by Lucy Coleman
‘Hmm…’ Tollie mutters, glancing back down at the newspaper in his hands. ‘If you’re about to put the kettle on, I’d love a cup of tea,’ he continues, changing the subject.
‘Why don’t you pop up to see him and check it out? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind,’ I say casually as I turn and head off into the kitchen.
Tollie makes a grunting sound. I think he’s tired because of the pain he’s in and he might be due to take some more painkillers. The doctor says the problems with his back are only general wear and tear, and there isn’t much they can do to help, unless it gets an awful lot worse. But as soon as the tea is made, Tollie takes the mug from me and disappears upstairs to run a hot bath. At least I’ve made him stop and think, which is a start.
I grab my laptop and snuggle up on the sofa, typing in ‘alternative wedding dresses’. Goodness, two-thirds of them show way too much flesh for a winter wedding and I can quickly discount the black, dark red and purple options. There are a number of knee-length dresses that don’t look too bad, but nothing jumps out at me. I type in ‘winter wedding dresses’ and to my dismay it’s more or less the exact same pictures that come up, although there are a few with little satin jackets. That’s going to make all the difference on a day when the frost doesn’t melt until lunchtime, I mock. Do they expect brides to shiver and just put up with it?
Logging off, I lie back to drink my coffee. The problem with spending my teen years with no female influences around me is that buying clothes has never been a great experience for me. I shop when I need something, but it’s never been a day out. The mere thought of window shopping is something I can’t even get my head around. What a waste of time if you end up coming home with nothing. My wardrobe has several dresses in it, but they’re all things that are easy to wear and not really posh frocks, because that’s not who I am. Besides, I’ve never had an occasion that required me to really dress up, so I can only do smart casual.
What I need is some help and I need it from someone who has their feet firmly planted on the ground. I think that someone might be Sarah.
Heading up to bed, I stand outside the bathroom door. ‘Goodnight, Tollie. And sorry for the disruption.’
‘It’s no bother. It’s my silly fault, anyway, and I’m mightily sorry. Night, m’dear. Sleep well.’
‘You, too.’
This is the first time I’ve ever slept in the guest bedroom and I wonder what Gray will make of it when I break the news to him on Friday. Reggie’s guys have created a temporary pathway around the side of the cottage avoiding the mud pit, but Gray will need access to pack up some clothes before they dig out the front, too. Oh, this is such a nightmare!
I wander over to the window to look out over the fields, when suddenly a buzzing sound has me dashing to grab my bag. I told Gray there was no need to check that I got home safely, but I’m not surprised when I see it’s him.
‘I was just thinking about you,’ I tell him, trying not to sound as sad as I feel.
‘Ditto. I’m about to jump into bed and something made me pick up my phone. I hate Wednesdays.’
‘Ah, me too.’
‘Roll on Friday. Is our table booked?’
‘Of course.’
‘You sound distant. I mean, not the miles… just not quite your usual self. Is anything troubling you?’
Inwardly I suppress a groan. ‘Only the usual. And the grilling tonight over the wedding stuff made me realise you and I need to have a serious talk at the weekend. It’s decision-making time.’
‘Uh oh,’ Gray mutters grimly. ‘I might have something to add to the agenda, but I won’t know for sure until Friday afternoon. They’re talking about a trip to Los Angeles to start working out the details of this new project, but I don’t know when. They’re still awaiting confirmation that the funding is in place.’
I know it’s work, and I should be pleased for him, but the thought of even less time together is unsettling.
‘Anyway,’ he continues, ‘don’t worry about that now. You sound tired, so put it all out of your mind and get a good night’s sleep. I forgot to ask how Tollie is.’
‘His back is playing up again. It’s time he paid another visit to the doctor.’
‘Good luck with getting him to book an appointment, Immi, you know what he’s like.’
‘Anyway, I’m exhausted, so I’ll say goodnight. Love you, Gray.’ It’s not that I want to cut him short, but if Tollie hears me talking and knocks on the door to check everything’s okay, I’m not sure I can hide how down in the dumps I’m feeling.
‘Love you more. Sweet dreams, Immi.’
4
Everything Is Under Control
‘It’s Friday. Where’s that spring in your step this morning, Immi? Usually, I don’t need to look at the calendar to see what day it is,’ Martin jests as he pours the hot water into the cups. He nods for me to take one.
‘I don’t even have the time to think about this evening until it’s here. Have you seen my desk? And suddenly everyone is putting in their holiday forms, so that’s going to be a juggling act to try to keep everyone happy.’
‘You sound down. Is it having to move back into The Retreat temporarily?’
I shake my head, silently berating myself for being such a grouch this morning. ‘Ignore me. Once I get stuck into my work, I’ll soon clear everything. I didn’t have a good night, that’s all. It takes a while to get used to sleeping in a different bed.’
Martin takes a slurp of his coffee, then shoots me a look of commiseration.
‘You’ve got too much going on, Immi, but it will get better. Oh, and I have some good news that will cheer you up. When I dropped off those trees at the Linden Hotel yesterday, the general manager, Harrison, came over and said they’re thinking about running another fundraiser to help swell the anniversary fund. He asked whether you could spare the time to call in and have a chat sometime.’
It might be the caffeine kicking in, of course, but suddenly I’m wide awake and raring to go.
‘I don’t suppose he mentioned anything specific?’ I ask hopefully.
‘Well, no. I think he’s hoping you’ll come up with something.’
‘Ah! Right.’ Another task to add to my ever-growing list.
‘But,’ Martin jumps back in, ‘Patrick mentioned he’d be more than willing to get involved in some way, so bear that in mind. He has plenty of time on his hands and he’s also good with figures, as he started out as an accountant.’ He beams at me.
‘Hmm… good at figures, eh? That’s useful to know,’ I reply. ‘It’s kind of him to offer.’
‘Look, I know he’s not strictly a local, but he’s had a tough time of it lately. His wife walked out a while back, having taken every penny she could get her hands on, which was the majority of their life savings. They’re going through a messy divorce and, as it stands, she still owes him money.’
‘How awful. Poor man.’
‘Patrick keeps things pretty close to his chest, but I’m piecing together the few things he has told me and I feel sorry for the guy. Seriously, Immi, he’d be glad to have something to distract him and he’s not that far away. Although, I think he’s sold the house, so he’ll be looking for something smaller. Patrick said it was much too big for the two of them and now he’s on his own he can’t wait to get out of there.’
‘I can understand why. I’m sure I can find a way for him to get involved.’
‘He could talk to Harrison, maybe?’
I don’t want Martin to think I’m not taking Patrick’s offer seriously, but he’s not in the loop yet and so wouldn’t be able to answer any specific questions that might come up.
‘I think I ought to talk to Fisher, first off, as he’s known Harrison for longer than I have.’
‘Of course, why didn’t I think of that? It makes perfect sense.’
‘Thanks, anyway, and I’ll give some thought to Patrick’s offer, I promise. Where does he live?’
‘North Charlton, just the other side of Middle N
orton. I’ll text you his phone number.’
As we part company, I’m well aware that delegating doesn’t come easy to me, especially if it’s to someone I don’t really know. Another pair of hands would be helpful, but often it’s about who you know, rather than what you know.
Suddenly, there’s a loud crash and I start running in the direction of the ongoing commotion. Martin isn’t far behind me and when we reach the yard, we see that the forklift truck has backed into a corner of one of the greenhouses, which has partially collapsed. It looks as if there’s been an explosion, with metal, glass, shelving and tray upon tray of petunias, French marigolds and dahlias, crushed beneath the tangle. Obviously, it was an accident, and the driver is already inspecting the damage, looking acutely embarrassed. Martin stands surveying the scene, shaking his head in disbelief. At least half of yesterday’s bulk delivery of plants are now written off.
‘I’ll do a re-order, Martin. Hopefully, we’ll get it by the middle of next week.’
He gives me a brief nod. ‘Thanks, Immi. I’ll get onto the insurance company and find out what we need to do. We’ll cordon it off for the time being and at least no one was hurt. Just in time for the weekend, though, which is bad timing.’
Weekends are busy throughout the spring and summer, but that’s only a part of the business as commercial contracts now far outweigh the customers purchasing through the tills.
‘We’ll make it up,’ I reassure him. ‘I’ll place that order now.’
As Gray walks through the door of The Bullrush Inn, I head down the stairs two at a time. Rushing towards him, I throw myself into his arms and a cheer goes up. As Gray hugs me tightly, he turns me around so that we are facing the audience of fellow customers, who are all raising their glasses.
‘Date night!’ they chorus and we burst out laughing.
‘We are so predictable,’ Gray murmurs, his lips close to my ear.
‘Did you have a good week, Gray?’ Fisher calls out as Gray lowers his arms and we stand there holding hands.
‘The project is almost done,’ Gray replies, wearing a huge smile, and I can see that his week ended on a high.
‘When will the film be in the cinemas?’ Abe calls out, much to Ethel’s annoyance.
‘Leave them be, Abe. Go have a lovely dinner, you two, and ignore this lot,’ Ethel adds warmly.
Abe and Ethel own a four-berth, forty-five-foot Admiral narrowboat named The Merry Robin and it’s one of the handful of residential moorings here at the canal. Their lives revolve around our little community and our Christmas cruises wouldn’t run as smoothly if they weren’t involved. I think of Ethel as the quintessential Earth Mother and Abe as the Green Man, and I love them to bits. Nothing is ever too much trouble and they treat me like an adopted granddaughter.
I give them a little wave as Gray yanks on my hand and we head straight up to our usual table in front of the panoramic window overlooking the canal and the marina. But before we take our seats, Gray spins me around and plants a gentle kiss on my lips. I don’t want to pull away, but the majority of the people seated up here are strangers and we’re in danger of making a spectacle of ourselves.
‘They’re all a bit rowdy tonight,’ Gray comments as I sink down onto the chair he pulls out for me.
Moments later, Karl appears with two menus and a lighter for the candle.
‘Happy Friday, guys. Your man is home, Immi. What a week it’s been.’
I glance straight up at Karl, who is renowned for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. As we discovered last year, he just can’t keep a secret. He let it slip to Tollie that we were planning a sit-down dinner to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Santa Ahoy cruises but Tollie immediately threw that idea out of the window and we cancelled the big bash. Now we’re raising money for the playground instead and are having a modest do at the village hall on Boxing Day, with everyone chipping in to pay for it.
‘You’re right, but the weekend is finally here,’ I jump in brightly, and I can see from Karl’s reaction that he got the message.
‘I’ll leave you guys to it, then, and I’ll come back in a bit.’
He rushes off before Gray can begin quizzing him.
‘Problems?’ he enquires, pressing his lips together. Gray reaches out to place his hand over mine, and we intertwine our fingers.
‘There was a bit of an accident at the Lockside Nurseries. No one was hurt, but one of the original greenhouses will need replacing.’
‘Nightmare. I’m sorry to hear that, especially at this time of the year. Thank goodness for insurance policies. I’m starving, I don’t know about you?’
We peruse the menu and, as usual, I can’t make up my mind, so we order two different dishes. It’s become our thing and we usually swap halfway through. Gray says it’s endearing. The truth is that I can’t eat a whole plate of the same thing, which tends to rule out pasta dishes for me. I love pasta, just not a massive portion of it and, luckily, Gray is always hungry.
‘Are you ready to order?’ Jade appears, looking very smart in her black dress and white apron. I notice she wears a little make-up now. The twins are both such sweet-natured girls and I know it’s going to be tough for Karl once they start taking an even bigger interest in boys.
‘We are,’ I reply, smiling. ‘Gray is going for the skillet pasta with mushrooms, pancetta and wilted greens, and I’ll go for the summer salad with feta cheese, new potatoes and strawberries. Can we also have a dish of house fries, please, Jade?’
‘Of course. And to drink?’
I look at Gray. ‘The usual, please,’ he says, winking at her. ‘Immi only lets me drink beer at Christmas,’ he says in a mock half-whisper.
‘That is so not true!’ I blurt out, offended. ‘Jade, bring him a beer and I’ll have a small carafe of the house rosé. Thanks so much.’
When she’s out of earshot he leans in. ‘I was only joking. You’ve had a bad week, haven’t you? What aren’t you telling me, Immi?’
I look around uneasily, but there’s no one close enough to overhear our conversation. Gray is in happy mode and now I fear I might be about to spoil that for him.
‘Well, do you want the good news first, or the bad news?’ All I can do is try to lighten the moment, but Gray screws up his face, leaning closer.
‘I knew something was up.’ At that moment Kurt appears with our drinks and we spring apart.
‘The food won’t be long. Here you go, enjoy!’ Kurt says amiably, totally unaware that Gray is sitting there anxious to hear what I have to say. He places the glasses down in front of us. Gray grabs his beer and takes a hefty swig.
Once Kurt has left, he sucks in a deep breath. ‘Okay. Good news first.’
‘A month, worst-case scenario.’
He peers at me, leaning in as he lowers his voice. ‘Okay. That might not be the end of the world, depending on what comes next. And the bad news?’
‘That’s how long we’re staying in the spare bedroom at The Retreat.’ I can’t even look at him right now.
‘What?’
When I eventually do get up the courage to explain, he’s holding onto the arms of the carver chair as if it’s about to fly off somewhere.
‘You’re not kidding, are you? What on earth has gone wrong now?’
‘The water main burst at the back of the cottage and all the pipework has to be replaced. When Reggie realised Tollie hadn’t had it renewed when the work was done on The Retreat, he checked out the septic tank and that’s had its day, too.’
Gray sits back in his chair, stunned. ‘But he said the pipework going into the kitchen was probably less than ten years old.’
‘And that’s correct. There was a serious leak when the tap sheared off, but they only dug up and replaced the pipe coming into the kitchen.’
‘And Tollie bought the place, what, fifty years ago?’
‘Yes, Grandma and Tollie bought Lock Keeper’s Cottage in 1969. He said there were no lead pipes or anything and apart from the one
problem we had with the stopcock, everything has always worked.’
Gray’s frown deepens, and I know what’s coming next. ‘And the cost?’
‘Worst case is about ten grand, and Reggie said we could get a quote from a company who offer a trenchless solution, but he thinks it’s cheaper to just dig it up and get it done. They have to dismantle the old septic tank and excavate a bigger hole for the new one, so I told him to go for it. He said if he can bring it in under that, he will, because he knows we don’t have a budget for it.’
Gray picks up his beer once more, takes a hefty swig and then replaces it on the table before reaching out for my hand. He gives me a warm and gentle smile.
‘Hey, it’s only money, Immi. We’ll sort it. Thank goodness it happened now and not a while down the line when all the work is finished. How did Tollie take the news?’
‘He just felt guilty for not having sorted it out before. But it’s a huge mess and I can understand why he let it slide. His “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach isn’t always the best policy, though. It has destroyed the lovely borders and those old flagstones are now in the outbuilding. Tollie wanted to pay for the work, of course, but I told him straight that wasn’t happening.’
‘Quite right, too. So, we’re going to be sleeping in Tollie’s spare bedroom, then?’
‘We are. I collected a few of your things, but tomorrow morning you’ll probably want to go and pack a bag. There’s no access at all at the rear of the cottage now and they’ll be digging a trench along the front path early next week.’
Jade is heading in our direction, a plate in each hand and I stare at Gray, tilting my head slightly as I sit back.
‘My, that looks good,’ he declares. ‘Thank you, Jade. This is going to be the best meal I’ve had all week.’ She giggles as she walks off.
‘So, we’d better keep the noise down, then, when we get back,’ Gray says mischievously. One of the things I love about this man of mine is that whatever life throws at him, he can always raise a smile. He takes everything in his stride and he rarely moans about anything. When it’s time to swap dishes, he doesn’t immediately begin eating again.
