‘When?’
‘Yesterday. Are you okay? You seem all out of sorts.’
‘I’m absolutely fine! Right, come on then, let’s get you a drink. Come on, hurry up!’
‘You don’t need any help now?’
Nancy nearly growled in her response. ‘No!’
Nina didn’t say anything, frowned, and walked into the hall. The usual suspects stood around drinking. Clive and Colin were both standing together with drinks in their hands. Nina walked over, stood next to them and said hello. Someone put a glass of bubbles in her hand, and she chatted.
‘Bonsoir,’ Clive said with a beam. ‘You’re looking well.’
‘Looking good, Nina! What a good night for it,’ Colin bellowed.
‘Good for what?’
Colin gestured with his drink. ‘Oh, you know, the Lovely Drinks.’
Nina lowered her voice. ‘What’s the surprise this evening? Do you have any idea? Nancy is beside herself. She wouldn’t let on.’
Clive frowned. ‘No idea what you’re talking about. Not heard anything myself.’
‘Yes, I think it’s to do with the funding or someone’s birthday or something.’ Nina frowned. Everyone seemed to be in the dark about the surprise, or they were all very good at pretending. She sipped her drink, scanning the room for any hints of what might be planned, but apart from the extra decoration in the lighthouse itself, nothing seemed any different from usual.
Her phone pinged from inside the tea towel in her bag. She let out a sigh of relief that it was still working.
Robby:Running late. I’ll be there when I can.
Nina:No worries. x
Just as she was putting her phone back in her bag, Nancy came up to her, still antsy. ‘How are you?’
‘Good. Is everything okay with you? Did you get everything sorted in the end?’
‘Yes, mostly.’
‘When’s the surprise?’
‘Oh, no, not until later. I actuallydoneed a hand now.’
Nina frowned. ‘Oh, right, yep, what with? I thought you just said everything was done?’
‘Just up at the lighthouse there. Birdie needs a hand with, err, something.’
Nina gave her drink to Clive. ‘Rightio, lead the way.’
When they got to the bottom of the staircase, Nancy suddenly turned around. ‘Oh, I forgot my phone! Ahh, I’ll just pop and get it. You go up.’
‘No, no. I'll wait.’
‘Go up!’ Nancy screeched.
Nina nodded and started to climb the spiral staircase, the flickering lights casting shadows on the walls. Everything seemed strangely quiet, and she wondered where Birdie was. Stopping for a second, she leant over the staircase, her heart pounding from the climb, to see if she could see Nancy. With Nancy not in sight, she continued making her way to the top.
As she reached the top, the doorway into the lighthouse room itself framed a scene that took her breath away. Whoever was going to be surprised was going to absolutely love it. The entire space was twinkling with lanterns and fairy lights. Through the glass, the sea stretched out beyond the windows, and the light painted silver streaks across the water. Nina paused by the door for a second and nodded, taking it all in. Nancy and Birdie had done a very good job. Wondering what else could possibly need doing, she took a few steps in and frowned. Robby was standing on the far side of the room.
‘Umm, what are you doing here?’ Nina looked back towards the doorway and jerked her thumb downwards. ‘Did she collar you into helping on your way in? I think she’s losing the plot over this. You must have only just arrived. Hang on. You said you were going to be late.’
