In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (029) – Games Night Invitation

 

October

 

Since Archie Paddick first met Josephine Bell, on a fateful day when she stole his heart, his life had been so different to the safe and comfortable existence he had known before and he felt energized and fresh, which was just as well because in the months that followed, they had been exceedingly busy as they had decided to move in together.

They spent evenings packing up her flat in Pipershaven and slowly moved her stuff either into storage or into his house in Pepperstock Green which was to become theirs.

Then on the weekends there was decorating, gardening and car booting and all of the above had to be achieved while keeping busy in their respective jobs, he as an electrician and her as a Nail Technician.

So it was with some relief that he received and accepted an invitation from his best friend Barry to attend a games night at his place on Saturday night a week into October.

They had been best mates since junior school, Barry, Stevie, Kevin, Neville and him, and their friendship endured, and survived all the ups and downs of childhood and adolescence.

It survived sexual awakenings and the continual distraction of women thereafter, higher education, marriages, mortgages, divorces and redundancies.

Women had come and gone over the years, but the friendship had survived, their friendship endured in spite of everything, and part of that friendship were the Games Nights. 

Games nights consisted of a takeaway followed by board games or cards, the food and game decided by consensus.

“You know what that means?” Jo asked

“Yes, a weekend off” Archie replied

“I have to meet your best friends” she said gloomily

“I know” he replied “They’re all dying to meet you”

Then he continued

“And the other halves are anxious to meet the girl who has won my heart”

“Oh Great” Jo said despondently

 

He failed to pick up on her lack of enthusiasm but as they got closer to the night Josephine seemed to be getting more and more withdrawn.

On Saturday morning they lay under the duvet cuddling, she was very quiet, which wasn’t like her at all, he was a bit worried about her as she seemed a bit down.

“What’s wrong sweetheart?” he asked

“Nothing” she replied

“Well, I know that’s not true” he persisted “So what’s wrong?”

“I’m scared” she admitted

He wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly, she was such a confident gregarious girl, and being scared didn’t fit her at all.

“Scared?” he asked

“Yes” she responded and rolled over and hugged him, burying her face in his neck and then she started crying.

“What are you scared about?” he asked

“Meeting your friends” she sobbed “Your best friends”

It seemed she was really worried about making a good impression in front of his oldest and best friends.

“They are going to love you just like I do” he assured her

“Really?” Jo asked

“Well not quite like I do obviously” he said, and she lifted her face from his neck and smiled.

Archie did feel for Jo when he took the time to think of what he was putting her through, it was a daunting prospect meeting his lifelong friends.

He didn’t have to go through that with her best friend as that was his sister Marion.

So, they spent the next hour cuddling up under the duvet as he went through his friends and their respective partners one by one and the best ways to make a good impression on them.

 

His mate Barry was something of a figure of fun within their group, a fact to which he seemed completely oblivious.  

They had known him since school, and they had always teased him.

He was the type of kid who had a new hobby every week and this habit followed him into adulthood.

He also thought himself a whizz at DIY and he fancied himself as a bit of an engineer, but the one thing he could do without fail which endeared him to them was that he could take a joke.

His wife Eve did not have a sense of humour, at all and she was the vainest woman walking God’s green earth and the only thing that she loved as much as her own looks was for someone else to compliment her on them.

Stevie fancied himself as a bit of a ladies’ man and liked to flirt, Carol his second wife knew he was all sausage, and no sizzle so quite enjoyed watching him flirt before he crashed and burned.

Kevin and his childhood sweetheart Cindi were foodies so if you got them chatting on the subject of food you were in.

Neville and his third or fourth partner Terri were ultra-competitive so if they won, whatever the game might be, they were happy.

 

After he had finished putting flesh on the bones of those expected to be present, she seemed more at ease.

“I love you Arch” she said

“That’s handy” he replied “because I love you too”

Jo smiled and kissed him tenderly and they made love.

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (028) – Making Plans

 

October

 

After all the excitement at the Vicarage, Charlie drove Toddy to Beechwood so he could finally give Toddy her birthday gifts.

They sat at the large kitchen table, where they had sat many times before, with fresh steaming coffees in front of them, as they had many times before, and he put three gifts in front of her, the first was a box of pistachio flavoured Lindor, the second was a  memento of one of their summer outings, a keyring from Abbottsford Cathedral, and the final gift was an elegant Elgin Art Deco Wristwatch made in 1925, in white gold, with a white and royal blue enamel face,

The watch was a gift to her great grandmother from her husband to mark their 50th wedding anniversary and was passed down to Toddy when her grandmother died and was the only memento she had left of her pre convent life.

She was permitted to keep it because it was in such a poor state of repair that it was deemed to be of no financial value, but it was her most valued possession and Charlie had to get Verity to sneak it out of the Vicarage for him.

He then took it to a company called Time and Time Again on Mornington Field run by an old friend George Vineyard, who was a Timepiece Maker turned Restorer, and he had done a first-class restoration.

“Oh, my goodness! Its grandma’s watch” she exclaimed “It’s so beautiful”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she held the timepiece in her hand.

“I didn’t mean to upset you” he said and held her hand

“You haven’t upset me, I’m just overwhelmed by your wonderful gift, you really are a lovely, lovely man” she said and kissed him.

 

Toddy was curled up beside him beneath the duvet with her head on his chest and she was sighing in the afterglow after making love, and as she sighed, he kissed the top of her head.

“Happy Birthday” he said

“Happy Birthday to me” she agreed before dosing off.

 

They had both dosed off in the comfortable postcoital coziness and when they awoke, they began discussing the wedding, and they both wanted it to be sooner rather than later, but they wanted it to be a Church service, and both concurred on a Christmas wedding at St Agatha’s.

That part of the conversation was concluded quickly but the honeymoon was a much longer conversation.

Charlie had traveled widely, in business and with his wife, but Toddy had never even been outside of the county let alone to another country.

So, he asked her if there was anywhere in the world she had always wanted to go.

They quickly ruled out beach resorts, partly because Toddy was fair skinned and partly because she wasn’t someone who could just sit around, she was a doer.

There were places of religious significance that she would enjoy if they ever went but she also appreciated history, art and culture.

So, after much deliberation they settled on the city of Rome, because it ticked all the boxes, a city of religious significant, historical, cultural, and an abundance of art and of course a city of romance.     

 

Charlie knew that Toddy wouldn’t want to get up and dress with him in the room, as most of her clothes didn’t make it upstairs.

So, he slipped out of bed and quickly redressed himself and went downstairs and gathered up her clothes and when he had put them on the bed, he left her to sort herself out while he went back downstairs.

 

Toddy shuffled towards him still buttoning her jeans with her eyes on the task.

When she finally looked up at him, she went immediately scarlet and rushed straight into his arms and buried her face in his chest and held onto him in a vice like grip.

“I love you so much” he said

“I love you too” Came a muffled replied

“Come on then gorgeous, let’s get you home” he said

 

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (027) – The Announcement

 

October

 

After their eventful date to celebrate her birthday, on which he made a proposal which she accepted they ended up at his house where they made love for the first time it was time to walk her home in the wee small hours.

  

It was further to drive from Beechwood to the Vicarage than it was to walk, but it took twice the time on foot.

They didn’t see a single soul on the walk through the Village apart from a distant dog walker on the far side of the green just before they walked hand in hand up to the front door of the Vicarage where she turned to face him and said

“It’s been a very special night”

“It has” he agreed “But any time spent with you is special”

“But tonight was…. more eventful” she suggested

“It was” He agreed “Not to mention memorable”

Toddy stood on her tiptoes and kissed him then retorted

“I’m looking forward to an encore”

“Me too,” he concurred “Perhaps after your birthday lunch tomorrow”

“I like the sound of that” Toddy said and kissed him again before opening the door and saying “I love you Charlie, goodnight”

“Goodnight Toddy, I love you too”

 

After rising early on Sunday morning Charlie showered and shaved and liberally applied aftershave balm on his smooth face and bald head.

When he was dressed, he drove to the Stephenson’s Supermarket to buy mocktails for Toddy’s birthday, because after saying how much they had enjoyed the Mojitos the previous evening, the waitress Susie had told them, in a hushed whisper

“You can buy them ready mixed in Stephenson’s much cheaper”

So, he bought four bottles, two for home and two for birthday lunch at the Vicarage.

 

When he returned to the Village he went straight to the Vicarage and was greeted by a nervous Toddy in the hall who quickly kissed him and whispered agitatedly.

“I haven’t told them, and I’ve hidden the ring, but keeping it secret is so hard, I didn’t know what to do, I’ve never been engaged before, I’m so glad you’re here” 

“That’s ok I’m here now and we’ll tell them together straight after Church” he assured her and kissed her

“Oh ok” she said and smiled “I feel better now you’re here”

From that moment on she never left his side apart from when she needed to go to the toilet, which was when his sister Chloe cornered him and said.

“What happened last night? Toddy was in a very funny mood this morning, what did you do?”   

Before he had to make a waffly response to his inquisitive sister, Toddy returned, and Chloe slipped away on a wave of disappointment.

 

On the walk to the Vicarage as soon as they were out of earshot Toddy said urgently

“I’m desperate to tell them, can we do it straight away?”

“Of course, darling” he said “As soon as everyone is there, and you get the ring from its hiding place”

“It’s in my bra” she whispered and giggled

“Interesting choice” he said as they reached the Vicarage door “Perhaps I should retrieve it”

 “Remember where you are, and behave yourself” she chuckled “Until later”

 

Their plan to tell everyone immediately and put Toddy at her ease was thwarted, initially as the Vicar was delayed at St Agatha’s, and then by the time he did appear Chloe and Verity were completely engrossed in preparing lunch.

Then when lunch was ready there was no opportunity, so they had to wait for a lull in the conversation, but there wasn’t one.

In fact, because of all the constant jovial chatter throughout the meal, the arrival of the Birthday cake, the first chance didn’t come until after the cake was eaten and Chloe began stacking the plates.

Charlie was alerted to the moment when Toddy kicked him under the table and when he glanced towards her, she showed him her left hand, so he nodded and said

“Hold on Sis, before you clear away, I have something to announce”

“Oh ok,” she said and sat back down “Is it about St Adelaide’s”

“No, it’s not about the Convent” he replied “it’s more important than that”

“Oh God you’ve got cancer” Chloe blurted out “I knew there was something going on”

“Honestly Sis do you really think if I was ill, I would announce it at a Birthday lunch?” he said “So stop trying to guess what it is and let me tell you what it is”

Then he reached out and took hold of Toddy’s left hand, squeezed it, and as he lifted her hand level with the tabletop, he said

“Toddy has agreed to be my wife”

Chloe and Verity’s jaws dropped, then they looked at each other and squealed.

 

After announcing their engagement at the Vicarage, and the screaming had subsided, the questions started, when, where and how did he propose? Which was easy enough to answer, and when and where the wedding was to be and where the honeymoon would be, which they couldn’t answer because they hadn’t discussed that yet.

“We’ll get back to you” he said 

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (026) – The Afterglow

 

October

 

Charlie and Toddy lay in his bed in the afterglow lit by the pale light of the bedside lamp, Toddy was lying with her head on his chest, and he smiled.

“You have to marry me now that you’ve seduced me” he said and laughed

“I didn’t have to try very hard” she retorted

“What do you mean?”

“You were a push over” Toddy said lifting her head to look at him

“The cheek of the woman” he retorted, and she laughed as she settled her head back on his chest.

 

After ten minutes or so she yawned and said

“I need to go now, I’m getting sleepy”

“You could stay” he suggested

“No, I can’t” she said firmly

“Why?”  

“Because although you’ve already sullied me, I don’t want to have my reputation sullied around the Village” she replied

“That’s a valid point” he agreed

“Quite, so you need to turn your back,” she insisted

“Why exactly?” he asked

“Because you took all my clothes off, and I’m naked” she replied

“So, you need to turn your back so I can get dressed”

“But I’ve already seen you naked” he pointed out

“But that was when we were…. um…. you know….um”

“Making love”

“Yes, making love” she repeated and smiled

“But this is different”

“Ok” he said and rolled over and turned his back on her

“And no peeking”

“Ok”

 

He was lying on his side listening to her dress and thinking how much he liked that she was shy, when she said  

“Now you can look,”

When he rolled over, she was fully dressed in her knee-length cornflower blue dress, and blue tights.

“Thank you” she responded and blushed as she stood by the door smiling.

“You look beautifully unsullied” Charlie said,

“Thankfully looks can be deceiving” she said and blushed again

“I’ll see you downstairs”

 

He quickly redressed and followed her down and he found her sitting in the kitchen putting her navy-blue court shoes on, so he walked up behind and placed a hand on each shoulder.

“Happy Birthday by the way” he said, bending down to kiss her cheek

“Do you want your present now?”

When Toddy asked him not to drop her at home, he had thought that he could present her with her birthday gift, but events overtook them so it would have to be the next day.

“I thought I’d had it already” she replied

“My goodness I hope we’re going to do it more than once a year”

“I didn’t mean that” she exclaimed and blushed scarlet after adding

“But I hope that as well”

“Good” he said and squeezed her shoulder

“I meant this” she said pointing at the solitaire ring

“No, you wearing that ring is a gift to me” he corrected her, and she put her hand on his and stroked it.

“You say the loveliest things” Toddy said and turned and kissed him

“But presents are lovelier”

Toddy got a fit of the giggles which Charlie always found adorable, so he just wrapped his arms around her until they passed after which she said.

“Would you mind if we left it until later? I’m a bit drained after your ungentlemanly behaviour”

“I don’t mind, I’ll do anything to make you happy” he said and kissed her

“Get your coat on darling and I’ll get my car keys”

“Then can you walk me home instead?” she asked

“If that’s what you want” he said

“It is, thank you”

“Any particular reason?”

“So, people can see me on the arm of my fiancé” Toddy said proudly as he opened the door

“That’s very sweet, but I’m not sure how many Villagers will get to see us at half past one in the morning”     

“Nonetheless, what’s mine is mine, and I want everyone to know it” she said and put her arm through his.

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (025) – The Special Night

 

October

 

Charlie and Toddy were not the last to leave the Kissing Angel as they had been on their first date, when they were reluctant to accept the end of the evening.

The couple were in a very different place now and had none of the first date anxieties as they returned to the car.

 

The conversation was comfortably sparse on the journey back to the Village, and when they did speak it was about his proposal and their engagement, and the associated excitement of telling people, and speculating on what their reactions would be.

 

As they drove through the Village, Charlie indicated to make the turn towards the Vicarage, and she suddenly said

“Don’t take me home yet, it’s been such a wonderful evening and I’m not ready for it to end”

That was music to his ears because he felt the same way.

“No problem,” he said as he cancelled the indicator and drove on to Beechwood and parked the car on the drive and when they got out, they walked hand in hand to the front door.

“It’s been a lovely evening” she said as she stepped inside

“Everything about it has been wonderful from the moment you picked me to the last drop sip of mocktail”

“The most wonderful” he agreed as he closed the door and switched on the lights

“Would you like a drink? I can’t offer you a mocktail, but I do tea, coffee or a soft drink”

“I don’t want a drink” she said quietly as she turned to face him, then she took a deep breath smiled and kissed him, but not hesitantly on the lips like on their first date, nor did it settle into a long languorous embrace, this special kiss was on another level, it wasn’t fueled by romance alone but predominantly by a burning passion.

Her passionate embrace, matched by his own, revealed their mutual wants and desires, but neither had wanted to voice them.

Such a passionate embrace was a defining moment for them, it was the first such expression of passion for Charlie since his wife passed away ten years earlier and it was yet another new experience for Toddy, as such neither of the parties were quite sure how to proceed, for Toddy because she just didn’t know and Charlie didn’t want to hurry things in case it spooked her.

As it was Toddy made the first move of sorts.

“I’ve never um, you know….” She began timidly

“I know”

“So, I don’t know what to do” she continued

“You don’t have to do anything darling” he assured her

“That’s just it, I do want to, I just don’t know how” she said as she buried her head in his chest.

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait?” he asked “Until a better time”

“I’m with the only man I have ever loved on the night he proposed to me, how can there possibly be a better time than that” she said so he kissed the top of her head and took her by the hand

“Come on then sweetheart”

 

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (024) – The Dinner Date

 

October

 

When he went to pick her up for their dinner date, Charlie didn’t even get to knock on the door of the Vicarage as the door burst open and Toddy came out through it like a greyhound out of the traps at Brighton and kissed him.

“You’re eager” he said returning her kiss

“Are you complaining?” she asked

“Not for a second”

 

She was in a very bubbly mood, and he was enjoying her excited chatting, though it was not easing his nerves in any way for what was to come, and it was like that all the way to the Kissing Angel which was on the outskirts of Pipershaven and it was where they went on their very first date.

 

Having eaten there before, they knew what to expect, and it didn’t disappoint, it was still as lovely, and the soothing ambiance and cozy intimacy was exactly the same.

“It’s still very classy” she whispered once they were settled

“So are you” he said, and she blushed as he squeezed her hand

 

The waiter arrived enquiring about drink, and as they were both teetotal, he ordered a very pleasant bottle of alcohol-free Chardonay.

Her excited conversation continued throughout the three-course meal, so much so that he wasn’t sure if he would ever find a moment of silence to fill.

But his chance came between desert and coffee after the waitress had cleared away the plates.

 

“Since that morning in March when you knocked on my door and the sunshine of your smiling face spilled over the threshold, my life has never been the same” he said

“You breathed life back into me, and you filled my days with your unrelenting joy and laughter”

“That’s….” She began but he took hold of her hand and pressed on

“And every day I spend that doesn’t have you in it, is cold and empty, which is why…” he paused briefly and put a small package in front of her “I got you this”

“I can’t open it” Toddy said “It’s not my birthday until tomorrow”

“It’s not a birthday present” he said

“So, I can open it now?” she asked excitedly

“That’s the idea”

“How exciting” she giggled and ripped off the paper, and exposed another layer, then more ripping and there was another layer.

“My goodness, not another one” she exclaimed excitedly but after removing the next layer she was finely faced with plain blue lidded box about the size of a cigarette packet.

“You are very annoying” she said with a chuckle and took the lid off the box to reveal the prize which she just stared at

“Well open it” he urged

“I can’t” she retorted

“Why?”

“I’m frightened” she replied quietly

“Because of what it might be?” he asked nervously

“No, I’m scared that it’s not” she admitted

“Then it’s safe for you to open” Charlie said, and she smiled nervously.

Toddy’s hands were shaking as she picked up the little box, so he moved to the chair beside her and put his hand on her wrist to steady her, and finally she opened the hinged lid and gasped when she saw the platinum and diamond solitaire ring

“It’s beautiful” she exclaimed and just stared at it as if mesmerized then she looked at him with wide eyes and asked quietly

“Is it?”

“It is” he replied as he took the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger “So Millicent Winnifred Todd, my darling Toddy, will you marry me?”

“Of course, yes, yes, you wonderful man, of course yes” she babbled and threw her arms around him and kissed him.

Susie Bradshaw, the waitress, had witnessed the unfolding proposal put the coffee’s on an adjacent table and stood quietly until the drama was concluded.

When it was clear that the proposal had been accepted, she picked up the coffee’s and put them on the table and said

“Congratulations”

“Thank you” Toddy and Charlie exclaimed in unison and beamed at her

“We would like something to celebrate” Charlie said “Something special but nonalcoholic”

“How about a mocktail” Susie suggested

“What a splendid idea” Charlie agreed

“I don’t know what that is” Toddy said with a giggle

“I’ll just get you the drinks menu” Susie said

“No need for that” he said “surprise us”

“Say no more” Susie responded

She returned a few minutes later with two flamboyant looking offering with umbrellas and sparklers

“Mojito mocktails, with a celebratory twist”

“Oh wow” exclaimed Toddy

“They are perfect, thank you” Charlie agreed

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (023) – Making Progress

 

July

 

After Charlie Phelps’s dual revelations outside St Adelaide’s Convent back in July, when he declared he had purchased the Convent and that he was in love with Toddy, it sparked an abundance of converse about both St Adelaide’s and their personal relationships, and there were decisions to be made.

 

The first week of discussions covered the broad strokes and the only firm decision made were that the Chapel, Cemetery and Kitchen garden had to be preserved and that their next discussions should involve an Architect.

The Architect they chose was James Tims who ticked a lot of boxes, he was a local man, a Christian and was a regular at St Agatha’s.

 

One of their stipulations was to use local artisans and they were pleased to find that he was of a like mind, however he did recommend they employ the services of a Project Manager and suggested Nicholas McGee, who, although not a local per se, he was relatively so, as he resided in Sharpington, and they took up his endorsement.     

 

August

 

Throughout the month of August James Tims produced several preliminary plans for their perusal, some of which they approved and some they rejected.

However, by the end of the month, they approved the final plans of the existing building and several additional single-story buildings.

 

September

 

At the beginning of September, he submitted the finished plans to the council planning department and began working on the detailed working drawings so that work could commence on the Convent buildings, because builders Reece Stead and Jamie Gomm, plumbers Catherine and Keira Smith, and electricians Archie Paddick and Callum Gallocker had already commenced work on site stripping out.

 

Charlie and Toddy were regular visitors to the site once work had commenced, and by the third week of the month they ordered the turf for Beechwood.

The weather forecast for the first half of October was persistent rain so the target was to lay the turf by the end of September.

So, they drafted in his niece Verity Virtue and her boyfriend Stephen Farnsworth to help out and they worked as a well-oiled team, Toddy laid the turfs, Verity fed her, and Stephen and Charlie did the donkey work.   

It was a large garden, and it took them almost three days from Monday to Wednesday, and when it was done, they were all shattered.

 

As a reward for their efforts, he booked them all into the Mablethorpe Spa Hotel in Pipershaven for two days and nights.

It wasn’t the best Spa Hotel in the county, but it was the closest and offered, fitness classes, gym, rock sauna, infra-red sauna, aroma steam room, ice fountain, drench showers, Jacuzzi, a Romanesque pool, Reflexology, Raki, facials, scalp massage, hand massage, full body massage, Manicure and Pedicure, to name but a few.

“This is very amazing” Toddy said who had never been to a spa before.

“Does it meet with your approval?”

“Very much so” she replied and smiled

 

Charlie had booked four single rooms although he knew it was likely that Stephen and Verity would only be using one of them, but he didn’t want to cause any embarrassment, so he booked the extra room.

 

After checking into their rooms, they met downstairs in the bar and discussed what treatments they were going to try, and they universally said that because of their physical endeavors for the previous three days that first and foremost they wanted a full body massage.

Stephen and Verity were lucky enough to go straight onto tables whereas the others had to book so went to the aroma steam room until it was their turn.

 

October

 

After two days of unadulterated pampered relaxation, they returned to Pepperstock Green on Saturday morning October 1st, after stopping on the way at the Starlight Café for something deliciously unhealthy.

 

The could have stayed at the Spa until lunchtime but Toddy had an appointment with Emma Daley to have her hair done, ahead of the dinner date with Charlie that night to celebrate her fifty fifth birthday.

Her birthday wasn’t actually until Sunday and he would have preferred to have taken her to dinner on her birthday, but Chloe got there first and organized a Birthday lunch at the Vicarage straight after Church, so he was taking her to the Kissing Angel on Saturday night instead.