Chapter 25 #3
Cath popped the singing kettle onto the camping stove, and set out mugs and a cafetière.
She then spotted the old brown-glazed, now sparkly clean, teapot, which had been artfully placed with an art deco cup on the kitchen side, and gave a smile.
Hardly an heirloom, but a thoughtful memento saved from Will’s family’s past. Opportunely, she also noticed that a couple of chocolate brownies were left over, and once Will had had a little shut eye, they sat sipping soothing, mellow coffee out on the deck overlooking the sea.
‘What a day. And you were in on it all along, I suppose?’ Will gave a warm smile. ‘I still can’t bloody well believe it. What a transformation.’
‘Yeah, well, I knew they were intending to paint the place, and I’d seen some woodwork being put together by Andreas and Dan, but I had no idea of the extent of the project.
Not all this … the whole house through. I really don’t know how they’ve managed it.
And, they’ve done their best to keep up with their day jobs all the while, too. ’
‘Yeah, there must have been some late nights going on.’
‘Yes, I bet. And then Lily teaming up to get Sophie on board, I had no idea of that development until I saw her here. But that’s lovely, too.’
‘Yeah, Sophie looked so happy. It’s great they’ve made friends.
It’s all amazing.’ Making the most of the chance to rest, Will put down his almost-empty cup and closed his eyes again for a while.
Cath sat contemplating, thinking how life had changed so very much these past months, all the while mesmerised by the sea in motion.
Her gaze then followed a trio of terns in flight as they swooped and dipped across the bay.
Her breathing slowed as she began to relax, too. It was such a beautiful place.
After the reveal, they’d stayed socialising with the others in the main living space.
She had looked briefly in on the bedroom earlier, noticing that, too, had had a fresh lick of paint.
With Will dozing once more, she couldn’t resist another peek in there.
Heading back, and opening the door, the room was so lovely and airy.
The walls were painted the same fresh white as the living area, and oh, one wall – the one you might rest a headboard against – was now a soft powder-blue that made her think of a coastal springtime sky.
The shell and driftwood artworks – that Will’s distant relatives had likely made – which had been hanging in the living space, were now here.
Aw, such a pretty memento and nod to the past. A further seashell-patterned curtain, to match those in the living area, had been put up at the little window.
Of course, there was no furniture in here as yet.
But now, she could picture it as it might be.
A double bed was in fact on order, in a reclaimed pale-wood finish that she and Will had chosen, but they were still waiting on a delivery date.
Choosing it online together, before Will’s surgery, had felt like an act of hope, of something to look forward to.
They could take nothing for granted, of course, with further PSA tests and follow-ups yet to come, but buying furniture for the beach hut felt like a firm commitment to the future.
A happier future, together, with beach days, chilled days, family days, friends over days, and at the end of those days, a comfy bed to look forward to.
She smiled to herself remembering how completing the bed’s delivery instructions online had kept the pair of them entertained.
After having to give the car park as the delivery address, Cath filled in an explanatory message under ‘Access Information’ on the unusual residence, highlighting the necessary trip across the dunes to reach the property.
Cath still wondered if a large tip might help persuade the delivery men to help shift the no doubt heavy item all the way to the bungalow.
As a back-up plan, they’d figured on having a couple of strong mates on hand at the car park, just in case.
She headed back through to the living space, a gentle smile on her face as she gazed again at the hut’s brand-new interior, which turned into a daft grin at Andreas’s cocktail corner.
Sat back down beside a still-snoozing Will, she settled to watch the remaining beachgoers on the sands below; birds, animals and humans.
She’d let Will rest some more; it had been a busy day, and he evidently needed it.
It was lovely to think that from here on in, with all the works done thanks to their fabulous friends, they’d be able to come over and unwind more often.
Glancing at his sleeping form, Cath wondered if it wasn’t just the surgery Will needed to heal from; after losing Jane he was still carrying a ton of grief.
These past few years, he must surely have felt as if he’d been buried in an avalanche of loss.
Though his own diagnosis and surgery had been a huge blow, it was very much something else to deal with on top of all that had come before.
At least now, he … they could slip away and escape to this very special seaside place, which had been brought back to life with love, and a lot of hard work.
Sitting here with the warmth of the June sun caressing her skin, the salt in the air, and a magical view of the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, Cath could already feel the place working its magic on her. She so hoped it would do the same for Will.
Onwards and upwards. With small, steady and gorgeously salty steps.