We walked together in the spring
When our love was a new thing
And the cherry trees were in blossom
And we thought life was awesome
Our hearts were so full we sighed
But that was before love died
In the summer we walked together
In the fine and sunny weather
Through fields of golden corn
When we parted we were forlorn
We felt a burning passion deep inside
But that was before love died
In the autumn we walked abroad
And our hearts were of one accord
We wandered thought the golden gown
And nothing could ever get us down
We felt as one when side by side
But that was before love died
When winters chill fell upon the land
We still walked together hand in hand
We played in the snow like children
Making snow angels again and again
I even asked her to be my bride
But that was before love died
We had walked hand in hand
As a life together we planned
We sat beneath a leafy oak
As of true love we spoke
We loved laughed and cried
But that was before love died
Now I walk alone in the familiar places
Where we enjoyed our fond embraces
Where we kissed and spoke of tomorrow
Places that now bring me only sorrow
Her love made me feel alive inside
But that was before love died
Sunday, 19 February 2017
Mornington-By-Mere – (04) The Baker’s Daughter
(Part 01)
When the Mornington Estate exercised its option to purchase Mornington Field from the MOD it also acquired all the buildings and infrastructure on the airfield itself as well as 29 houses in the village formally used as quarters for military personnel.
Plans were immediately drawn up to optimize the newly acquired assets the moment the property was formally handed over on the 1st of June.
The guardians of the estate are the St George family and the head of which is Baron Gabriel St George and his friend and architect Scott Collier was tasked with designing appropriate conversions to maximize the potential returns and enhance the benefits to the village.
Another friend Ray Walker, who was also employed to deal with all thing estate maintenance wise and was responsible for getting the old Air force housing stock occupied asap, and Ray worked tirelessly to that end to have not just the first six houses ready within the month as originally promised, but eight, which were handed over on the 6th of July, two days earlier than forecast.
Gabriel was then able to instruct Lyndon-Sanders Properties of Shallowfield to find appropriate tenants.
Priority was to be given to local people or people with ties to the area or those who worked in some capacity for the estate such as agriculture or the brewery.
Consideration was also given to potential employees for any new commercial premises that might open on Mornington Field in the following January.
Other than that they were to be rented with the only condition being that it had to be the tenant’s primary residence.
Gabriel St George was always conscious of creating a ghost town of professionals who live and work in Town and Cities all week and only return to the village on the weekend.
This was also meant to encourage more trade for the local shops that had to be heavily subsidized by the estate in order to survive.
One such business was Addison’s Bakery, which was located on the River Brooke side of The Street between Boddington’s Butcher’s and Norman’s General Store.
It was only a small shop in the village and as a result it hadn’t had a full time manager since before RAF Mornington was mothballed at the end of the 90s.
The Addison family owned and operated the Addison’s Bakery in Shallowfield and more than two dozen baker’s shops and an equal number of coffee shops and sandwich bar’s throughout the county of Downshire.
The Addison family lived in Tower House which was located at the Shallowfield end of Teardrop Lake, and they were an old Teardrop family who were also very important to the local economy as they were one of the largest employers in the area.
The Patriarch of the family and managing director of the company was Simon Addison and his wife Eleanor who was two years his junior was the finance director.
And they weren’t the only family members employed by the firm, there were more than thirty of them in all, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and cousins and among them was Nathan.
Nobody in the family wanted to take on the Mornington shop on a full time basis because it was too small and had a limited clientele.
Everyone but everyone in the Addison clan had done a stint in the Mornington shop at one time or another but no one took it seriously and treated any time spent there as a bit of vacation.
Every man jack of them thought it was a dead duck but Nathan and his daughter Chloe had other ideas.
(Part 02)
Nathan Addison was a second cousin twice removed from the head of the company, Simon, and he was considered as something of a joke in the family.
It wasn’t always so, he was once a big wheel in the well-oiled Addison’s machine but after his wife died tragically in a skiing accident and he had a nervous breakdown, the wheels came off his wagon.
That was three years earlier and in the time that had elapsed since, he had been worse than useless to the company.
So it came as some surprise to Simon when on the eve of his 50th birthday Nathan approached him to suggest that he take over the running of the Mornington shop.
At first Simon was reluctant to agree as Nathan was not the force he once was but he implored him to give him a chance.
Finally he came to the conclusion that if he didn’t give him that chance Nathan Addison might never come back from his breakdown.
Simon knew it wasn’t really a valuable asset to Addison’s and he couldn’t really do any irrevocable harm to the business so that was the basis under which he granted Nathan permission.
Chloe for her part didn’t really share her father’s opinions that the shop could really take off she was just pleased that he was showing an interest in something.
So she gave up her assistant manager’s job in Abbeyvale and left behind her unreliable boyfriend and went to work with her dad.
Nathan understood that it was only a small shop with a small clientele but as soon as he heard that the old Mornington Field was returning to the Estate he could see the potential and he believed that when the houses in Military Row were all occupied and the old RAF buildings on the airfield were converted to commerce that the trade would increase exponentially.
However before they took over the shop Chloe took Nathan away for a mystery weekend break for his 50th birthday.
They arrived in Salisbury on a hot sunny day and Nathan still wasn’t sure if that was their final destination, until
“Turn right” Chloe shouted
“What here?” he asked
“Yes” she answered
He followed her instructions and drove into the car park of the Castle View Hotel.
He was a little alarmed as it looked like a very expensive hotel and Chloe was treating him for his birthday.
“This looks nice” He said “Maybe too nice”
“Don’t be silly,” she said, “You’re worth it”
They checked in and went upstairs, Chloe had booked them into executive suites, complete with four poster beds and fantastic views of the Cathedral.
“This is too much Chloe” he said
“Nonsense” she said and kissed his cheek
(Part 03)
After they unpacked, Nathan and Chloe decided to go for a walk.
They followed the long winding route that crossed over the river, then they followed the pathway as it passed a water mill and went over the mill stream and a weir before the path dissected the lush green water meadow on its way to the town.
And at every turn they were blessed with a fresh view of the Cathedral bathed in the summer sunshine, so once they reached the great edifice they just had to go in.
And it was an afternoon well spent; the Cathedral had a fabulous façade that merely hinted at its grand interior, the stained glass illuminated by the sun’s rays was breathtaking.
The two of them spent hours inside reading every plaque and inscription and when they left they felt cleansed and refreshed.
On the way home they took the same route back across the water meadow they enjoyed the wonderful views only this time they were illuminated by the sun set which made it twice as picturesque.
By the time they got back to the hotel they didn’t have much time to get ready.
“No dawdling dad” Chloe said
“Why is that?” he asked
“We have a table booked at the Cloche Hat for eight o’clock” she replied
“You’re spending too much on me” he admonished her
“I’m really not” Chloe replied
“Executive suites and a Michelin starred restaurant” he pointed out
She took hold of his hand and said.
“Look dad” she said “let me spoil you for your birthday, you deserve it”
All too soon the weekend was over after having visited every place of interest in Salisbury and after one last full English fried breakfast it was time to check out.
However once they had left they had plenty of time to take in at least one more of the local sights before they headed home.
After a few moments discussion they both agreed on Stonehenge as it was on the way they were headed anyway.
“I haven’t been there for years” Chloe said “not since junior school”
“Nor me” Nathan agreed
“Yes but they were still building it when you were at school”
Chloe said and laughed raucously
“You cheeky cow” he said and laughed as well.
After Stonehenge they took in the ruins of Salisbury Castle and the old Cathedral after which they headed towards home, though they took the scenic route and talked all the way.
And talked more than they had since he lost his wife and she lost her mother.
“I’m really grateful” he said
“For what?” Chloe asked “it was only a long weekend”
“No I don’t mean that” he explained
“What then?” she asked with a puzzled expression
“For giving up your life to come to Mornington with me”
He replied
“Nonsense” she said “I didn’t give up anything”
“But you had a life in Abbeyvale” he insisted
“And I’ll have a better one in Mornington” she said
“And what if I’m wrong about the shop?”
“You’re not” she said though in truth she wasn’t sure but she wasn’t go to let him know that.
(Part 04)
Nathan and Chloe moved into Number 8 Military Row on August 15th and took over the running of the Baker’s one week later.
For the first few days they had a handover period with the help of Gary Bronson who was probably the most regular of the temporary staff at the shop and then they were all on their own.
Chloe knew the shop was going to be a lot quieter than the Abbeyvale Bakery she was used to.
But she wasn’t prepared for just how quiet it actually was.
The shop itself was quiet small but the footprint of the building was three times the size of the shop floor, so there was room for expansion but she couldn’t envisage the necessity to expand.
It was a pleasant enough shop though and she had to admit Mornington was a very picturesque location.
There was a small patio at the back and a small grassed area that ran down to the banks of the River Brooke.
She liked to sit outside and drink her morning coffee and she would eat her lunch out there.
So there were pluses, and she was sure her dad would be happy to just go through the motions in a stress free way but personally if she didn’t have more to do she would go mad.
The day always started well when the van from Shallowfield brought their delivery.
They would unload the van and fill the shelves and then a flurry of customers would come in and have their pick of the fresh bread and then it slowed down to a trickle until lunchtime and then after lunch virtually nothing.
Along with everything else in Mornington the premises were owned by the Mornington Estate and provided free of charge to Addison’s in order to maintain the presence of a bakers in the village.
All the businesses had similar arrangements their trade was further protected in that for example the Post office and General store were not permitted to sell bread products or cakes other than the packaged kind.
So the butchers, the bakers and Legg’s Farm Shop were the only ones who sell their specialties.
That way nobody was taking trade from anyone else and the General store sold everything else.
So as the shop was owned by the Estate any external maintenance was down to them and internal décor was down to the tenant.
As Addison’s, as a company had rather lost interest in Mornington since the RAF moved away, they had done little to the interior for decades.
So Chloe set about smartening it up, which in the main involved cleaning it really thoroughly.
The paint work required the lick of a paint brush, but she could only do that on Sundays when the shop was shut.
However the store room and the other rooms she could work on any time although she hadn’t really finalized in her mind what to do with them.
But obviously the shop was her first priority and it was the first week of September when she started on it in earnest.
(Part 05)
While Chloe busied herself with the aesthetic, Nathan, far from being contend to free wheel, was thinking of ways to make the shop more profitable.
Nathan had been looking at the local map and soon realized that although Mornington was a relatively small village there were very many farms and hamlets dotted around the Vale who had to buy their bread from somewhere so he printed off some flyers offering a free deliver service to customers who placed regular orders.
After that his problem was how to distribute the orders and then an idea dawned on him.
“I’m just popping up to Norman’s love” Nathan said
“Alright dad” Chloe replied
Normans was the Post Office, General Store and newsagents.
He walked into the shop and found the post mistress, Evelyn Norman, fussing around the magazine display.
She was in her early 70’s and had held the post for forty years
“Hello Nathan” she said “How are you?”
“I’m fine thank you” he replied “I’m after a favour Evelyn”
“Well if I can, I will” she said brightly
“I wondered if you might distribute these with the papers” he said hopefully
Evelyn read the flyer very carefully and laughed, which didn’t fill him with a lot of confidence.
“You know Gavin had the selfsame notion just a few weeks ago”
She said
“Now if you could get the Boddington’s and the Legg’s on board as well it might just work”
“You mean make it a joint enterprise” he mused
“Mutually beneficial” she added
Over the next couple of days Nathan approached each business in turn to discuss the possibility of a joint enterprise and he was met with a lot skepticism however after several informal meetings between the 4 interested parties a tentative agreement was made to offer a twice weekly delivery service to the outlying homes and premises.
This service would be free to regular customers but deliveries would be liable to a nominal fee for one offs.
But what hadn’t been settled at the time however, was exactly how the deliveries would be made.
By Friday lunchtime of the first week in September Chloe had made very productive use of her time and finished her complete spring clean of the shop including the shop window inside and out.
Scott Collier was Mornington born and bred and he lived in Bridge View Cottage where he had lived all his life, and like his father he was born and raised there, and Scott couldn’t envisage living anywhere else, it was his home now since his parents had retired to Spain and he loved it.
Scott was short, mousy and singularly unremarkable, he was primarily an Architect but he also liked to get his hands dirty and so when he wasn’t designing he was renovating or converting old properties.
He had already renovated two of the Mornington Windmills and was part way through completing the last one.
When he wasn’t renovating or doing conversions he worked almost exclusively for the Mornington Estate.
Scott had been insanely busy since the Mornington Field and the associated properties had been acquired by the Estate, or reacquired in the case of the land, so any time he could spend on his windmill project was precious to him.
(Part 06)
Scott Collier had managed to wangle a long weekend away from his computer so he spent the morning at the Old East Mill, which was the last of the Mornington Mills to be renovated.
He was exceedingly dirty from over two hundred years of dust and grime.
Normally on his day off he would go to the pub for a hot meal and a pint but he wasn’t comfortable with doing that in the state he was in.
So as the Mill was just over the bridge from The Street he decided to get something from the Bakers that he could take home for lunch and after he had eaten he would go back to the Mill.
He paused halfway across the bridge and stared down at the clear babbling water of the river then continued on his way and when he turned the corner Scott walked past the butchers.
But as soon as he put his hand on Addison’s shop door he was met on the threshold by a very slim, very pretty girl with dark brown pixie cut hair.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Chloe said turning her nose up at the state of his overalls
“I was going in the shop” he replied
“Not dressed like that you’re not”
“Why not?” he asked
“Because I’ve spent all week scrubbing off umpteen years of grime and I’m not going let a dirty builder muck it up again”
“I’m not a builder I’m an architect” he responded indignantly
“Do you treat all your customers like this?
“No” she replied “only the dirty ones”
“Please let me in, I promise not to touch anything” he pleaded “I just want some lunch”
“No” she replied adamantly and he was crestfallen
“However, if you tell me what you want I’ll bring it to the door”
“Great” he said rummaging in his pocket and producing a crumpled up ten pound note
“Just two crusty rolls and Danish”
“What Danish?” she asked and with the absolute minimum contact between her thumb and forefinger she took the bank note
“Pecan if you have it, but other than that I’m easy” he replied
“Ok wait there” she said sternly and returned a few minutes later with a small bag and his change.
“Thanks” he said “what should I do next time if you’re not at the door?”
“Knock” she said and closed the door but when she turned to go back to the counter she was smiling.
“She’s cute” he said to himself as he walked towards home, which was at the other end of the Street on the opposite side of the road.
As he passed the Post Office, Lord of the Manor Gabriel St George stepped out.
“Good God look at the state of you” Gabriel exclaimed
Like Scott, Gabriel was Mornington born and bred, they were at the Village school together and at University, and as a result they had been lifelong friends.
Gabriel was tall, blonde and quite striking whereas Scott was short and mousy and covered in filth.
“Hi Gabe” he replied
“I take it you’ve been over at the mill”
“Yes, does it show” he replied and the two friends laughed.
“Where are you off to?” Scott asked
“I need a word with the Addison in residence” Gabriel replied,
He was referring to the fact that there hadn’t been a regular hand at the helm and therefore it hadn’t really felt like part of the Mornington community, although from what he’d been hearing the latest one was not only there to stay but was making plans.
“Well make sure you wipe your feet before you go in, she’s cute but very strict” Scott said
“I’ll bear that in mind” Gabe said “I’ll see you at the house tonight”
“Ok” Scott replied as he was invited to the Manor for a special dinner for Gabe’s sister Elspeth’s 26th birthday.
Gabriel had hired a Chef from Shallowfield for the night to cook a special meal for them, and Gabriel had heard that she had a very good reputation.
Elspeth and Scott had dated for a while just after University but it didn’t really work out, he thought of her more as a sister, and she felt the same way, as a result they were the best of friends but no more than that.
(Part 07)
When Gabriel St George got to hear about Nathan trying to introduce a delivery service to the farms and hamlets of the Vale, he was very encouraged.
In the fifteen years since the RAF base had closed Addison’s had only paid lip service to the Mornington shop, and if it hadn’t been for the Estate heavily subsidizing the shop they would have withdrawn altogether.
He walked into the Bakers and found Chloe behind the counter
“Hello” she said brightly “how can I help?”
“Well I was looking for Nathan, I’m Gabriel St George” he said and offered his hand to shake
“I’m Chloe my Lord” she replied more than a little flustered
“Actually I’m a Baron, but I don’t use the title and everyone calls me Gabriel”
“Oh ok” she said regaining her composure
“You’ve really smartened the shop up” he said “Scott warned me to wipe my feet”
“Scott?” she said confused
“Yes the scruffy little oick, yay big” he said extending his hand to approximate Scotts height “mousy hair, dirty face”
“Oh him” she said “I bet he said I was a right harridan”
“No, he said you were cute actually”
“Oh” she said and she was flustered again
To spare her further embarrassment he changed the subject and asked
“So is Nathan about?”
“He’s up at the house” she replied
“Oh ok I’ll go and see him there, number 8 isn’t it?” he said from the doorway
“Yes that’s right” Chloe said and with a nod of the head and a smile he was gone.
As he walked up Military Row, with the completed houses on his right and the untouched ones on his left, he could see what a great job Ray Walker and his team had done on renovating the old RAF houses.
Ray’s job on the Estate was normally buildings maintenance but since Mornington Field came back to the Estate he had been incredibly busy.
He was another local boy, born and bred and he had worked for the estate since he left school.
If you had ever met Ray you would never have forgotten him because he was a giant of a man with a shock of unruly red hair and an abundance of freckles, Gabriel liked him very much.
And after all his hard work there would be a sizable bonus in his pay packet at the end of the year.
Gabriel knocked on the door of number 8 and waited and when the door opened Nathan appeared.
In his youth he had been an athletically built young man with dark curly hair and blue eyes, but with age his blue eyes were paler, and his hair thinner and greyer and as a result of his wife’s death and his subsequent illness his physique had wearied and thinned.
However after his first month in Mornington the colour had returned to his skin and he had a new vitality.
“Yes” he said
“Nathan Addison?”
“Yes that’s me”
“I’m Gabriel St George, do you have a minute or two”
Once inside the two men sat in the lounge and Gabriel said.
“I’ll get straight to the point, I understand you are trying to introduce a universal delivery service for the Mornington businesses?”
“Well yes, the other parties have agreed in principle” Nathan said “but they’re a bit sceptical that it will ever get off the ground, are you here to tell me it’s a non-starter as well?”
“No not at all” he replied quickly “in fact I have a proposition”
One of the biggest employers in the village was the Mornington Brewery, which produced some very highly regarded ales, sold far and wide.
The brewery also had a very profitable side line of brewery tours and tastings sessions, and more importantly “off sales”.
There was a very heathy trade in selling bottled and draught ales to individuals over the counter.
But what they didn’t offer was a delivery service, and people in the modern age like things delivered to their door, so much so that they will sacrifice the quality just to get the convenience.
They had draymen to deliver the large deliveries to pubs and distributors but no one to do the small stuff.
So what Gabriel suggested to Nathan was that along with the other village shops they could also deliver the brewery off ales as well.
“So if in return for delivering the off sales, I was to provide you with the use of a suitable vehicle two days a week and all you had to do between the four of you is supply a driver, what would you say?” he asked
“I would say you had yourself a deal” Nathan said and shook his hand.
(Part 08)
After a wonderful meal and far too much wine on Friday night at the Manor, Scott was in no fit state on Saturday to be banging and crashing about in the Mill so he decided to write the day off but he would put in a full day on Sunday to make up for it.
Addison’s wasn’t open on a Sunday so he got himself something pre-packed from Norman’s and ate lunch on the river bank in the late summer sunshine.
Chloe Addison didn’t think she was pretty but she thought her dark hair was so she was flattered that the man outside the shop thought she was cute.
“That’ll be the pixie cut” she said to herself as she walked along the river bank.
As she walked along with the sun behind her she looked at her shadow, it wasn’t a very substantial shadow because she was very slim.
“I wonder if he thinks I’m skinny?” she thought to herself
She was a very slim girl despite the fact she was a bit too fond of the pastries.
But she kept that way because she never sat still, she was one of life’s doers, she was always busy at something, and on those occasion when she wasn’t she liked to walk.
Which was what she was doing when she came upon the scruffy builder laying in the grass beside the river in his dirty overalls.
Scott was laying back in the grass relaxing having finished his lunch when Chloe said
“Hello scruffy”
He opened his eyes and looked up at her
“Oh hello” he said and stood up
“I see you’re not any tidier on a Sunday” she said “You builders are a mucky lot”
“We architects if you don’t mind”
“So is this where you’re working” Chloe asked pointing at the old sail less windmill
“It’s a bit tired looking” she said “Not a bit like the other two in the village”
“Well they looked as bad as this one before I started” he said
“Really you renovated them?” she said impressed
“I did” he replied proudly “would you like to see inside”
“Yes please”
“Don’t forget to wipe your feet” he said
“Very funny”
“I meant on the way out” he said and she laughed.
“There’s a lot of work needed isn’t there” she said trying to sound as if she knew what she was talking about “how often do you work on it?”
“Not as often as I’d like” he replied “But I try to do at least one day a week, more when I can get some time off”
Chloe stayed for about 10 minutes and was genuinely interested in what he was saying, she would have stayed longer but she was expected back for lunch with her Dad.
The next day he spent the morning on a particularly gutty job and by lunchtime he’d had enough.
He finished earlier enough to go home and get cleaned up in time to have a pub lunch but he rather fancied seeing if cute Chloe would let him in the shop.
The last time he was there she told him to knock the next time, well he looked through the window and couldn’t see her so he decided he would just go in and see what happened.
But as soon as he put his hand on Addison’s shop door he was met on the threshold by Chloe.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she said “I thought I told you to knock”
“Really I don’t remember that” he replied
“A likely story”
“Honest” he said
“What can I get you this time?” she said with a smile
“Same as before please, two crusty rolls and Danish”
“I thought you might be in so I saved you a Pecan Platt” she said
“That’s my favourite” he said and held out a handful of coins
“Yes I remember” she said and took the appropriate amount
When she returned a few minutes later with a small bag and his change he thanked her and added
“Are you going to do this with all the workmen?”
“All what workmen?” She asked
“The ones that are starting work up at Mornington Field at the end of the month”
“I didn’t know they were starting yet” She said
“I only found out myself on Friday night” he said just as another customer pushed past them into the shop
“Thanks for the heads up” Chloe said as he walked away
(Part 09)
That afternoon was very quiet so she sat down and tried to figure out what she could do to capitalize on the influx of workmen.
The shop was quiet small but the footprint of the building was three times the size of the shop floor, so there was room for a food preparation area in what was currently the office, where she could make sandwiches.
And in the long tiny sitting room could be knocked through and house a self-serve coffee station.
The small room upstairs which was empty would be more suitable as an office and the two big rooms would do better as the sitting room and an additional storage area.
However as she stared out through the plate glass window she thought she would need some assistance if she was achieve what she envisaged and she smiled.
Despite having knocked on the door of Bridge View Cottage on three separate times during the week she didn’t actually get to see Scott Collier until the Friday of that week and when she did see him it was by accident rather than design.
It was Nathan’s turn to cook so after closing the shop her dad went home to start the dinner and Chloe went for a walk to work up an appetite.
She turned right and crossed the East Bridge over the River and once on the other side she looked to Windmill and found it to be deserted and so disappointed she turned right again and followed the riverbank path past the village hall and towards the church.
When she reached St Winnifred’s Chloe crossed the churchyard and proceeded on through manor wood, emerging on the other side in sight of the brewery and crossed to road.
She paused on the river bank and took a drink from her water bottle and gazed across the river to Dulcets Mill and admired Scott’s handiwork.
“If he can do that he can definitely help me” she said and then followed the Purplemere road back toward the village.
According to the church clock it was seven o’clock when she started across Church Bridge just as a man in a dinner suit was coming the other way.
“Hello” Scott said and Chloe did a double take
“Well look at you” she said “You scrub up quite nicely for a builder”
“What do you mean? This is what I normally wear underneath my overalls” he countered “I’m not a builder, I’m an architect”
“Don’t give me that you don’t wear anything under your overall” she said
“In your fantasies maybe” he said and made her blush
“So where are you off to anyway?” she asked trying to change the subject
“I’m going to a University Dinner in Abbottsford with Gabriel”
He replied
“I’ve been looking for you all week” she said
“I’ve been up at Mornington Field all week” he replied “Why?”
“Why what?” she asked
“Why were you looking for me?”
“I have need of an architect who moonlights as a builder” She said
“Can you suggest anyone?” she queried
“It sounds like something I might be able to help with” he admitted
“But why would I want to?”
“Because I’m the cute girl from the bakers” Chloe taunted him
“Ah” he exclaimed “who blabbed?”
“His Lordship did”
“Ok you got me” he surrendered “I’ll come and see you tomorrow”
(Part 10)
It was late on Saturday morning as Chloe was dealing with a special order for a 4 tier wedding cake that she saw Scott through the window and he did not look well.
The wedding Cake was required for a wedding taking place at St Winnifred’s in two weeks’ time.
“So when will it be delivered?” the bride to be, Jenna Newman asked
“It will be here on the Friday the 26th” Chloe said
“Is that guaranteed?” Bridesmaid, Kashveen asked
“Well I can promise you that if it isn’t I will drive to Shallowfield myself to pick it up”
“Good enough” Jenna said
Scott held the door as Jenna and Kashveena left and then stepped inside himself.
“Oh dear” Chloe said as she looked at Scott’s face “A good night was it?”
“I think so” he replied
As the shop was empty she took him into the sitting room and explained what she had in mind, and how quickly she needed it.
He made a rough sketch and then, using a laser measure, added the dimensions to it.
“How big a budget do you have?” he asked
“Miniscule” she replied “Addison’s HQ don’t value this shop enough to invest in it, so it’s just my savings”
“So no budget and 3 weeks to spend it in”
“That’s about the size of it” she replied
“Great I love a challenge” He said
“So you’ll help me then?”
“Yes I will” he replied “just as long as you understand I’m only doing it because you’re cute”
“Ok” Chloe replied and blushed
Chloe had told Nathan already what she planned, and the reason behind it and he fully supported her and he even gave her some more money for the pot.
He always had confidence that the shop had a future he was so relieved that Chloe was now a hundred percent on board.
Nathan was convinced that his daughter was only paying lip service to his beliefs, but he was apparently wrong and in a big way.
Over the few days after he said he would help her, Scott made numerous visits to the shop and took more measurements and then he would rush off again.
She didn’t know why he kept measuring because he didn’t stop to speak, but then Chloe didn’t realise that one of Scott’s clients in Finchbottom had commissioned him to draw up plans to convert a former tea shop into a solicitor’s office and the shop still had some of the fixtures and fittings including 2 stainless steel food preparation tables, which he was able to purchase for a bargain price.
To do the wok he used two local lads, Ian Hall and Richard Prewitt from Windmill Farm, who he had used on small conversion jobs, and as they both had young families they were always looking for extra cash.
Obviously they could only work in the evening when they were knocking through walls and erecting partitions.
But by the Saturday of the big wedding on the 27th they were onto the finishing stages.
Chloe left the shop a 4pm to go and get changed for the wedding reception at the village hall.
She wasn’t going to go, firstly because her Dad was away for the weekend and she didn’t want to go on her own, secondly social events weren’t really her thing, especially when she didn’t really know anyone in the village she wanted to socialise with, apart from Scott Collier.
Which was why she left the shop early to get ready because Scott had suggested they went together.
It wasn’t a date or anything they were just going as friends but she still spent two hours getting ready.
(Part 11)
Chloe left the house at 7.45pm wearing a blue cocktail dress and a contrasting pashmina and she could see Scott was already waiting by the bridge as she looked down Military Row.
“He’s keen” she said and giggled
As she reached the bottom of the road she glanced over and could see the lights were still on in the shop.
“Am I late?” she asked
“No I’m early” he replied
“Good, so we’ve got time to check on how they’re getting on in the shop” she said and began walking that way
“Oh no you don’t” he said and grabbed her by the hand and pulled her back the other way.
“But I just want to see” she pleaded
“No” he said sternly and kept her moving “It will keep till tomorrow”
“Just for a minute, please” she asked
“No, tonight is for dancing” Scott said
“Dancing? I didn’t know there would be dancing” Chloe replied not even noticing they had crossed the bridge.
“Is that a problem?” he asked
“No” she replied “no it isn’t”
Scott smiled and any further notions of inspecting the shop seemed to have been expelled from her mind, but he didn’t relinquish his hold of her hand until they reached the village hall.
And then Scott made a point of introducing her to the other guests and then they got to the dancing which went on late into the night.
It was almost 2 am when Scott and Chloe crossed the river again and she was wearing his jacket and they were holding hands once more.
“Can we go to the shop now?” she asked “pretty please”
“Just for a minute” he agreed
Well it took more than twice that long for her to get the key into the lock.
When they eventually got into the shop and found the light switch Chloe got very excited.
“It’s finished”
“So it is” he agreed
“You did this” Chloe said
“No it wasn’t me, I was dancing with you remember” Scott replied
“I do remember, you also squeezed my bum” she recalled “but that’s not what I mean”
“What then?”
“All this” she said flourishing her hand and almost overbalancing until Scott caught her
“Qops”
“You made this happen” she said and took hold of his tie and pulled him closer to her and then she kissed him very passionately until he came up for air and said.
“I thought you didn’t allow anything dirty in the shop?”
“You’re absolutely correct” she said mispronouncing absolutely quite dramatically
“I don’t, but you can get dirty once you’re inside”
“I see”
“So you can kiss me again now” she said and wrapped her arms around his neck
“Or I could walk you home and kiss you goodnight on the door step” he said “and we can do this later when you’re sober”
“But you might not want to kiss me later” she said
“Oh yes I will” he explained
“Really?” she asked quietly
“Yes because you’re the cute girl from the bakers”
So later than Sunday afternoon, clear headed and stone cold sober the Architect and the Bakers daughter met once again and they did indeed kiss and then they made love but not on cold stainless steel in a Bakers shop smelling of fresh paint.
Scott made love to the cute girl from the Bakers in the house he had lived in all his life and the place that would be their home for the rest of hers.
When the Mornington Estate exercised its option to purchase Mornington Field from the MOD it also acquired all the buildings and infrastructure on the airfield itself as well as 29 houses in the village formally used as quarters for military personnel.
Plans were immediately drawn up to optimize the newly acquired assets the moment the property was formally handed over on the 1st of June.
The guardians of the estate are the St George family and the head of which is Baron Gabriel St George and his friend and architect Scott Collier was tasked with designing appropriate conversions to maximize the potential returns and enhance the benefits to the village.
Another friend Ray Walker, who was also employed to deal with all thing estate maintenance wise and was responsible for getting the old Air force housing stock occupied asap, and Ray worked tirelessly to that end to have not just the first six houses ready within the month as originally promised, but eight, which were handed over on the 6th of July, two days earlier than forecast.
Gabriel was then able to instruct Lyndon-Sanders Properties of Shallowfield to find appropriate tenants.
Priority was to be given to local people or people with ties to the area or those who worked in some capacity for the estate such as agriculture or the brewery.
Consideration was also given to potential employees for any new commercial premises that might open on Mornington Field in the following January.
Other than that they were to be rented with the only condition being that it had to be the tenant’s primary residence.
Gabriel St George was always conscious of creating a ghost town of professionals who live and work in Town and Cities all week and only return to the village on the weekend.
This was also meant to encourage more trade for the local shops that had to be heavily subsidized by the estate in order to survive.
One such business was Addison’s Bakery, which was located on the River Brooke side of The Street between Boddington’s Butcher’s and Norman’s General Store.
It was only a small shop in the village and as a result it hadn’t had a full time manager since before RAF Mornington was mothballed at the end of the 90s.
The Addison family owned and operated the Addison’s Bakery in Shallowfield and more than two dozen baker’s shops and an equal number of coffee shops and sandwich bar’s throughout the county of Downshire.
The Addison family lived in Tower House which was located at the Shallowfield end of Teardrop Lake, and they were an old Teardrop family who were also very important to the local economy as they were one of the largest employers in the area.
The Patriarch of the family and managing director of the company was Simon Addison and his wife Eleanor who was two years his junior was the finance director.
And they weren’t the only family members employed by the firm, there were more than thirty of them in all, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and cousins and among them was Nathan.
Nobody in the family wanted to take on the Mornington shop on a full time basis because it was too small and had a limited clientele.
Everyone but everyone in the Addison clan had done a stint in the Mornington shop at one time or another but no one took it seriously and treated any time spent there as a bit of vacation.
Every man jack of them thought it was a dead duck but Nathan and his daughter Chloe had other ideas.
(Part 02)
Nathan Addison was a second cousin twice removed from the head of the company, Simon, and he was considered as something of a joke in the family.
It wasn’t always so, he was once a big wheel in the well-oiled Addison’s machine but after his wife died tragically in a skiing accident and he had a nervous breakdown, the wheels came off his wagon.
That was three years earlier and in the time that had elapsed since, he had been worse than useless to the company.
So it came as some surprise to Simon when on the eve of his 50th birthday Nathan approached him to suggest that he take over the running of the Mornington shop.
At first Simon was reluctant to agree as Nathan was not the force he once was but he implored him to give him a chance.
Finally he came to the conclusion that if he didn’t give him that chance Nathan Addison might never come back from his breakdown.
Simon knew it wasn’t really a valuable asset to Addison’s and he couldn’t really do any irrevocable harm to the business so that was the basis under which he granted Nathan permission.
Chloe for her part didn’t really share her father’s opinions that the shop could really take off she was just pleased that he was showing an interest in something.
So she gave up her assistant manager’s job in Abbeyvale and left behind her unreliable boyfriend and went to work with her dad.
Nathan understood that it was only a small shop with a small clientele but as soon as he heard that the old Mornington Field was returning to the Estate he could see the potential and he believed that when the houses in Military Row were all occupied and the old RAF buildings on the airfield were converted to commerce that the trade would increase exponentially.
However before they took over the shop Chloe took Nathan away for a mystery weekend break for his 50th birthday.
They arrived in Salisbury on a hot sunny day and Nathan still wasn’t sure if that was their final destination, until
“Turn right” Chloe shouted
“What here?” he asked
“Yes” she answered
He followed her instructions and drove into the car park of the Castle View Hotel.
He was a little alarmed as it looked like a very expensive hotel and Chloe was treating him for his birthday.
“This looks nice” He said “Maybe too nice”
“Don’t be silly,” she said, “You’re worth it”
They checked in and went upstairs, Chloe had booked them into executive suites, complete with four poster beds and fantastic views of the Cathedral.
“This is too much Chloe” he said
“Nonsense” she said and kissed his cheek
(Part 03)
After they unpacked, Nathan and Chloe decided to go for a walk.
They followed the long winding route that crossed over the river, then they followed the pathway as it passed a water mill and went over the mill stream and a weir before the path dissected the lush green water meadow on its way to the town.
And at every turn they were blessed with a fresh view of the Cathedral bathed in the summer sunshine, so once they reached the great edifice they just had to go in.
And it was an afternoon well spent; the Cathedral had a fabulous façade that merely hinted at its grand interior, the stained glass illuminated by the sun’s rays was breathtaking.
The two of them spent hours inside reading every plaque and inscription and when they left they felt cleansed and refreshed.
On the way home they took the same route back across the water meadow they enjoyed the wonderful views only this time they were illuminated by the sun set which made it twice as picturesque.
By the time they got back to the hotel they didn’t have much time to get ready.
“No dawdling dad” Chloe said
“Why is that?” he asked
“We have a table booked at the Cloche Hat for eight o’clock” she replied
“You’re spending too much on me” he admonished her
“I’m really not” Chloe replied
“Executive suites and a Michelin starred restaurant” he pointed out
She took hold of his hand and said.
“Look dad” she said “let me spoil you for your birthday, you deserve it”
All too soon the weekend was over after having visited every place of interest in Salisbury and after one last full English fried breakfast it was time to check out.
However once they had left they had plenty of time to take in at least one more of the local sights before they headed home.
After a few moments discussion they both agreed on Stonehenge as it was on the way they were headed anyway.
“I haven’t been there for years” Chloe said “not since junior school”
“Nor me” Nathan agreed
“Yes but they were still building it when you were at school”
Chloe said and laughed raucously
“You cheeky cow” he said and laughed as well.
After Stonehenge they took in the ruins of Salisbury Castle and the old Cathedral after which they headed towards home, though they took the scenic route and talked all the way.
And talked more than they had since he lost his wife and she lost her mother.
“I’m really grateful” he said
“For what?” Chloe asked “it was only a long weekend”
“No I don’t mean that” he explained
“What then?” she asked with a puzzled expression
“For giving up your life to come to Mornington with me”
He replied
“Nonsense” she said “I didn’t give up anything”
“But you had a life in Abbeyvale” he insisted
“And I’ll have a better one in Mornington” she said
“And what if I’m wrong about the shop?”
“You’re not” she said though in truth she wasn’t sure but she wasn’t go to let him know that.
(Part 04)
Nathan and Chloe moved into Number 8 Military Row on August 15th and took over the running of the Baker’s one week later.
For the first few days they had a handover period with the help of Gary Bronson who was probably the most regular of the temporary staff at the shop and then they were all on their own.
Chloe knew the shop was going to be a lot quieter than the Abbeyvale Bakery she was used to.
But she wasn’t prepared for just how quiet it actually was.
The shop itself was quiet small but the footprint of the building was three times the size of the shop floor, so there was room for expansion but she couldn’t envisage the necessity to expand.
It was a pleasant enough shop though and she had to admit Mornington was a very picturesque location.
There was a small patio at the back and a small grassed area that ran down to the banks of the River Brooke.
She liked to sit outside and drink her morning coffee and she would eat her lunch out there.
So there were pluses, and she was sure her dad would be happy to just go through the motions in a stress free way but personally if she didn’t have more to do she would go mad.
The day always started well when the van from Shallowfield brought their delivery.
They would unload the van and fill the shelves and then a flurry of customers would come in and have their pick of the fresh bread and then it slowed down to a trickle until lunchtime and then after lunch virtually nothing.
Along with everything else in Mornington the premises were owned by the Mornington Estate and provided free of charge to Addison’s in order to maintain the presence of a bakers in the village.
All the businesses had similar arrangements their trade was further protected in that for example the Post office and General store were not permitted to sell bread products or cakes other than the packaged kind.
So the butchers, the bakers and Legg’s Farm Shop were the only ones who sell their specialties.
That way nobody was taking trade from anyone else and the General store sold everything else.
So as the shop was owned by the Estate any external maintenance was down to them and internal décor was down to the tenant.
As Addison’s, as a company had rather lost interest in Mornington since the RAF moved away, they had done little to the interior for decades.
So Chloe set about smartening it up, which in the main involved cleaning it really thoroughly.
The paint work required the lick of a paint brush, but she could only do that on Sundays when the shop was shut.
However the store room and the other rooms she could work on any time although she hadn’t really finalized in her mind what to do with them.
But obviously the shop was her first priority and it was the first week of September when she started on it in earnest.
(Part 05)
While Chloe busied herself with the aesthetic, Nathan, far from being contend to free wheel, was thinking of ways to make the shop more profitable.
Nathan had been looking at the local map and soon realized that although Mornington was a relatively small village there were very many farms and hamlets dotted around the Vale who had to buy their bread from somewhere so he printed off some flyers offering a free deliver service to customers who placed regular orders.
After that his problem was how to distribute the orders and then an idea dawned on him.
“I’m just popping up to Norman’s love” Nathan said
“Alright dad” Chloe replied
Normans was the Post Office, General Store and newsagents.
He walked into the shop and found the post mistress, Evelyn Norman, fussing around the magazine display.
She was in her early 70’s and had held the post for forty years
“Hello Nathan” she said “How are you?”
“I’m fine thank you” he replied “I’m after a favour Evelyn”
“Well if I can, I will” she said brightly
“I wondered if you might distribute these with the papers” he said hopefully
Evelyn read the flyer very carefully and laughed, which didn’t fill him with a lot of confidence.
“You know Gavin had the selfsame notion just a few weeks ago”
She said
“Now if you could get the Boddington’s and the Legg’s on board as well it might just work”
“You mean make it a joint enterprise” he mused
“Mutually beneficial” she added
Over the next couple of days Nathan approached each business in turn to discuss the possibility of a joint enterprise and he was met with a lot skepticism however after several informal meetings between the 4 interested parties a tentative agreement was made to offer a twice weekly delivery service to the outlying homes and premises.
This service would be free to regular customers but deliveries would be liable to a nominal fee for one offs.
But what hadn’t been settled at the time however, was exactly how the deliveries would be made.
By Friday lunchtime of the first week in September Chloe had made very productive use of her time and finished her complete spring clean of the shop including the shop window inside and out.
Scott Collier was Mornington born and bred and he lived in Bridge View Cottage where he had lived all his life, and like his father he was born and raised there, and Scott couldn’t envisage living anywhere else, it was his home now since his parents had retired to Spain and he loved it.
Scott was short, mousy and singularly unremarkable, he was primarily an Architect but he also liked to get his hands dirty and so when he wasn’t designing he was renovating or converting old properties.
He had already renovated two of the Mornington Windmills and was part way through completing the last one.
When he wasn’t renovating or doing conversions he worked almost exclusively for the Mornington Estate.
Scott had been insanely busy since the Mornington Field and the associated properties had been acquired by the Estate, or reacquired in the case of the land, so any time he could spend on his windmill project was precious to him.
(Part 06)
Scott Collier had managed to wangle a long weekend away from his computer so he spent the morning at the Old East Mill, which was the last of the Mornington Mills to be renovated.
He was exceedingly dirty from over two hundred years of dust and grime.
Normally on his day off he would go to the pub for a hot meal and a pint but he wasn’t comfortable with doing that in the state he was in.
So as the Mill was just over the bridge from The Street he decided to get something from the Bakers that he could take home for lunch and after he had eaten he would go back to the Mill.
He paused halfway across the bridge and stared down at the clear babbling water of the river then continued on his way and when he turned the corner Scott walked past the butchers.
But as soon as he put his hand on Addison’s shop door he was met on the threshold by a very slim, very pretty girl with dark brown pixie cut hair.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Chloe said turning her nose up at the state of his overalls
“I was going in the shop” he replied
“Not dressed like that you’re not”
“Why not?” he asked
“Because I’ve spent all week scrubbing off umpteen years of grime and I’m not going let a dirty builder muck it up again”
“I’m not a builder I’m an architect” he responded indignantly
“Do you treat all your customers like this?
“No” she replied “only the dirty ones”
“Please let me in, I promise not to touch anything” he pleaded “I just want some lunch”
“No” she replied adamantly and he was crestfallen
“However, if you tell me what you want I’ll bring it to the door”
“Great” he said rummaging in his pocket and producing a crumpled up ten pound note
“Just two crusty rolls and Danish”
“What Danish?” she asked and with the absolute minimum contact between her thumb and forefinger she took the bank note
“Pecan if you have it, but other than that I’m easy” he replied
“Ok wait there” she said sternly and returned a few minutes later with a small bag and his change.
“Thanks” he said “what should I do next time if you’re not at the door?”
“Knock” she said and closed the door but when she turned to go back to the counter she was smiling.
“She’s cute” he said to himself as he walked towards home, which was at the other end of the Street on the opposite side of the road.
As he passed the Post Office, Lord of the Manor Gabriel St George stepped out.
“Good God look at the state of you” Gabriel exclaimed
Like Scott, Gabriel was Mornington born and bred, they were at the Village school together and at University, and as a result they had been lifelong friends.
Gabriel was tall, blonde and quite striking whereas Scott was short and mousy and covered in filth.
“Hi Gabe” he replied
“I take it you’ve been over at the mill”
“Yes, does it show” he replied and the two friends laughed.
“Where are you off to?” Scott asked
“I need a word with the Addison in residence” Gabriel replied,
He was referring to the fact that there hadn’t been a regular hand at the helm and therefore it hadn’t really felt like part of the Mornington community, although from what he’d been hearing the latest one was not only there to stay but was making plans.
“Well make sure you wipe your feet before you go in, she’s cute but very strict” Scott said
“I’ll bear that in mind” Gabe said “I’ll see you at the house tonight”
“Ok” Scott replied as he was invited to the Manor for a special dinner for Gabe’s sister Elspeth’s 26th birthday.
Gabriel had hired a Chef from Shallowfield for the night to cook a special meal for them, and Gabriel had heard that she had a very good reputation.
Elspeth and Scott had dated for a while just after University but it didn’t really work out, he thought of her more as a sister, and she felt the same way, as a result they were the best of friends but no more than that.
(Part 07)
When Gabriel St George got to hear about Nathan trying to introduce a delivery service to the farms and hamlets of the Vale, he was very encouraged.
In the fifteen years since the RAF base had closed Addison’s had only paid lip service to the Mornington shop, and if it hadn’t been for the Estate heavily subsidizing the shop they would have withdrawn altogether.
He walked into the Bakers and found Chloe behind the counter
“Hello” she said brightly “how can I help?”
“Well I was looking for Nathan, I’m Gabriel St George” he said and offered his hand to shake
“I’m Chloe my Lord” she replied more than a little flustered
“Actually I’m a Baron, but I don’t use the title and everyone calls me Gabriel”
“Oh ok” she said regaining her composure
“You’ve really smartened the shop up” he said “Scott warned me to wipe my feet”
“Scott?” she said confused
“Yes the scruffy little oick, yay big” he said extending his hand to approximate Scotts height “mousy hair, dirty face”
“Oh him” she said “I bet he said I was a right harridan”
“No, he said you were cute actually”
“Oh” she said and she was flustered again
To spare her further embarrassment he changed the subject and asked
“So is Nathan about?”
“He’s up at the house” she replied
“Oh ok I’ll go and see him there, number 8 isn’t it?” he said from the doorway
“Yes that’s right” Chloe said and with a nod of the head and a smile he was gone.
As he walked up Military Row, with the completed houses on his right and the untouched ones on his left, he could see what a great job Ray Walker and his team had done on renovating the old RAF houses.
Ray’s job on the Estate was normally buildings maintenance but since Mornington Field came back to the Estate he had been incredibly busy.
He was another local boy, born and bred and he had worked for the estate since he left school.
If you had ever met Ray you would never have forgotten him because he was a giant of a man with a shock of unruly red hair and an abundance of freckles, Gabriel liked him very much.
And after all his hard work there would be a sizable bonus in his pay packet at the end of the year.
Gabriel knocked on the door of number 8 and waited and when the door opened Nathan appeared.
In his youth he had been an athletically built young man with dark curly hair and blue eyes, but with age his blue eyes were paler, and his hair thinner and greyer and as a result of his wife’s death and his subsequent illness his physique had wearied and thinned.
However after his first month in Mornington the colour had returned to his skin and he had a new vitality.
“Yes” he said
“Nathan Addison?”
“Yes that’s me”
“I’m Gabriel St George, do you have a minute or two”
Once inside the two men sat in the lounge and Gabriel said.
“I’ll get straight to the point, I understand you are trying to introduce a universal delivery service for the Mornington businesses?”
“Well yes, the other parties have agreed in principle” Nathan said “but they’re a bit sceptical that it will ever get off the ground, are you here to tell me it’s a non-starter as well?”
“No not at all” he replied quickly “in fact I have a proposition”
One of the biggest employers in the village was the Mornington Brewery, which produced some very highly regarded ales, sold far and wide.
The brewery also had a very profitable side line of brewery tours and tastings sessions, and more importantly “off sales”.
There was a very heathy trade in selling bottled and draught ales to individuals over the counter.
But what they didn’t offer was a delivery service, and people in the modern age like things delivered to their door, so much so that they will sacrifice the quality just to get the convenience.
They had draymen to deliver the large deliveries to pubs and distributors but no one to do the small stuff.
So what Gabriel suggested to Nathan was that along with the other village shops they could also deliver the brewery off ales as well.
“So if in return for delivering the off sales, I was to provide you with the use of a suitable vehicle two days a week and all you had to do between the four of you is supply a driver, what would you say?” he asked
“I would say you had yourself a deal” Nathan said and shook his hand.
(Part 08)
After a wonderful meal and far too much wine on Friday night at the Manor, Scott was in no fit state on Saturday to be banging and crashing about in the Mill so he decided to write the day off but he would put in a full day on Sunday to make up for it.
Addison’s wasn’t open on a Sunday so he got himself something pre-packed from Norman’s and ate lunch on the river bank in the late summer sunshine.
Chloe Addison didn’t think she was pretty but she thought her dark hair was so she was flattered that the man outside the shop thought she was cute.
“That’ll be the pixie cut” she said to herself as she walked along the river bank.
As she walked along with the sun behind her she looked at her shadow, it wasn’t a very substantial shadow because she was very slim.
“I wonder if he thinks I’m skinny?” she thought to herself
She was a very slim girl despite the fact she was a bit too fond of the pastries.
But she kept that way because she never sat still, she was one of life’s doers, she was always busy at something, and on those occasion when she wasn’t she liked to walk.
Which was what she was doing when she came upon the scruffy builder laying in the grass beside the river in his dirty overalls.
Scott was laying back in the grass relaxing having finished his lunch when Chloe said
“Hello scruffy”
He opened his eyes and looked up at her
“Oh hello” he said and stood up
“I see you’re not any tidier on a Sunday” she said “You builders are a mucky lot”
“We architects if you don’t mind”
“So is this where you’re working” Chloe asked pointing at the old sail less windmill
“It’s a bit tired looking” she said “Not a bit like the other two in the village”
“Well they looked as bad as this one before I started” he said
“Really you renovated them?” she said impressed
“I did” he replied proudly “would you like to see inside”
“Yes please”
“Don’t forget to wipe your feet” he said
“Very funny”
“I meant on the way out” he said and she laughed.
“There’s a lot of work needed isn’t there” she said trying to sound as if she knew what she was talking about “how often do you work on it?”
“Not as often as I’d like” he replied “But I try to do at least one day a week, more when I can get some time off”
Chloe stayed for about 10 minutes and was genuinely interested in what he was saying, she would have stayed longer but she was expected back for lunch with her Dad.
The next day he spent the morning on a particularly gutty job and by lunchtime he’d had enough.
He finished earlier enough to go home and get cleaned up in time to have a pub lunch but he rather fancied seeing if cute Chloe would let him in the shop.
The last time he was there she told him to knock the next time, well he looked through the window and couldn’t see her so he decided he would just go in and see what happened.
But as soon as he put his hand on Addison’s shop door he was met on the threshold by Chloe.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she said “I thought I told you to knock”
“Really I don’t remember that” he replied
“A likely story”
“Honest” he said
“What can I get you this time?” she said with a smile
“Same as before please, two crusty rolls and Danish”
“I thought you might be in so I saved you a Pecan Platt” she said
“That’s my favourite” he said and held out a handful of coins
“Yes I remember” she said and took the appropriate amount
When she returned a few minutes later with a small bag and his change he thanked her and added
“Are you going to do this with all the workmen?”
“All what workmen?” She asked
“The ones that are starting work up at Mornington Field at the end of the month”
“I didn’t know they were starting yet” She said
“I only found out myself on Friday night” he said just as another customer pushed past them into the shop
“Thanks for the heads up” Chloe said as he walked away
(Part 09)
That afternoon was very quiet so she sat down and tried to figure out what she could do to capitalize on the influx of workmen.
The shop was quiet small but the footprint of the building was three times the size of the shop floor, so there was room for a food preparation area in what was currently the office, where she could make sandwiches.
And in the long tiny sitting room could be knocked through and house a self-serve coffee station.
The small room upstairs which was empty would be more suitable as an office and the two big rooms would do better as the sitting room and an additional storage area.
However as she stared out through the plate glass window she thought she would need some assistance if she was achieve what she envisaged and she smiled.
Despite having knocked on the door of Bridge View Cottage on three separate times during the week she didn’t actually get to see Scott Collier until the Friday of that week and when she did see him it was by accident rather than design.
It was Nathan’s turn to cook so after closing the shop her dad went home to start the dinner and Chloe went for a walk to work up an appetite.
She turned right and crossed the East Bridge over the River and once on the other side she looked to Windmill and found it to be deserted and so disappointed she turned right again and followed the riverbank path past the village hall and towards the church.
When she reached St Winnifred’s Chloe crossed the churchyard and proceeded on through manor wood, emerging on the other side in sight of the brewery and crossed to road.
She paused on the river bank and took a drink from her water bottle and gazed across the river to Dulcets Mill and admired Scott’s handiwork.
“If he can do that he can definitely help me” she said and then followed the Purplemere road back toward the village.
According to the church clock it was seven o’clock when she started across Church Bridge just as a man in a dinner suit was coming the other way.
“Hello” Scott said and Chloe did a double take
“Well look at you” she said “You scrub up quite nicely for a builder”
“What do you mean? This is what I normally wear underneath my overalls” he countered “I’m not a builder, I’m an architect”
“Don’t give me that you don’t wear anything under your overall” she said
“In your fantasies maybe” he said and made her blush
“So where are you off to anyway?” she asked trying to change the subject
“I’m going to a University Dinner in Abbottsford with Gabriel”
He replied
“I’ve been looking for you all week” she said
“I’ve been up at Mornington Field all week” he replied “Why?”
“Why what?” she asked
“Why were you looking for me?”
“I have need of an architect who moonlights as a builder” She said
“Can you suggest anyone?” she queried
“It sounds like something I might be able to help with” he admitted
“But why would I want to?”
“Because I’m the cute girl from the bakers” Chloe taunted him
“Ah” he exclaimed “who blabbed?”
“His Lordship did”
“Ok you got me” he surrendered “I’ll come and see you tomorrow”
(Part 10)
It was late on Saturday morning as Chloe was dealing with a special order for a 4 tier wedding cake that she saw Scott through the window and he did not look well.
The wedding Cake was required for a wedding taking place at St Winnifred’s in two weeks’ time.
“So when will it be delivered?” the bride to be, Jenna Newman asked
“It will be here on the Friday the 26th” Chloe said
“Is that guaranteed?” Bridesmaid, Kashveen asked
“Well I can promise you that if it isn’t I will drive to Shallowfield myself to pick it up”
“Good enough” Jenna said
Scott held the door as Jenna and Kashveena left and then stepped inside himself.
“Oh dear” Chloe said as she looked at Scott’s face “A good night was it?”
“I think so” he replied
As the shop was empty she took him into the sitting room and explained what she had in mind, and how quickly she needed it.
He made a rough sketch and then, using a laser measure, added the dimensions to it.
“How big a budget do you have?” he asked
“Miniscule” she replied “Addison’s HQ don’t value this shop enough to invest in it, so it’s just my savings”
“So no budget and 3 weeks to spend it in”
“That’s about the size of it” she replied
“Great I love a challenge” He said
“So you’ll help me then?”
“Yes I will” he replied “just as long as you understand I’m only doing it because you’re cute”
“Ok” Chloe replied and blushed
Chloe had told Nathan already what she planned, and the reason behind it and he fully supported her and he even gave her some more money for the pot.
He always had confidence that the shop had a future he was so relieved that Chloe was now a hundred percent on board.
Nathan was convinced that his daughter was only paying lip service to his beliefs, but he was apparently wrong and in a big way.
Over the few days after he said he would help her, Scott made numerous visits to the shop and took more measurements and then he would rush off again.
She didn’t know why he kept measuring because he didn’t stop to speak, but then Chloe didn’t realise that one of Scott’s clients in Finchbottom had commissioned him to draw up plans to convert a former tea shop into a solicitor’s office and the shop still had some of the fixtures and fittings including 2 stainless steel food preparation tables, which he was able to purchase for a bargain price.
To do the wok he used two local lads, Ian Hall and Richard Prewitt from Windmill Farm, who he had used on small conversion jobs, and as they both had young families they were always looking for extra cash.
Obviously they could only work in the evening when they were knocking through walls and erecting partitions.
But by the Saturday of the big wedding on the 27th they were onto the finishing stages.
Chloe left the shop a 4pm to go and get changed for the wedding reception at the village hall.
She wasn’t going to go, firstly because her Dad was away for the weekend and she didn’t want to go on her own, secondly social events weren’t really her thing, especially when she didn’t really know anyone in the village she wanted to socialise with, apart from Scott Collier.
Which was why she left the shop early to get ready because Scott had suggested they went together.
It wasn’t a date or anything they were just going as friends but she still spent two hours getting ready.
(Part 11)
Chloe left the house at 7.45pm wearing a blue cocktail dress and a contrasting pashmina and she could see Scott was already waiting by the bridge as she looked down Military Row.
“He’s keen” she said and giggled
As she reached the bottom of the road she glanced over and could see the lights were still on in the shop.
“Am I late?” she asked
“No I’m early” he replied
“Good, so we’ve got time to check on how they’re getting on in the shop” she said and began walking that way
“Oh no you don’t” he said and grabbed her by the hand and pulled her back the other way.
“But I just want to see” she pleaded
“No” he said sternly and kept her moving “It will keep till tomorrow”
“Just for a minute, please” she asked
“No, tonight is for dancing” Scott said
“Dancing? I didn’t know there would be dancing” Chloe replied not even noticing they had crossed the bridge.
“Is that a problem?” he asked
“No” she replied “no it isn’t”
Scott smiled and any further notions of inspecting the shop seemed to have been expelled from her mind, but he didn’t relinquish his hold of her hand until they reached the village hall.
And then Scott made a point of introducing her to the other guests and then they got to the dancing which went on late into the night.
It was almost 2 am when Scott and Chloe crossed the river again and she was wearing his jacket and they were holding hands once more.
“Can we go to the shop now?” she asked “pretty please”
“Just for a minute” he agreed
Well it took more than twice that long for her to get the key into the lock.
When they eventually got into the shop and found the light switch Chloe got very excited.
“It’s finished”
“So it is” he agreed
“You did this” Chloe said
“No it wasn’t me, I was dancing with you remember” Scott replied
“I do remember, you also squeezed my bum” she recalled “but that’s not what I mean”
“What then?”
“All this” she said flourishing her hand and almost overbalancing until Scott caught her
“Qops”
“You made this happen” she said and took hold of his tie and pulled him closer to her and then she kissed him very passionately until he came up for air and said.
“I thought you didn’t allow anything dirty in the shop?”
“You’re absolutely correct” she said mispronouncing absolutely quite dramatically
“I don’t, but you can get dirty once you’re inside”
“I see”
“So you can kiss me again now” she said and wrapped her arms around his neck
“Or I could walk you home and kiss you goodnight on the door step” he said “and we can do this later when you’re sober”
“But you might not want to kiss me later” she said
“Oh yes I will” he explained
“Really?” she asked quietly
“Yes because you’re the cute girl from the bakers”
So later than Sunday afternoon, clear headed and stone cold sober the Architect and the Bakers daughter met once again and they did indeed kiss and then they made love but not on cold stainless steel in a Bakers shop smelling of fresh paint.
Scott made love to the cute girl from the Bakers in the house he had lived in all his life and the place that would be their home for the rest of hers.
Saturday, 18 February 2017
Words on Love # 4
LOVE OVERBOARD
I’m like a drowning man
Since you cast me aside
Into a sea of pain
To fight desperately
Against the tide of despair
That has overcome me
I choke on the salt water
Of my lonely tears
Wishing you would rescue me
Keep me afloat with your love
But you do not come
And I sink beneath the waves
And our life together
Passes before my eyes
SKIN DEEP
You are all veneer,
With no oak beneath
You are all gloss finish
With no undercoat
You are a pastry top
With no pie below
You are faith
Without belief
You are attraction
Without love
You are shallow
And superficial
WHEN WE ARE APART
When we are apart
My heart breaks
Each painful moment
My heart aches
Come home soon
For both our sakes
MORE THAN EVER NOW
More than ever now
I want you.
Each day that passes
Surpasses its predecessor
In contentment
You are my salvation
Remembering the time before us
Leaves me cold
You brought me home
Into the warmth
You tended to my heart
Restored my faith
Pacified the torments
More than ever now
I need you
Each day that passes
Eclipses its predecessor
You are my miracle
Banishing sorrow forever
Replenishing my love
Refreshing my spirit
Tending my flesh
More than ever now
I want you.
I need you
I love you
HE SAID THOSE WORDS
He said those words,
He said them to me,
I thought I had misheard
So he had to say them twice
Was it a mistake?
Did he mean to say them to me?
Of course not,
He’s not talking to me
He’s talking to Carol
She’s sat behind me
Oh no she’s gone for coffee
So yes he was talking to me
He did say those words,
And he did say them to me
I couldn't believe it
I thought I must be dreaming,
I would wake up in a moment
To find it was a pleasant dream
And I would smile to myself
And let out a little sigh
But he said those words to me
And with those words
He changed my world
The sun shone on my existence
And my heart skipped a beat
I didn’t even know he’d noticed me
I didn’t know he knew that I existed
But he said those words to me
And I said yes
EVERY MINUTE THAT I LIVE
The heartfelt declaration I wish to give
Is that I love every minute that I live
I love every minute and that is true
Except for the moments I’m not with you
HOPELESS
The hope has gone
Hope of love
Hope of tenderness
It has fallen into the abyss
The hope of Joy
And requited feelings
Have evaporated
And are lost in the ether
And the hope
That what once was lost
Can be found
Is a shattered myth
OUR LOVE IS NEW LOVE
Our love is new love
Our love is true love
Don’t be blue love
Because I love you love
Our love is new love
My love is true love
I won’t be blue love
Because I love you love
Our love is new love
Is your love a true love?
Don’t make me blue love
Say I love you too love
THE SEEDS OF LOVE ARE SOWN
The seeds of love are sown
When cupid’s arrow flies
A love that grows ever stronger
Begins at first in the eyes
Then the seeds are nurtured
And with patient cultivation
Then love, strong and sturdy
Will be the fruitful culmination
I’m like a drowning man
Since you cast me aside
Into a sea of pain
To fight desperately
Against the tide of despair
That has overcome me
I choke on the salt water
Of my lonely tears
Wishing you would rescue me
Keep me afloat with your love
But you do not come
And I sink beneath the waves
And our life together
Passes before my eyes
SKIN DEEP
You are all veneer,
With no oak beneath
You are all gloss finish
With no undercoat
You are a pastry top
With no pie below
You are faith
Without belief
You are attraction
Without love
You are shallow
And superficial
WHEN WE ARE APART
When we are apart
My heart breaks
Each painful moment
My heart aches
Come home soon
For both our sakes
MORE THAN EVER NOW
More than ever now
I want you.
Each day that passes
Surpasses its predecessor
In contentment
You are my salvation
Remembering the time before us
Leaves me cold
You brought me home
Into the warmth
You tended to my heart
Restored my faith
Pacified the torments
More than ever now
I need you
Each day that passes
Eclipses its predecessor
You are my miracle
Banishing sorrow forever
Replenishing my love
Refreshing my spirit
Tending my flesh
More than ever now
I want you.
I need you
I love you
HE SAID THOSE WORDS
He said those words,
He said them to me,
I thought I had misheard
So he had to say them twice
Was it a mistake?
Did he mean to say them to me?
Of course not,
He’s not talking to me
He’s talking to Carol
She’s sat behind me
Oh no she’s gone for coffee
So yes he was talking to me
He did say those words,
And he did say them to me
I couldn't believe it
I thought I must be dreaming,
I would wake up in a moment
To find it was a pleasant dream
And I would smile to myself
And let out a little sigh
But he said those words to me
And with those words
He changed my world
The sun shone on my existence
And my heart skipped a beat
I didn’t even know he’d noticed me
I didn’t know he knew that I existed
But he said those words to me
And I said yes
EVERY MINUTE THAT I LIVE
The heartfelt declaration I wish to give
Is that I love every minute that I live
I love every minute and that is true
Except for the moments I’m not with you
HOPELESS
The hope has gone
Hope of love
Hope of tenderness
It has fallen into the abyss
The hope of Joy
And requited feelings
Have evaporated
And are lost in the ether
And the hope
That what once was lost
Can be found
Is a shattered myth
OUR LOVE IS NEW LOVE
Our love is new love
Our love is true love
Don’t be blue love
Because I love you love
Our love is new love
My love is true love
I won’t be blue love
Because I love you love
Our love is new love
Is your love a true love?
Don’t make me blue love
Say I love you too love
THE SEEDS OF LOVE ARE SOWN
The seeds of love are sown
When cupid’s arrow flies
A love that grows ever stronger
Begins at first in the eyes
Then the seeds are nurtured
And with patient cultivation
Then love, strong and sturdy
Will be the fruitful culmination
Partners in Time
I held your hand
Though you did not know it
And I remembered
The first time I held it
That august day so long ago
When the magic passed between us
And I knew I had found my mate
It was such an innocuous action
We were on the train
Two travelling strangers
As it rattled its way through Surrey
You were getting to your feet
When the train lurched
And you fell back with a bump
I offered you my hand
Which you took
And the dye was cast
Our journey together began
Now your journey is nearly at its end
And I sit in vigil at your side
Where I will remain
Until life leaves your body
On that quiet final breath
I said when we were young
“I would love you all of your life"
When you were still you,
Before the morphine took you
You said to me
“Will you still love me all of my life?”
With a crack in my voice I said
“No I’ll love you for all of mine”
Though you did not know it
And I remembered
The first time I held it
That august day so long ago
When the magic passed between us
And I knew I had found my mate
It was such an innocuous action
We were on the train
Two travelling strangers
As it rattled its way through Surrey
You were getting to your feet
When the train lurched
And you fell back with a bump
I offered you my hand
Which you took
And the dye was cast
Our journey together began
Now your journey is nearly at its end
And I sit in vigil at your side
Where I will remain
Until life leaves your body
On that quiet final breath
I said when we were young
“I would love you all of your life"
When you were still you,
Before the morphine took you
You said to me
“Will you still love me all of my life?”
With a crack in my voice I said
“No I’ll love you for all of mine”
Mornington-By-Mere – (05) Old Dogs and New Tricks
(Part 01)
Cynthia Sharp was the Headmistress of The Mornington School, where she had taught for the whole of her professional life.
She lived and worked in Mornington-By-Mere, a small country village lying in the Finchbottom Vale nestled between the Ancient Dancingdean Forest and the rolling Pepperstock Hills.
Mornington is a quaint picturesque village, a proper chocolate box picturesque idyll, with a Manor House, 12th Century Church, a Coaching Inn, Windmills, an Old Forge, a Schoolhouse, a River and a Mere.
Cynthia began at the school, fresh out of Winchester Teacher Training College and slowly made herself indispensable.
Until, when she was 35, she was offered the Head Mistress position at the school and then all of a sudden twenty years had passed by.
Although she hadn’t always been so, she had grown to be the archetypal village spinster, seen about Mornington in tweeds and stout shoes.
Some people in the village found her unapproachable, which wasn’t the case, but it suited her to have them think it, it made it easier to keep them at arm’s length.
She lived alone in Wood View Cottage situated in Bridge Street opposite School Wood and had done for 30 years, before that she rented a room at Windmill Farm.
Cynthia was small in stature but large in presence and her finely chiseled features and bird like eyes, keenly honed senses had earned her the nickname of Miss Marple.
She loved the children though, all her children, it was just when they grew up that she distanced herself from them.
It wasn’t that she found it difficult to form attachments she just didn’t have the will for it.
Apart from her dogs, she had had three over the years, all Heinz varieties, all unique, all special.
The last one, Harry, had died the previous year, but she hadn’t replaced him, and she wasn’t sure if she would this time.
She still walked the woods and the riverbank that she used to walk with the dogs and she supposed she did miss the company.
The head of the Mornington Estate was the resident of the Manor, which was the family seat of the guardians of the estate, namely the St George family, the head of which was Baron Gabriel St George, who lived at manor with his four sisters and his widowed aunt Philomena.
The St George family had been landowners in Downshire since the Norman Conquests and at one time their lands covered the whole of the Finchbottom Vale.
Cynthia had a rather ornate gate in her garden which was specially commissioned and presented to her by Baron St George in recognition of 40 years’ service at the village school.
And as lovely as it was it had become the Bain of her life because people kept leaving it open, especially the postman, which drove her crazy.
She would stand in her kitchen looking out and she would see it and then she would have to go and close it immediately.
(Part 02)
On one Saturday afternoon in September Cynthia stood at her kitchen sink and cursed.
“That dammed man has left the gate open again”
So she put on her outdoor shoes and trudged down the path but when she reached the gate she found it was prevented from closing because there was the bloodied body of an injured terrier slumped against it.
“What’s happened to you?” she said gently
She glanced around and about but the village was deserted, and then she remembered there was a big wedding on that afternoon at St Winifred’s, she had been invited but she didn’t like churches as she was still angry with God for a past misdemeanor.
She only ever attended church if it was in connection with a school event such as the Carol service, Easter Parade or Remembrance Day or of course funerals, which she seemed to attend more and more often with each passing year.
She would however attend the reception at the village hall that evening.
“Well it looks like it’s down to me” she said
So with no one around to help she went and got the picnic rug from the house and wrapping it around the dog she scooped it up into her arms and it whimpered.
“Its ok” she said quietly “let’s get you to the vet”
It wasn’t far to the vets as the crow flies, Jeffrey and Teague’s were only in The Street, so she turned left from her gate and then left again into The Close and at the far end there was an alleyway that led to The Street.
If there wasn’t anyone in the vet’s surgery she would just have to call the emergency number.
Mornington was a rural community with a lot of livestock so she was confident there would be a vet somewhere in the vicinity.
She reached the vets and as luck would have it the lights were on.
Cynthia used her elbow to press the bell and for good measure she kicked the bottom of the door a few times with her stout shoes.
When she got no response however she repeated the bell and the boot procedure once more.
She was about to do it a third time when the door opened and a mature man in a smart suit said.
“I’m sorry I was getting changed for the wedding and when you rang the first time so I had to put my trousers on before I could answer the door”
“Well it’s not as if I’ve never seen you naked before Mr. Teague” she said
“Really when was that?”
“1973”
“1973?” he repeated
“I’ll explain later” she said “First things first”
As she took the dog into reception Ian Teague said
“Bring it this way” and led the way into the surgery,
Once on the table he checked it over
“What his name?” he asked
“I don’t know he’s not my dog, I don’t know who the owner is” she replied
“Well there’s no collar” he paused to wave a wand over the dog “And he’s not chipped”
After examining the patient he said
“Well the poor fellows been hit by a car”
“And?” she asked
“I need to operate”
“Well do so” she said
“I can’t do that” he replied
“Well the owner may not want to bear the expense”
“Well hang that I’ll take the expense” she said “And if you can’t find the owner I’ll take him”
“Ok then” he said “So I’ll need your name”
“You mean you don’t remember me” she said and laughed
“I would have thought you’d remember the names of women you’ve proposed to”
Ian just looked blankly at her
“18th birthday party at Mark Church’s house 1976”
Still he looked blank
“There are some huge holes in your memory” she said “Cynthia Sharp”
Still no spark of recognition
“Just right the name down and I’ll…” she began
“Explain later” he continued
“Exactly” she said
(Part 03)
The Jeffrey and Teague Veterinary Practice had been fulfilling the Veterinary needs of the Finchbottom Vale inhabitants since God was a boy and it was still going strong.
Of the two senior partners, Robin Jeffrey was now retired and living in Dulcet’s Mill, one of the three remaining Mornington Windmills.
The 64 year old widow whose children were all living independent lives chose the solitary existence where he could spend his time enjoying the two thing that gave him the most pleasure, birdwatching, which he could do from his vantage point in the top of the mill and fishing which he could do in the River Brooke which ran no more than twenty yards from his front door.
The younger partner was 58 year old Ian Teague, when the last of his children left home his wife’s response to empty nest syndrome was to empty it further by divorcing him.
The moment the children were grown up and off on their own she couldn’t get him out the house quick enough.
He was never quite sure if it was the smell of the animals she didn’t like or just him.
Although deep down he knew the reason.
This event occurred with very serendipitous timing for Ian because after Robin retired he felt very much the old man of the practice, the offspring were all practicing and he felt increasingly in the way, but he wasn’t ready to hang up his boots entirely so he choose to semi retire.
As a result he based himself at the Mornington Surgery at a time when the Mornington Estate had exercised its option to purchase Mornington Field back from the MOD and along with it they also acquired all the buildings and infrastructure on the airfield itself as well as 29 houses in the village formally used as quarters for military personnel.
In order to optimize the newly acquired assets the team on the Estate, led by Ray Walker worked tirelessly and had eight houses ready for occupation by the 6th of July.
This was the day before Ian’s wife threw a wobbly and announced she wanted a divorce.
So after a call to Lyndon-Sanders Properties of Shallowfield he found out that priority was to be given to local people or people with ties to the area or those who worked in some capacity for the estate such as agriculture or the brewery so as he was the vet working out of the Mornington Practice he managed to secure the keys to number 6, Military Row.
Jeffrey and Teague had Surgery’s all over the Vale and beyond as well as a veterinary Hospital in Shallowfield
The Dog was quite badly injured and couldn’t be dealt with in Mornington so Ian Teague made two quick phone calls one was to Hayley Gwilym who he knew was on duty at the Hospital in Shallowfield to warn her he was coming in and the second was to a local girl Lindsay Cooper who was his Veterinary nurse.
Cynthia remained with the injured animal while Ian went into the office to change back out of his suit
And after a few minutes Lindsay Cooper appeared at the door dressed in her finery including a rather stunning hat.
“You must be the best dressed vets in Downshire” she said as Lindsay stepped inside
“Hello Miss sharp” she said
“You don’t have to call me Miss now” she replied “I’m not your teacher anymore”
Just then Ian reappeared in more appropriate clothing and Lindsay went off to get out of her posh frock.
(Part 04)
While Lindsay changed into her clinical scrubs Ian went and got the car and parked out front of the surgery and he then picked up the sedated dog and loaded him into the car and Lindsay got in the back with the injured terrier.
“I’ll call you later Miss Sharp” Ian said as he got back behind the wheel
“I’m still intrigued to know where you saw me naked”
He added as he drove off
“Did you say she saw you naked?” Lindsay asked
“Apparently so” he replied “And I once proposed to her”
“Were the two things connected?” Lindsay asked
“I have no idea” he replied
Cynthia stood on the pavement and smiled as the car drove off and then she walked back up the alleyway and went home.
The Mornington School catered for students from years 1 to 13 which they had managed quite successfully with just four teaching staff and some imaginative use of technological teaching aids and live video links to Finchbottom Grammar School, but with the Military Row properties gradually being let out they were starting to see an increase in numbers, so she had employed another two teachers who would be starting on the Monday following the party but as they had moved into one of the Military Row houses.
They were invited to the wedding reception which Cynthia thought would serve as an ice breaker whereby Teresa and Mark O’Sullivan would be able to meet her fellow teachers and some of the parents at the same time.
In her long experience there was no greater tool in a teacher’s arsenal than the mental image of a particularly troublesome parent either in a state of disgrace after having imbibed too much wine or making an exhibition of themselves with their dad dancing.
Cynthia enjoyed the village social events and liked to catch up with the local news, the village gossip was always a bit more informative when the teller had been drinking.
People were always more unguarded when they were full of alcohol.
Cynthia was a teetotaler herself so she could just sit back and hoover up the goss.
She had just introduced the O’Sullivan’s to her existing teaching staff, Debbie Dunlop, her deputy, Mark Foreman and newly qualified Amy Hoddinott, and they were standing in a group by the bar when Ian Teague walked in.
He was more formally dressed than he was in his work clothes but much less so than the smart suit he was wearing when she first met him.
“Ian, how is the poor creature?” she asked and the group began to break up.
“Never mind that” Lindsay Cooper said who had followed Ian in
“I want to know when you saw him naked”
And on hearing that the group reassembled and all eyes were on Cynthia.
“Well it was in 1973” she said
“Hang on” Ian interrupted “I was only 16 in 1973 and you’re a lot younger than I am, so what on earth was I doing?”
“Well I’m not that much younger than you” she corrected him “I was 13 at the time”
He tried to cast his mind back to his youth and came up blank.
“Black Abbotts Island” Cynthia prompted him
At first he shook his head and then the memory popped into his head and the evidence of it spread across his face.
“That was you?” he asked and then he had to explain to the assembled group which had swelled its numbers.
(Part 05)
In the summer of seventy-three when "Skweeze me pleeze me” by Slade was top of the pops.
Ian Teague was a Patrol Leader in the 6th Abbeyvale Scout Troup who set off in a beat up white Ford Transit heading for the wilds of Downshire.
They travelled in the back of the transit van and sat on wooden benches, like the forms you get in school gyms.
Not a seatbelt in sight and not even the benches were secured.
No one with half a brain would dream of doing that kind of thing in the 21st century but at the time it seemed quite natural and they didn't think twice about it.
They were camping for two weeks in a farmer’s field on Black Abbotts Island in the Finch estuary close to the town of Sharpington-by-Sea.
It was a time when life for Ian and his motley crew of scouts still held infinite possibilities, Del, the Lawther brothers, Big Pete, Tiny Tears and a host of others whose names had been lost in the mists of his mind.
They were a mixed bunch and they did all the normal scouty type stuff, digging latrines and singing around the camp fire and that kind of thing.
They even had to make their own rudimentary cooker and each patrol took turns to be on kitchen duty, which included cooking and scrubbing the burnt black saucepans.
One bright spark in his patrol, Gus, had the idea that if you mixed washing up liquid and washing powder into a paste and spread it liberally onto the base of the saucepans it made them easier to clean afterwards.
What a load of old tosh that turned out to be, what it actually did was make the job twice as difficult as you had to chisel off the burnt remains of the washing paste as well as the normal blackness.
When they weren’t being all scouty and dib, dib, dibbing, they went off on trips, one of which was to Sharpington-by-Sea.
They all piled into the back of the Transit again and off they went, they were not a very sophisticated bunch of lads so they had a great time by the sea, the Pier, "kiss me quick” hats, amusement arcades and of course the Sharpington Fun Park.
The Fun Park was the first purpose built amusement park to open in Britain, which had an assortment of rides, like the Rotor and the Wild Mouse, The Cyclone and the Morehouse Galloper, all very tame compared to a 21st century roller coaster and suchlike but they loved it.
In exchange for the farmer allowing the scouts to camp in his field, which was of course on an island, they were required to plant rice grass in the mud banks around the island.
The Finch estuary was tidal water and when the tide was out there was just a great expanse of mud between the island and the mainland save for a narrow channel.
Unfortunately for the farmer every time the tide went out it was taking some of his island with it, hence the need for the rice grass.
The idea being that the grass would bind the mud together and therefore prevent the island being slowly taken out to sea.
For their part they had to wade out into the mud at low tide up to their knees and plant the fore mentioned grass.
Of course the only problem with this plan was that when you put a group of under sixteen's up to their knees in mud the inevitable outcome is a mud fight.
(Part 06)
At the end of the mud fight they were, without exception, all covered from head to toe in thick black slimy mud, and they thought it was fantastic.
When the task was finished and the rice grass was planted they waded back to shore looking like a group of extras from "swamp thing”.
The scouts then had the problem of getting clean again.
For this they only had two options the first one being to wait for the tide to come back in, by which time the mud would have set or the second option was to use water from the standpipe in the corner of the field by the gate, which was used to water the animals.
This they utilized to great effect taking it in turns to use a bucket filled from the tap and dousing themselves down.
Unfortunately as senior Patrol Leader Ian was the last one to go and after he had removed his trunks he stood tipping buckets of water over his head gradually removing layer by layer of the slimy mud.
However just as he was emptying the final bucket over himself and with his hands still extended above his head he heard the sound of a vehicle and as he turned around to investigate the noise he saw to his horror that it was a minibus, full of Girl Guides driving slowly past the gate, one of whom was 13 year old Cynthia Sharp.
He had no time to cover his embarrassment or anything else for that matter so he did the only thing any self-respecting boy scout could do under the circumstances, which was to drop the bucket and give the scout salute.
“You saluted?” Debbie Dunlop asked through her laughter
“Yes he did” Cynthia confirmed
“How come you recognized me?” he said “you must have a remarkable memory”
“Oh well, you have to remember I was a thirteen year old girl and I had never seen a naked man before, and although you were only 16 you were very definitely a man” she said “I can remember that very clearly”
“In that case I have to admit that I’m surprised you remembered my face” Ian said “You were obviously focused elsewhere”
A lot of laughter followed and a general conversation took over and by that stage the group that had formed had largely dispersed and those who remained settled themselves at a nearby table and Ian got in a round of drinks.
And when he sat down again Cynthia said
“You know you still haven’t told me how that poor dog is”
“Never mind the bloody dog” Lindsay slurred “Tell us about the proposal”
“What proposal?” Debbie asked
“Ian proposed to Cynthia” Lindsay said
“Really?” Mark Foreman asked
“Apparently” Ian asked “So when was it?”
“1975” Cynthia replied “Late Summer”
Ian closed his eyes and tried to recall what he was doing 40 years in his past.
“I’ll give you a clue” she said “It was at Mark Church’s house”
“Mark Church?” he said “Oh his brothers 21st”
(Part 07)
It was in 1975 shortly before Ian left to go off to University.
He had spent the previous 2 years with his friends Mark and Phil doing a mobile disco, although to be fair they were only mobile due to Phil’s Dad.
They called themselves “Sound Sensation” and did 18th and 21st birthday parties, engagement parties, weddings, and Christmas parties.
Mainly in community centers and church halls, however not exclusively, they had one regular gig at the Kodak social club and on one occasion they did it in a house.
It was a party at Mark’s house for his brothers 21st, it was an unusual set up, the speakers and the light arrays were set up downstairs and the console and music was set up in one of the bedrooms with the cables going out the bedroom window and in through the lounge window below.
As they were set up in the small bedroom there was only room for one person up there at a time so the evening was divided into three and they each did 2 hours each.
Ian took the first stint from 8 till 10 and then Mark took over which was when Ian started drinking.
First beer and then his spirit of choice Vodka however the Vodka didn’t last and so he turned to the Gin, to his Vodka soaked brain this was a perfectly sensible course of action as it was the same colour.
After he had poured his second large gin he sat down and watched his friend Pete, who was six foot 7 dancing with a girl who was 5 foot nothing and the last thing he remembered was wondering how he was going manage with the goodnight kiss.
“Oh he managed quite well” Cynthia said
“That was you?” Ian asked
“Yes”
He looked at her and he could see her dancing with his friend, of course her Auburn hair was greying now, but yes he could see her.
“But after watching you and Pete dancing I remember absolutely nothing” he said “until I woke up on my bedroom floor the next morning”
“Well that’s convenient” Cynthia said
“Come on then, tell” Lyndsay said
“Well Pete had gone to spend a penny” Cynthia continued “and Ian walked up to me and said that he loved me and that he was going to marry me”
“And then what happened” Debbie demanded
“Well it was time for the champagne toast and they locked Ian in the cupboard because he was drunk” she said
“So I’d never met you before?” Ian asked
“No and of course you didn’t recognize me from the mini bus”
“But I proposed to you?” Ian queried
“Yes”
Ian had no knowledge of the proposal or the cupboard or that he fell unconscious in the street after taking two unsteady steps and subsequently had to be carried home by four mates who delivered him, wearing only one shoe and shirtless to his parents’ house.
“What did Pete say when he came back?” he asked
“Nothing” she said “He didn’t know, you were already in the cupboard”
“That is so embarrassing” He said and took a drink of his orange juice
“I wonder what became of Peter” he mused “I lost touch with him when I went off to Uni”
“Well he proposed to me” she said “properly, which I accepted”
“Good for him” Ian said
“And then he was killed at Goose Green in 1982”
“I’m so sorry” Ian said, he had no idea he was her Fiancé or that he was killed in the Falklands.
Cynthia fell silent and then Ian said
“Did you know Pete was on the Black Abbotts Island trip?”
“No I didn’t” she replied
“I have a lot of photos from those days” he said
“Would like to see them sometime?” he asked
“Very much so” she replied
“Now tell me about the blessed dog” she said and looked towards Lindsay who nodded.
(Part 08)
Ian told her that the little West Highland Terrier had survived the surgery and should make a full recovery, miraculously there were no broken bones but some severe lacerations and a hairline fracture of his hip.
As they didn’t know who the owner was they would keep him at the hospital in Shallowfield until he was completely healed.
As September eased into October Cynthia found life at the school was the most challenging it had ever been.
With the new teachers, larger classes, new timetables and new pupils arriving almost daily, and a lesser mortal might well have been driven to drink but she was made of sterner stuff and with her predisposition, alcohol wasn’t an option for her.
So she took deep breaths and pressed on regardless.
In her quiet moments her thought turned to the night of the wedding reception and how much fun it was and how as a result she had become something of a cause célèbre in the village since word from the reception, thanks to Chinese whispers, painted her in a very exotic light.
In fact she was not so much of a Miss Marple and more of a Miss Whiplash.
Ian Teague, considering he was semi-retired was rushed off his feet in October due to a staff shortage which was caused by an outbreak of the norovirus in Shallowfield, subsequently it wasn’t until November 1st that he walked the fully recovered white West Highland Terrier through the front gate of Wood View Cottage.
The dog got very excited the moment they got close to the cottage.
“Alright fella” Ian said and knocked on the door.
Cynthia had finished her housework for the day and had just sat down in her armchair with a freshly made cup of coffee and was listening to Classic FM when she heard the knock.
“Nuts” she said and put her mug down and muttered under her breath all the way to the door and was about to deliver a sharp riposte the moment the door opened but when she saw the excited terrier fit and well, she softened.
“Well hello you” she said
“He clearly remembers you” Ian said
“Is that right?” Cynthia asked
“Come on in and bring the human with you”
She showed her guests into the lounge and then made a coffee for Ian.
“So he looks well” she said
“Yes he’s fully recovered” Ian said
“What’s his name?”
“Well we haven’t found the owner so technically he doesn’t have a name” he replied “but the girls have been calling him Westie”
“Why Westie?” she asked
“Because he’s a West Highland Terrier” Ian said with a smile
“Duh” she responded “that’s a perfect name”
“I’m glad you agree” he said
“So no owner?” Cynthia asked still making a fuss of her new friend
“No” he replied
“Does that mean I can keep him?” she asked
“That’s why we’re here” Ian said
“So he’s mine?” she asked almost as excited as Westie
“Yes he’s all yours, but”
“There’s always a “but”” she said
“But he is desperate for a really good walk” he continued “Which I thought we could do together, I’ve got Colin in the car”
“Who is Colin?”
“He’s my Jack Russell” he replied
“Colin?” she asked and sniggered “I’ll get my coat”
(Part 09)
Cynthia and Ian set off through School Wood and then crossed the road bridge to the Mornington Field side of the river and turned east out into the country where they let Westie and Colin off their leads and let them run amuck.
“Why on earth did you call the poor thing Colin?” she asked “It’s what some of my kids would say was a “sucky” name”
“I didn’t, that was his name when I got him” he replied “He belonged to an elderly lady in Dulcets Green and when she died last Winter Sgt Jones brought him into me”
“And you kept him?”
“Yes, he has such a lovely nature and I fell in love with him” he replied
“So not such a sucky name after all then” she said
It was quite late when they got back to the village and the sun was beginning to set.
“Well I don’t know about Westie but I’m exhausted” Cynthia said
“Me too” he agreed “and I’m famished”
“Do you fancy a curry?” she asked “The Bengal in Shallowfield deliver”
“What all the way out here?” he said
“Yes”
“In that case count me in”
At Wood View Cottage with the dogs asleep on the rug and the curry consumed, the human sat and quietly reflected on a day well spent and it was Cynthia who finally broke the silence
“Did you ever find those photos?”
“No not yet” he said
“Oh” she exclaimed, failing to hide her disappointment
“When I split with my wife she wanted me and everything to do with me out of the house ASAP, so I put all my worldly goods into storage”
“I see”
“Now I’m slowly bringing everything over a few boxes at a time but the contents of my study are right at the back” he explained
“In another month or so I should have unearthed them”
She couldn’t pretend she wasn’t disappointed but at least there was a viable reason, it wasn’t just that he’d forgotten.
That weekend walk was the first of many for the four of them that November and they continued into December and it was at the beginning of December that Ian surprised Cynthia one cold winter’s night and when she opened the door he said
“I have them Cynthia”
“Well I’m sure they can be cured” she replied
“No it’s not an ailment” he said with a chuckle “I have the photos”
“Fantastic” she responded excitedly “Come on in”
Cynthia made a drink and then they sat on the sofa in the lounge and started looking through the albums, and when she turned another page she said.
“There he is” and she sighed “God he was a lovely boy”
“Thank you Ian” she said when she had closed the last album and wiped away a tear.
“You’re welcome Cynthia” he replied and handed her his hankie
“I can have copies made”
“Call me Impy” she said
“Call you what?”
“Impy” she repeated
“Where does that come from?”
“It’s a family name” she replied “when I was a girl, about the time I saw you naked, my little cousin couldn’t say Cynthia instead it came out as Impy”
“Ok Impy it is”
(Part 10)
Two weeks after they had viewed the albums together Ian called round to see her and he found her in a terrible state of agitation.
“What on earth is the matter” he asked
“It’s the Carol Service” she said
“What about the Carol Service?”
“They want me to do a reading” she replied
“Well you’re used to speaking in front of people” he said “it’s not as if you’re the shy retiring type”
“It’s a bible reading” she said
“And?”
“I don’t do God” she said “because of what God did to me, taking Pete away from me so cruelly”
“You can’t blame God for the acts of men” he said
“But it ruined my life” Impy responded
“The War almost ruined your life, but you survived it” Ian pointed out
“In spite of God” she said resolutely
“Well I’ve always been of the opinion that he never gives us more to deal with than we can handle”
“I don’t need empty platitudes” she said through the tears
“What do you need?”
“I need you to be there with me, in church” she said
“I can’t” he said “I have a meeting”
“What with a client or colleagues?”
“Neither” he said “It’s not that kind of meeting”
“I don’t understand” She said impatiently
Ian reached into his pocket and brought out what appeared to her to be a coin but it was a token from AA.
“How long?” she asked
“21 years without a drink”
“But you still go to the meetings”
“Yes because I’m still an alcoholic” he said “I just don’t happen to drink, but also I’m a sponsor to people who are at the other end of the road from me”
“I understand” she said
“It was the drink that soured my marriage because when the children were little I was never there for the family” he confessed
“She always said that she would only stay with me as long as a home was needed for the children, so as soon as the last one left I had to go, 21 years sober didn’t make up for the years I was a drunk”
“For me it’s been 32 years” she said
“I didn’t know” he said surprised “I thought not drinking was just a lifestyle choice for you”
“It’s not a choice it’s a necessity” Cynthia said “and I’ve never told another living soul that”
Ian nodded he understood the secrecy, Cynthia sat down heavily in her chair and took a deep breath and continued
“I didn’t go to AA like you, but I did hit rock bottom”
“We all do” he said
“I was drinking with my best friend Brenda, we were on one of our benders and we were so drunk”
She smiled wryly at the memory but then her countenance darkened
“Then Brenda passed out and lay on the floor choking on her own vomit and I was so pissed I couldn’t help her, I sat in the corner in a drunken stupor and watched her die because I was so wasted I couldn’t even crawl across the room to save my best friends life, and from that day on I haven’t touched a drop”
At that point she completely broke down and sobbed.
Ian took hold of her as she cried in great gasping sobs for more than ten minutes until she went silent.
“It’s time to lay the guilt aside now” he said referring to the guilt of living when the love of her life had died and then the compounded guilt of watching her friend die, powerless to prevent it, through her alcoholism.
“I can’t” she said
“You must”
(Part 11)
Ian held her in his arms for the best part of an hour while she cried her tears, and beyond until she tried to kiss him, but he pulled away and said.
“Now is not the time”
“I don’t understand” she said
“You want me for the wrong reason”
“But I really like you” she said and tried to kiss him again
“But you still love Pete, and that’s the problem”
He said “I can’t compete with the memory of a dead man”
“You don’t have too”
“I do, until you can tell me you love me, as I love you” he said and walked towards the door
“Please don’t go” she begged
“Can you say it?” he asked but she just looked towards the floor in silence
“Then I have to go”
Ian went home and got Colin and took him out for a long walk in the rain which Colin didn’t enjoy any more than Ian did.
Cynthia meanwhile was crying again with only Westie to comfort her and when she went to bed she tossed and turned all night.
Ian on the other hand was spared a night of troubled sleep when he was called out to a colicky horse in Pangmere.
On the night of the Carol service, Cynthia nervously walked along the nave and up onto the dais before gingerly climbing the steps up to the pulpit.
Her heart was pounding and her mouth was dry and she thought she was going to faint until she caught sight of Ian standing in the transept.
And when he smiled her heart stopped pounding and her mouth was no longer dry and she no longer felt as if she would faint.
And with renewed strength she listed her head high and in a clear and steady voice she read a passage from Luke’s Gospel
“But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God.
You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end”
“How will this be” Mary asked the angel, “Since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God”
When she had concluded the reading she walked down the helter-skelter steps from the pulpit and when she reached a point where she was looking directly at Ian she smiled at him and then mouthed the words “I love you”
Cynthia Sharp was the Headmistress of The Mornington School, where she had taught for the whole of her professional life.
She lived and worked in Mornington-By-Mere, a small country village lying in the Finchbottom Vale nestled between the Ancient Dancingdean Forest and the rolling Pepperstock Hills.
Mornington is a quaint picturesque village, a proper chocolate box picturesque idyll, with a Manor House, 12th Century Church, a Coaching Inn, Windmills, an Old Forge, a Schoolhouse, a River and a Mere.
Cynthia began at the school, fresh out of Winchester Teacher Training College and slowly made herself indispensable.
Until, when she was 35, she was offered the Head Mistress position at the school and then all of a sudden twenty years had passed by.
Although she hadn’t always been so, she had grown to be the archetypal village spinster, seen about Mornington in tweeds and stout shoes.
Some people in the village found her unapproachable, which wasn’t the case, but it suited her to have them think it, it made it easier to keep them at arm’s length.
She lived alone in Wood View Cottage situated in Bridge Street opposite School Wood and had done for 30 years, before that she rented a room at Windmill Farm.
Cynthia was small in stature but large in presence and her finely chiseled features and bird like eyes, keenly honed senses had earned her the nickname of Miss Marple.
She loved the children though, all her children, it was just when they grew up that she distanced herself from them.
It wasn’t that she found it difficult to form attachments she just didn’t have the will for it.
Apart from her dogs, she had had three over the years, all Heinz varieties, all unique, all special.
The last one, Harry, had died the previous year, but she hadn’t replaced him, and she wasn’t sure if she would this time.
She still walked the woods and the riverbank that she used to walk with the dogs and she supposed she did miss the company.
The head of the Mornington Estate was the resident of the Manor, which was the family seat of the guardians of the estate, namely the St George family, the head of which was Baron Gabriel St George, who lived at manor with his four sisters and his widowed aunt Philomena.
The St George family had been landowners in Downshire since the Norman Conquests and at one time their lands covered the whole of the Finchbottom Vale.
Cynthia had a rather ornate gate in her garden which was specially commissioned and presented to her by Baron St George in recognition of 40 years’ service at the village school.
And as lovely as it was it had become the Bain of her life because people kept leaving it open, especially the postman, which drove her crazy.
She would stand in her kitchen looking out and she would see it and then she would have to go and close it immediately.
(Part 02)
On one Saturday afternoon in September Cynthia stood at her kitchen sink and cursed.
“That dammed man has left the gate open again”
So she put on her outdoor shoes and trudged down the path but when she reached the gate she found it was prevented from closing because there was the bloodied body of an injured terrier slumped against it.
“What’s happened to you?” she said gently
She glanced around and about but the village was deserted, and then she remembered there was a big wedding on that afternoon at St Winifred’s, she had been invited but she didn’t like churches as she was still angry with God for a past misdemeanor.
She only ever attended church if it was in connection with a school event such as the Carol service, Easter Parade or Remembrance Day or of course funerals, which she seemed to attend more and more often with each passing year.
She would however attend the reception at the village hall that evening.
“Well it looks like it’s down to me” she said
So with no one around to help she went and got the picnic rug from the house and wrapping it around the dog she scooped it up into her arms and it whimpered.
“Its ok” she said quietly “let’s get you to the vet”
It wasn’t far to the vets as the crow flies, Jeffrey and Teague’s were only in The Street, so she turned left from her gate and then left again into The Close and at the far end there was an alleyway that led to The Street.
If there wasn’t anyone in the vet’s surgery she would just have to call the emergency number.
Mornington was a rural community with a lot of livestock so she was confident there would be a vet somewhere in the vicinity.
She reached the vets and as luck would have it the lights were on.
Cynthia used her elbow to press the bell and for good measure she kicked the bottom of the door a few times with her stout shoes.
When she got no response however she repeated the bell and the boot procedure once more.
She was about to do it a third time when the door opened and a mature man in a smart suit said.
“I’m sorry I was getting changed for the wedding and when you rang the first time so I had to put my trousers on before I could answer the door”
“Well it’s not as if I’ve never seen you naked before Mr. Teague” she said
“Really when was that?”
“1973”
“1973?” he repeated
“I’ll explain later” she said “First things first”
As she took the dog into reception Ian Teague said
“Bring it this way” and led the way into the surgery,
Once on the table he checked it over
“What his name?” he asked
“I don’t know he’s not my dog, I don’t know who the owner is” she replied
“Well there’s no collar” he paused to wave a wand over the dog “And he’s not chipped”
After examining the patient he said
“Well the poor fellows been hit by a car”
“And?” she asked
“I need to operate”
“Well do so” she said
“I can’t do that” he replied
“Well the owner may not want to bear the expense”
“Well hang that I’ll take the expense” she said “And if you can’t find the owner I’ll take him”
“Ok then” he said “So I’ll need your name”
“You mean you don’t remember me” she said and laughed
“I would have thought you’d remember the names of women you’ve proposed to”
Ian just looked blankly at her
“18th birthday party at Mark Church’s house 1976”
Still he looked blank
“There are some huge holes in your memory” she said “Cynthia Sharp”
Still no spark of recognition
“Just right the name down and I’ll…” she began
“Explain later” he continued
“Exactly” she said
(Part 03)
The Jeffrey and Teague Veterinary Practice had been fulfilling the Veterinary needs of the Finchbottom Vale inhabitants since God was a boy and it was still going strong.
Of the two senior partners, Robin Jeffrey was now retired and living in Dulcet’s Mill, one of the three remaining Mornington Windmills.
The 64 year old widow whose children were all living independent lives chose the solitary existence where he could spend his time enjoying the two thing that gave him the most pleasure, birdwatching, which he could do from his vantage point in the top of the mill and fishing which he could do in the River Brooke which ran no more than twenty yards from his front door.
The younger partner was 58 year old Ian Teague, when the last of his children left home his wife’s response to empty nest syndrome was to empty it further by divorcing him.
The moment the children were grown up and off on their own she couldn’t get him out the house quick enough.
He was never quite sure if it was the smell of the animals she didn’t like or just him.
Although deep down he knew the reason.
This event occurred with very serendipitous timing for Ian because after Robin retired he felt very much the old man of the practice, the offspring were all practicing and he felt increasingly in the way, but he wasn’t ready to hang up his boots entirely so he choose to semi retire.
As a result he based himself at the Mornington Surgery at a time when the Mornington Estate had exercised its option to purchase Mornington Field back from the MOD and along with it they also acquired all the buildings and infrastructure on the airfield itself as well as 29 houses in the village formally used as quarters for military personnel.
In order to optimize the newly acquired assets the team on the Estate, led by Ray Walker worked tirelessly and had eight houses ready for occupation by the 6th of July.
This was the day before Ian’s wife threw a wobbly and announced she wanted a divorce.
So after a call to Lyndon-Sanders Properties of Shallowfield he found out that priority was to be given to local people or people with ties to the area or those who worked in some capacity for the estate such as agriculture or the brewery so as he was the vet working out of the Mornington Practice he managed to secure the keys to number 6, Military Row.
Jeffrey and Teague had Surgery’s all over the Vale and beyond as well as a veterinary Hospital in Shallowfield
The Dog was quite badly injured and couldn’t be dealt with in Mornington so Ian Teague made two quick phone calls one was to Hayley Gwilym who he knew was on duty at the Hospital in Shallowfield to warn her he was coming in and the second was to a local girl Lindsay Cooper who was his Veterinary nurse.
Cynthia remained with the injured animal while Ian went into the office to change back out of his suit
And after a few minutes Lindsay Cooper appeared at the door dressed in her finery including a rather stunning hat.
“You must be the best dressed vets in Downshire” she said as Lindsay stepped inside
“Hello Miss sharp” she said
“You don’t have to call me Miss now” she replied “I’m not your teacher anymore”
Just then Ian reappeared in more appropriate clothing and Lindsay went off to get out of her posh frock.
(Part 04)
While Lindsay changed into her clinical scrubs Ian went and got the car and parked out front of the surgery and he then picked up the sedated dog and loaded him into the car and Lindsay got in the back with the injured terrier.
“I’ll call you later Miss Sharp” Ian said as he got back behind the wheel
“I’m still intrigued to know where you saw me naked”
He added as he drove off
“Did you say she saw you naked?” Lindsay asked
“Apparently so” he replied “And I once proposed to her”
“Were the two things connected?” Lindsay asked
“I have no idea” he replied
Cynthia stood on the pavement and smiled as the car drove off and then she walked back up the alleyway and went home.
The Mornington School catered for students from years 1 to 13 which they had managed quite successfully with just four teaching staff and some imaginative use of technological teaching aids and live video links to Finchbottom Grammar School, but with the Military Row properties gradually being let out they were starting to see an increase in numbers, so she had employed another two teachers who would be starting on the Monday following the party but as they had moved into one of the Military Row houses.
They were invited to the wedding reception which Cynthia thought would serve as an ice breaker whereby Teresa and Mark O’Sullivan would be able to meet her fellow teachers and some of the parents at the same time.
In her long experience there was no greater tool in a teacher’s arsenal than the mental image of a particularly troublesome parent either in a state of disgrace after having imbibed too much wine or making an exhibition of themselves with their dad dancing.
Cynthia enjoyed the village social events and liked to catch up with the local news, the village gossip was always a bit more informative when the teller had been drinking.
People were always more unguarded when they were full of alcohol.
Cynthia was a teetotaler herself so she could just sit back and hoover up the goss.
She had just introduced the O’Sullivan’s to her existing teaching staff, Debbie Dunlop, her deputy, Mark Foreman and newly qualified Amy Hoddinott, and they were standing in a group by the bar when Ian Teague walked in.
He was more formally dressed than he was in his work clothes but much less so than the smart suit he was wearing when she first met him.
“Ian, how is the poor creature?” she asked and the group began to break up.
“Never mind that” Lindsay Cooper said who had followed Ian in
“I want to know when you saw him naked”
And on hearing that the group reassembled and all eyes were on Cynthia.
“Well it was in 1973” she said
“Hang on” Ian interrupted “I was only 16 in 1973 and you’re a lot younger than I am, so what on earth was I doing?”
“Well I’m not that much younger than you” she corrected him “I was 13 at the time”
He tried to cast his mind back to his youth and came up blank.
“Black Abbotts Island” Cynthia prompted him
At first he shook his head and then the memory popped into his head and the evidence of it spread across his face.
“That was you?” he asked and then he had to explain to the assembled group which had swelled its numbers.
(Part 05)
In the summer of seventy-three when "Skweeze me pleeze me” by Slade was top of the pops.
Ian Teague was a Patrol Leader in the 6th Abbeyvale Scout Troup who set off in a beat up white Ford Transit heading for the wilds of Downshire.
They travelled in the back of the transit van and sat on wooden benches, like the forms you get in school gyms.
Not a seatbelt in sight and not even the benches were secured.
No one with half a brain would dream of doing that kind of thing in the 21st century but at the time it seemed quite natural and they didn't think twice about it.
They were camping for two weeks in a farmer’s field on Black Abbotts Island in the Finch estuary close to the town of Sharpington-by-Sea.
It was a time when life for Ian and his motley crew of scouts still held infinite possibilities, Del, the Lawther brothers, Big Pete, Tiny Tears and a host of others whose names had been lost in the mists of his mind.
They were a mixed bunch and they did all the normal scouty type stuff, digging latrines and singing around the camp fire and that kind of thing.
They even had to make their own rudimentary cooker and each patrol took turns to be on kitchen duty, which included cooking and scrubbing the burnt black saucepans.
One bright spark in his patrol, Gus, had the idea that if you mixed washing up liquid and washing powder into a paste and spread it liberally onto the base of the saucepans it made them easier to clean afterwards.
What a load of old tosh that turned out to be, what it actually did was make the job twice as difficult as you had to chisel off the burnt remains of the washing paste as well as the normal blackness.
When they weren’t being all scouty and dib, dib, dibbing, they went off on trips, one of which was to Sharpington-by-Sea.
They all piled into the back of the Transit again and off they went, they were not a very sophisticated bunch of lads so they had a great time by the sea, the Pier, "kiss me quick” hats, amusement arcades and of course the Sharpington Fun Park.
The Fun Park was the first purpose built amusement park to open in Britain, which had an assortment of rides, like the Rotor and the Wild Mouse, The Cyclone and the Morehouse Galloper, all very tame compared to a 21st century roller coaster and suchlike but they loved it.
In exchange for the farmer allowing the scouts to camp in his field, which was of course on an island, they were required to plant rice grass in the mud banks around the island.
The Finch estuary was tidal water and when the tide was out there was just a great expanse of mud between the island and the mainland save for a narrow channel.
Unfortunately for the farmer every time the tide went out it was taking some of his island with it, hence the need for the rice grass.
The idea being that the grass would bind the mud together and therefore prevent the island being slowly taken out to sea.
For their part they had to wade out into the mud at low tide up to their knees and plant the fore mentioned grass.
Of course the only problem with this plan was that when you put a group of under sixteen's up to their knees in mud the inevitable outcome is a mud fight.
(Part 06)
At the end of the mud fight they were, without exception, all covered from head to toe in thick black slimy mud, and they thought it was fantastic.
When the task was finished and the rice grass was planted they waded back to shore looking like a group of extras from "swamp thing”.
The scouts then had the problem of getting clean again.
For this they only had two options the first one being to wait for the tide to come back in, by which time the mud would have set or the second option was to use water from the standpipe in the corner of the field by the gate, which was used to water the animals.
This they utilized to great effect taking it in turns to use a bucket filled from the tap and dousing themselves down.
Unfortunately as senior Patrol Leader Ian was the last one to go and after he had removed his trunks he stood tipping buckets of water over his head gradually removing layer by layer of the slimy mud.
However just as he was emptying the final bucket over himself and with his hands still extended above his head he heard the sound of a vehicle and as he turned around to investigate the noise he saw to his horror that it was a minibus, full of Girl Guides driving slowly past the gate, one of whom was 13 year old Cynthia Sharp.
He had no time to cover his embarrassment or anything else for that matter so he did the only thing any self-respecting boy scout could do under the circumstances, which was to drop the bucket and give the scout salute.
“You saluted?” Debbie Dunlop asked through her laughter
“Yes he did” Cynthia confirmed
“How come you recognized me?” he said “you must have a remarkable memory”
“Oh well, you have to remember I was a thirteen year old girl and I had never seen a naked man before, and although you were only 16 you were very definitely a man” she said “I can remember that very clearly”
“In that case I have to admit that I’m surprised you remembered my face” Ian said “You were obviously focused elsewhere”
A lot of laughter followed and a general conversation took over and by that stage the group that had formed had largely dispersed and those who remained settled themselves at a nearby table and Ian got in a round of drinks.
And when he sat down again Cynthia said
“You know you still haven’t told me how that poor dog is”
“Never mind the bloody dog” Lindsay slurred “Tell us about the proposal”
“What proposal?” Debbie asked
“Ian proposed to Cynthia” Lindsay said
“Really?” Mark Foreman asked
“Apparently” Ian asked “So when was it?”
“1975” Cynthia replied “Late Summer”
Ian closed his eyes and tried to recall what he was doing 40 years in his past.
“I’ll give you a clue” she said “It was at Mark Church’s house”
“Mark Church?” he said “Oh his brothers 21st”
(Part 07)
It was in 1975 shortly before Ian left to go off to University.
He had spent the previous 2 years with his friends Mark and Phil doing a mobile disco, although to be fair they were only mobile due to Phil’s Dad.
They called themselves “Sound Sensation” and did 18th and 21st birthday parties, engagement parties, weddings, and Christmas parties.
Mainly in community centers and church halls, however not exclusively, they had one regular gig at the Kodak social club and on one occasion they did it in a house.
It was a party at Mark’s house for his brothers 21st, it was an unusual set up, the speakers and the light arrays were set up downstairs and the console and music was set up in one of the bedrooms with the cables going out the bedroom window and in through the lounge window below.
As they were set up in the small bedroom there was only room for one person up there at a time so the evening was divided into three and they each did 2 hours each.
Ian took the first stint from 8 till 10 and then Mark took over which was when Ian started drinking.
First beer and then his spirit of choice Vodka however the Vodka didn’t last and so he turned to the Gin, to his Vodka soaked brain this was a perfectly sensible course of action as it was the same colour.
After he had poured his second large gin he sat down and watched his friend Pete, who was six foot 7 dancing with a girl who was 5 foot nothing and the last thing he remembered was wondering how he was going manage with the goodnight kiss.
“Oh he managed quite well” Cynthia said
“That was you?” Ian asked
“Yes”
He looked at her and he could see her dancing with his friend, of course her Auburn hair was greying now, but yes he could see her.
“But after watching you and Pete dancing I remember absolutely nothing” he said “until I woke up on my bedroom floor the next morning”
“Well that’s convenient” Cynthia said
“Come on then, tell” Lyndsay said
“Well Pete had gone to spend a penny” Cynthia continued “and Ian walked up to me and said that he loved me and that he was going to marry me”
“And then what happened” Debbie demanded
“Well it was time for the champagne toast and they locked Ian in the cupboard because he was drunk” she said
“So I’d never met you before?” Ian asked
“No and of course you didn’t recognize me from the mini bus”
“But I proposed to you?” Ian queried
“Yes”
Ian had no knowledge of the proposal or the cupboard or that he fell unconscious in the street after taking two unsteady steps and subsequently had to be carried home by four mates who delivered him, wearing only one shoe and shirtless to his parents’ house.
“What did Pete say when he came back?” he asked
“Nothing” she said “He didn’t know, you were already in the cupboard”
“That is so embarrassing” He said and took a drink of his orange juice
“I wonder what became of Peter” he mused “I lost touch with him when I went off to Uni”
“Well he proposed to me” she said “properly, which I accepted”
“Good for him” Ian said
“And then he was killed at Goose Green in 1982”
“I’m so sorry” Ian said, he had no idea he was her Fiancé or that he was killed in the Falklands.
Cynthia fell silent and then Ian said
“Did you know Pete was on the Black Abbotts Island trip?”
“No I didn’t” she replied
“I have a lot of photos from those days” he said
“Would like to see them sometime?” he asked
“Very much so” she replied
“Now tell me about the blessed dog” she said and looked towards Lindsay who nodded.
(Part 08)
Ian told her that the little West Highland Terrier had survived the surgery and should make a full recovery, miraculously there were no broken bones but some severe lacerations and a hairline fracture of his hip.
As they didn’t know who the owner was they would keep him at the hospital in Shallowfield until he was completely healed.
As September eased into October Cynthia found life at the school was the most challenging it had ever been.
With the new teachers, larger classes, new timetables and new pupils arriving almost daily, and a lesser mortal might well have been driven to drink but she was made of sterner stuff and with her predisposition, alcohol wasn’t an option for her.
So she took deep breaths and pressed on regardless.
In her quiet moments her thought turned to the night of the wedding reception and how much fun it was and how as a result she had become something of a cause célèbre in the village since word from the reception, thanks to Chinese whispers, painted her in a very exotic light.
In fact she was not so much of a Miss Marple and more of a Miss Whiplash.
Ian Teague, considering he was semi-retired was rushed off his feet in October due to a staff shortage which was caused by an outbreak of the norovirus in Shallowfield, subsequently it wasn’t until November 1st that he walked the fully recovered white West Highland Terrier through the front gate of Wood View Cottage.
The dog got very excited the moment they got close to the cottage.
“Alright fella” Ian said and knocked on the door.
Cynthia had finished her housework for the day and had just sat down in her armchair with a freshly made cup of coffee and was listening to Classic FM when she heard the knock.
“Nuts” she said and put her mug down and muttered under her breath all the way to the door and was about to deliver a sharp riposte the moment the door opened but when she saw the excited terrier fit and well, she softened.
“Well hello you” she said
“He clearly remembers you” Ian said
“Is that right?” Cynthia asked
“Come on in and bring the human with you”
She showed her guests into the lounge and then made a coffee for Ian.
“So he looks well” she said
“Yes he’s fully recovered” Ian said
“What’s his name?”
“Well we haven’t found the owner so technically he doesn’t have a name” he replied “but the girls have been calling him Westie”
“Why Westie?” she asked
“Because he’s a West Highland Terrier” Ian said with a smile
“Duh” she responded “that’s a perfect name”
“I’m glad you agree” he said
“So no owner?” Cynthia asked still making a fuss of her new friend
“No” he replied
“Does that mean I can keep him?” she asked
“That’s why we’re here” Ian said
“So he’s mine?” she asked almost as excited as Westie
“Yes he’s all yours, but”
“There’s always a “but”” she said
“But he is desperate for a really good walk” he continued “Which I thought we could do together, I’ve got Colin in the car”
“Who is Colin?”
“He’s my Jack Russell” he replied
“Colin?” she asked and sniggered “I’ll get my coat”
(Part 09)
Cynthia and Ian set off through School Wood and then crossed the road bridge to the Mornington Field side of the river and turned east out into the country where they let Westie and Colin off their leads and let them run amuck.
“Why on earth did you call the poor thing Colin?” she asked “It’s what some of my kids would say was a “sucky” name”
“I didn’t, that was his name when I got him” he replied “He belonged to an elderly lady in Dulcets Green and when she died last Winter Sgt Jones brought him into me”
“And you kept him?”
“Yes, he has such a lovely nature and I fell in love with him” he replied
“So not such a sucky name after all then” she said
It was quite late when they got back to the village and the sun was beginning to set.
“Well I don’t know about Westie but I’m exhausted” Cynthia said
“Me too” he agreed “and I’m famished”
“Do you fancy a curry?” she asked “The Bengal in Shallowfield deliver”
“What all the way out here?” he said
“Yes”
“In that case count me in”
At Wood View Cottage with the dogs asleep on the rug and the curry consumed, the human sat and quietly reflected on a day well spent and it was Cynthia who finally broke the silence
“Did you ever find those photos?”
“No not yet” he said
“Oh” she exclaimed, failing to hide her disappointment
“When I split with my wife she wanted me and everything to do with me out of the house ASAP, so I put all my worldly goods into storage”
“I see”
“Now I’m slowly bringing everything over a few boxes at a time but the contents of my study are right at the back” he explained
“In another month or so I should have unearthed them”
She couldn’t pretend she wasn’t disappointed but at least there was a viable reason, it wasn’t just that he’d forgotten.
That weekend walk was the first of many for the four of them that November and they continued into December and it was at the beginning of December that Ian surprised Cynthia one cold winter’s night and when she opened the door he said
“I have them Cynthia”
“Well I’m sure they can be cured” she replied
“No it’s not an ailment” he said with a chuckle “I have the photos”
“Fantastic” she responded excitedly “Come on in”
Cynthia made a drink and then they sat on the sofa in the lounge and started looking through the albums, and when she turned another page she said.
“There he is” and she sighed “God he was a lovely boy”
“Thank you Ian” she said when she had closed the last album and wiped away a tear.
“You’re welcome Cynthia” he replied and handed her his hankie
“I can have copies made”
“Call me Impy” she said
“Call you what?”
“Impy” she repeated
“Where does that come from?”
“It’s a family name” she replied “when I was a girl, about the time I saw you naked, my little cousin couldn’t say Cynthia instead it came out as Impy”
“Ok Impy it is”
(Part 10)
Two weeks after they had viewed the albums together Ian called round to see her and he found her in a terrible state of agitation.
“What on earth is the matter” he asked
“It’s the Carol Service” she said
“What about the Carol Service?”
“They want me to do a reading” she replied
“Well you’re used to speaking in front of people” he said “it’s not as if you’re the shy retiring type”
“It’s a bible reading” she said
“And?”
“I don’t do God” she said “because of what God did to me, taking Pete away from me so cruelly”
“You can’t blame God for the acts of men” he said
“But it ruined my life” Impy responded
“The War almost ruined your life, but you survived it” Ian pointed out
“In spite of God” she said resolutely
“Well I’ve always been of the opinion that he never gives us more to deal with than we can handle”
“I don’t need empty platitudes” she said through the tears
“What do you need?”
“I need you to be there with me, in church” she said
“I can’t” he said “I have a meeting”
“What with a client or colleagues?”
“Neither” he said “It’s not that kind of meeting”
“I don’t understand” She said impatiently
Ian reached into his pocket and brought out what appeared to her to be a coin but it was a token from AA.
“How long?” she asked
“21 years without a drink”
“But you still go to the meetings”
“Yes because I’m still an alcoholic” he said “I just don’t happen to drink, but also I’m a sponsor to people who are at the other end of the road from me”
“I understand” she said
“It was the drink that soured my marriage because when the children were little I was never there for the family” he confessed
“She always said that she would only stay with me as long as a home was needed for the children, so as soon as the last one left I had to go, 21 years sober didn’t make up for the years I was a drunk”
“For me it’s been 32 years” she said
“I didn’t know” he said surprised “I thought not drinking was just a lifestyle choice for you”
“It’s not a choice it’s a necessity” Cynthia said “and I’ve never told another living soul that”
Ian nodded he understood the secrecy, Cynthia sat down heavily in her chair and took a deep breath and continued
“I didn’t go to AA like you, but I did hit rock bottom”
“We all do” he said
“I was drinking with my best friend Brenda, we were on one of our benders and we were so drunk”
She smiled wryly at the memory but then her countenance darkened
“Then Brenda passed out and lay on the floor choking on her own vomit and I was so pissed I couldn’t help her, I sat in the corner in a drunken stupor and watched her die because I was so wasted I couldn’t even crawl across the room to save my best friends life, and from that day on I haven’t touched a drop”
At that point she completely broke down and sobbed.
Ian took hold of her as she cried in great gasping sobs for more than ten minutes until she went silent.
“It’s time to lay the guilt aside now” he said referring to the guilt of living when the love of her life had died and then the compounded guilt of watching her friend die, powerless to prevent it, through her alcoholism.
“I can’t” she said
“You must”
(Part 11)
Ian held her in his arms for the best part of an hour while she cried her tears, and beyond until she tried to kiss him, but he pulled away and said.
“Now is not the time”
“I don’t understand” she said
“You want me for the wrong reason”
“But I really like you” she said and tried to kiss him again
“But you still love Pete, and that’s the problem”
He said “I can’t compete with the memory of a dead man”
“You don’t have too”
“I do, until you can tell me you love me, as I love you” he said and walked towards the door
“Please don’t go” she begged
“Can you say it?” he asked but she just looked towards the floor in silence
“Then I have to go”
Ian went home and got Colin and took him out for a long walk in the rain which Colin didn’t enjoy any more than Ian did.
Cynthia meanwhile was crying again with only Westie to comfort her and when she went to bed she tossed and turned all night.
Ian on the other hand was spared a night of troubled sleep when he was called out to a colicky horse in Pangmere.
On the night of the Carol service, Cynthia nervously walked along the nave and up onto the dais before gingerly climbing the steps up to the pulpit.
Her heart was pounding and her mouth was dry and she thought she was going to faint until she caught sight of Ian standing in the transept.
And when he smiled her heart stopped pounding and her mouth was no longer dry and she no longer felt as if she would faint.
And with renewed strength she listed her head high and in a clear and steady voice she read a passage from Luke’s Gospel
“But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God.
You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end”
“How will this be” Mary asked the angel, “Since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God”
When she had concluded the reading she walked down the helter-skelter steps from the pulpit and when she reached a point where she was looking directly at Ian she smiled at him and then mouthed the words “I love you”
Friday, 17 February 2017
Words on Love # 3
LOOKING FOR LOVE
I seek your love but
Get only lust, I seek passion
Yet I get only sex
IN AND OUT
Outside I was cool
Detached, laidback
Appearing indifferent
Inside I was in
Torment, twisted by jealousy
Envy and bitterness
GIVING OVER
I gave to you my heart
I told you, you could take it
I knew that I could trust you
I knew you wouldn’t break it
You gave to me in return
Your own precious fragile heart
OF THE HEART
You gave to me all your love
And as a means by which to measure
You gave to me your heart
Which I will always treasure
RELUCTANT LOVE
You gave to me protection
Like shelter from a squall
You made me feel important
Not insignificantly small
You made me feel safe
Never vulnerable at all
And though it took time
For me to eventually fall
I love you so much now
Like a puppy loves a ball
ANGEL IN MY BED
There is an angel in my bed
Asleep beneath the sheets
Her angelic countenance
Exuding heavenly serenity
But I can safely say
The angel that I can see
Asleep beneath the sheets
The angel lying in my bed
After what we did before
Is not an angel anymore
I SPEND ALL OF MY DAYS MISSING YOU
I spend all of my days missing you
And at night I dream of kissing you
And I just wanted to let you know
That I just can’t seem to let you go
If you called to me and beaconed
I would take you back in a second
HOLE IN MY LIFE
Since you left me on my own
Loneliness is rife
I don’t want to be your widow
I want to be your wife
Losing you was such a blow
That’s left a hole in my life
I seek your love but
Get only lust, I seek passion
Yet I get only sex
IN AND OUT
Outside I was cool
Detached, laidback
Appearing indifferent
Inside I was in
Torment, twisted by jealousy
Envy and bitterness
GIVING OVER
I gave to you my heart
I told you, you could take it
I knew that I could trust you
I knew you wouldn’t break it
You gave to me in return
Your own precious fragile heart
OF THE HEART
You gave to me all your love
And as a means by which to measure
You gave to me your heart
Which I will always treasure
RELUCTANT LOVE
You gave to me protection
Like shelter from a squall
You made me feel important
Not insignificantly small
You made me feel safe
Never vulnerable at all
And though it took time
For me to eventually fall
I love you so much now
Like a puppy loves a ball
ANGEL IN MY BED
There is an angel in my bed
Asleep beneath the sheets
Her angelic countenance
Exuding heavenly serenity
But I can safely say
The angel that I can see
Asleep beneath the sheets
The angel lying in my bed
After what we did before
Is not an angel anymore
I SPEND ALL OF MY DAYS MISSING YOU
I spend all of my days missing you
And at night I dream of kissing you
And I just wanted to let you know
That I just can’t seem to let you go
If you called to me and beaconed
I would take you back in a second
HOLE IN MY LIFE
Since you left me on my own
Loneliness is rife
I don’t want to be your widow
I want to be your wife
Losing you was such a blow
That’s left a hole in my life
The News Came
The news came,
As bad news does
Out of the blue
At break neck speed
And hit me like a train
With deaths hateful sting
Numbing me to the core
Leaving me speechless
And too arid to cry
Before the pain burst through
Bringing forth the bitter tears loves
Despair washed over me
Until I was drowning in sadness
I sank in its frigid waters
To the depths of my soul
So bitter was the news
The loss so acute
I was broken in two
Lying beaten
On the ground
I could feel no worse
I could sink no lower
Then like kicking an injured dog
Remorse hit me
Like a tidal wave
Knocking me off my feet
Why didn’t I tell him?
Why didn’t I say?
I love you too
As bad news does
Out of the blue
At break neck speed
And hit me like a train
With deaths hateful sting
Numbing me to the core
Leaving me speechless
And too arid to cry
Before the pain burst through
Bringing forth the bitter tears loves
Despair washed over me
Until I was drowning in sadness
I sank in its frigid waters
To the depths of my soul
So bitter was the news
The loss so acute
I was broken in two
Lying beaten
On the ground
I could feel no worse
I could sink no lower
Then like kicking an injured dog
Remorse hit me
Like a tidal wave
Knocking me off my feet
Why didn’t I tell him?
Why didn’t I say?
I love you too
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