Thursday, 29 July 2021

IN SUNSHINE OR IN SHADOW

 

In sunshine or in shadow

Your love sets me aglow

In perfect calm or raging storm

Your love keeps me warm

In times of drought or flood

Your passion warms my blood

In summer bright or winter dark

You are always in my heart

LOVE HAIKU # 2

 

Should the clouds obscure,

the glorious stars at night,

I will still love you

Those Memories Made on Teardrop Lake – (37) One White Christmas

 

It was Christmas Eve and Samantha Dunlop, who worked at Hanratty’s Department Store in Abbottsford’s Phoenix Centre, was just on her way back to work after having had lunch with her boyfriend Darren.

“Bastard” she muttered under her breath as she entered the centre.

Sam was running the lunch time conversation through her head which was why she was so angry.

“You’re breaking up with me?” she asked in disbelieve across the table in McDonald’s.

“Don’t take it so hard babe” he said

“You’re breaking up with me on Christmas Eve?” she repeated

“I didn’t see why not I haven’t got your present yet so it was a win, win babe” he said

“You cheap bastard” she yelled and poured his chocolate shake over him   

 

“I can see this is going to be another shit Christmas” she said to herself as she walked into Hanratty’s.

She went into the staff room and took off her coat and woollen had and shook her black hair like a wet dog.

The day before she had been passed over for promotion and then she gets dumped on Christmas Eve.

She was a 29 years old divorcee and she had worked for the department store in the cosmetics department for seven years and she was passed over for Abigail Subhan,

A 22 year old University graduate who had to take her head out of her arse to smell the perfume.

 

About 4 o’clock that afternoon a middle aged man entered the department and walked up to Samantha’s counter

“Good afternoon sir how may I help?”

"I would like to buy some perfume for my wife." he said

"Certainly sir" she replied. "What does your wife like?”

“I’ve no idea” he replied

“Do you have anything particular in mind?" she asked through gritted teeth

"Not really." he said "but nothing very expensive."

"I understand sir” she said and reached behind her “How about this one?"

He picked it up and looked it over and asked

"How much is it?"

"£150” she replied

“No, I did say nothing very expensive”

She place that bottle back where she had got it from and picked up its neighbour.

“This one is Eighty pounds sir”

"That's still too expensive" he replied

She presented him with a smaller bottle

“How about this one?" she said

"How much?” he asked.

"Fifty pounds sir."

"Do you have anything else?" he enquired.

"Well, there's this small bottle at twenty five pounds."

"Look love" he whispered "I want you to show me something really cheap"

Samantha smiled and said conspiratorially

“Come this way”

She led him to the makeup counter and said

“Just stand there and look straight ahead”

“What for?” he asked

Her green eyes narrowed and she said

“Because you said you wanted to see something really cheap, and that is as cheap as I’ve ever seen”

“Mrs Dunlop!!” Ms Subhan called “My office now”

 

So on top of missing out on promotion and being dumped by her boyfriend she was also sacked from Hanratty’s.

But then maybe saying to her boss that even with the biggest nose in Abbottsford she couldn’t tell the difference between Chanel and Dettol, didn’t really help her case.

 

Her first reaction was to go straight to the pub and get plastered but she was driving to Shallowfield that evening.

And the way her luck was going at that moment she was bound to get stopped by the police and lose her license along with everything else.

Samantha had phoned her best and oldest friend Emily as soon as she got back to work after Darren dumped her and Emily invited her to stay with her and her husband Matt for Christmas.

The Charlton’s had a Flat in East Cliff Lodge, on Teardrop Lake, so she went straight home after she was canned and packed a bag.

As she left Abbottsford it started to snow and the snow that had fallen ten days earlier was still evident on the ground so the fresh fall quickly settled.

Samantha didn’t like driving in the snow, well she didn’t like driving full stop if she was honest, and so she was driving very cautiously. 

The snow was obviously coming from the direction she was heading because as she was driving between Childean and Shallowfield the snow on the road was getting significantly deeper so she went even more cautiously.

But as she approached the last significant bend before the Shallowfield she lost control and after fighting with the steering she careered off the road into a ditch.

 

Richard O’Sullivan was in his mid-thirties and was one of the partners in O’Sullivan and Springthorpe Auctioneers in Shallowfield.

He had been driving in the same direction to Samantha Dunlop but then he received a phone call from his friend Jon cancelling their dinner date so he turned around and was heading back home when he witnessed her car briefly skidding across the road before disappearing from view.

 

He stopped the car and looked down into the ditch, the car was nose in and tilted upwards 20 degrees on the driver’s side.

The lights were on and the engine was still running and the driver’s door was open but there was no sign of the driver.

He got out of his car and shouted

“Hello”

He got no response so he clambered down into the ditch and approached the car.

He confirmed the car was empty and reached in and switched off the engine and killed the lights.

He could see footprints in the snow so he decided to follow them and resumed his calling.

After four or five minutes he found a young woman in a clearing blundering about in aimless circles.

“Are you ok?” he asked and she turned around towards him the snow was still falling and accumulating on her Wooly hat.

"It's Christmas Day. Shouldn't we be watching “White Christmas?”” she said
"No” he replied “it hasn’t started yet”

“I like “White Christmas”” she said

“Why don’t you come and watch it with me then?” he suggested and took her arm

“I wouldn’t want to miss it” she slurred and turned towards him which was when he noticed blood on her face.

He guided her slowly back the way they had come and helped her up out of the ditch and into his car.

Then he opened the boot and took out his torch and went back to her car, and located her handbag from the foot well and an overnight back and coat from the back seat and clambered back up to the road.

 

As he was only half a mile from his cottage and the snow was falling thick and fast he decided the best thing to do would be take her to the Old Mill Cottage.

After he settled her on the sofa he took a moment to look at her closely.

She had a bump on her forehead and a cut above her right eye but apart from that her face had a lovely shape and symmetry.

Richard got the first aid kit and cleaned and dressed her cut then he gave her another appraising look.

He noticed she had high cheekbones and flawless skin.

But her shinning black hair and wild green set her apart from every other girl he had ever met.

"My dad wants to play Monopoly" she said "Not me though”

“Quite right” he said and tucked a blanket around her legs and then he went to phone the Health Centre and was put through to the on call Doctor.

“Hello Doctor, its Richard O’Sullivan, there’s been a car accident, a young woman has banged her head, she has a bump on the head, a cut eye and she’s a little confused”

“Ok where are you?” Doctor Philips said

“Old Mill Cottage in Shallowfield” he replied

“I can’t get there myself, the roads are terrible and I’m stuck in Mornington” he said

“What should I do then?” he asked

“I will get to you when I can or failing that I’ll get someone closer to you to attend” he said  

“Just don’t let her go to sleep”

He hung up the phone and sat on the floor in front of her and had a nonsensical conversation with her until an hour later there was a knock on the door.

He got up stiffly and answered the door to find two snow covered figures.

“Hello Richard, where’s the patient?”

“Doctor Lutchford? Is that you?” he said “Come in, come in”

“It’s a bit Wintry” Claire said and stamped the snow off her boots “Where is she?”

“On the Sofa” he replied “Is that Peter under all that snow?”

“The roads are un-drivable” he said and shook Richards hand “so we walked”

“I guessed as much” Richard said

“It’s just as well we did there are two trees down so the Childean road is blocked”

“Come into the kitchen and let Claire do her thing” Richard said “I’ll make a hot drink”

 

Claire joined them in the kitchen about 10 minutes later.

“How is she?” Richard asked

“I’ve glued the cut and redressed it. The bump seems superficial and there’s no sign of a concussion”

“Good” he said

“Is it alright if you keep her here overnight?” Claire asked “Getting about is problematic at best”

“Of course it is” he said “Peter was just telling me what it’s like out there”

“Thank you Richard that’s very good of you” she said

“I’ve given her some pain killers, just let her sleep now, but keep an eye on her and call me if there is any change”

 

They stayed long enough to finish their drinks and then said their goodbyes and disappeared again into the snowy night.

Richard made himself another mug of coffee and went back to the lounge.

His houseguest was fast asleep on the sofa, he could have carried her into the bedroom but as she was a diminutive girl she fitted quite comfortably on the sofa, so he saw no point in moving her.

He did go upstairs and brought down the duvets, one he draped over her and the other he would use himself.

Before he settled down he put another log in the burner and picked up her handbag and rummaged inside until he found her purse.

In the front pocket of a rather gaudy pink purse was her driving license and he checked the photo and confirmed it was her.

“Samantha Dunlop” he said out loud and smiled

He also checked her mobile phone and noticed a lot of missed calls, all from the same number.

“Someone is worried about you” he said and dialed the number

 

He pulled the armchair closer to the fire and made himself comfortable and covered himself with the duvet.

That was the last thing he remembered until he awoke in the eerie light of Christmas Morning with a stiff neck.

He got up and stretched and then winced when he turned his head.

He checked first his watch and saw it was after eight and then his guest and found she was still sleeping peacefully.

So he revived the fire and dropped in another log and crept out of the room.

    

Showered, shaved and dressed he returned downstairs to the kitchen.

He looked out of the window and could see it was still snowing though much lighter than the night before.

He flicked on the kettle and turned his attention to lunch.

As he lived alone he didn’t bother with Christmas lunch and all the trimmings, not because he couldn’t cook, he was a very good cook, he just didn’t bother for himself.

In fact he hadn’t done Christmas lunch since his wife died.

Helena loved Christmas and everything that went with it and so did he.

But five years earlier his love of it died along with her.

And even though that was at a different time in a different house he still didn’t put up the decorations like Helena used to.

First things first he looked in the fridge and the freezer and checked the cupboards and set about his task.

It wouldn’t be a Christmas Lunch per se but it would be a cooked lunch on Christmas Day.

Once he had everything prepared he made his drink and went back to the lounge.

It was 10 o’clock, Samantha had been asleep for more than 12 hours so he thought it was probably best if she began to come round.

He drew back the curtains and put on the radio, nothing too raucous he thought so he selected Christmas worship on the BBC, then he sat down in his armchair and drank his coffee.

Within ten minutes, helped along by a vigorous rendition of “O come all ye faithful”

She began to stir.  

He was leant back in his chair as first her breathing changed and then her eye flicked open, a little at first, and then fully as her eyes tried to locate something familiar.

Eventually her eyes settled on Richard.

“Where am I?” she asked

“You’re in Shallowfield” he replied

“Have you kidnapped me?” Sam asked

“No” he replied and chuckled “You crashed your car”

She closed her eyes again and tried to remember

“How’s your head?” he asked and her eyes opened again

“Ow” she exclaimed after touching the bump

“Are you sure you didn’t bop me on the head and kidnap me?”

“I’m quite sure” he said “Merry Christmas by the way”

“Merry Christmas?” she said puzzled “I thought I’d already had that”

She sat herself up and asked

“Did I have a bag?”

“Two actually” he replied “Your overnight bag is in the hall, and your hand bag is here”

He leant over the arm of his chair and retrieved it and handed it to her.

“I took the liberty of checking your mobile last night after the doctor left”

“The doctor was here?” she asked

“Yes”

She closed her eyes tight and tried to remember.

“You’re friend Emily called you numerous times, she was clearly quite worried, so I called her and told her what happened”

“Emily” she said in a eureka moment “that’s where I was going”

She grinned broadly at successfully accessing the memory.

“They will come and get you when the roads are passable again” Richard said

“Why don’t you call her while I make a drink?”

“Ok” she agreed

“Tea or coffee?”

“Tea please” she replied and then as he was leaving the room she asked

“Who are you?”

“I’m Richard but my close friends call me Tripp”

He had had the nickname Tripp since he first started big school he was now 35.

It was all thanks to his namesake Richard O’Sullivan whose most famous character portrayal was of Robin Tripp in the shows “Man about the house” and “Robin Nest” and thanks to reruns of the shows when he was a schoolboy the name stuck with him.

 

While he made the drinks she made her phone call to Emily which dispelled her fears of being kidnapped and she was much happier.

He entered the room with the drinks and a pack of Paracetamol

“I spoke with Emily” she said “And I am now happy that I haven’t been kidnapped”

“Good” he said putting her mug down and giving her the pain killers

“Of course Emily and I could be in it together”

“No don’t say that” she said “my head is already messed up”

 

As she finished her tea she asked sheepishly

“Could I be really cheeky and have a shower”

“Of course you can” he said and laughed “I took your bag up and put it in the spare room there’s an en suite so you have complete privacy”

“Thank you Richard” she said

“Call me Tripp” he said

“But were not close friends” she pointed out

“That’s very true” he agreed “But we have slept together”

 

He watched her gingerly climb the narrow stairs and found himself once again admiring her.

He had not looked upon a woman in that way for a very long time, when his wife was alive he only had eyes for her and after her death he focused only on his work. 

When she reached the top he said

“It’s the room on the left”

“Thank you” she called back and then she turned towards him and added “Merry Christmas Tripp”

Richard smiled and walked into the kitchen and got on with the lunch

He was an ordinary looking man in fact he was so ordinary if he were to commit a crime the witnesses to it would supply a description that would fit half the population.

He was neither tall nor short or fat nor thin, his face was not unpleasant to look but it wasn’t handsome, his hair was mousy in colour and was unremarkable.     

In summary he was not the type of man who would attract the attention of someone like Samantha.

In fact it occurred to him that only the particular chain of events that had already occurred could have brought them together on Christmas day.

“Apart from kidnap” he said to himself and laughed

                                                                   

While the Roast Potatoes were cooking he set the table in the dining room, he always ate at the dining room table, and it was a hangover from when Helena was still alive.

It was her Latin upbringing, she would always say

“Meal times are for more than just refueling”

 

After he’d laid the table he went into the lounge to check on Samantha and found her back under the duvet watching TV.

“Do you want more tea?” he asked

“Yes please” she said “can I do anything to help?”

“No, you just need to relax and enjoy the hospitality” he replied and returned to the kitchen

 

He was lacking too many key ingredients to make an authentic Christmas Lunch, Turkey, Cranberry sauce chestnut stuffing and Christmas pudding and brandy butter, so in lieu of a Turkey he cooked duck breasts, accompanied by Roast potatoes, and a selection of vegetables, desert was an apple crumble.

 

He had taken everything to the table, apart from the wine, which he retrieved from the fridge he then pushed open the Lounge door and said

“Luncheon is served madam”

“Oh goody” she responded     

When she was seated at the table he said

“It’s not your usual Christmas fare I’m afraid, but I did quite a lot of it as I wasn’t sure how hungry you’d be”

“Wow it looks great and I’m absolutely starving” she replied “I can’t remember when I last ate”

Although she couldn’t remember at the time her previous meal was actually lunchtime the day before prior to Darren dumping her.

Richard needn’t have concerned himself about cooking too much because Samantha ate more than her share and still had room for two helpings of Apple Crumble.

 

Richard cleared the table and took the plates to the kitchen and found Samantha stood running the taps at the sink.

“Hey what do you think you’re doing Samantha Dunlop?” he asked crossly

“I’m washing up” she retorted

“You are my guest and guests don’t wash up, now go and sit down”

“I can’t” she replied

“You can’t what?”

“I can’t sit down” she said “I’m too full”

“Ok then I’ll let you off”

With the washing up done and two reviving mugs of tea made they adjourned to the lounge.

As the day wore on the snowfall had petered out and by late afternoon the skies cleared just as the light began to fade and the temperature dropped like a stone.

So Richard put on the lights and drew the curtains then he attended to the wood burner before sitting down in his chair.

“Would like music or TV?” he asked

“Is “White Christmas” on today?” she asked “Or did I imagine it”

“Yes it is” he replied “would you like to watch it?”

“Yes please, it’s one of my favourites”

“I know, I remember you saying”

“Really? When?”

He then explained the conversation they had in the woods the night before and she put her head in her hands

“Oh God how embarrassing” she said

“And then when we got back here you announced "My dad wants to play Monopoly””

“Now you’re making it up?”

“Not at all, you said, "My dad wants to play Monopoly, but not me though"”

“Because I wanted to watch White Christmas” she said “I was seven when that happened”

Samantha laughed at the memory and Richards’s rendition of her and then she shivered.

“Are you cold?” he asked and got up from his chair and retrieved the folded Duvet she had used the night before

“Here put this over you” he said unfolding it onto her lap

“Thank you” she said and smiled

“It’s definitely chilly I think I might get my fleece” he said

“We could share the duvet” she suggested and flapped the duvet aside

“Oh, ok, yes” he said and sat next to her on the sofa and she flapped it over him.

As he nervously fumbled with the TV control Samantha’s phone rang for which he was grateful as it diverted attention away from him.

“Hello” she said

“Hi Em, Merry Christmas”

Suddenly he wasn’t so grateful for the interruption once he realized it was her friend Emily presumably to arrange a time to collect her.

There was a long tortuous silence until she said

“Hold on I’ll ask” and Samantha turned her attention back to him

“Emily says the road is still closed so they can’t pick me up until tomorrow, and could you put me up for another night, or put up with me for another night”

“Of course, you can stay as long as you like” he said struggling to keep the delight out of his voice

“Ok Hun bye”

“I’m sorry” she said

“Whatever for?”

“Imposing on you”

“It’s no imposition Sam, it’s a pleasure” he said

“Now watch the film”

 

When he woke up on Boxing Day he was thrilled to see it was snowing again and settling fast on the frozen snow of the day before.

He showered and shaved and dressed for the day and went down stairs with a spring in his step.

When he got to the kitchen he found Samantha was up before him and was in high spirits.

“Morning Tripp” she said “It’s snowing again”

“Yes I know, it looks like I might have to put up with you for another night”

“Really?” she queried

“Well I can’t see them reopening the road today in this”

"How's the head?" Richard asked her
"Better," she told him
“Good”

“Do you mind?” she asked

“Do I mind what?”

“Being stuck with me for another day”

“Not for a second” he replied and she smiled

“In that case can I cook you breakfast?” she asked

“I don’t know, can you cook?”

“Go and set the table and then you’ll find out” she said

As she cooked the omelet’s she was feeling very happy with the situation and was not entirely sure why.

Richard O’Sullivan was not the kind of man who would normally show up on her radar, she went for a very different type, he was rather ordinary.

As she dished the omelets onto the waiting plates the thought occurred to her that, that was probably why she had never landed a good one.

 

Later that day they were playing cards in front of the log burner when Richard said.

“I bet this wasn’t how you envisaged spending your Christmas”

“No it wasn’t” she agreed

“So what was the plan?”

“Christmas dinner with my boyfriend’s parents” she said

“Oh” he said barely hiding his disappointment

“But that was before I was dumped by my skinflint boyfriend on Christmas Eve because he was too tight to buy me a present”

“Ouch”

“Then I lost my job because I embarrassed a miserly customer at Hanratty’s who was too mean to buy a £25 pound bottle of scent for his wife’s gift”

“Oh dear”

“So I called Emily and she invited me to stay and then I crashed the car in the snow”

“That I can verify”

“Me too” she said touching the wound above her eye

“You managed to pack a lot in to one day” he said

“Yes” She agreed “As Christmas Eve’s go, boring it was not”

“Indeed” he said

“Christmas Day on the other hand” she began and then they exchanged a smile.

The road through Shallowfield was finally reopened on the day after Boxing Day so Emily and Matt Charlton arrived mid-morning to collect Samantha.

While Sam was upstairs getting her bag, Richard entertained the Charlton’s in the lounge.

“It was kind of you to take Sam in”

“It was nothing” Richard said dismissively

“It was my pleasure”

Just then he heard Samantha’s footfalls on the stairs

“We’re having a party on New Year’s Eve and you are more than welcome to come” Emily said

“Thank you but no I’m not much of a reveler”

“Oh do come” Sam said

“I’m not really much of a one for parties” he replied

“Well if you change your mind its flat 3 East Cliff Lodge any time after nine” Matt said and shook his hand

On the door step Samantha turned and kissed his cheek

“Thank you Tripp”

 

Samantha waved through the back window as he watched them drive down the lane and he felt a strange sense of loss.

Since his wife died he had lived in quiet isolation and he had grown content in his existence.

But Samantha had disturbed his calm and muddied the quiet waters of his life.

 

As Matt drove carefully along the snow covered roads, Emily chatted excitedly at a pitch that was only audile to dogs while Samantha was feeling lost and alone.

 

When he got up on New Year’s Eve the snow had all but gone and he still planned to spend it alone as had become the norm.

All day long he was content it would be business as usual for the turn of the year.

 

Samantha was in Emily and Matt’s spare room for hours getting ready for the party.

Hair, nails, legs, the whole nine yards she even borrowed one of Emily’s raciest dresses.

“You look gorgeous” Emily said

“Thank you” she replied “I thought I should make the effort”

“But you haven’t gone to all this trouble just for us, have you?”

“I don’t know what you mean” Samantha said adjusting her makeup.

“He probably won’t come you know” Emily said

“He doesn’t have to” Sam said

 

Richard was dressed in his smartest suit and was rushing around the lounge muttering under her breath, looking for his car keys when there was a knock at the door.

“Who’s that now” he said to himself

Abandoning his search he went to the door prepared to bark his disapproval in their direction but instead he found Samantha standing on the doorstep dressed to kill and carrying a bottle of Champaign.

“I thought if you won’t come to the party I’d bring the party to you”

She said holding up the bottle

“I was just coming to find you” he said

“Well I beat you to it” she said and smiled

“Shall we go to the party then?” he asked

“No let’s have a quiet night in” she said and closed the door behind her.

 


WE HAD IT ALL

 

It was here, in our grasp

We could see it, feel it, touch it

Something steadfast and solid

Reassuring and comforting

A constant, a given

Something infinite and immeasurable

 

We had it all in our hands

A living breathing thing

That we gave life

Our own creation, our new entity

But we let it escape from our grasp

Slowly slipping through our fingers

Though we tried to recapture it

It was illusive, like trying to net smoke

It evaded our efforts

 

So now it's gone and nothing remains,

Of that entity that was us

Nothing tangible, nothing physical

Only memories remain

LOVE HAIKU # 3

 

Wondrous chemistry,

electricity crackling,

when boy meets a girl

IS IT YOU?

 

Is it you?

Are you the one?

Are you my missing puzzle piece?

That will make me whole

And complete the unfinished picture

Or will you be another square peg

In my round hole

 

Is it you?

Are you the one?

The special other half of me

If we touch will we bond together?

Seamlessly, our borders undefined

Or will we repel like opposite poles

Never to be joined

 

Is it you?

Are you the one?

The shadow of my soul

Will we fit like hand in tailored glove?

Or will you be like

That hand knitted Christmas gift

From a well meaning aunt

 

Is it you?

Are you the one?

My long lost soul mate

Will we wear each other?

Like comfortable shoes

Or some fashionable pair

That pinch and rub

 

Is it you?

Are you the one?

The one that’s made for me

Or don’t you exist

When our fingers touch

Will electricity pass between us?

Or will it just be a static shock

That makes us flinch

 

Is it you?

Are you the one?

The one I have always sought

Or is it that you don’t exist

And I have set my sights to high

My heart won’t let me believe that

So take my hand and we will try

Can you feel that?

Wednesday, 28 July 2021

Those Memories Made on Teardrop Lake – (36) Koo-Koo-Ka-Choo Mrs Robinson

 

It was a successful organization that phlebotomist Harriet Robinson joined on a bitter cold January morning along with another new nurse named Elena Fedeli.

It was two years to the day after Dr Claire Andrews took over The Shallowfield Surgery and in that short time she and her business partner Olivia Adamson had transformed it into the Dancingdean Heath Centre, which necessitated the expansion of staff numbers.

 

Equally while things had been going well for Claire and Olivia in the two years they had been in Shallowfield.

It had been quite a similar story in those two years for

Harriet, which began with her taking blood from her needle phobic husband to be.

 

Her full birth name was Hayley Harriet Hanson but that was before, at the tender age of 21, she married William Quimby.

And after her disastrous marriage ended though she chose to remain as Harriet Quimby as she rather liked the name.

Her ex-husband on the other hand remained a complete bastard.

She was a phlebotomist by profession and proud of it but she was really tired of people saying to her “What’s a phlebotomist?”

And then having to explain her occupation to them, so she made the decision to reply, when asked what she did for a living, that she was a nurse and volunteered no further information.

Which was a shame because she loved her job, and she really was proud to be a phlebotomist, she liked dealing with people and liked engaging with them and she was good at it.

Some of her colleagues favoured the stand offish approach, keeping a dignified distance between themselves and the patients, but that was not Harriet’s way.

Harriet found the pleasant exchanges helped the day pass by, she couldn’t do it with everyone of course, some patients thought they were customers and that she was on a par with a shop girl, but they were few and far between.

And it was through her job and her pleasant professionalism that she came to replace the name Quimby with that of Robinson.

 

In the years since her divorce she had not remarried or even thought of doing so.

She worked hard in a rewarding job, she had a supportive family and she had a large circle of friends, and she was content with that.

Harriet was not without admirers however and she had not exactly lived as a nun, she had had boyfriends but she had not actively sort a replacement for Mr Quimby, what would be would be in the fullness of time.

 

So it was a life changing moment at the Abbeyvale Health Centre when Nathan Robinson heard his name called by the willowy young Harriet with her bobbed dark brown hair, wearing a white uniform with red piping.

He was only there for a routine blood test but he was Trypanophobic but she was well used to needle phobe’s and her easy manner and playful teasing soon put him at his ease when she called him a chicken and he called her a vampire.

All of which put his mind at rest to such a degree that he was able to take a moment or two to appreciate the loveliness of the girl with the very large needle.

After he’d left the room she chuckled to herself as she remembered their humorous and pleasant exchange and she thought what a nice man he was. 

There was no one in her life at the time and she was content with that so that brief pleasant exchange between them would probably have been the end of it had it not been for a chance meeting just over a week later when they saw each other again in St Candida’s park.

He saw her sitting on the grass with a small group of young women and decided to approach.

“Hello nurse Nosferatu” he called and then he made the sign of the cross when she turned around

“Oh hello chicken” she responded and made it sound like a term of endearment which wasn’t her intent but she was not unhappy about it.

“Should a phlebotomist be out in the sunlight?” Nathan asked

“What’s a phlebotomist?” one of the group asked and Harriet shook her head and took it as her sign to leave.

She said her goodbyes to her friends and quickly caught up with Nathan who had gone ahead.

“Thanks for that” she said

“For what?” he asked

“For exposing me as a phlebotomist” she said

“Ay?” he exclaimed in some confusion

“But you are a phlebotomist”

“I know” she said “but I hate the fact that I always have to explain it”

“Sorry” Nathan said

“So what do you do for a living?” she asked

“I’m a University Professor” he said proudly

“A professor?” Harriet replied a little impressed

“Aren’t you a little young?”

“Not in my field” he replied

“I thought professors were intelligent” she said with a laugh

“And I thought nursing was the caring profession” he retorted 

“So what are you the professor of?” she enquired

“Music” Nathan replied

“Really, what kind?” she asked impressed

“My field of expertise is early 20th century” he replied

“Like Puccini?” She said hopefully

“Like jazz” Nathan said

“Jazz? How disappointing, you got interesting for a second and then, wham! Dull as ditch water again”

“I like jazz” he said defensively “Jazz is very exciting”

“And people study that at University?” she asked derisively

“Of course, as part of a rounded degree course” he replied

“Do you play or just teach?” she asked

“Yes” Nathan replied

“Which one?”

“Both”

“What instrument? The washboard?” She asked and laughed out loud with delight

“That’s skiffle, not jazz” he corrected her “Philistine”

“What then?” Harriet persisted

“Clarinet” Said Nathan

“Really? But that’s a proper instrument” she said shocked “Are you any good?”

“Well I enjoy playing” he answered

“You’re really bad then” Harriet said and laughed again

“Why not come and judge for yourself” he said

“When?” she asked

“Now” he replied “we’re playing a set at the Jazz Shack on Finchampton Street”

“Ok” she answered although she wasn’t sure why

 

Nathan who was six years older than her, really liked her but worried about the age difference, however after the gig he suggested that they do it again.

Harriet was reluctant to accept, not because of the age gap or because she hadn’t enjoyed it.

Nor was it because she didn’t like him, because she did.

“We have absolutely nothing in common” Harriet said to him

“We share a sense of humour” he said

“That doesn’t count” she responded

“I think a good sense of humour is essential in a relationship if there is a prospect of someone seeing me naked” Nathan replied

“That’s really not much of a prospect” Harriet corrected him.

In the end she reluctantly agreed and much to her surprise it worked.

 

To the untrained eye they seemed an odd couple, she a beautiful willowy health professional and him an unspectacular looking academic.

There was the 6 year age difference for a start and they didn’t even agree on music, he was a devotee of early Jazz whereas Harriet favoured Puccini’s Operas.

But despite their differences they became a couple and learned to appreciate the others likes because that was what relationships were about, compromise.

And it was also patently obvious to everyone, that miss matched or not they were head over heels in love.

And after six months together Harriet could hardly remember the time before they met.

They did however still disagree musically but in all other matters they were simpatico.

For her 30th birthday he arranged a surprise trip to see Madame Butterfly, at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

Which had she not already fallen in love with him would on its own have won her heart.

Harriet loved every moment and it was a wonderfully romantic trip and on the night before they returned home, on top of the Empire State Building, he proposed to her and they married the year after.

Alas because she was a divorcee they couldn’t marry in Church, so the ceremony was held in the Abbeyvale registry office which was immediately followed by a blessing at St Candida’s Church.

 

Their reason for moving from Abbeyvale came out of the blue, they had been perfectly happy where they lived and she remained fulfilled in her job, but within a matter of weeks her job came under threat as the local trust were rationalizing services so she started putting feelers out and within a week she had an interview in Shallowfield.

 

Harriet and Nathan moved into number 1 Folly Cottages just before Christmas, the previous occupant was one of her new bosses Dr Claire Lutchford, who now lived on the other side of the lake with her new husband and they fell in love with the cottage instantly.

Originally there were six dwellings but after conversion there were now three terraced cottages and they were situated high above the northern perimeter road in a rocky glade.

The two end ones had two bedroom and the one in the middle had one.

Once upon a time they were home to peasants who worked the woods but now the peasantry couldn’t afford to live anywhere near the lake.

The view of the lake was spectacular although they couldn’t see it all or discern the teardrop shape that gave the lake its name. But the view of the surrounding ancient woodland of the Dancingdean Forest was majestic.

Although much of the modest body of water was obscured from view it was still quite beautiful and relatively unspoilt which was why the she instantly fell in love with the place, and as there was snow on the ground the scene was very picturesque.

Teardrop Lake and the surrounding woodland was privately owned and divided into twelve parcels each with one significant dwelling although there were a number of cottages dotted around the woodland. 

It was both idyllic and peaceful, there was little or no noise pollution and they had been reliably informed that although the lake was used there were no speed boats or jet skis, only rowing boats, canoes, dinghies and skiffs.

“What a perfect place to raise a child” Nathan said when they first looked out across the lake.

“If only” she replied sadly

“It’s just a matter of time sweetheart” he said reassuringly

“But time is running out” she replied, so he just hugged her

 

Fortunately Harriet was not the only new starter at the health centre or the only newbie to the area.

Elena Fedeli who was the new district nurse moved into number 3 a couple of days after the Robinsons.

However whereas Harriet’s move had been forced upon her Elena had been looking for a change.

As they both moved in before Christmas and weren’t due to start work until the New Year and as they were neighbours the two new girls gravitated towards each other especially as Nathan was only around at the weekend for the first week until the end of the semester.

Eva Christodoulou and Siti Shahara, who lived in number 2, also worked at the health centre, volunteered to show the new girls around and help them get their bearings and settle in.  

When they moved to Teardrop they had been together for over 7 years and married for 6, Harry was fast approaching her 37th birthday and she was convinced she could literally hear her biological clock ticking.

They had been trying for a family ever since they were married but it just wasn’t happening for them.

 

43 years old Nathan was medium height, slim build and had thinning sandy hair and grey eyes.

He loved her very much but he didn’t feel the same time pressure that his wife did but he was desperate to make her happy.

They had undergone all the tests imaginable but there was nothing physically wrong with either of them and everything was in good working order.

And a lack of trying was also not the problem and the love making was as great as it had always been and they didn’t stint on the quantity,

But it was all to no avail, but it didn’t prevent them from trying.

 

After a very active first Christmas in their new home on the Lake, the mad girls in number 2 made sure they had an enjoyable Christmas.

Harriet was really pleased that she wasn’t starting the new job on her own and she knew Elena felt the same way.

They both slotted right in at the Heath Centre and they soon found that the rest of the staff were just as friendly as their new neighbours were.

 

 

When she first walked through the doors of the Health Centre she felt instantly at home and it took Harriet no time at all to settle into a comfortable routine at work and find the natural rhythm of life on the Lake.

And in a matter of weeks it was as if they had lived there forever.

 

Almost as soon as her boss Olivia realised Nathan was a Professor of Music she kept making references to her about the Church choir and dropping hints about the need for someone with a professional ear to champion the Church music, but then she was married to the Vicar.

 

Eventually after a month or two the drip, drip, drip of Olivia’s Chinese water torture technique paid off and she succumbed or to be more accurate she made Nathan succumb and he took control of St Mary’s church choir.

 

As it turned out it was just what the Robinson’s needed something to put their collective efforts into, a common interest and a distraction from what was consuming her every waking thought, her failure as a woman.

As a member of the choir she threw herself into it body and soul and managed to put everything else out of her mind.

She even managed to persuade Elena to join and they were side by side when, on Easter Sunday, Nathan debuted as Choir master.

 

After Easter, life continued in much the same way until the summer festivities filled the calendar.

It began as it did every year on Teardrop Lake with Lynn Cooper’s birthday BBQ at Coopers Villa on the first of May and ended at the Shallowfield Lodge Hotel in September for Rob and Sheryl Browns Wedding Anniversary party.

It had been such a busy summer with the seemingly endless round of Hog Roasts and BBQ’s, parties and picnics that it wasn’t until summer drifted relentlessly into autumn that the hopeless longing for a child struck her again.

Nathan tried desperately to lift her spirits and for his sake she put on a brave face but inside she was dying.

 

There were other distractions in September such as

Olivia Shenton’s Wedding Anniversary and Chantelle Dooney’s birthday and Siti Shahara’s also had one in October, but overall not enough.

 

Throughout October at the health centre the main topic of conversation was the upcoming Lutchford’s Annual Fancy Dress Halloween party at Forest Lodge, to which all the staff were invited.

The talk was primarily of what costumes would be worn but more interestingly the gossip was mainly about past misdemeanours.

Everyone at the health centre apart from Elena Fedeli and the Vicar’s wife Olivia were going to the Halloween Party at the Lutchford’s and the two of them left work early for the church as they had chosen instead to attend the Halloween celebrations at St Mary’s.

 

Nathan and Harriet, both conscious of each other’s feeling of inadequacy, but were equally unable to discuss “the elephant in the room”.

So as the Halloween party approached, they had both independently developed a plan designed to cheer the other one up.

Nathan was already at home when Harriet arrived and was busy in the kitchen.

“Hi Hun” she called as she walked through the door

“Something smells good”

“That must be me” he said

“Nah it’s definitely something nice” Harriet retorted

 

After they’d eaten and cleared away they went into separate rooms to change.

When they were ready they emerged simultaneously onto the landing, the result of which caused hysterical laughter when they discovered what the other was wearing.

Harriet was dressed as a vampire and Nathan was wearing a chicken suit.

The laughter continued as they went downstairs into the lounge in fact it only stopped when they kissed, which was prolonged and passionate.

In fact the kissing lead to a horny vampire straddling a prostrated chicken on the lounge carpet.

Needless to say they were late arriving at the party.

 

That lustful Halloween Night seemed to have put the destructive thoughts of inadequacy into the shade, at least for a while and then as November progressed thoughts of Christmas took over and became all consuming, it was after all a celebration of their first year on the Lake.

 

It was the week before Christmas and Nathan had finished work for the holiday and was looking forward to his long break as he was off until the New Year.

And as Christmas was fast approaching he was taking full advantage of the fact that Harry was at work so he could wrap her presents.

He had just safely placed the wrapped gifts under the tree when he heard her car pull up outside the cottage.

She was home early so he quickly tidied away the wrapping paper, scissors and sellotape, and had just sat down on the sofa as she came through the door.

“Hi Hun” she said

“Hello darling” he replied “are you ok?”

“No I’m a bit queasy” she replied

“That’s not good for a vampire to get queasy at the site of blood” he said flippantly

“It wasn’t the blood” she retorted

“Was it the needles then? Are you turning into a chicken?” he said and chuckled

“No it’s not the needles” she stated and sat down beside him “there are other things that can cause queasiness in the morning”

“I know Hun, like too much Pernod the night before” Nathan said

“Yes but what else causes sickness in the morning?” She asked him leadingly

“Apart from a dodgy kebab, or 6 pints of Guinness, I don’t know” he said “what could cause morning sick...”

She sat looking at him patiently as the penny finally dropped

“You’re pregnant” he said

“Well done Professor”

“You’re pregnant” he squealed and then he kissed her

“We’re having a little musician” he said proudly

“Or a little health professional”

She added and he kissed her again

 

“So how pregnant are you?” he asked her later “when was it, you know”

“I think we both know the answer to that” she said

“Halloween” they said in unison