Chapter Two, Episode 150 - Bruised - Situationally Theirs

Bruised

Emelina Beaufort had not been alone that night. She had been so unaware of anything around her she could only feel the emptiness. Sarah, the Estate’s little ghost girl, was and still is, watching over her. For everyone else at the Estate, the pandemic had not seemed to have occurred.

~~~~~

It seemed like a bad dream. Everyone but Miss Em had gone away and now everyone was back. Despite the nostalgia about ‘the good old days’, to have those days back made Elizabeth shudder. Never much of a people person, she had almost enjoyed the lockdown. She was rested like she hadn’t been in years. It was only when she stopped thinking about the next menu, whether the pantry needed stocking or the freezer cleaned out was she able to see her own home. She cleaned her little place until she couldn’t clean it any more. With no coming in and going out, no visitors - it was usually only Samuel - there was seldom any dirt tracked in. Sometimes, after she’d been for a walk she felt like a rebellious teenager, making sure to track dirt in, throw down her coat on the chair rather than on the coat rack. 

“Elizabeth, dear, what are you muttering about?” Martha had been watching her friend tidying up the kitchen at day’s end; saw her shaking her head; tried to hear what she was fussing about and finally decided to just ask. “Oh, nothing much.” She finished up and took her purse out of the cupboard above the stove. “Didn’t look like much, dear. And I thought I heard ‘lockdown’ - we’ve all done with that nonsense.”

“Don’t you ever feel……I don’t know…..kind of strange sometimes?” Putting her jacket on, she stopped halfway, only one arm in a sleeve. “It’s ok when you or James or maybe one other person is here, but more than that, I just feel almost nervous. I can’t pay attention to what I’m doing.” She shrugged her jacket on, buttoned it up and was about to leave. “Oh, Elizabeth, I had no idea you felt like that. I’m so sorry! I’m not sure I’ve had a problem. James is always with me at home.” Martha, also readying herself to go home, was quiet. “I guess it’s only if a new person comes into the mix….like when Phillip started working with James. It took me longer to get used to him. Oh, maybe we’re just getting old, Elizabeth.” Martha laughed and patted her greying hair. 

“It is a bother, though. It’s been easy to slide back into our routines, and maybe be a little more relaxed about getting things done. Just surprised me when I started to notice being a bit edgy. Samuel’s even been more distant ~ we talked about that. He just thought I was worrying too much.” The two women walked to the door together. “James is in town right now. Even so, I’d best get home and get supper started. Will you be all right, dear?” Outside, Elizabeth looked up at the evening sky. It had rained earlier in the day, a light but steady rain, leaving the yard wet, smelling fresh and clean. She breathed deeply of the cool air. “Oh course, I will Martha. I’m getting used to people again. The better part of three years away from the activity of people coming and going, making my home cosy and safe almost spoiled me. There were times when I could have stayed there forever……” she laughed…… “until I got bored or lonely and called one of you. If I couldn’t get Samuel, I’d call you. I’ll be fine.” She hugged her friend. “Now you get on home to that handsome husband of yours. I’ve been so happy for the two of you - that’s one time during the pandemic that we all gathered together. The two of you getting married and having that lovely party outside was tonic for all of us.” 

As the sun set behind the trees, the clear sky looked bruised from the receding brilliance. The two women went their separate ways, Martha to her cottage and husband; Elizabeth to her little nest that she had come to know and love. To the first star that twinkled in the sky she said, “Life is pretty good.” She raised a hand to Samuel coming across the yard to meet her. “Supper at my house, Samuel?” In silent agreement, he fell into step beside her. One night bird called and then the air was still.

“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.”

~ Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley,  Frankenstein