They took up the two seats at his bedside, and started chatting.
Cath took the opportunity to go and grab a sandwich, suddenly realising that it was teatime already and that she’d missed lunch altogether, offering to get the others something from the coffee place or handy hospital shop.
Will said he fancied a packet of salt and vinegar crisps, something with a bit of flavour.
The girls replied thanks but they’d just eaten, and then shared their plan that Sophie was to stay over with Maddie in her Newcastle flat that night, so they’d be on hand for visiting.
Cath intended heading back up the road to home, but not until she felt Will no longer needed her. She’d return to her cottage and bed, hoping for a few hours’ sleep, ready to get up early and back to the hospital, to collect him the next day.
‘We could bring him home,’ offered Maddie. ‘We’ll be coming back up to Tilldale anyhow. I’ve moved my shifts this week to have a few days free.’
‘Oh yes, that’d be nice for us to take Dad home,’ Sophie added, almost territorially.
Or was that Cath being supersensitive, she mused, before responding, ‘Oh, it’s just I’d imagined I’d be taking him back with me.
I’m going to be here visiting again in the morning.
’ She needed to know he was okay, to be there for him.
That’s how she’d imagined things would pan out.
But she wasn’t the only lady in his life who felt it was her responsibility to support him.
Of course, his daughters would want to care for him, too.
It was oddly beginning to feel a bit competitive, in a who’s-looking-after-him-the-best kind of way.
With the patient, Will, piggy in the middle.
The three of them were seemingly now wrangling for who did what, from his bedside.
The tension was palpable, and that wasn’t good, Cath realised.
This wasn’t the way forward in helping his recovery.
‘Right, well, okay. The main thing is he gets home fine,’ she said calmly and measuredly.
‘Umm, girls, why don’t you let Cath take me back,’ Will interjected. ‘She brought me down here, after all.’
The raised-eyebrow looks the girls gave each other, over the top of their dad’s head, were unmistakable. If they could have got away with rolling their eyes, they would have.
In all kinds of ways, it would be a relief to get Will back home.
*
‘We come bearing gifts of baklava, coffee cake and quiche,’ announced Andreas. ‘There are also the obligatory grapes, a couple of juicy satsumas and the latest copy of your Cycling Weekly.’
‘Blimey, it’s like the Three Kings bearing gifts.’ Will managed a smile, from his position propped up in his armchair. He’d got back from the hospital last night, and despite feeling extremely sore and struggling to get up and down from his seat, was bearing up.
‘Hah, pretty sure we’re not the Wise Men, anyhow,’ chuckled Dan.
‘I’d agree with that!’ Laughed Nikki, as she and Lily trooped in behind them.
Lily brought homemade rocky road and millionaire’s shortbread traybakes, and Nikki declared her promise to come round once a week whilst Will was convalescing, to give his house a lovely freshen up and clean, adding, ‘Along with my new trusty helper here – Niece Lily.’
‘Well, my exams are finally over,’ Lily added, giving jazz hands. ‘Woohoo! And other than my restaurant shifts, there’s not that much going on.’ She didn’t mention her various social life commitments, hoping to make Will feel better about receiving their help.
‘Ah, well done on your exams, Lily,’ said Will. ‘Bet that’s a huge relief. And thank you so much, but my girls have said they’ll help out, too.’
‘Oh, it’s no problem. That way, they can concentrate on you.’ Nikki was adamant that she was going to help, and that this was the best way she could.
Sophie was still there since arriving Wednesday night, and Maddie, who had a nursing day shift today, was coming back up tomorrow.
The girls wanted to do everything they could to support their dad, too.
Whilst that was admirable, Cath quietly confessed to herself that it all felt a little crowded.
It was almost like she and the girls were battling it out as to who could help Will the most. And that wasn’t a thought she was proud of, or even liked to admit to herself.
Bloody hell, she needed to pull up her big girl pants here – her role of being the family’s safety net needed to be reinstalled immediately.
‘Right, I’ll go and put the kettle on for everyone,’ said Cath, ready to make herself useful.
‘Thanks, petal,’ said Andreas.
‘Hey, are you lot trying to fatten me up?’ Will looked at the coffee table now laden with treats.
‘Perhaps, but it’s more to cheer you up than fatten you up. And hey, if there’s too much, then you can always share. I’m sure your steady stream of visitors will be more than happy to tuck in,’ said Andreas.
‘Hah, so you bring all the goodies, and then sit and enjoy them yourselves. I’m on to your game.’ Will sounded amused.
It was lovely to listen in to their banter as she bustled about the kitchen.
Their visit was definitely helping to lift Will, who’d been a little quiet this morning up until now.
No doubt the pain, and an element of post-surgery blues, hitting.
The reality of his wound, and having a catheter in place, could not be pleasant at all.
As Cath headed back in, a few minutes later, with a tray of coffees, milk and sugar, Sophie was chatting away with Lily, which was great to see, whilst the others talked with Will, who was admitting that he was going to feel extremely cooped up for a while.
No cycling for a bit, and complaining that he wasn’t allowed to drive yet, either.
Mr Active was on hold, and it really didn’t suit him.
The chat over coffee and traybakes moved on to the subject of the beach house, and their fun paella day. Will was talking about the coastal bungalow with longing. ‘Ah, it’d be the perfect place to relax and recuperate, with the fresh sea air and that glorious view.’
‘It is wonderful there,’ agreed Andreas.
‘That day we had was mega,’ added Lily. ‘Sangria by the sea.’
‘Oh, right,’ Sophie cut in, a little sulkily. ‘Seems like I’m the only one who hasn’t been to see it, yet.’
‘We can go, soon, Soph … once I’m on the mend,’ Will appeased.
‘Your dad will need a good rest before heading off anywhere,’ Cath warned, sensibly, but regretted chipping in when she saw Sophie instantly giving her one of her cool looks. Oh dear, had she said the wrong thing again? Cath mused, but she couldn’t help feeling superprotective of Will just now.
Will then mentioned the hut’s condition and how it needed a bit of work, as if letting Sophie down gently, reminding them all there was no means of electricity, only basic furniture, a tiny kitchen and its interior was rather dark and dull. ‘Other than that, it would be perfect,’ he added wryly.
Cath gave a tentative smile whilst holding back a sigh; more than aware that her partner’s hopes for the renovations were now going to be very much on hold.
*
That particular conversation, and Will’s yearning to be back by the sea, hadn’t passed by their friends unnoticed, however.
On the way out, pausing at the threshold beside Cath, as the group made their farewells, Andreas said, in a hushed voice, ‘You know we’d love to help Will with those renovations. Get the beach bungalow shipshape for him again.’
‘We would indeed,’ agreed Dan.
‘We understand how careful he’s got to be, just now, of course,’ continued Andreas. ‘No reaching or bending, painting and decorating, for him. But it seems such a shame for you two not to be able to use the beach house …’ he sought the right word. ‘… Comfortably, yet.’
‘I know, but it’s just one of those things. No point in Will worrying about it,’ said Cath.
‘Exactly. Hmm, leave it with me. I’ll get my thinking cap on.’ He gave a wink.
*
Back home in her cottage, later that evening, Cath heard her phone buzz. She answered it to find it was a video call from Andreas.
She was tucked up in bed, propped against her pillows with a book, doing her best to try and decompress from these full-on, emotional and unusual few days.
It hadn’t seemed right to assume, or even ask, to stay over at Will’s with Sophie now there.
Will would likely prefer the comfort of having the double bed to himself, and some privacy to sort his catheter, anyhow.
In these early post-op days, intimacy was naturally off the agenda, but Cath would have happily stayed in one of the spare rooms to be on hand to help.
‘So how are you doing, lovely?’ Andreas brought her back to the here and now. ‘All this with Will must have hit you so hard. Oh …’ He peered at the screen. ‘Are you in bed there?’
‘I am.’ She smiled. ‘You’ve caught me having an early night. It seemed very tempting.’
‘Well, I don’t blame you, petal. You’ve been through the mill lately, I bet.’
‘Ah, I’m all right. Tired, but fine. Just need to get the patient on the road to recovery again.’
‘And that’s exactly why I’m calling. So, we’ve been talking, me and Dan with the supper club girls …’ And he began to tell her all about their incredible plans.