Page 70 of One Perfect Day in Lovely Bay
Cally nodded. It had been ages, but the loss was still raw for Logan. Maybe that was all it was – Logan's way of trying to end the year on a positive note. 'It's probably nothing. Do you think Logan might be planning something? For this trip, I mean. I really hope not. I’ve had a gutful of it if I’m honest.'
Eloise coughed and swallowed. It didn’t go unnoticed by Cally. 'What was that? You know something, don't you? You need to tell me if it’s some sort of wake. I’m not up for that.'
Eloise scrunched up her face. ‘No! I don't know anything. I’m as in the dark as you are. If Logan's planning something, he hasn't told me about it. I don’t think he would do that.'
Cally narrowed her eyes, not entirely convinced. ‘Youwouldtell me, wouldn’t you?’
‘Of course! It’s just a trip to the snow, Cal. Nothing more, nothing less. You’re overthinking.’
As they sipped their wine, the talk turned to whether they'd see the Northern Lights, snow-capped mountains, and cosy log fires. Cally tried to put her worries about Logan and his grief behind her. Whatever happened in Scotland, she had a feeling it was going to be something to remember. The problem was she just wasn’t sure that the memories were going to be good ones. She’d have to wait and see.
43
Cally was head down bum up on the floor of one of the RNLI storerooms. She was there with Nina on a job to sort through years of clutter that had accumulated by way of various volunteers and no one really being in charge of the storerooms at all. Their mission was to clear out as much as possible with a view to using the whole back of the building for local community events. There was a proposal that the space would be used as a Lovely playgroup area for local parents.
Cally had been more than happy to put her hand up to help. As she had continued to work every now and then for Nina, she’d become a dab hand at decluttering, and doing it to earn Lovely Brownie points felt like a no-brainer. The more experience she had, the more she’d realised that decluttering was more of a skill than she had first thought. When she’d initially started working for Nina, she’d not believed that there was an art to it. Surely it was easy enough? Now, she’d been doing it for a while, she was of the opinion that there most definitely was. She’d learnt that there were many parts of the equation. One of the most crucial was that Nina could sweep a room with her eyes in seconds, transfer that data to a job spec, and rustle up a list in no time.That was one of the most vital parts of a job going well. Cally had now learnt the art of doing that, too.
Still on her hands and knees, as she scooped a whole load of what appeared to be old canvas boat tarps behind her, she came across a large cardboard box full of old memorabilia. A couple of timber trophies from a fishing competition, a picture of boys lined up for an old school-type photograph, and various fundraising leaflets from years gone by. Shuffling backwards past the canvas sails, she yanked the box towards her, then pushed it away from her, got up, and plonked it on the table. As she was moving it to the far side of the table, she saw an old invitation in heavily embossed cream paper detailing an event at Lovely Manor to raise funds for the RNLI. She read the front; a Summer Poppy Ball laid on by the manor. Flicking the front to the page on the inside, a tissue paper leaf with gold filigree told more. The paper crinkled as Cally turned it and she read about the details of the ball. All those years before, they’d celebrated the poppies in the fields and used the occasion as a way to fundraise for the RNLI. Cally sighed as she thought about the fields of poppies behind the marquee at Alastair’s funeral. The past summer had seen the poppies as a backdrop for a very different occasion altogether than a happy summer ball.
She sighed as she lifted the box and put it by the door. It still felt strange to comprehend, but Alastair was long gone. It told her you never knew what would hit you next. She thought about Logan’s weekend expedition to Scotland. He’d been adamant that Cally go up there to see the snow. When she’d questioned him about what he was up to, he’d informed her that because of what had happened to Alastair, he wanted to do more things with his life. He’d repeatedly told her that it was now or never and that you had to get on with it because of what might be around the corner. Cally pondered as she worked and wrinkled up her nose at the fact that the extended invite to Scotlandincluded Eloise, Birdie, Nina, and Robby and not only that but quite a few of Logan’s family were going too. Really?
Cally chuckled to herself as she recalled Birdie’s reaction to the invitation. Birdie had rubbed her hands together and nearly bitten Cally’s hand off. She’d told Cally that she’d been waiting years to go to the Scottish arm of the manor. Cally had giggled and rolled her eyes, laughed, and said she’d use it somehow to blackmail Birdie in the future.
As far as Cally was concerned, it all seemed quite weird, though. One minute, it was an on the spur getaway from it all weekend, the next, it felt as if half of Lovely were attending. Cecilia, Reginald, and Anne, too, had all chimed in that they would love to go. Cally had kept her thoughts to herself and put it down to everyone getting through the grieving process.
Logan had thrown himself into it full throttle. He’d organised walks, skiing (not that Cally would be partaking in that), and quite a few social events, including a drinks party on the Saturday night, and a chowder evening Scottish style. Again, Cally had questioned how into the weekend Logan was, but after a bit of deliberating, she’d decided that as long as he was okay and no longer strangled by grief, she didn’t really care. She’d go along for the ride and see what was what. It wasn’t going to hurt her to pop up there on the train for the weekend and frolic about in the snow.
As she pondered going to Scotland and wondered if stargazing was possible in freezing cold temperatures, Nina came in with a box full of vintage glass fishing floats in her arms.
‘How are you getting on?’ Nina asked.
Cally gestured in the direction of the cardboard box full of photographs she’d come across. ‘I just found an old invitation to a poppy ball at Lovely Manor.
‘A what ball?’ Nina frowned.
‘A summer poppy ball from the fifties to raise money for this place and the RNLI.’
‘Ahh, right, I see.’
‘It made me think how this year the poppies were for something quite different.’
‘Hmm, so sad… and before we know it, it’ll be Christmas. The year is flying by.’
‘I know.’
‘I’m really looking forward to the weekend away.’ Nina noted
‘Me too. I was just thinking about it. I can't believe how quickly it's come around. Feels like only yesterday we were sweltering in heat, and now we're off to the snow.'
Nina chuckled, putting down the box of glass fishing floats. 'I know what you mean. I've been so caught up in work that I've barely had time to think about packing.'
'I've been wondering what on earth to take.'
‘I'd say pack for all eventualities. Especially something nice for the party on Saturday night.'
At the mention of the party, Cally noticed a flicker of something cross Nina's face. It was gone in an instant.
‘I wonder if there will be Scottish dancing?'
