Tales from the Finchbottom Vale – (42) A Kind Heart Reawakened

 

It was the time of the biannual St Johns Church getaway when a kind heart was reawakened.

St John’s Church in Purplemere was an evangelical church and the getaway was organized for the members of the congregation to examine and develop their faith and each such event normally had a theme, and the one in 2017 was no exception and was named "Footsteps" as in walking in the footsteps of Christ and it was all about the individual and collective spiritual journey or journeys.

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

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

The 2017 event was held in Clayton in the Finchbottom Vale which nestles comfortably between the Ancient Dancingdean Forest to the south and the rolling Pepperstock Hills in the north, those who are lucky enough to live there think of it as the rose between two thorns.

The Vale was once a great wetland that centuries earlier stretched from Mornington in the East to Childean in the west and from Shallowfield in the south to Purplemere in the north.

But over the many centuries the vast majority had been drained for agriculture, a feat achieved largely by the efforts of famous Mornington Mills, of which only three had survived to the present day and even those were no longer functional and were in various states of repair.  

There were only three small bodies of water left in the Vale now one in Mornington, one in Childean and third of course was Purplemere.

Throughout its history the Finchbottom Vale was largely dependent on agriculture and so it remained into the 21st century and the village of Clayton was no different.

It was a small village in the North East corner of the Finchbottom Vale, with a large nucleus of substantial dwellings and a greater number of more humble homes and of the those inhabitants who needed to work for a living the largest employer in the area was the Clayton Manor Hotel.

And it was at Clayton Manor, with its conference facilities, and old country manor, which housed meeting rooms and the more select accommodations, fine dining and bars, which played host to “Footsteps”.

 

To the north of the Vale, in the lee of Pepperstock Hills, lay the modest town of Purplemere and on the western side of the town was the residential area known as Hill Side, and in one of its many quiet roads, called Oakham Crescent was Appleyard House the home of Keith Hartley.

Keith was also attending the week away after having reluctantly caved in to pressure from members of the congregation.

And the reason for his reluctance was the fact that he had lost his wife Glenda since the last getaway and as a result he hadn’t participated much in church life over the previous year, but although he wouldn’t admit it to those pressurising him, he knew in his heart of hearts that it was time.

 

Keith Hartley was in his mid-forties, a tall and upright man with greying and receding hair and he checked into the Clayton Manor Hotel late on Friday afternoon and was met with embraces from everyone he met and to be perfectly honest he was rather overwhelmed by it.

Having lost his wife Glenda since the last getaway he had as a result not participated much in church life over the previous year and his friends had missed him.

In fact after finally caving into the pressure from friends to attend he planned to use the week away to attempt to reconnect with God after his bereavement.

He found the first evening rather exhausting, with all the hand shaking and hugging and constant questioning and Saturday morning was almost as bad though he was flattered that so many people cared about him.

After breakfast the morning was full of seminars which kept him busy however later after lunch there was a free period when people could either relax or participate in one of the many activities that the hotel boasted.  

Keith knew precisely what he wanted to do with his free time and he was on his way to the plush residents lounge in the old manor house where he thought he would use his two hours of free time to enjoy a pint or two of Guinness in the residents bar while he read a few chapters of his book.

 

As he walked purposefully down the gloomy mahogany panelled corridors he passed numerous likewise panelled doors that led to modern furnished meeting rooms, leather chaired reading rooms and comfortable bars while some room doors were unmarked and were of a more mysterious use.

His route also took him through the occasional intersection where another corridor running from the front steps to the rear terrace crossed his path.

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

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

He even got a yard beyond the intersection, but he was not that man, he never had been, so he stopped and turned back because he was kind hearted so naturally in the end he could not ignore her.

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

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

He didn’t recognise her, he just saw a small wailing creature with her shoulders shaking in unison with the heart-breaking noise she was making.

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

“What on earth is the matter? Are you ok?”

Her immediate response to his gentle enquiry was for her to turn around abruptly which was when he first realised who the girl was, and her complete and utter embarrassment was clearly apparent.

When the crying girl turned he was surprised to see it was Louise Burrell, a particularly close friend of his deceased wife and by extension of him as well.

 

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

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

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

She was such a strong young woman, confident and together so he couldn’t imagine what could have happened to have reduced her to such a wretched state.

 

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

He had always really liked her, she was funny and quirky and she always had a smile on her face and was always full of beans.

Which is why it was such a surprise for him to find her crying her heart out.

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

It had always amazed him how she had remained single, she was such an attractive brunette with a pretty face, a nice figure and a bubbly personality, but he had never once seen her with a man.

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

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

 

Her second response to his discovering her crying was to apologize to him.

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

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

Louise looked up at him through tear filled green eyes and then buried her face in his chest and she sobbed her heart out for a full five minutes and Keith just held her and made all the appropriate sympathetic noises he thought she would expect to hear.

His head was filled with scenarios that may have brought her to the state that he found her in.

For example had she been attacked? Had there been an accident? Had someone died? His imagination ran wild with possibilities.

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

“I’ve got….your shirt….wet”

“That’s ok” he assured her

“And snotty” Louise added

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Really” she insisted but she could not disguise the catch in her throat, he just gave her a knowing look and so she conceded.

 

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

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

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

“What does?” he asked

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

“I’m just so lonely”

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

He was surprised that Louise hadn’t, after all she was such a great organizer, a natural organiser in fact, which is why the Church events were always such a great success.

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

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

She nodded

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

She paused and then added

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

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

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

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

“My room is so bloody far away” she said

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

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

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

“What do you mean?” she asked

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

“But” she interrupted

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

“You don’t have to do that” she said

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

“How?” She asked

“Well I’m a lonely widower after all”

“But”

“But nothing, you will be preventing me from just “tagging along”” Keith said and brooked no further protest

“We can be company for each other”

“Ok, ok” she submitted

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

“Fine” she said without enthusiasm

So that was how they began the quest, with the kind hearted and caring avuncular, helping the reluctant lonely young woman in order to leave her no time for loneliness and subsequently no time for tears.

Every free session or lull in activities, he took control and filled every moment with every activity imaginable, or at least every activity that the organizer arranged, so if it was on the list Keith signed them up for it and despite her protests, they did it.

 

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

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

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

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

Keith thought for a moment and then suggested a contest

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

“What deal?” Louise replied suspiciously

“If you can beat me to the top of the climbing wall” he said “I’ll leave you alone and you can go to your room”

“As simple as that?” she said suspiciously

“Yes as simple as that” Keith confirmed

“You’re on” Louise agreed but what he failed to tell her was that he was no stranger to a climbing wall, but even taking that into consideration he didn’t beat her by much having not taken into account her hitherto unappreciated competitive streak.

 

After beating her by a whisker on the climbing wall she seemed to have burnt off some of her hostility towards his interference as she suggested they do the tree walk.

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

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

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

“Tennis or Golf tomorrow?”

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

“Oh ok” he said “I understand”

“You understand what?” Louise asked suspiciously

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

“What utter conceit” she exclaimed

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

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

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

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

“Good afternoon Louise” he said

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

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

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

 

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

But after three holes the wry smile had gone from his face and he was wondering if he had bitten off more than he could chew as she was destroying him.

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

“Now we’re even” she said

“Well played Louise” Keith said “let’s have a drink”

“Oh no” She answered “Tennis now”

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

“Ok” he said out loud “Tennis first, then a drink”

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

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

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

After dinner Louise had threatened to take the contest to the games room, but when he suggested that he could do with an early night he was pleased to see a look of relief spread across her face.

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

 

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

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

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

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

Louise said “Something more befitting to a man of advanced years”

“What do you suggest?” Keith asked “Child”

“Archery and Shooting” she replied

“Oh taking pity on me are you” he asked

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

 

On Tuesday morning Louise was hovering outside the restaurant as Keith arrived.

“Hello Keith” she said

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

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

“Well perhaps we could eat together” Keith suggested

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

Unusually after breakfast they remained together for the worship and both discussion sessions, normally she would go and sit with her friends and him with his, but on that day they sat together.

 

After the Tuesday morning sessions were over they went off to their respective rooms to change before lunch, but agreed to meet at the top of the stairs and have lunch together.

 

Louise was waiting for him again when Keith started up the stairs and when he looked up he could see her pacing back and forth and because Keith was late it looked to all the world like she was angry so when he got there he said

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

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

“Really?” Keith said and Louise blushed, and then turned and walked briskly into the restaurant.

The restaurant was a self-service buffet affair, so they queued up and

Louise was very chatty and animated throughout, even during lunch as they both ate a very palatable Mushroom Stroganoff.

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

“I’m always gentle” she replied and blushed again then to change the subject, she added quickly

“You should do ok today”

“You mean in events more suitable for a man of my advanced years” he said and chuckled

“Something like that” she replied and giggled

 

As Louise predicted Keith beat her at both the target disciplines so he now held the advantage but he suspected she wasn’t really trying as if she had lost her competitive streak.

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

Louise was at first reluctant but she was easily persuaded in the end and then Keith let her win to square the contest at 4 each.

As they walked back to the Hotel Louise said

“I think we should call it quits now”

“What? No more activities?” Keith asked

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

“What then?” he said

“No more contest” she replied 

“Ok” Keith said “I agree”

 

On Wednesday the weather took a distinct turn for the worst, in fact the rain was lashing down, so after a long and painfully dull seminar on dealing with mental health issues, they looked outside and shared a look which said

“I am not going out there” so they had to amuse themselves inside which they did firstly in the Gym and then swimming in the pool.

By Wednesday evening however the rain did clear away so they went for a walk around the grounds again and discussed their plan for the next day.

 

In stark contrast to the previous day, Thursday was a glorious day so after their meetings they spent the afternoon on the river punting, which led to them both falling in, although on separate occasions and they laughed like children as they squelched all the way back to the Hotel.

 

That evening as he relaxed in the bath before dinner he thought a lot about the week in which he’d begun the quest in the kind hearted spirit of the avuncular.

There was a very positive side effect for him, spending the week as he did in endless activity and that was that he had not had the time to miss his wife, however the down side was that he’d fallen in love with Louise and he had absolutely no idea what to do about it.

 

On Friday morning there were no activities planned and the final program of the “Footsteps” events was a session worship and a wrap up meeting.

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

So, at the start of the final day Keith and Louise planned to have breakfast together again.

When Keith arrived Louise was once again waiting outside the restaurant for him and when Keith started up the stairs and he looked up he could see her pacing back and forth but because he wasn’t late for once he knew he wasn’t in trouble a fact that was confirmed when he was greeted with a broad smile when she turned around and saw him.

 

Louise wasn’t as chatty as she normally was, in fact her silence was reminiscent of the long silent walk they took together the previous Saturday.

He wasn’t altogether sure why she was so quiet, he hadn’t been late so he knew it wasn’t that, it wasn’t a bad mood because her smile of greeting had been radiant so he was at a loss to explain it.

So as she put down her knife and fork he asked

“Well did I succeed?”

“With what?” she replied

“Banishing the loneliness” he said

“In a way” she answered enigmatically

“Oh?”

She sighed and in a rather gruff mannered response she said

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

“But?” he asked sensing there was one

“But we go home today” she retorted

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

“No” she shouted at him “that isn’t it at all you silly man”

And with that she got up from the table and before leaving, added

“You haven’t got a bloody clue”

“Oh shit” he thought to himself as she blundered out of the dining room “What have I done?”

He quickly got up from the table to follow her, spilling his coffee in the process, and headed for the door but a table of 12 stood up to leave just as he was approaching so that by the time he got outside she was already at the bottom of the stairs.

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

“Really?” she barked “I don’t think you do, because YOU think I will go to pieces if you’re not there to hold my hand”

“No” he replied as he descended the stairs

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

“What?” she asked hesitantly

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

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

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

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

I WILL BE THERE

 

Do not grieve for me

Do not mourn my passing

Remember me with a smile

Don’t think of me as gone

Remember what we had

Think of our life like a favourite book

Do not close it and put it on the shelf

Never to be read again

Just because you hate the ending

Start to write the next chapter

Enjoy it like all the others

And don’t be sad

I will be there with you always

 

I will be there when the wildflowers

Dance in the spring meadow

When the summer breeze moves through

A field of ripening wheat

When the morning mist of autumn

Softens the landscape

And when the winter sun

Sparkles and glints on the snow

And I will be by your side

Through your loneliest hours

 

I will be there in the dawn

Rising with the sun

You will see me again

When the sun sets at the days end

And in the twilight hours

I will be that gentle breeze

That caress’s your cheek

On a warm summer evening

And I will be that tingle on your skin

As you lie in the quiet hours

 

I will be there when you retrace our steps

And when you stand on the lake shore

My reflection will not be on the water

By I am still with you

When you walk in the autumn

Through the golden carpet

I will be in the dancing leaves

And when the snow lays

Though I will leave no footprints

I am there for these moments that were ours

 

I will be there in the quietness of winter

Among the falling snowflakes

I will be in the dew drops

On the grassy meadow

I will be there in the warm sunlight

Of a summer’s day

I will be with you when the storm

Quickens your heartbeat

And you will feel me on your skin

And in the April showers

Tales from the Finchbottom Vale – (41) You can take it with you

 

The Finchbottom Vale nestles comfortably between the Ancient Dancingdean Forest to the south and the rolling Pepperstock Hills in the north, those who are lucky enough to live there think of it as the rose between two thorns.

The Vale was once a great wetland that centuries earlier stretched from Mornington in the East to Childean in the west and from Shallowfield in the south to Purplemere in the north.

But over the many centuries the vast majority had been drained for agriculture, a feat achieved largely by the efforts of famous Mornington Mills, of which only three had survived to the present day and even those were no longer functional and were in various states of repair.  

There were only three small bodies of water left in the Vale now one in Mornington, one in Childean and third of course was Purplemere.

And in Purplemere 29-year-old Nerissa Lopez worked behind the delicatessen counter at Stephenson’s Supermarket

She was quite a shy girl who had a gentle nature and almost always wore a warm open smile on her face, and she was popular with staff and customers alike.

Nerissa was a very slim and attractive girl with beautiful long dark brown hair and dark skin, reflecting her heritage as did her brown eyes.

In her ancestry she had Filipino and Spanish blood, but she was born and bred in Britain and had no family ties with either country or even in Britain for that matter.

She was the only child of parent who themselves were only children and both of them were gone now.

So, she was all on her own and she lived alone in a small one-bedroom flat about a mile from where she worked.

You might wonder why a lovely friendly girl with a slim figure blessed with a personality that was equally as lovely as her smile, living alone in a dingy one-bedroom flat.

It was certainly something she often wondered.

She lived in a small block of flats called Gladstone Court in Flat 2b.

Her next-door neighbour in flat 2a was 32-year-old Harry Devonshire, he though had the luxury of a larger two-bedroom flat in which to live alone in, courtesy of a failed relationship some eight years earlier.

Unlike Nerissa his heritage was strictly British, and he did have living family, two brothers in fact, unfortunately they were both living in Australia, so he hadn’t seen either of them for over 5 years.

Harry also worked at Stephenson’s where he was the warehouse manager.

 

Nerissa and Harry were best friends and did everything together, if either of them was invited anywhere the other was always their plus one.

Equally if one of them wanted to see a film or try out a new restaurant the other would accompany them, in fact they were so often seen together people assumed they were a couple.

It would not have been an exaggeration to say that they loved each other but their relationship was strictly platonic, and their friendship had been since forever and they were close almost to the point of symbiosis.

Coworkers at the store used to think their relationship was almost comic, when they seemed to know what the other was thinking and even finished each other’s sentences, Harry and Nerissa just got each other and their thoughts and desires remained quite esoteric.

 

Harry and Nerissa’s all-consuming purpose in life, their primary objective, their ultimate goal, was finding life partners, in particularly a serious romantic relationship, soul mates if possible.

But their frantic search for love remained fruitless, though not for the want of trying.

They tried online dating, blind dates set up by friends or colleagues, they frequented clubs, virtually every pub in Purplemere and a number outside of it and out of sheer desperation, speed dating.

But all their efforts were to no avail and as a result of their considerable efforts they had both kissed more than their fair share of frogs along the way and neither of them knew why they hadn’t struck gold, in fact they couldn’t explain their lack of success.

Nerissa couldn’t understand why a good looking, gentle and kind man like Harry was unattached and he couldn’t fathom why on earth a gorgeous woman like her was still single, or why suitors weren’t cued around the block to ask her out.

But regardless of their continual failure the search for love went on.

 

On one particularly bitterly cold Friday night towards the end of October they were walking home from work but Nerissa was being unusually quiet as Harry prattled on endlessly about the arrival of the first of the Christmas stock into the warehouse.

“I might have to cancel Christmas this year” she said completely out of the blue

“Why?” Harry asked

“My rents gone up again” she said “and I’ve just got my Gas and Electric bills”

“Well look on the bright side” he said trying to cheer her up “You might have found Mr. Right by Christmas”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to put looking for him on hold as well” Nerissa said sadly as they arrived at the front doors of the flats “And I’ll have to break into my savings just to get through the winter”

Harry didn’t know what to say to that and they walked upstairs in silence and when they got to their floor he said

“Right you go and get changed and I’ll get the supper on”

“I think I’m just going to have a bath and get an early night” she replied 

“Are you sure?” Harry asked “Well at least come in and have a glass of wine and we can talk it through”

“That’s kind of you but yes I’m sure babe” She insisted “I’ll probably be fine after a good night’s sleep”

“Ok Hon” Harry said and kissed her cheek “I’ll see you in the morning then”

 

Nerissa stepped inside and closed the door behind her and took off her coat and shoes but once she was in her slippers she decided to skip the bath and went straight to bed instead where she cried herself to sleep.

And while Nerissa sobbed uncontrollably into her pillow Harry had already decided to forgo supper and opened a bottle of red wine instead and by the time, he was draining the last drop from his glass and the bottle was empty, he had thought of the solution to Nerissa’s financial problems.

 

The next morning he was up very early, and considerably brighter than he should have been after polishing off a bottle of Chianti on his own.

He showered and shaved and then he went out, his first port of call was Addison’s bakery in Convent Road where he picked up some fresh croissants and then on to Labuschagne in the high street for two expensive coffee’s.

 

As he returned to Gladstone Court he could see the lights were on in her flat so when he reached the door to flat 2b, he rang the bell confident that she was up and about.

After a minute or two she opened the door looking like she hadn’t slept in a week.

“Come on sleepy head, croissants and coffee” Harry said ignoring the fact that she looked like death.

“Not for me Harry” she said

“No to croissant?” he said and put his hand to his chest as if he was having a heart attack.

“Not today” she said

“I won’t take no for an answer, so get your dressing gown on and follow me” he ordered her realizing the instant he said it that he sounded really camp. 

Reluctantly, though and not with a happy heart, she did as he instructed and followed him into his flat.

“Do we have to do this this morning?” she asked “I really don’t feel up to it today”

“Yes we do need to do it now” Harry said firmly “and when you’ve heard what I have to say you’ll understand why”

“Ok give me some coffee” she said resignedly

After he had poured the Labuschagne coffee’s from the ghastly paper containers and into two proper mugs he sat down and began his spiel.

“I think I have a solution to your problem”

“Oh yes? And what might that be exactly” she said doubtfully

“I think you should give up your flat and move in here with me” he said

“What?” Nerissa asked scarcely believing her ears

“Give up your flat and move into my spare room” he elaborated

“But that’s a ridiculous idea” she said

“Is it?” Harry said

“Well isn’t it? Nerissa asked back

“Look we eat together most nights, we watch TV together most nights” he explained

“Most of the time you only use your flat as a bedroom and dressing room anyway”

“Yes but” she interrupted

“And my spare room is almost as big as your whole flat” Harry added

“Yes I know that, but” she persisted “But what will people think?”

“People won’t think anything” he said “This is the 21st century after all, and as I said you’re here more often than not as it is”

“I don’t know” she said doubtfully

“Look hon, it will be perfect, I’ll continue to pay the rent and we can split the bills for the utilities and food etc.” Harry concluded

“Well I…” she began

“And here’s the clincher, with the money we both save we might finally get that holiday we’ve always talked about” Harry said

“Greece?” she asked

“Greece” he replied

“Ok, you’ve convinced me” she agreed “now give me a croissant”

 

Harry and Nerissa had often talked about taking a holiday abroad, not that they ever thought that they’d actually achieve it, it was planned more in a fanciful way, a fantasy really.

The prospect of foreign travel occupied their thoughts quite a lot as neither of them had been abroad before or even owned a passport for that matter.

At first they spoke in general terms about just going away but over the years they had narrowed their search for an actual destination and had finally decided on Greece as the destination for their dream getaway, or more precisely a Greek Island.

The particular Greek island was at the time unspecified as of that moment when Harry invited Nerissa to move in with him, their only stipulation was that it mustn’t have its own airport.

The reasoning for that was that it would limit the number of binge drinking lager louts if the travel itinerary was more complicated.

 

Nerissa went back to her flat after coffee and croissants and had a little cry once the door closed behind her, but unlike the bitter tears of despair she shed the night before these were tears of happiness. 

After a hot shower and a quick tidy around her flat she went back to Harry’s.

So around midmorning they were sat in his flat looking through a stack of old holiday magazines.

When Nerissa asked out of the blue

“Are you sure?”

“Sure about what hon?” he replied

“Me moving in here” she said

“Never more so” Harry said and then he leant over and kissed her forehead before asking

“So have you seen anything you fancy?”

“Andros” she replied instantly and handed him the magazine.

“Well that was very definite” he said and after reading the full article in detail he replied

“Andros it is then”

Harry got up and switched on his laptop and went online, he typed in the address and navigated around until he found the relevant page.

“Here we go” he said and Nerissa moved closer.

“It will be cheaper if we go before the School summer holidays”

“June” Nerissa said “that will give us more time to save, and we’ll get our Easter bank holiday pay in May”

“Ok” he said “two weeks in June”

“Two weeks?” she asked “Are you sure we can we afford two weeks?”

“Absolutely” he said pointing at the figure on the screen.

“Oh” she said as he “Two weeks in June for us then”

He entered his details in the form and picked up his wallet from the table, entered his credit card number and hit the button.

“Booked” he said

“We’re really going then aren’t we?” she said and giggled.

“Yes Indeed” Harry concurred “We are taking our search for love and romance on the road, so to speak”

It was actually more like a train, a plane, a coach, two ferries and a bus but “Romance on the road” was near enough.

“Hooray” Nerissa yelled and danced around.

“Let’s open a bottle to celebrate” Harry suggested

“Let’s not” she said “Lets save the money and open one in Andros instead”

“Damn you’re so sensible” Harry said

 

On Monday morning Nerissa gave notice on flat 2b and over the following month she completed the move into Harry’s flat.

This involved helping him clear the spare room and redecorating it to her taste.

They then had to decide what she would take from the old flat and what would have to be dumped or sold.

She and Harry then gave her flat a thorough clean and they were rewarded for all their hard work by the return of her deposit in full which meant she could clear her bills and put the remainder straight into the holiday fund.

 

As of the 30th of November she was properly moved into the spare room and there was no turning back because the day after a new tenant moved in to her old flat.

 

As a result of the holiday being booked the pair of them had to become quite boring and put on hold any hopes or expectations of finding Mr. or Miss Right as their focus was one hundred percent on the holiday and saving every penny towards it.

 

The decorations went up promptly on the first of December which was Nerissa’s first official day as a tenant and that Christmas they had twice the decorations to put up so they went mad.

The run up to Christmas was very profitable for them and added extra money to the holiday coffers as they picked up extra shifts due to the age old tradition of seasonal panic buying by the Purplemere residents.

They also restricted their spending on entertainment by only attending certain festivities, like staff parties and such like, and by cutting back on buying Christmas gifts.

This was a difficult decision as they were both huge Christmas fans and liked to make the most of the season but their new maxim was “needs must”.

What they didn’t stint on during the festive season though were the festive services at St John’s Church from the first Sunday of advent to Christmas morning.

 

After attending St Johns for the morning service on Christmas day they really pushed the boat out when they got back to the flat, despite having spent a pittance.

They bought the damaged or reduced items wherever possible and used their staff discounts on the rest and as a result they had a sumptuous feast for virtually nothing.

“Well that was very indulgent” Harry said as they sat on the sofa after dinner.

“Very” Nerissa said and burped

They both laughed and Harry patted his stomach and said

“I don’t know why I’m laughing this belly isn’t going to look great with my speedos on the beach”

“Damn I hadn’t thought of that” Nerissa said and patted her own tummy and burped again.

When they exchanged presents they both had novelty chocolates and one main present each.

Harry bought Nerissa a small Gold crucifix and she bought him a Gold tie pin engraved with his name.

 

On New Year’s Eve, which was normally a night when they would hit the town hard, they spent that New Year’s Eve at home where they saw in the New Year quietly watching the meagre offerings that the television had to offer and when Big Ben chimed they toasted the New Year with a glass of cheap fizz.

But on New Year’s Day they were fit to work and did a shift and a half at double time which mightily swelled the holiday fund.

 

The remainder of January was a hard and depressing month, the decorations were packed away and as a result of them having double the amount of decorations up in the first place the flat looked exceptionally bare.

Then the weather turned bitter cold and prolonged periods of snow followed and it was a long 5 weeks until payday.

The January depression was made all the worse by not being able to go out and enjoy themselves but staying in meant no expensive treats like takeaways and alcohol.

 

However Nerissa came up with a plan to enable them to out without them spending a penny and furthermore her plan would add money to the pot.

They picked up the odd evening and weekend shift at the Worsted Viper Hotel.

Nerissa waited tables in the restaurant and Harry worked behind the bar.

And every hour they worked there meant more money to spend on their holiday or to buy clothes for it and it helped them to get through a difficult month.

When their January pay day did eventually arrive they paid the bills and applied for their passports and totted up their savings.

 

February brought yet more bitter cold and more snow but no valentine cards save for the joke ones they gave each other, it also brought more shifts at Worsted Viper and more importantly a much quicker payday.

 

March followed which brought an end to the cold and the snow and the produced the first hints of spring.

It also brought Easter and the long holiday weekend which was another chance for them to earn extra money which would be in their pockets in time for the holiday.

But following the spring like March, April brought nothing but rain, rain and more rain in fact the only bright spot of the month was the arrival of the passports.

 

May however was a horse of a different colour, the weather was milder and the days were sunnier and they were only one payday away from their holiday and when they had their pay slips it was time to do a final tally.

Harry got his laptop and opened the spreadsheet and entered the figures and totaled up the columns while Nerissa looked on nervously.

“Well?” she asked “is it enough?”

“You tell me” he said and showed her the screen “this is what’s left after the holiday is paid for”

“It can’t be that much” she said “Check it again”

“I’ve checked it three times already”

“Does that mean we can go shopping then?” she asked

“That’s precisely what it means” he replied and two days later Harry and Nerissa went on an all-day shopping trip to Abbottsford including a long leisurely lunch in the Phoenix Shopping Centre.  

And a couple of weeks later they packed their cases and they were all set for Andros.

 

The first week of June was tortuously long but the day finally arrived and they got a cab to the station at the crack of dawn and got on the first train out of Purplemere.

They were so eager to get on their way that they arrived at the airport two hours earlier than they needed to.

Harry had only been to the airport before to either drop someone off or pick someone up, Nerissa on the other hand had never been to an airport before in her life.

They were so excited about actually going on holiday, and to Greece of all places, that they didn’t care that they had two extra hours to kill, so the pair of them just wandered around and soaked up the vibe.

Harry and Nerissa didn’t care about the crowds or the queue’s the extortionate prices in the cafes, they were determined to enjoy every minute of it as they had no idea when or if they would do it again.

 

When they eventually got on the plane and stowed their bags they settled themselves into their seats and then both of them sat very quietly and for the first time that day their overwhelming feeling was not of excitement.

Neither Harry nor Nerissa had flown before and as a result the two of them were quite scared but neither of them wanted to mention it to the other.

It was basically a fear of the unexpected rather than of impending doom but as the plane raced down the runway, they held hands.

Once the plane was airborne, they soon relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the flight to Athens and the nervousness was once again replaced by excitement.

 

The anxiety did return briefly when the seat belt light went on and the captain began his decent but it was short lived but they did hold hands again just in case and as the wheels touched down Nerissa said

“We have arrived” and then she giggled.

However even once they had landed in Athens and disembarked, they were still a long time and a long way from their final destination.

Firstly they had to wait half an hour for their luggage and after they had claimed their bags then when they had rendezvoused with the holiday rep there was a further 30 minute wait for a coach.

The coach trip then took a similar duration to drive them to the docks where they boarded a ferry.

On board the boat they had to wait a further 40 minutes before the ferry departed on a journey which took two hours to carry them across the Aegean to the Island of Andros in the Cyclades.

To the seasoned travelers among the passengers, the journey would have been very tedious indeed but to Harry and Nerissa being novices at foreign travel, they didn’t mind it a bit as they saw everything about the journey as a great adventure that they would remember forever and on the journey they were rewarded for their patience by the appearance of a pod of porpoises who escorted them across the azure blue Aegean sea.

This bonus they took as a good omen for the holiday ahead.

When the ferry docked on the Island they were met by another holiday rep and another bus that took them on a 20 minute journey to the village of Batsi.

 

As Nerissa and Harry walked into their apartments they had travelled for a total of 12 hours door to door but they thought it would all be worth it when they met the person of their dreams.

 

On the afternoon of their first day they had an orientation meeting with their tour rep who gave them all the spiel about the resort and handed out information on places of interest, transport timetables, day trips and local entertainment.    

However the two of them were less interested in the talk than they were in their fellow tourists as they were looking for suitable candidates for romance in the sun.

But as they scanned each and every face in the assembly they noticed that there appeared to be no singles present.

Although Harry and Nerissa both noticed independently they chose to keep their discoveries to themselves.

However over the next 24 hours they both came to the conclusion that they had come to the wrong resort for romance because the other visitors, without exception, were already paired up and presumably loved up.

 

Over an Al fresco breakfast on the waterfront the next morning, as they sat in the fresh morning air at a quayside café it was Nerissa who broached the subject.

“Have you noticed they’re all couples?” she asked

“Yes I have” he replied

“We’re not going to find them here are we?” she asked

By “Them” she meant their soul mates, their perfect other halves, Mr. or Miss Right.

“I’m afraid not” he agreed

“So what do we do now?” Nerissa asked

“Now we just have fun and enjoy our hard earned holiday” Harry said and so they resigned themselves to the fact that they were not going to find who they were looking for and decided they should just enjoy every minute of their holiday instead, they had after all worked hard enough for it.

 

With their search for love over, they spent a lot of time on the beach or in the water, or alternatively on a boat and when they weren’t close to the sea they were in the bars and Taverna’s.

So they filled every possible moment of the holiday with fun and laughter, walking along the beach together playing in the waves and having fun, before finding a quiet sheltered spot or a shady tree to siesta under.

They also took day trips to Tinos and the Church of Panagia Evangelistria and visited the monastery of Agia Zoodochos Pighi and to Andros town of course.

Evening entertainments included cocktails at the Koala bar,
Nightcaps at the Paradise Club, Greek dancing, Beach BBQ’s and a Greek night of local cuisine and drink.

 

But most of all they spent their time in or near the water and one of their favourite spots was a narrow stretch of beach, north of Batsi at Agia Marina with its own beach side Taverna run by a colourful old character called Stavros where they often had lunch.

He was an elderly man with deeply wrinkled skin the colour of tanned leather and when Harry introduced him to Nerissa he said,

“Oh what a lovely name, Nerissa means goddess of the sea you know?”

Harry thought that might make her big headed but Nerissa blushed.

Mind you when Harry watched Nerissa walk out of the water wearing her yellow one piece swimsuit he could see what Stavros meant.

 

As the holiday drifted amiable into the second week they continued in the same vein and any casual onlookers could have been forgiven for thinking that Harry and Nerissa were in fact a couple, they behaved like a couple in almost every respect and a happily married couple at that.

Every evening the pair dined together happy in each other’s company but unknown to everyone around them, they slept alone.

 

One day the beaches on their side of the island was covered in dead jelly fish, each translucent disk was roughly the size of a dinner plate.

Apparently June was the spawning season for jelly fish and having spawned out at sea, they promptly died and drifted in to shore and then two days later drifted back out to sea on the tide never to be seen again.

One afternoon Harry was lying on his stomach on the beach snoozing off his lunch and Nerissa picked up a dead jelly fish from the lapping waves and from a height of four feet, dropped it squarely in the middle of Harry’s back.

“What the hell” he yelled and looked over his shoulder to see Nerissa wearing a pink bikini, almost wetting herself with laughter.

“Oh” he said “I suppose you think that was funny?”

“Oh yes” she confirmed and laughed even harder

“Right that’s it” Harry said scrambling to his feet

Nerissa, still laughing like a drain turned and ran down the beach with Harry hot on her heals holding a jelly fish freshly plucked from the waves.

Her laughter quickly turned to squeals as he chased her and she ran about a hundred yards before she fell over in the lapping water and as she lay on her back in the wet sand. 

Harry, with great delight, dropped the jelly fish on her exposed belly.

Nerissa screamed in disgust and it was Harrys turn to laugh.

 

Later that evening as the sun was setting, the sultry air was heavy with the scent of oregano as they sat on the terrace of the Medusa Taverna accompanied by the familiar symphony of evening birdsong Nerissa said

“It’s been another lovely day”

They had ordered their dinner and were just enjoying an aperitif, the cracking of ice cubes was clearly audible in their Gin and tonics.

“It really has” he said and they chinked glasses

 

After dinner and the best part of two bottles of wine and a hilarious reliving of the afternoons jelly fish escapades the subject of the conversation took a familiar turn.

“Of course there is one thing that could have made today even better” Nerissa said

“And what’s that?” Harry asked before draining his glass

“Our perfect partners” she replied

“Oh yes, I’d forgotten about that” he said

“Of course it would help if we could recognize them if we saw them”

“Well yes that would help” Nerissa concurred “But I don’t think they’re on the Island anyway”

“If they were I don’t think I would have noticed” Harry said “I’ve been having too much fun”

 

As they sat on the terrace of the Medusa Taverna after having had a lovely meal and perhaps too much wine Harry thought Nerissa looked lovely.

And on that night he was particularly pleased to see she was wearing the gold crucifix he had bought her for Christmas.

After a short while the perennial subject of their perfect partners had come up again in their conversation. 

“Ok then” he said “do you have pen?”

He already knew the answer, Nerissa always had at least three pens in her bag.

She fished in her bag and produced one.

“So what is your ideal?” he asked

“What do you mean?” she replied with a puzzled expression

“What would you want in a partner?” he elaborated

“Tell me what qualities you are looking for and we’ll make a check list”

“Oh I see, ok” she said “Well the usual I suppose”

“Let’s write them down then” Harry said and using a napkin he headed the list “The perfect other half”

“Someone I can trust” she said

“Dependable” he wrote followed by “trustworthy”

“Someone who shares my values and my faith” she added

Harry wrote “Christian” and “Moral compass”

“Someone who makes me laugh and laughs with me” Nerissa said

“Good sense of humour” he wrote

“Someone who loves me, and will cherish me” she said

He wrote “Caring” and “Romantic”

“Someone who will be there for me” she said “whenever I need them”

“A friend” he put

“Someone who listens to me and understands me” she added

“And who values me”

Harry thought for a moment before writing

“A confidant, kindred spirit” and for good measure “Open and honest”

“Someone I can grow old with” she said “who will want to grow old with me”

Harry wrote “Soul mate”

Nerissa was silent for a moment as she gave it some more thought and then said

“That will do I think”

Harry took another drink and then read down the list and his brow furrowed.

He read each item and mused over it, added the occasional word to it, and muttered under his breath as he studied it and in the end, after what seemed to Nerissa like an age, he nodded his assent. 

“Are you ok?” she asked with concern

“I agree with every single one of those” he said

“Good” she replied

“And furthermore I know the person who has all of those qualities and more” he added

“Really?” she said open mouthed

“Who?”

“You Nerissa” Harry said

“What?” she asked

“It’s you” he said “you tick every single box on this list, you are my perfect other half”

“Don’t be daft” she said

He didn’t say anymore but handed her the napkin.

Nerissa took it from him, and started reading down the list of her suggestions and his additions and was very thoughtful for a few moments and then she went down the list in front of her again.

“You’re right” she said finally “you are the perfect other half of me”

Knowing smiles were exchanged and then they sat in silence as a confused turmoil raged inside them and thoughts raced in and out of focus.

 

Harry and Nerissa sat in silence on the terrace of the Medusa Taverna after the startling revelation that they were each other’s “perfect other half” and as they sat in silence a confused turmoil raged inside them and thoughts raced in and out of focus.

“More wine sir?” the waiter asked breaking in on their silent deliberations.

“Absolutely” Nerissa said and returned to her thoughts.

Both of them shared the same thoughts and were afraid, afraid to take a chance, afraid of being wrong, afraid of getting hurt but most of all afraid of losing their best friend in the whole world.

The wine came and they drank in silence as they continued their internal struggle, until in a moment of perfect clarity Nerissa looked at Harry and smiled as it dawned on her that they had come to Andros looking for love but the romance they had searched for wasn’t on the island at all, they had brought it with them.

And when Harry saw her smiling countenance he was immediately entranced and all his doubts melted away and the deep passion for her, that he had always harbored subconsciously, stirred within him and rose to the surface.

Her inner beauty exposed Harry reached his hand across the table and Nerissa took it.

“All this time I was looking for Miss Right and she was there right under my nose”

Harry mused

“Living next door” She added

“Living in my spare room even” Harry corrected her

It was a miracle finding their heart’s desire so close at hand.

“How could we have been so blind?” Nerissa asked as she caressed his hand.

“Love is blind” Harry replied

“Yes” she agreed “yes it is”

Neither of them could comprehend how it was possible that they were both so short sighted.

He had always thought she was lovely but now Harry’s feelings for her were of love for his soul mate who lived in his spare room.

 

On the moonlight walk back to the apartment’s they were holding hands and drinking in the heady atmosphere of the night, not wishing to forget a single second of it and when they reached her door they kissed for the first time and it was a kiss that made the hairs stand up on the back of their necks and their skin tingle from head to toe.

“That was a first kiss to remember” Nerissa said and giggled

“Let’s try number two” Harry suggested and she obliged

“Wow” Nerissa said after kiss number two

“I think we should sit down for a minute”

“I think so too” Harry said

Nerissa walked a few feet and sat on the wall and Harry sat next her, she immediately leant in to him and rested her head on his shoulder and he put his arm around her.

So they sat there quietly in the moonlight, their hearts filled with a new found love and their minds awash with previously undreamt of possibilities.

Nerissa kissed Harry once more and it was the equal of its predecessors.

But as much as they wanted each other in that moment they resisted the desire until their minds were clear and their desires not fueled by cheap wine and Gin and tonics.

So they reluctantly said goodnight and slept alone.

Though neither of them actually slept.

 

Harry and Nerissa were both up and about early the next morning all though in truth they hadn’t really gone to bed.

However both of them had made independent decisions on their futures.

The quandary was, had they both made the same one.

There were three possibilities, and two of which could cost them their friendship forever.

Harry was sitting on the terrace drinking his coffee when Nerissa appeared looking beautiful.

Harry smiled and stood up to greet her but remained frozen to the spot so she returned his smile and said 

“Hello soul mate”

The relief Harry felt in that moment was palpable.

He found he was able to move again, and he stepped forward and scooped her up in his arms and said.

“Hello, my perfect other half” 

And then he kissed her as he had the night before, without the aid of alcohol, and the feeling was just the same, no that wasn’t true it was actually better.

 

Their complete and utter surrender to each other came later that afternoon when they made love for the very first time when loves consummated passions reached the ecstatic heights of fulfillment.

 

To the untrained eye the remainder of the holiday appeared to go much the same way as the days before their epiphany.

Harry and Nerissa still appeared as if they were a couple, as they behaved like a couple, a happily married couple.

Every evening the pair dined together happy in each other’s company but now unknown to everyone they did sleep together.

Harry and Nerissa had gone to the Cyclades in search of love and romance, and it turned out they had actually taken it with them.

 

All too soon they were on the ferry heading away from the northern most isle in the Cyclades, and looked back at Andros, bathing in warm sunshine, the hills and valleys, the groves and vines and painting the hillsides in differing hues.

They would miss the place and its warm-hearted people, the scent of herbs on the warm night air, the culture, the food, the warm sun, the blue sea and the golden sand and the soft sea breezes.

But most of all they would miss it because it would forever be the place where they fell in love.

Harry and Nerissa stood at the stern of the ferry, for one last look across the Aegean as Andros faded from view.

“Will we ever come back” Nerissa asked with a tear in her eye

“Oh yes definitely” Harry replied “On our honeymoon”

And in response Nerissa turned and she kissed him.