An Avuncular Man

 

It was at the biannual St Peters Church getaway when it all began.

St Peters was an evangelical church and the getaway was organized for the members of the congregation to examine and develop their faith.

Each such event normally had a theme, this one was no exception and was named "Footsteps" as in walking in the footsteps of Christ and it was all about the individual and collective spiritual journey.

It was a week-long residential event which provided seminars, workshops, meditation, prayer and worship.

In addition to the spiritual itinerary there was also a host of fun activities, with something for everyone. 

It was at the Millmoor Hotel and conference centre, which comprised the old country manor, which housed meeting rooms and the more select accommodations, fine dining and bars and a newly built modern styled facility housing family friendly rooms, dining and various entertainments. 

 

Russell Day checked into the hotel late on Friday afternoon and was met with embraces from all and sundry.

He was rather overwhelmed in truth, he had lost his wife Glenda since the last getaway and as a result he hadn’t participated much in church life over the previous year.

In fact that week away was his attempt to reconnect with God after his bereavement.

He found the first evening rather exhausting, with all the hand shaking and hugging and Saturday morning was almost as bad.

So after lunch when he had a period of free time he knew just what he wanted to do with it.

 

He was on his way to the plush residents lounge in the old manor house where he thought he would use his two hours of free time to enjoy a pint or two of Guinness in the residents bar while he read a few chapters of his book.

As he walked down the gloomy mahogany panelled corridors he passed numerous likewise panelled doors to modern furnished meeting rooms, leather chaired reading rooms and comfortable bars.

Some room doors were unmarked and were of a more mysterious use, also his route took him through the occasional intersection where another corridor running from the front steps to the rear terrace crossed his path.

It was along one of these intersecting corridors that he heard the sound of a sobbing girl.

His first instinct, he would have been ashamed to admit, was to ignore it and hurry on to the bar and a welcoming pint of the black stuff.

He even got a yard beyond the intersection, but he stopped and turned back because in the end he could not ignore her.   

He took a deep breath and walked along the corridor to investigate the source of the sobs.

When he’d tracked down the precise area the sobbing emanated from he discovered a girl pressed into the corner of a recessed doorway.

He didn’t recognise her, he just saw a small wailing creature with her shoulders shaking in unison with the noise.

He placed a hand on one of her shaking shoulders and said

“What on earth is the matter?”

Her immediate response was for her to turn around abruptly which was when he first realised who it was, and her utter embarrassment was apparent.

When the crying girl turned he was surprised to see it was Cathy Granger, a particularly close friend of his deceased wife.

She was a friend though had not been such a close friend of his as much as his wife because she was 9 years his junior.

He had known her for quite a few years however as she had sat on numerous committees with his wife Glenda.

He had got to know her better during his wife’s illness, and to his mind she had been an absolute godsend when Glenda passed and was an absolute rock in the months that followed the funeral.

 

As he had not participated much in church life over the last year he subsequently had not seen much of her.

He had always really liked her, she was funny and quirky;

She always had a smile on her face and she was always full of beans.

Which is why it was such a surprise to find her crying.

He had never once seen her down in all the years’ he’d known her and she was universally loved.

It had always amazed him how she had remained single, She was so attractive with a nice figure and a bubbly personality.

But he had never once seen her with a man.

He had supposed at one time that she might be gay as she shared a flat with a large mono browed woman called Deidre.

But then he heard that Deidre was engaged to a man from a neighbouring church.

 

Her second response to his discovering her was to apologize

“I’m sorry” she sobbed and tried to push passed him “I’m so sorry”

“Don’t be silly” Russell said and blocked her exit “Tell me what’s wrong” 

Cathy looked up at him through tear filled eyes and then buried her face in his chest and sobbed her heart out for a full five minutes.

He just held her and made all the appropriate noises.

His head was filled with scenarios that may have brought her current state about, had she been attacked? Had there been an accident? Had someone died? His imagination ran wild.

When she had calmed down a little she lifted her head up from his chest and said through the sobs 

“I’ve got…. Your shirt….wet”

“That’s ok” he assured her

“And snotty” Cathy added

“That’s ok too” he said with a chuckle and fished a hanky from his pocket so she could dry her eyes and blow her nose.

Further along that corridor there was a small lounge filled with an assortment of leather chairs and comfy sofas, at the back of the building that looked onto, but could not be accessed from, the terrace.

Which meant it was more private so there was less chance someone would be witness should she break down again.

“Let’s go in there” he said “and you can tell me what’s wrong”

“It’s ok” she said wiping her eyes “I’ll be fine now”

“Nonsense” he said in his best avuncular tone “you’re far from ok”

“Really” she insisted but she could not disguise the catch in her throat,

He just gave her a knowing look and she conceded.

 

They sat on a big leather sofa in silence for about 5 minutes while she composed herself before Cathy took a deep breath and began

“I’m fine when there’s lots going on and it’s all busy, busy, busy” she said 

“But “free time” when everyone goes off with their families or partners, well that’s when it hits me”

“What does?” he asked

“Loneliness” she replied and her eyes filled with tears again.

“I’m just so lonely”

“I didn’t know” he admitted, he was no stranger to loneliness himself in the 18 months since his wife died, but he had come to terms with it.

He was surprised that Cathy hadn’t.

She was such a great organizer, a natural organiser, which is why the Church events were always such a success.

But ironically it seemed as if she organised everything so well that she had forgot to organise herself a life.

“But you have so many friends, and everyone loves you” he said “You must know that?”

She nodded

“I know and I could easily tag along and not one of them would mind” she said “and quite often I do”

She paused and then added

“But that’s not the same as having someone”

“So is it always like this for you?” he asked

“Yes” she admitted “but I normally do it in my room”

“But this time you didn’t make it” Russell said

“My room is so bloody far away” she said

“I’d blame the organiser” he said and she laughed

“But I thought I was sufficiently hidden away” she concluded

“Well this won’t do” he said “this won’t do at all”

“What do you mean?” she asked

“This is only the first “free time” of the week, I’m not having you running off to your room for a cry two or three times a day while everyone else is having fun”

“But” she interrupted

“You and I are going to sign up for every event we can cram in so you won’t have time to be lonely and you’ll be too exhausted to cry”

“You don’t have to do that” she said

“Nonsense” he said “you will be helping me out”

“How”? She asked

“Well I’m a lonely widower after all”

“But”

“But nothing” Russell said and brooked no protest

“Ok, ok” she submitted

“Right then, how about a walk” said the avuncular

“Fine” she said without enthusiasm

So that was how they began the quest with the kind and helpful avuncular helping the reluctant young woman to leave her no time for loneliness and no time for tears.

Every free session or lull in activities, he took control and filled every moment with every activity imaginable you name it they did it.

 

The first afternoon most of the group activities had already started so they just walked around the grounds in an uncomfortable silence, Cathy just wanted to go to her room but Russell knew she would just break down again.

So they carried on walking, with her tolerating his well-meaning interference and he tolerated the angry silence until they reached the climbing wall.

“Do you fancy a climb?” Russell asked “or the tree walk”

“What I fancy is going back to my room” she replied angrily

Russell thought for a moment and then suggested a contest

“Ok I’ll make a deal with you” he said

“What deal?” Cathy replied suspiciously

“If you can beat me to the top” he said “I’ll leave you alone”

“As simple as that?” she said

“As simple as that” Russell confirmed

“You’re on” Cathy agreed

What he failed to tell her was that he was no stranger to a climbing wall but even taking that into consideration he didn’t beat her by much having not taken into account her hitherto unappreciated competitive streak.

After beating her by a whisker she seemed to have burnt off some of her hostility as she suggested they do the tree walk.

Despite harbouring the suspicion that she only suggested it so she could shove him off, he agreed and she was in a much brighter frame of mind.

That evening there was a busy schedule of events however he was concerned she might regress the next day.

Sunday had more free time than any other day so he thought he might use her competitive nature to his advantage, so when they got back to the Hotel he said

“Tennis or Golf tomorrow?”

“Oh I think I can manage from now on, thank you Russell” she replied 

“Oh ok” he said “I understand”

“You understand what?” Cathy asked suspiciously

“Well having lost to the old man on the climbing wall” he said “I can understand why you don’t want to lose to me at anything else”

“What utter conceit” she exclaimed

“I’m sorry if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick” Russell said innocently

“Well “old man”” Cathy said defiantly “let’s make it Tennis and Golf tomorrow”

Before Russell could respond Cathy had gone through the door to the lobby so he walked slowly towards his own room with a wry smile on his face.

Well come the next day he had to go and find her and thought she may have had a change of heart but she was already waiting for him at the pro shop.

“Good afternoon Cathy” he said

She was standing scorecards in hand, with a determined look on her face.

“Hello” she replied in a tone suggesting they get straight on with it and the wry smile returned to his face when he saw how fired up she was.

He had sowed the wind, he was now about to reap the whirlwind.

Because she had elected to play Golf and Tennis on the same day they only had time for nine holes.

After three holes the wry smile had gone and he was wondering if he had bitten off more than he could chew as she was destroying him.

At the end of the nine holes her victory was comprehensive.

“Now we’re even” she said

“Well played Cathy” Russ said “let’s have a drink”

“Oh no” She answered “Tennis now”

“Oh shit” he thought “she’s got her dander up now”

“Ok” he said out loud “Tennis first”

He could tell by the look on her face that she would do to him on the Tennis court what she’d done on the links.

As luck would have it there was only one court left and the Vicar, Donald Cox and his wife Hannah, had been waiting to play all afternoon.

So Cathy reluctantly agreed to play mixed doubles instead in a less adversarial match.

After dinner Cathy had threatened to take the contest to the games room, but when he suggested an early night he was pleased to see a look of relief cross her face.

As he slipped beneath the covers he reflected on what he had set out to achieve and he could certainly vouch for the fact there was no time to be lonely and by the end of that day he was certainly too exhausted to, he hoped the same for Cathy.

 

The next day Cathy’s competitive edge had returned though her aggressive edge had been somewhat tempered however she completely dominated him on the Croquet lawn.

After which she showed her more compassionate side when she allowed him to level the contest playing Crazy Golf.

On Monday evening, having had a less gruelling day, they did manage a couple of games of Pool and a couple of drinks before fatigue set in, Cathy was now 3-2 up.

“I’ll give you a chance with something less energetic tomorrow”

Cathy said

“What do you suggest?” Russell asked

“Archery and Shooting” she replied

“Oh taking pity on me” he asked

“Something like that” she replied and kissed his cheek “Goodnight”

 

On Tuesday morning Cathy was hovering outside the restaurant as Russell arrived.

“Hello Russ” she said

“Hi Cathy” he replied “Have you eaten already?” 

“No, no” she replied “I just got here”

“Well perhaps we could eat together” Russell suggested

“If you like” she replied indifferently so they went into breakfast together.

Unusually after breakfast they remained together for the worship and both discussion sessions normally she would go and sit with friends.

Before lunch they went off to their respective rooms to change, but agreed to meet at the top of the stairs for lunch.

Cathy was waiting for him again when Russell started up the stairs.

He looked up and he could see here pacing back and forth.

Russell was late and it looked like she was angry so when he got there he said

“I’m sorry Cathy, I couldn’t decide what to wear for today, tweeds or Lincoln Green”

“That’s ok” she said with a laugh “Although I’d like to see you in tights”

“Really?” Russell said and Cathy blushed and walked briskly into the restaurant.

Cathy was very chatty and animated throughout lunch as they both ate Mushroom Stroganoff.

“So are you going to be gentle with me today?” he asked as they finished their desert.

“I’m always gentle” she replied and blushed again then added quickly

“You should do ok today”

As predicted Russell beat her at both the target disciplines so he now held the advantage but he suspected she wasn’t really trying.

So he suggested they fit in a round of Forest Laser quest.

Cathy was reluctant but she was easily persuaded and then Russell let her win to square the contest.

As they walked back to the Hotel Cathy said

“I think we should call it quits now”

“What no more activities?” Russell asked

“Oh no” she said with alarm “I didn’t mean that”

“What then?” he said

“No more contest” she replied 

“Ok” Russell said “I agree”

 

On Wednesday the weather took a turn for the worst, so they amused themselves inside firstly in the Gym and then swimming in the pool.

But the rain did clear away by the evening so they went for a walk around the grounds again and discussed their plan for Thursday.

 

Thursday was a glorious day so they spent the afternoon on the river punting which led to them both falling in on separate occasions and they laughed as they squelched all the back way to the Hotel.

As he relaxed in the bath before dinner he thought a lot about the week in which he’d begun the quest in the spirit of the avuncular.

There was a positive side effect for him, spending the week as he did and that was that he had no time to miss his wife, however the down side was that he’d fallen in love with Cathy and he had no idea what to do about it.

 

On Friday morning, which was the start of the final day they had breakfast together again.

Things would conclude by midday and they would be checking out after lunch.

“Well did I succeed?” he asked

“With what?” she replied

“Banishing the loneliness” he said

“In a way” she answered enigmatically

“Oh?”

She sighed and in a rather gruff response she said

“You have filled every spare moment with companionable fun and I’ve really enjoyed it”

“But?” he asked sensing there was one

“But we go home today”

“And you think that you’ll have too much time on your hands once you leave here. Is that it?”

“No” she shouted “that isn’t it”

She got up from the table and added

“You haven’t got a clue”

“Oh shit” he thought to himself as she blundered out of the dining room

He quickly got up to follow her, a table of 12 stood up to leave just as he was approaching so that by the time he got outside she was already at the bottom of the stairs.

“I have got a clue” he shouted from the balcony and everyone stopped and turned to look.

“Really? Because you think I will go to pieces if you’re not there to hold my hand” she barked

“No” he replied as he descended the stairs

“Because I’ll go to pieces without you to hold mine”

“What?” she asked

“I wasn’t lying when I said “everybody” loved you” he said

“Huh?” she uttered as he reached the bottom of the stairs

“I love you” he continued “and I need you in my life”

There were tears welling up in her eyes as he said it and then she ran to him and hugged him and then they kissed totally oblivious to the spontaneous applause and cheers.