As Nancy left the kitchen, Nina turned her attention back to the boxes around her, shrugged, and went back to her packing. To be frank, she had so much going on she wasn’t really interested in the surprise, whoever it involved anyway. Probably just another one of the weird little Lovely traditions she’d become used to since she’d moved in permanently. She was just looking forward to a few hours off and a couple of nice drinks and a chat. That was more than good enough for her.
13
It was the next day and the day of the drinks at the lighthouse. Nina’d had more than a day of it. She’d had a problem with one of her clients, she’d been to paint the second-floor bathroom at the harbour property, and she’d packed up more things from the kitchen cupboards in the rental cottage. She’d showered and put on a nice top with black jeans and had just finished blow-drying her hair when her phone pinged and then pinged again a few times. Three messages from three different people, all at the same time.
Robby:Just checking, you’re good for later.
Nina:Yep, see you there. Where are you?
Robby:Currently sitting in traffic
Nina:Oh dear.
Robby:I might be late.
Nina:Not a problem. I’m getting there early to help.
Nancy:Change of plan. Don’t need you until 7.15 now.
Sophie:Have a nice time tonight.
Nina frowned. Weird, she’d not told Sophie she was going to the lighthouse for drinks, she didn’t think.
Nina:Thx. Will do. Are you OK, Soph???
Sophie:Fab, yes, thanks.
Nina tapped on Nancy’s message.
Nina:I thought you needed me to help????
Nancy:All good now. Don’t need you until later. Just make sure you’re not late.
Nina:So u do need me or u don’t need me?
Nancy:I do need you, but not until then…
Nina:OK. See u soon then. x
Nancy:Yep, make sure you’re on time.
Nina frowned. Nancy was acting quite strange about the drinks. She’d been antsy about it, borderline hyper the day before, and now she’d changed her mind. She put it down to the surprise. Not sure what was going on, and now, with time to kill, she went downstairs and made a cup of milky coffee. She started to pack another moving box and then sat drinking her coffee whilst she watched a YouTube video on a makeover on a farmer’s shed in Oklahoma.
She was doing a quick last wee before strolling to the lighthouse. As she got up and had just flushed the chain, her phone slipped out of her hand and dropped straight down the toilet into the pan. For a second, she just stood and stared at it, unsure what to do. After a moment of shock, she quickly reached into the toilet, her face twisting in disgust. At least the water was clean and she hadn’t dropped the phone a few seconds before. She grabbed her phone, shaking off the water, wrapped it in a towel, doused it copiously with disinfectant wipes and hoped it wasn't completely ruined. Shaking her head and with no time to dwell on it, she washed her hands a few times, walked back downstairs, grabbed her bag, put her phone wrapped in a tea towel in her bag and headed out the door.
She took big gulps of the fresh, cool evening air as she strolled down over the green in the direction of the lighthouse. As she walked along, wondering whether or not her phone was going to work again, she thought about the odd vibes she'd feltfrom Nancy. Deducing it must be something to do with the lighthouse funding and dismissing it, she put it out of her mind.
As she approached, the lighthouse took her breath away as it stood out against the twilight sky. Her mind flew back to the first night she’d been to the lighthouse when she’d not been in Lovely Bay very long. She'd ended up at the top, looking out over the fantastic view and had then kissed Robby. She smiled as she thought how far she’d come since that night. She remembered how amazing he’d made her feel, how she’d begun to feel alive again, how her heart had started to heal.
As she got to the lighthouse building, she assumed the event was going to be in the old hall and made her way there. Seeing no signs of life at all and going back around the other way, she made for the other hall just under the lighthouse itself. As she made for the hall, she poked her head around the door at the bottom of the lighthouse. Nancy and Birdie had been busy. Fairy lights were strung around the entrance lobby, music played in the background, and she could see little flickering lanterns on every step going all the way to the top. Someone was clearly being treated to a nice time. The surprise must be enormous.
As Nina approached the hall, she spotted Nancy, who appeared to be darting around, attending to last-minute details. Nancy caught sight of Nina and rushed over, her earlier agitation seemingly replaced with relief. ‘Oh, Nina, you're here! Thank goodness. Fantastic. Just in time.’
‘Just in time for the surprise. Exciting!’
Nancy stopped dead in her tracks. ‘What surprise? What do you know about the surprise?’
‘Errm, nothing. You wouldn’t tell me anything. Remember?’
