Autumn Dreams at Mermaids Point, page 15
Three matching expressions of dismay stared back at her. ‘I… I thought we’d agreed to leave those for another day,’ Alex said, looking not at her but towards Tom.
‘I know we did, but honestly Nerissa’s right, it’d be great to get everything sorted tonight.’ Tom had a much better poker face than she did and Nerissa had to turn back towards the sink to hide her laughter.
‘But we’ve just eaten,’ Nick protested, like he hadn’t been rolling around on the grass two minutes earlier with Jake in a headlock. ‘It’s not good to exert ourselves on a full stomach.’
‘Chop chop!’ Sylvia clapped her hands together, never one to be excluded from a joke. ‘It shouldn’t take you more than an hour – two at most.’
When Tom started moving towards the surgery door, the three of them trooped into the kitchen in various stages of disgruntled acceptance.
Nerissa held her silence, wondering how far he’d take it – or if in fact he’d decided it would be a good idea to tackle the boxes after all. Only at the last minute did Tom stop by the fridge and yank the door open. Reaching in, he pulled out a couple of bottles of beers and shoved them towards Alex and Jake, while Nerissa, Sylvia and Linda burst out laughing.
‘You—’ Alex appeared to remember the presence of his niece at the last minute and cut off whatever rude word was obviously on the tip of his tongue, while a grinning Tom handed him another couple of beers, then retrieved a bottle of wine from the shelf in the door.
‘The look on your face,’ Tom spluttered. ‘It was almost worth going through with it just to see if you’d actually start unpacking again.’
‘The next time you want help from me, you can swing for it,’ Alex muttered darkly, before he too started laughing. ‘I can’t believe you got me like that.’
Tom pointed at Nerissa with the hand still holding the wine bottle. ‘She started it, not me.’
‘Hey!’ Nerissa protested. ‘Talk about throwing me under the bus.’ She eyed the bottle in his hand, good sense warring with the desire to make the evening last. ‘Perhaps I should put the kettle on.’
Sylvia looked at her watch. ‘It’s not even half-past seven. We could have another little drinky first.’
‘Half a glass, then,’ Nerissa agreed, demonstrating an embarrassing lack of willpower. ‘But I’ll need something stronger than a cup of tea if we do, so just as well Tom bought that fancy coffee maker with him.’
With the coffee machine set up and brewing away, and everyone shooed back out into the garden, Nerissa gave the clean work surfaces one more wipe down for good luck before resuming her seat next to Linda. The game of football had been abandoned for a much more leisurely, though no less boisterous, card game which reminded Nerissa of the Top Trumps games Andrew had loved when they were children. Deciding it was too complicated, she, Linda and Sylvia had opted out, but everyone else was sprawled on the grass in a big circle, each clutching a handful of colourful cards. From the amount of laughter and vociferous accusations flying around, it was clear that at least some of the group had taken a flexible approach to the rules.
‘What are you up to next weekend?’ Linda asked, nibbling on the half a burger she and Sylvia had split, even after both protested they really shouldn’t.
‘I haven’t even thought that far ahead,’ Nerissa admitted. ‘Tom starts seeing patients on Thursday, once he’s got Max started at school. There’s bound to be a few teething problems while we get used to his way of doing things. I’ll probably spend it changing things around to suit him.’
‘But you can’t work all weekend,’ Sylvia protested.
‘I probably won’t, but I wanted to keep things free to give me the option to do that if I need to.’ Nerissa took a sip of wine, then tilted her head back to watch the last of the fluffy clouds float away across the deepening sky. It was that lovely point of the evening, just on the cusp of twilight, when the breeze off the sea had chased away the worst of the day’s heat and it was the perfect temperature. The noise and laughter washed over her and she closed her eyes briefly to allow the joy and contentment of the moment to soak in. When she opened them again, Sylvia and Linda had their heads together giggling over something on Linda’s phone. ‘What are you looking at?’ She leaned closer to see.
Linda turned the phone and showed her a selfie she’d taken while wearing a wetsuit. ‘Look at the state of it! I finally got the courage to try it on last night and, my God, it was a full-body workout just getting in and out of it.’
‘You look great.’ It was the truth. Even red-faced and with her hair dishevelled from her exertions, there was a hint of pride in Linda’s expression. ‘When’s the first session?’
‘Saturday afternoon.’ Linda pulled her phone back and tucked it in her pocket. ‘That’s one of the reasons why I was wondering what you were doing next weekend.’
‘Oh.’ Nerissa forced herself to keep her expression neutral. Though they’d chatted about Linda joining the local open water swimming group, Nerissa was pretty sure she hadn’t said anything to indicate she planned on joining in as well.
‘I thought you might come with me if you were free. A bit of moral support.’ Linda shrugged it off with a smile. ‘But, of course, you are busy. Don’t worry it was just an idea.’
‘I’d come and cheer you on,’ Sylvia said, giving Linda a pat on the leg. ‘But it’s coming towards the end of the season so we’ll be making the most of it in the shop. I can meet you for a coffee afterwards, though, and you can tell me and Laurie all about it.’
Nerissa couldn’t help the twinge of guilt as the other two continued to make plans for Saturday. Linda was trying so hard since coming to the Point, and it couldn’t be easy to keep stepping outside her comfort zone and push herself into meeting new people and trying new things. Nerissa had always loved playing in the water since she was old enough to splash around in the shallows and was a strong swimmer. It had just never occurred to her to get involved with it as an organised activity. Hadn’t she decided that she needed to change things around, though? Stuff like salsa dancing really didn’t appeal, but she needed to take a leaf out of Linda’s book and try a few new activities for herself. She’d always blamed Doc for taking up too much of her time, but maybe it’d also been a convenient excuse to hide behind. Though she and Tom hadn’t agreed her exact hours and responsibilities yet, it’d been clear from their brief conversation in the kitchen that he didn’t want or expect her to run around after them in the same way she had with Doc. If she didn’t like it, she didn’t have to do it again, and it sounded like Linda was feeling a bit nervous about it. ‘All right,’ she found herself saying. ‘I’ll give it a go.’
Linda turned to stare at her. ‘Give it a go? You mean you’re going to swim as well? I only meant it would be good to have a bit of company when I headed down there, and I thought it would be easier as you’ll probably know most if not everyone already.’
‘Oh, but I thought, well, I mean, of course, I’d be happy to offer moral support and introduce you…’ Nerissa trailed off from her attempted backtracking as Linda’s expression dimmed a little. ‘What the heck! I’ve said I’ll do it, so I’ll do it.’
A beaming smile lit Linda’s face. ‘Oh, fantastic! I’ll WhatsApp you the details of where I hired the wetsuit from. I’m sure they’ll have something in your size. And if you hate it, you only have to do it once.’ She laughed. ‘I’ll probably only get in as far as my knees and change my mind anyway!’
Nerissa ignored the amused expression on her sister-in-law’s face as they both listened to Linda chatter on about what she thought it might be like. Like Linda said, she only had to try it once – and what was the worst that could happen?
To her relief, Nerissa and Linda weren’t the only people trying open water swimming for the first time. The group gathered on a secluded part of the beach and received a full safety briefing from a local volunteer from the RNLI on potential dangers and what to do if they got into any difficulties. They were then each handed a bright pink swimming cap to ensure they would be visible at all times, before being paired off with a buddy who was a more experienced member of the group.
She’d felt a bit awkward about taking off her padded winter coat – they’d all been advised to have something warm they could put on when they got out – but when everyone else started stripping down to their wetsuits, she took a deep breath and did the same. It had taken a lot of baby powder and muttered swearing to wriggle her way into the thing, but at least the zip up the back had a long enough tag attached that she’d been able to do it up without any problems.
There were people of all shapes, sizes and ages in amongst the group and they were so friendly and matter-of-fact about piling their things up above the waterline, telling Nerissa, Linda and the other newbies hilarious horror stories about coats and towels getting washed out to sea when people had forgotten about the incoming tide.
Getting her mass of curls into the swimming cap was almost more difficult than her struggles with the wetsuit, and by the time Nerissa and Paul – her buddy for the session – had managed to tug it on tight enough it wouldn’t pop off her head like a cork leaving a bottle, they were both laughing so hard she forgot any lingering anxiety over how much of her shape the figure-hugging wetsuit revealed.
She knew Paul in passing – he and his wife, Victoria, had retired to a town house a few doors down from where Andrew and Sylvia lived about five years previously, and though they were registered at the surgery, she never saw much of either of them. As he helped Nerissa over the pebbles and onto the sand near the waterline, he smiled at her. ‘Vicki and I first started open water swimming at a local reservoir before we moved here. It was wonderful, but nothing like being in the ocean.’
‘It seems silly not to have tried it before when I’ve lived here all my life. I mean, I swam all the time in the summer growing up, but I haven’t been in for more than a paddle for years now,’ Nerissa admitted as they took a couple of steps into the shallows and he halted her with a hand held in front of her.
‘Well, hopefully this taster session will change all that.’ Paul bent over and began splashing water up his chest and over his arms. ‘Even though the temperature isn’t too bad now because of the consistently hot weather over the summer, it’s still vital to give your body a chance to adjust.’
The lifeguard had said as much, Nerissa remembered as she copied Paul and tried not to wince at the shock of the cold even through the wetsuit. Her feet were already tingling from being in the water, and she swished them around to keep her circulation going.
Over the course of the next ten minutes, they eased their way gradually deeper until the waves were finally lapping well up her chest with each gentle surge towards the shore. With Paul at her side, keeping himself between her and the open water, they began a leisurely breaststroke parallel with the shore. All around her, pink hats bobbed and dipped in the water like shiny beacons as the group made their way to the agreed turning point.
It was harder than she expected, and by the time they reached that halfway mark, some fifteen minutes later, Nerissa felt a little breathless.
‘Do you want to take a break?’ Paul asked, treading water beside her.
‘I think I should,’ Nerissa nodded, forgetting for a moment where she was and ending up with a face full of water as a wave washed into her. Spluttering, she turned for the shore and was grateful when Paul touched her shoulder and said it was shallow enough to find her footing. As they waded in, she was relieved to notice she wasn’t the only beginner who was heading for the beach. ‘I’m sorry to drag you out so quickly,’ she apologised to Paul as they walked briskly towards the pile of coats. The sun overhead was still warm, but her face, hands and feet tingled from prolonged contact with the cold water and she knew it wouldn’t be long before the rest of her body caught up.
‘Don’t you worry about it,’ Paul assured her as he handed her the big, hooded parka, pausing to zip up the front when her fingers were a bit clumsy. He shrugged into his own coat, then tugged gloves and thick socks out of the pockets and sat in the sand to pull them on. Nerissa had brought a pair of old sheepskin boots which she used mostly for dog-walking and she wiggled her toes into their cosy depths with a sigh of relief.
Nerissa looked around the people sprawled on the sand nearby, but she couldn’t see Linda amongst them. Hoping she was all right, she raised a hand against the bright reflection of the sun on the water and felt herself relax as she recognised Linda and petite Victoria wading into the shallows a short distance down the beach.
‘So, what did you think?’ Paul nudged her elbow, drawing her attention to the plastic mug of tea he’d poured from a flask.
‘I’m thinking I didn’t come half as well prepared as you!’ Nerissa grinned as she accepted the tea with thanks, wrapping her hands around it to soak heat into her chilly fingers.
‘You’ll have more of an idea of what you need to bring next time.’ He tilted his head to one side and gave her a speculative look. ‘Assuming there’s going to be a next time.’
‘I’ll think about it.’ And she would. Though she was feeling the after-effects now, it had been exhilarating while she’d been in the water. The lack of time she’d been able to spend in there also said something about how much she’d neglected her fitness. Her daily dog walks with Toby were all well and good, but it’d been a long time since she’d done anything to get her heart racing. She turned her attention to Linda, who was approaching them with a huge grin on her face. ‘How was it?’
‘Wonderful!’ Linda plopped down onto the sand beside her, grimacing as she tugged the tight swim cap off her head. ‘Exhilarating and a tiny bit terrifying too.’ She smiled in thanks as Victoria handed her the towel and coat she’d brought with her. ‘I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed it half so much without your help, though.’ She blotted the worst of the water off, then wrestled her way into her coat – with a bit of assistance from Nerissa when her damp arm got snagged in one of her sleeves. ‘Thanks. So, did you enjoy it?’
Nerissa considered for a moment. ‘I think so.’ She laughed. ‘Gosh, that sounds so wishy-washy. Yes. I did enjoy it, but it was also a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.’
‘It’s not like doing a few lengths in the pool on holiday, is it?’ Linda agreed. ‘I want to give it a few more goes before I really make up my mind.’
‘That’s a good idea,’ Paul chipped in. ‘And this is the best time of year to get accustomed to it before the weather turns. This is about the warmest the sea will be all year, so if you find it too cold now, then you really won’t enjoy it once we get a bit later in the year.’
‘You won’t swim all year round, surely?’ Nerissa asked. The storms they got in the winter could be brutal and the tidal surge treacherous.
‘No, definitely not. Depends on how lucky we are with the conditions.’ He held his crossed fingers up to the sky. ‘If this good weather continues, then I reckon we’ll go for another six, maybe eight weeks. After that it’s a case of watching and waiting. We’ll get the odd calm patch which goes on until the spring when we’ll start organised sessions like this again.’ He glanced up at his wife, who had put her own coat on and was draining the last of the tea she’d poured for herself. ‘You fit, my love?’
Victoria nodded. ‘I am.’ She smiled at Linda and Nerissa. ‘It was so lovely to spend some time with you both and I really hope we’ll see you again next weekend. We have to dash as our daughter and her husband are coming for lunch.’
Nerissa handed back her mug, then pushed herself to her feet. ‘Thank you for giving us so much help.’ She hesitated for a moment, and then decided what the hell. ‘If Linda is up for it, then I’ll definitely give it another go next week.’
‘I’m game if you are.’ Linda tried to push herself up from the sand, then shook her head and held out a hand to Nerissa. ‘I definitely need to work on my fitness!’ she said with a laugh as Nerissa helped her stand. They said their goodbyes to Paul and Victoria, and waved to the other members of the group who were starting to gather their things and move away.
‘Right, let’s get going, shall we?’ Nerissa wrapped her arms around herself to ward off a shiver. ‘I need a hot shower and something to eat.’
They began to trudge across the pebbles towards the steps that would take them to the main road.
‘Is there an indoor pool anywhere nearby?’ Linda asked. ‘Even if I don’t stick with this during the colder months, it would be nice to get into swimming regularly – that way I’ll be in better shape for when the season starts again next year.’
Nerissa wondered if the other woman was even conscious of the way she was talking like she would be a permanent fixture in the Point, but decided not to mention it. It was hugely encouraging if Linda was starting to feel like she could make a home for herself here – it would certainly make Jake’s life easier if she was nearby. If Sylvia was here, she’d likely jump on it. Her sister-in-law had very fixed ideas about what was best for the people in her life and Nerissa didn’t think Linda was quite strong enough to stand up for herself. It wouldn’t help her or Jake if Linda was persuaded into something she might later regret by too much well-meant interference. ‘There’s a sports centre next to the high school in Yardston,’ she said, referencing the nearest big town. ‘I’m sure it’s open to the public, but we’d have to check the website for the times.’
‘We can have a look over lunch, maybe?’ A hint of shyness had crept into Linda’s voice, like she was worried she might be taking up too much of Nerissa’s time.
‘I’m definitely up for it. I’ve agreed with Tom and the children that they’ll fend for themselves at the weekends apart from an evening meal, so I have the rest of the day to myself.’ They reached the top of the steps where they would part company, Linda’s cottage being in the opposite direction to the surgery. ‘I’ll see you in Laurie’s when you’re ready. No rush.’
