Review, Revision, Edit and Update
Continuing on my overuse of he/she, an unexpected value of being alert to this little writing glitch showed up. In this Episode, with only Emelina Beaufort and Jeremy Crawford, they are confronting their mutual past. In their rather tense discussion, it seemed to me that judicious use of a character's name specified that character's individuality. Utilizing the common pronouns (he/she) seemed to level the playing field in their discussion. If anyone has a different perspective, please tell me.
Troubled
“What do you mean ‘wasting our time’, Jeremy? We needed to do this. Look them both right in their beautiful faces and remember all our good times ~ and some not so good times.” Emmie's mind was set. “I’ve essentially been away from everything for five years. You’ve been buried in your work for the last four years - and especially this last four months with Covid.” Jeremy’s face tensed and he sat forward, leaning towards her. “So can’t we just leave it all behind and get on with our lives. We've only got a few days left in this week.”
Sitting on the floor of the rustic outside patio, Emmie tilted her head towards Jeremy, turning the pages of the album he had just put down. “I suppose that’s possible. But maybe you would be able to do that better than I have been able to. I will tell you that once we’re finished here, I want to box up all of these pictures and set them aside……….and get on with our lives. I would like to choose one picture of the four of us…..”
Jeremy interrupted “Why? And do you have to do that today? If you haven’t let go of Mike yet, tell me and we can go from there.” He was not a little bit upset. But what could he do? He needed to go for a walk. “Emmie, I want you to stay here with the photos - hard copy and digital. I’ll leave my laptop open so you can see what’s there. For now, I need to go for a walk.” He leaned in and kissed Emelina on top of her head. She felt a shock of anxiety go through to her gut. He strode away from her and down to the beach, his hands pushed into his pockets.
“Jeremy……..” But he was too far away for the Emmie’s tiny, frightened voice. Going into the kitchen, she poured a glass of lemonade. Staring out the door of the cabin, seeing him in the distance she thought Was I wrong to insist on these trips down memory lane? I just don’t know. Do I need ‘just one picture’? From where she stood, Emmie studied the two small piles of loose pictures, the few albums and their laptops strewn on the patio. She looked up at his ever receding back as he walked towards the hiking path. More thoughts flooded her mind Did I get what I needed from going over the photos with him? Do I really need even just one? Or do I want more time with Jeremy? What would Dez be telling me? Aloud Emmie said. “I’m making this decision on my own. Dez would just shake her head and tell me I’m crazy to let him get away!” Emmie laughed out loud, scooped up all the photos and carried them in the cabin, returning to the patio for the laptops. Putting them all on the table, she closed and locked the door and set off at a run towards the hiking path. Slowing, she could see Jeremy at the top of the path sitting on a flat rock, his elbows on his knees, chin on his hands.
“I’ll not be a weak woman anymore.” She had reached him and before he could stand up she spoke. “First of all, I don’t believe I was wrong to insist that we go over the past together. Do I need one picture of the four of us? No, but I think it would be nice. Do I need it today? No.” Aloud, she answered all of the questions that had plagued her. Jeremy, taken by surprise, stayed sitting, jaw slack, listening to Emelina. “I believe that our morning session going over all those old memories was good, at least for me. I know now that Michael is gone and that I want more time with you, Jeremy. I don’t know what kind of a relationship it will become - just a casual week away from our personal lives, or something deeper.” She paused and took a breath. “Emelina. Is that you?” Her bold assertion surprised him. While he had been sitting on his own, thinking and thinking, he was not sure that he knew what he thought he had known. Did he really want time with Emelina or was he trying to find just a tiny bit of the life he had had with Elaine? Looking at all the images - glossy or digital - he felt torn.
There in the sunshine, away from the worlds they had each come from, Emelina and Jeremy embraced. They made no decisions that day or the days remaining in their little vacation. The pictures were packed away and put in the trunk of Jeremy’s car. Laptops were shut down and put away. They walked on the beach. They swam sans bathing suits. They roasted marshmallows. They slept in together. They cooked their meals together. They learned an easier, more relaxed way to be together.
“Trouble is part of your life, and if you don’t share it, you don’t give
the person who loves you enough chance to love you enough.”
~ Dinah Shore
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