Kat slept very little, spending most of the early hours packing her stuff as she tried to make sense of the weeks events and how she was really feeling. She ventured downstairs around 7 am and began pottering around the kitchen tidying up the last bits from the party. Gill emerged just as she finished unloading the dishwasher looking a little worse for wear with her wild hair and large sunglasses hiding her red puffy eyes.
"Morning sweetie, how are you?" Gill went straight to Kat and gave her a motherly hug.
"I'm fine thanks, really tired though. I hardly slept at all, but at least I'm all packed up and ready for home. Maybe I can have a nap before we leave this evening."
"Have you eaten yet?" Gill ruffled her hair before heading to fill the kettle.
"Nope, I wasn't hungry so I thought I have a little tidy up and start making breakfast when everyone began rising." Kat pulled the sleeves of her hangover hoodie down over her hands as she lent up the counter and watched Gill spring into action.
"Ok, lovely. Well by the sounds of all the drawers and cupboards opening and closing up there I'd say most of them are up and about so shall we make a start?"
"Sure thing. What do you want me to do?"
"What's left in the cupboards?" Gill faffed about with the coffee machine as Kat went to investigate.
"I doubt they'll want something heavy." She pulled out a couple of boxes of cereal and placed them on the counter.
"Yes, that's true." Gill scratched the top of her head as she looked at Kat. "Let's just put out the cereal, I'll make some toast and there should be some pastry, muffin things in that cupboard next to you."
"Morning, morning." Joyce emerged from her room in her trademark 3/4 length slacks and perfectly placed hair looking like she had a good 12 hours worth of sleep.
"Morning Joyce." Kat smiled warmly before setting to carry out Gills instructions.
"Oh Gill, you should have got me earlier to help with the cleaning."
"Wasn't me." She huffed back, red-faced as she fought to open the lid of the coffee pot. "I've only just come down. This was all Kat."
"Oh, Kat, that's good of you. You didn't have to do it by yourself." Joyce took the pot of Gill and opened it with relative ease.
"I loosened it." Gill huffed, swiping it back.
"It was no problem, Joyce. I couldn't sleep so thought I'd just keep busy."
"How are you feeling about his return?" Joyce began retrieving the cups and plates Kat had just put away back out of their cupboards.
"Oh, I thought it was just lovely." Gill gushed.
"Nobody asked you." Jayne cackled as she entered the kitchen. "Morning everyone."
She headed straight past them to the back door and threw it open before leaning up the frame and puffed away on her vape.
"Morning little Miss Sour Puss." Gill cheekily snapped back.
"I know what I definitely don't want." Kat unpacked the muffins from the plastic packets. "I don't want to be spending my last few hours here thinking about that. If the opportunity presents itself then we'll have a chat and see where the land lays, but as it stands I would love just a chilled day around the pool eating the last of this food and finishing of the last of that wine."
"Very well." Joyce nodded as she passed the plates to Jayne and gestured to the table outside for her to put them on it.
With a roll of her eyes, Jayne followed her instructions but strategically stayed outside to avoid being asked to carry out any further tasks.
Kat and Joyce ferried the rest of the breakfast items outside as Gill made the coffee and tea.
It wasn't long before the rest of the group filtered down one by one, and they sat around the outside table chatting away about what was left to do before their departure, how much they would miss the Villa, and what they would be doing when they got home. Kat zoned in and out of the conversation as it turned to work and what school events were coming up over the new term.
"Can anyone else hear that?" Kat placed her picked at muffin back on the plate in front of her.
The group silenced, all tilting their heads as the faint sound of music rippled through the air.
"Where's that coming from?" Gill looked back and forth as the music began to get increasingly louder.
"Did someone leave the stereo on last night?" Joyce rose from her seat to go inside and check.
"It sounds like it's coming from around the front," Nita exclaimed jumping to her feet to investigate.
Rachel quickly got up and followed her to the edge of the building. "Oh my God. You guys, come quick." She screamed excitedly as the sound of the familiar song got louder and louder.
Oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Oh, oh, oh
For the longest
If you said goodbye to me tonight
There would still be music left to write
What else could I do
I'm so inspired by you
That hasn't happened for the longest time
The women quickly got to their feet, almost falling over each other as they raced over to where Nita and Rachel were now stood covering their mouths with their hands in a fit of giggles. Squeals of shock and excitement echoed through the rest of the group as they made it to the edge of the villa to find Tyler, Chad, Jack and a hobbling Matt uncoordinatedly performing some kind of dance routine, clicking and oohing off the beat. To the left of them was an extremely bemused Harry tending to the music as he watched on and laughed uncontrollably into his sleeve.
I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall
And the greatest miracle of all
Is how I need you
And how you needed me too
That hasn't happened for the longest time
Joyce pulled Kat through the group ensuring she was at the front getting the full view of the show being put on, just as Damian emerged from behind them.
Who knows how much further we'll go on
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone
I'll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven't been there for the longest time
The sight of him caused Kat to forget to breathe. Her eyes widened with surprise as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and the spectacle before her continued to get louder and more theatrical.
There was a lot of swaying and clicking continuously out of time with the music as the boys continued their performance. Kat covered her mouth with her hands in utter disbelief as Damian awkwardly moved forward from the rest of the group, yet confidently made his way closer to where Kat who was now stood laughing nervously. The girls whooped and cheered enthusiastically as the rest of the boys played up to their excited audience. Damian had now stopped in front of Kat and held his hand out for her to take.
I don't care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for the longest time
She inhaled deeply as he closed the gap between them and the whole group cheered and clapped as the song finally came to an end.
"Awww that was so cute." Rachel gushed as she wiped the tears of laughter from her face.
"Smashing, absolutely smashing." Gill clapped as Nita and Joyce echoed her thoughts.
"Unbelievable," Jayne muttered through her smoke, shaking her head whilst hiding the small smile forming at the side of her mouth.
The background noise faded out as Kat became solely focused on Damian and yet another sweet gesture from him.
"Hi" he shyly spoke, conscious that all eyes were on them. "Are you ok?"
Kat nodded, unable to stop the huge smile that had spread across her face. "I thought I might have scared you off" she whispered back.
Damian let out a soft laugh. "I thought I'd done the same to you." He kept his eyes firmly on hers as he brushed a strand of her hair off her face. "I'm sorry Kathleen, I should never have gone and let things play out the way they did. It wasn't fair to you."
Kat swallowed trying to coat her dry throat. "You're not the only one that needs to apologise Damian. I haven't exactly made things easy for you either."
Damian held both of her hands in his. "I get it Kat, more than you realise but..." Before he could finish his sentence she tiptoed up and kissed him on the cheek. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her tightly into him and kissed her back, consuming her mouth like he was fighting for oxygen.
The attention of their friends clapping and cheering caused them to pull away and blush as Kat buried her head into his chest.
"I'm sorry if this was a little over the top but, you know what they say. Go big or go home right." Damian whispered into her hair before gently kissing the top of her head. He continued to hold onto her tightly as the group gathered around them with the women congratulating the guys on their part in the romantic gesture. Damian and Kat kept hold of each other as the chatter and noise swirled around them until Joyce finally recommended everyone should go into the house for a coffee and to let them talk.
Kat and Damian stood in silence as the echoes of laughter and voices filtered off around the side of the villa.
"I'm sorry if that was over the top and I embarrassed you but... I wasn't sure you'd talk to me if I just showed up on the doorstep with a smile. Chad came up with the idea." He paused and laughed to himself. "He'd just finished watching Top Gun before our 'guy talk'."
Kat chuckled as he air quoted the words guy talk like it meant something else. "It was another lovely, sweet gesture." She whispered coyly. "At least this one didn't get spoiled." She nervously laughed.
Damian pushed her hair back again before he held the back of her head and rested his forehead on hers. "Shall we go to my place so we can talk about this properly?"
Kat nodded instantly following his lead as he took her hand and lead her over to his villa.