In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (033) – Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

 

November

 

The six weeks following Charlie’s proposal to Toddy, had been really busy, but the Wedding plans were virtually complete, the Church was booked for the Saturday before Christmas, the reception was booked at the Barnabus Manor Hotel just outside the Village and the tickets for their honeymoon in Rome were bought and paid for and Toddy’s passport application was being processed.

The guest list was problematic because Toddy didn’t know many people having still been in the convent less than a year before.

Charlie had accumulated a lot of friends over the years so his side of the pews would be full, but Toddy on the other only had the Sister’s from the Convent so there were only four people on her list.

“Who else can I invite?” she asked

“Start with the people you like” he suggested

“I like everyone” she replied and laughed

“Then there’s you answer” Charlie Said  

The rest of the plans they left in the trusty hands of his sister Chloe.

In addition, the work was in full flow up at the Convent and they’d made a number of site visits and had quite a few meetings with their Project Manager Nicholas McGee and Architect James Tims.

On top of that there was a two-day shopping trip to Abbottsford for Toddy and Chloe to buy a Wedding Dress and the other important intimate wedding day accessories.

While she was away Charlie spent most of his time catching up on his philanthropic projects spending some of the obscene amount of money he earned when he sold his Aerospace Engineering Company, and he was thankful for the distraction because he really missed Toddy.

Ever since she entered his life, he dreaded the time they were apart, and the time hung heavily for him. 

The time Toddy was away with Chloe was the longest period they had spent apart since they were a couple, apart from when Sister Margaret had her heart problems.

But they spoke at least three times each day while she was away, which was some consolation.

He hadn’t seen her from Sunday night until Wednesday morning, but those two days felt like a month to him so when she knocked on his door just after nine o’clock his heart soared, and the feeling was mutual, so after a fond embrace they went upstairs and made love.

He was the first to wake up, a couple of hours later, and got up to use the bathroom and took his clothes with him and redressed before he returned.

Then he sat on the edge of the bed and looked at his sleeping angel and silently thanked God for delivering her into his life.

Charlie sat there for about twenty minutes watching her sleep, staring at her peaceful countenance, and asked himself what he had done to deserve such good fortune in his life.

He had 22 wonderful years, with his wife Julie before cancer took her away from him and he never thought he would ever find love again, but he did, and she was sleeping in his bed.

Charlie left her sleeping and went downstairs to make coffee and while he was in the kitchen waiting for the kettle to boil, he heard the front door open and as he listened, he realized it was Mrs. Horne.

Catherine Horne was his cleaner, and she was a very good cleaner but quite straight laced.

“Morning Mr. Phelps” she called

He had forgotten it was cleaning day, so he carried on making the drinks as he heard her head up the stairs and then the penny dropped so he rushed out into the hall to head her off.

“Ah Catherine” he called as he ascended the stairs two at a time, but he was too late, she was just closing his bedroom door and then turned to face him and judging by the look on her face she had seen Toddy naked in his bed.

“I thought better of you,” she said in a disappointing tone as she walked towards him wearing a scowl

“I’ll do downstairs, I’m very disappointed” she added, and he followed her downstairs

“We are engaged you know” he said in his defense

“Really? it’s not that long since she was still a Nun” she retorted “and you’ve corrupted her”

“But…”

“It’s alright, her reputation won’t suffer by my actions” she said and started hoovering so he returned to the kitchen as Mrs. Horne went about her chores.

 

When Toddy made her way downstairs, she met Catherine Horne at the bottom of the stairs

“Hello Catherine” she said brightly

“I don’t blame you dear” she said sympathetically

“It’s always the bloody men”

“Ok… thanks” she responded, and Catherine made her way upstairs

 

“What have you done to Catherine?” Toddy asked accusingly as she walked into the kitchen

“Nothing” he replied defensively

“Well, something has upset her” she said

“That’s because she went upstairs to clean the ensuite and discovered you in my bed” he said

“Ah that would do it” Toddy said

“Well, if you must know she’s got the hump with me because I’ve deflowered a Nun” he said, and she laughed

“Well firstly I’m not a Nun anymore, and secondly, horticulturally speaking, as I’m 55 years old and therefore in my autumn years, I wouldn’t refer to it as deflowering” she said

“Really?” he retorted “What would you call it?”

“I think dead heading would be more appropriate” she replied, and they dissolved into laughter.      

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (032) – Saving a Reputation

November

 

At the beginning of November, it was a month since Charlie Phelps had proposed to Toddy and she had acquiesced, so they went to their favourite restaurant, the Kissing Angel, in Pipershaven, and when they returned to his house they went straight to bed. 

Samuel and Chloe Virtue were in Abbottsford for a short break that weekend to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary, and as Verity was staying at her boyfriend Stephen’s house while they were away there was no one at the Vicarage to know what time Toddy returned home, so she was able to stay in Charlie’s bed longer than normal and they fell properly asleep.

Charlie woke up first the next morning to find Toddy curled up beside him beneath the duvet fast asleep.

He kissed her forehead and shook her gently

“It’s time to wake up darling” he said, and she murmured

“Wake up darling, its morning”

Her eyes suddenly were wide open, and saucer sized

“It’s what?”

“It’s morning, we fell asleep”

“What time is it?”

“Nearly seven”

“Oh God!” she exclaimed “Sorry God, what am I going to do?”

“We need a plan to get you out the house in broad daylight without being seen.” he said

“Everyone is going to know I’ve been out all night” she said “And they’ll guess I’ve been with you all night, doing you not what”

“Don’t worry darling” he said and kissed her “Get yourself dressed and I’ll see you downstairs”

When she arrived in the kitchen, she was panic stricken

“What am I going to do?”

“Well don’t panic for a start” he said

“It’s alright for you” she shouted “No one will judge you, but I was a Nun”

Then she started pacing, and ranted

“What was I thinking, how can I go home in this, everyone will know I’ve been out all night”

He made them a coffee which they drank while they made a plan, and after half a mug, as if in answer to a prayer it started to rain, but not just rain, it was an absolute deluge.

“Oh, that’s just what I need” Toddy snapped

“That’s precisely what we need” he said

“What?” she asked, “but it’s horrible”

“It’s perfect, is what it is” he said and went into the utility and came out with a pair of waterproof trousers and a cagoule.

“No one will recognize you in these, and at this time of day there won’t be many folk about” he said

“Perfect” she said, “but what if I’m seen going into the Vicarage?”

“Go round the back, the kitchen door is always unlocked” he said

“You’re a very devious man,” Toddy said

“I know but the rewards are well worth it” he stated, and she blushed crimson red.

But having provided her with the appropriate clothing they immediately hit upon a snag, the trousers didn’t fit over her skirt, it bunched up under them and made it look like she had a bustle.

So, she removed the trousers and then had to take her dress off.

“Don’t get any ideas,” she said when she noticed him looking at her in her knickers, vest and tights.

“Well, you could stay a bit longer,” he suggested lustily

“Don’t temp me,” she said quickly pulling on the waterproof trousers which were a little on the large side and the waistband sat just above her bust line.

Then she pulled on the cagoule over her head before slipping on her shoes.

“That’s not going to work,” he said

“Why?” she asked with concern

“No one would wear footwear like that with waterproofs,” he told her

“They are a bit of a giveaway, aren’t they?” she admitted

“Indeed” he agreed

“What can I wear then?” she asked

“Your gardening shoes” he said, and she slipped her stockinged feet into her muddy gardening shoes

“That looks better” he said and pulled a woolly hat onto her head, and she tucked her hair up under it. 

“I still can’t go out the front door even disguised like this” she said forlornly

“That’s why you’re going out the back gate and along the lane” he said

“What about all my stuff?” she queried

“I’ll bring it to the Vicarage before Church” he said

“You’re good at this stuff,” Toddy said, and she kissed him

After he had kissed her goodbye, he let her out into the rain.

“Text me when you’re home” he said

“Will do” she responded and off she went

“I love you” he called after her

 

Charlie gathered her stuff together and put it in a black sack along with her overcoat, no one would question someone taking a bag of donated clothes to the Vicarage.

Then he had another coffee and sat at the kitchen table until he received a text from Toddy

“Made it,” it read “I love you too”

He smiled before draining his coffee mug and went upstairs to have a shower.

 

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (031) – Cat and Mouse

 

October

 

In just a few short months Funeral Director Max Dickinson’s cozy little life had been turned upside down, not that he was complaining, his comfortable middle-aged existence needed shaking up.

Which was precisely what Geri Phillips did from the moment she breezed into his life on a misty January day when she crashed into his car, and it turned out to be the most wonderful thing that ever happened to him, and that changed everything in his life in a heartbeat.

But there was a problem, he was an average looking thirty-four-year-old stick in the mud and she hadn’t even turned thirty and she was a cute little brunette.

In addition, he was a funeral director, and she was a wax technician or what he would refer to as an esthetician, however the bubbly brunette preferred the term waxologist. 

It took all of his courage to ask her out and he couldn’t believe it when she said yes, but she did and before he knew it, he had fallen in love with her.

Then he needed to summon up every ounce of courage to propose, which he did, and again she said yes which amazed him and shocked his friends and family in the process.

So far so good, January, meet pretty, young brunette, February, woo pretty, young brunette, March, fall in love with pretty, young brunette, May, propose to pretty, young brunette, June move in with pretty, young brunette, August, marry said pretty, young brunette, and finally in September buy house with pretty, young brunette wife.

Well, it’s not actually finally, because it was really more accurate to say, so far, because there were to be many more chapters obviously.

 

They moved into the new house at the beginning of October and after two weeks of them living together in their new home, all was going well, and they had settled into a comfortable routine, and it felt as if they had been together forever.

One Sunday morning as they were sitting in the kitchen eating crumpets, Geri suddenly said

“Can we get a cat?”

“What for?” he retorted

“Because I’d like one” she said sweetly

“Do we have to?” he sighed

“Don’t you like cats?” Geri enquired

“I have no strong opinion either way” he informed her

“So, you don’t dislike them?” she asked

“No not at all” he replied

“Are you allergic?” she queried

“Nope” he replied

“So can we?” she asked cutely

“I take it that you have a strong opinion about cats?” he asked

“Oh yes” she replied “I love them”

“They’re very lovely, they’re good company, they’re clean, they’re not demanding” she continued but he remained unconvinced.

“And they keep mice away” she added as if that one reason underlined all the others

“We don’t have mice” he stated

He had never had mice in his old house in all the years he had lived there and was not at all unhappy with that fact and he didn’t need a cat to achieve that.

All through his childhood at his parents’ house they didn’t have a cat, and they were mice free, so the point seemed moot.

“Please, please, pretty please” she begged, and he was helpless to resist

“Ok, ok” he conceded

“Yey” she screamed and jumped up and down before planting a kiss on his mouth.

“But” he interjected

“But?” she repeated

“There are certain conditions” he stated

“Which are?” she asked

“No Toms” he said “I don’t want spraying in the house”

“Check” she responded

“I’m the only alpha male in this house” he said pompously

“Ok Tiger” she mocked

“No rescue cats, I don’t want to take any chances on getting a psychologically disturbed one” he continued

“Check” she responded

“And no kittens” he added

“Ok” she agreed “Anything else?”

“No that’s the lot” he confirmed

“Good get your coat on” she instructed

“What for?” he asked

“I said we’d pick the cat up before 11 o’clock” Geri said cheekily

“And how did you know I’d say yes?” he asked

“Because you’re lovely” she replied “and you love me”

“Yes, well just remember that cutesy stuff won’t work once you lose your looks” he told her as we were going out the door

“It’ll still work even when I’m old and wrinkled” she said cockily

 

They were going to Mrs. Cooper’s house, just a few doors down from them.

She was a lovely lady, who sadly was having to give up her cottage and the Village and move into a sheltered housing scheme Sunny Pines in Pipershaven where pets of any kind were not permitted.

Elizabeth had a sweet little two-year-old black female cat called Blackberry for whom she was looking for a good home and they were it.

 

Well, all went swimmingly with Blackberry’s arrival, she quickly took to them and made herself at home and although Max had misgivings about getting a cat, he was happy that he had agreed, but then the presents started to arrive.

He would wake up in the morning and make his way downstairs to make coffee and there it would be, a mouse, a vole, a bird and, on one occasion, a coy carp.

All either dead or very near death and all of them gifts, for Max the alpha male, from the huntress, and sometimes Blackberry would be in attendance smugly guarding her latest trophy.

On one particular morning in early November, he came downstairs to find a squirrel.

“My God Blackberry what on earth have you brought me this time?”

As soon as his foot landed on the hall floor, she started rubbing herself around his ankles making a series of chirruping noises as she did so.

Then she would go and circle the stricken Squirrel, look up at him then at her prey and then back at him as if to say

“Look what I did”

“Yes, very good, well done” he said without enthusiasm although he had to admit he was impressed.

Then she returned to his ankles and repeated the whole process again.

Blackberry had just got to the point where she was saying to me

“I did that, that was me”

Then Geri came halfway down the stairs and hung over the banister to enquire

“What’s going on?”

“Blackberry brought in a Squirrel” he told her

“A Squirrel?” she exclaimed “wow who’s a clever girl then?”

The cat responded to that by repeating the whole rubbing, chirruping and gloating sequence.

“Who’s a clever girl?” he said to himself as he slipped his unstockinged feet into a pair of wellies.

That was all well and good, but she wasn’t the one who had to take the poor suffering twitching creature up the garden to finally dispatch it with a spade.

 

Of course, finding dead offerings in the hall was far better than the alternative.

You see Blackberry didn’t catch mice and such to display them as trophies or to supplement her diet.

She brought them into the house primarily as toys and she would play with them for hours, but sometimes they got away which is why he recalled what Geri had said about cats

“They’re very lovely, they’re good company, they’re clean, they’re not demanding” she continued

“And they keep mice away”

Well, there were never any mice to keep away, until they got a cat.

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (030) – The Games Night

 

October

 

Archie Paddick thought, as his girlfriend Josephine Bell was nervous about meeting all of his old friends at the Games Night, that rather than arriving at a houseful and totally overwhelming her he would take her over to Barry’s early so he could introduce her to the hosts before anyone else arrived and that way she would just have to meet one couple at a time.

 

So, when they got there, they stood on the porch, and he gave her a kiss for good luck before he rang the doorbell.

Barry opened the door.

“Blimey” he said

“You’ll never believe it Eve” he called over his shoulder “it’s Archie and…”

“Josephine” he said

“… Josephine” Barry continued

“Are we too early” he asked

“No not at all” he replied “Lovely to meet you Josephine, come in, come in”

“Thanks Barry, likewise” she said and squeezed Archie’s hand.

As they walked into the lounge Barry said to Jo

“You’re obviously a good influence on him, Archie’s never the first to arrive”

Then he introduced her to his sour-faced wife Eve.

“Josephine?” she said

“Call me Jo” she answered

“Hmmm” was her only response

He gave her hand another gentle squeeze and Jo said

“I love your dress, I wish I could afford designer labels”

Eve’s expression softened immediately, and a hint of a smile could be detected when she continued

“And your hair’s a fabulous shade of red”

“Two down, six to go” Archie thought to himself

 

Stevie and Carol were the first to arrive after them and with Jo being gorgeous and Stevie being a letch he took to her straight away.

There was a moment’s frostiness from Carol but as soon as Jo gave her a wink and she realized Stevie was being played she quickly warmed.

 

By the time Kevin and Cindi arrived the gregarious confident Josephine was there to greet them and within five minutes they were deep in conversation about a new Mongolian restaurant in Abbottsford, so much so that she almost missed Archie’s introducing her to Neville and Terri.

Jo continued discussing cuisine with Kevin and Cindi while they devoured a rather mediocre Indian.

 

The games element of the evening began with cards and due to some creative cheating by Josephine, a skill he hadn’t previously experienced from her, Neville and Terri were the resounding victors, deftly played by the woman he loved.  

 

They went on to play Trial Pursuit next which was when Barry chose to reveal his latest fad.

As he fancied himself as a bit of an engineer and with the help of the Internet and RS Component’s he managed to fashion his latest pride and joy.

“It’s an electronic Dice” Barry said proudly

It was brown in colour, made of plastic, about three inches long and two inches wide and the same in depth, with two buttons and an LED display on the upper side.

“Wow” everyone said with varying degrees of sarcasm except for Josephine who said.

“That’s really interesting, how does it work”

“Well,” said Barry, thrilled that someone appreciated his efforts

“You press this first button, and the numbers start randomizing”

“Oh yes, I see,” said Jo

“Then you press the second button, and it displays your throw” he continued

“Wow that’s so clever” she said still enthusing

“And you made that?”

“Yes” he replied proudly “I did”

“Can I have a go?” she asked

“Absolutely” Barry said and handed it to her

“So, I press this button first” Jo said

“Yes” Barry replied

“Then this one?” She said

“Yes” he said again

“And that’s my throw” she said just before she shook it in her hands and rolled it across the table.

Barry’s jaw dropped and the room erupted with laughter and Jo said to Barry.

“Got you,” and he roared with laughter, in truth at that moment she had them all in the palm of her hand.

She held his hand under the table and squeezed it firmly and as she turned and gave him a smile he fell in love with her all over again.

 

They spent most of the day after the Games Night slobbing around the house in their night clothes and watching old films on TV.

After all the recent exertions associated with clearing out Jo’s house prior to her moving in with him, it was really nice to have such a lazy day.

However, they paid for it over the coming week as the deadline for Jo to vacate her house loomed large and they spent every spare moment moving her and her possessions from Pipershaven to Pepperstock Green.

And so began a new chapter in their lives when they would no longer be two lonely single dwellers living half-lives but one loving couple sharing a house and home.

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