Page 33 of The Pop-Up Cake Shop

‘Organising ahouse-warming?’ I laughed. ‘Ellie, no. Leave all that for after the baby’s born, for goodness’ sake.’

She gave me a mischievous smile. ‘We’ll see.’

*****

The following Tuesday, I joined Cheryl and Ray for ten-pin bowling.

I wasn’t great and Cheryl was even more hopeless than me, but that didn’t matter at all. In fact, we were laughing so much that at times we had to hold onto each other, in order to try and catch our breath. We’d look at Ray and he’d shake his head in mock despair and proceed to show us exactly how it was done.

‘It’s not fair. You’re sogood?’ I grumbled at one point. ‘I thought you said you’d never done this before, Ray.’

He grinned and tapped the side of his nose. ‘That was just insurance in case I turned out to be as hopeless as you two, although that would obviously be quite a stretch.’

‘Hey! Enough of the criticism,’ complained Cheryl, grinning broadly. ‘Oh, and by the way, the winner buys the coffees, remember?’

‘What? Since when?’

Cheryl looked at her watch. ‘Since... right now. It’s a new club rule I’ve just invented.’

I chuckled as Ray shrugged amiably and strolled off towards the café.

‘Have you noticed, Katja? He’s a different person to the one you met last week.’ Cheryl’s eyes shone suspiciously as she watched him go.

‘He is. There’s a definite twinkle in his eye that wasn’t there before.’

‘It must be the sparkling company,’ she said, tongue in cheek.

‘Or the fact that he’s rediscovered how good he is at ten-pin bowls.’

She looked at me. ‘That’s it, you know. Ray’s heart took such a terrible bashing when he found out they were... well, you know.’

I nodded. ‘People we won’t mention by name.’

‘Exactly. So I think getting out and being with people who enjoy his company has given him a real lift. Hopefully now he can slowly start moving on.’

‘We should do more things like this.’

She turned with interest. ‘Such as?’

‘Things to take us out of our comfort zone.’

‘Ooh, I like it.’

‘Have you seen the posters for the charity fun run in a couple of weeks’ time? How about signing up for that? I’ve always fancied giving something like that a go.’

‘The only running I ever do is if I’m late for a bus,’ said Cheryl.

I laughed. ‘Well, me, too. But we could decide on a charity and then train for it together?’

‘I do like the sound of that.’

‘Will Ray be up for it, do you think?’

She smiled. ‘I have a feeling he will. He’s always been really fit. He used to run marathons in his twenties and he still goes to the gym.’ She gave a little sigh. ‘Well, heusedto, until...’

‘People we won’t mention?’

She nodded. ‘He could probably get back into it in no time. Muscles have memories, don’t they?’

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