‘Well, that’s fantastic.’ She turned to look at her daughter. ‘It’s obvious that he makes you very happy and, in turn, that makes me happy. Billy seems like a lovely young man.’
‘He really is. I know we didn’t have the best start, but in a way, I think that whole episode has brought us closer together. We’ve decided that we want to make our relationship work, and hopefully move in together, obviously not for a while yet, but once we’re both a bit more settled in our lives. I know he’s in London, but it’s not a million miles away from here and we’ll see each other as often as we can. He’s been such a brilliant support to me all the time Dad was in hospital.’
‘I know he has.’ Tess had heard Hannah speaking to Billy over FaceTime into the early hours of the morning, and when he had visited Hollyhocks, he had driven Hannah to the hospital, waiting in the car patiently for as long as she wanted to stay.
‘I will tell Dad, one day, about me and Billy, but probably not until he’s much better. I don’t want to cause him to have a relapse that sends him back into the hospital,’ she said with a worried smile.
Tess wondered how Hannah’s plans to move in with Billy might impact on her return to university next year, but it was almost a year away, and Tess knew better than anyone how everything could easily change. Perhaps that was a conversation for some other time.
Now, hands on hips, Tess’s gaze ran around the wooden worktops.
‘Look, I was really looking forward to our roast, but you’re right, there is far too much food here for the two of us. How do you feel about me seeing if I can round up a couple more guests?’
‘Fine by me – the more, the merrier.’
Tess immediately thought of Dilly, who she knew was often at a loose end on the weekends and a quick phone call garnered a positive and enthusiastic response. Tess also wondered what Rob might be doing later today. She knew he was leading a walk for the group he’d helped to set up earlier in the year. A big part of Rob’s recovery from his breakdown after the marriage split had been getting outside into the great outdoors and walking, sometimes several miles a day. He’d told Tess how much he benefited from being among nature, hearing the birdsong and spotting the wildlife, witnessing the changing of the seasons, which had come as a much-needed reminder that however much he was struggling in the moment, it wouldn’t stay that way forever.
Talking to his mentor, it was suggested that he set up a walking self-help group for men like him who were suffering with their mental health or perhaps just needed the opportunity to get out into the fresh air and meet other guys in a supportive, non-judgemental environment. What had started out as a group of two – Rob and one other person – quickly grew, as word spread in the local area, so that now there was a core group of at least six guys who turned up regularly for the monthly walks. Rob got much more out of the group than he put in and it was a non-negotiable part of his social calendar. It was proving so popular that he was thinking of increasing the frequency of the get-togethers to fortnightly.
Tess didn’t want to disturb him when she knew he would be busy so she dashed off a text to him in the hope that he would pick it up after his walk. A couple of hours later, he called her back.
‘How did you know? You’re an absolute angel. We’ve walked over six miles this morning, and are feeling pretty good. Danny and I were going to find a pub to go to for a roast dinner, but if you’re offering, I know where I’d much rather eat.’
‘Come on over, and please bring Danny along too. There’s more than enough food for everyone.’
Impromptu gatherings were the best. There was nothing better than having a kitchen full of friends and family who were filling the air with chatter and laughter. Dilly was a natural conversationalist and could talk to anyone about anything, which Tess put down to her long career as a hairdresser, and Danny had a natural, likeable manner that made him amusing and easy company. His little asides and one-liners were certainly making Dilly laugh.
With Hannah seeing to the drinks, she placed a bottle of red wine, a bottle of white wine in a cooler and a jug of water onto the table and handed the guys a beer each as they were still absolutely parched after their physical exertions that morning.
‘Right, do I have a volunteer to carve?’ Tess asked.
‘I’ll do it!’ the men said it together as one.
‘Come on, let me have a go,’ added Danny. ‘I probably need the experience more than you. Don’t look so worried, Tess. I do know what I’m doing really, I promise. I always carve round at my mum’s place.’
Tess took the plates that had been warming in the oven and placed them on the worktop, then, working alongside Danny, she started dishing up the carved lamb. When the job was completed, she paused, thinking how much Marjorie would have loved to have been here. She would have been at the centre of the action, issuing orders, telling stories. Listening intently to the others. Perhaps it was an idea for future lunches, to invite some other people around because her mum always loved meeting new people – well, she certainly used to at least. Grabbing an additional plate from the cupboard, Tess filled it with some lamb and then a spoonful of each of the different vegetables from the serving dishes: carrots, savoy cabbage, cauliflower cheese, and some roast potatoes and parsnips. She’d also knocked up some Yorkshire puddings, which had most definitely risen to the occasion and were towering from the bun tins impressively, eliciting a collective gasp of appreciation from the others. She prised the first one out of the tin and popped it on the extra plate with the lamb, covering it with foil and putting it to one side, just in case an extra dinner would be required for later.
The way everybody mucked in, you would never have thought they were coming together for Sunday lunch for the first time. Rob was transferring the dishes onto the centre of the table, Hannah was decanting the mint sauce and redcurrant jelly into ramekins, Dilly was filling the tumblers with water and Danny was tidying up the rest of the lamb and putting it on a serving place.
‘Right well, lunch is served,’ said Tess with a flourish.
‘Honestly, this is so good,’ said Danny a few minutes later when he came up for air, from where he’d been tucking in eagerly. ‘Now I can’t say it’s as good as my mum’s because if she were ever to find out, she would disown me, but I have to say that this is right up there.’ This was delivered with a disarming smile and a cheeky wink at Tess.
‘That’s the best possible compliment I could hope for. As good as Mum’s!’ Tess took it all in good part, laughing along with the others.
‘You can’t beat your own mum’s dinners; it was one of the things I really missed when I was in Australia,’ said Hannah. ‘When I got home and had that first Sunday roast that I had been looking forward to for months, honestly, it was first class, better than I even remembered.’ She brought her thumb and fingers of her right hand to her lips in a chef’s kiss.
‘Well, I think we’re all agreed that Tess is an amazing cook and a wonderful hostess, and there can be no better place to have a roast dinner, so same time, same place next week?’ joshed Rob.
‘Well, you know you’re always welcome. Anyway, did you have a good turnout on your walk today?’
‘The best yet. There were eight of us, three newcomers including Danny and Michael.’
‘You mean silver-fox Michael.’ It was the affectionate term they used to describe him these days, out of his earshot, of course.
‘Yes, I was talking to him at the open-mic night and mentioned the group and he said he would be interested in coming along. As a newcomer to the area, I think he saw it as an opportunity to meet some new people, and he alluded to his own mental health problems in the past so hopefully he found it beneficial. He mentioned how much he enjoyed it today.’
‘I think it’s wonderful that these types of groups exist. Especially for men who are not always equipped to talk about their worries. Women are much better at confiding in their friends, or their family, or their hairdresser. I should know! Honestly, some of the things my clients tell me, you wouldn’t believe it, but I like to think I’m providing a public service. Everybody needs help occasionally, or even just someone to listen. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.’
