“Martha, did you bring the mail in?” James Digby was home for supper. “Yes, dear. There’s a letter here from Thom. And the hydro bill. Nothing much else except some flyers.” James could hear Martha’s careful setting of the table. The plates had to be just so, the cutlery lined up properly. She had learned her table setting craft for the Estate and insisted it continue in their home. James didn’t mind at all. He preferred precise. “I’ll be right there, supper smells awfully good.” Martha laughed. “Well, it should. It’s a gift from Elizabeth. One of her lamb stews that she had set aside for us - the rest are in the big freezer. All I had to do was heat it up. She sent some scones too so we’ll eat well tonight.”
James barely heard her, he had opened his brother’s letter. Since their visit the previous year, he and Thom had been corresponding regularly. “We may be having company again this winter. Thom and Sonja are planning a trip to the Island to get away from the snows. Says it’s not too bad right now so they don’t know exactly when they want to come.” He folded the letter and put it away. “Now what’s this about Elizabeth’s stew?” His wife was already sitting at the table, patiently waiting for her husband. He kissed the top of her head as he passed. “You didn’t hear me? Doesn’t matter, I’m just glad you’re home.” She served them both a good portion of stew and passed him the basket of warm scones. “Wonderful that they’re coming again this year! Did he have anything else to say?”
“That is a delicious stew, Martha! Sorry I couldn’t answer you right away.” Buttering a scone and taking a second helping of the stew, he went on. “In my last letter, I told him of the developments Miss Emelina is making. Getting more active in the garden and orchard. ….and the apiary. I let him know my concerns about how she would manage. She’s always been so gentile in her life.” His wife frowned. “Now, James, really. I completely disagree. She’s much stronger than you and Samuel think. And apparently, Dr. Jeremy too.” She got up to make their tea. “You men. Take a look around you. How many women work and have worked on this place….and hard work too. Certainly we’re not outdoors like Samuel. And you’re an insider yourself.” She set the teapot down with a thump. James knew he had crossed a line with his wife. He should know better than to even suggest that any woman was weak. “Here, let me pour the tea and you know I wasn’t demeaning Miss Emelina. I just worry about her.” Her face still a mask, she said “Well you needn’t worry about her. After all she’s a grown woman who finally knows her own mind. That pandemic was horrible for many, many people, but for Miss Em it was a God send.” James started clearing the table. “Thom reminded me of all you women and the work that gets done when the rest of us aren’t looking.” He saw the pie on the counter. Time to change the subject. “Peach pie, Martha!?” He took dessert plates down and cut generous slices of pie. Topped them both with ice cream and took them to the table. “Smile, dear. Let’s have a nice evening.”
~~~~~
“Dez. Can I ask you something?” The two sisters were in the upstairs living room after supper. “Of course you can! What is it?” Emelina had been quiet throughout supper, often staring out the window. “Well, I’m not sure. Have you heard anything from Jeremy? I know it’s only been a couple of days, and he does text me every night to say good night, but……I don’t know. Was I wrong to walk out on him? And why do I get strange looks from people when I tell them I’m going to be involved with the outdoor work? And why are you grinning at me like a cheshire cat?” Dez had been happy that her big sister was taking the situation seriously. There had been a time when she would have wanted…..no expected….. someone else to take care of it. Blamed Digby or Martha or anyone she could find. This sister was the girl she had grown up with, always with her finger in every school activity. Running them, participating in them, getting others interested in participating. “Em, you’re back to who you used to be. No I don’t think you were wrong to walk out on Jeremy. That’s what you would have done when we were growing up. Didn’t take anything from anyone. Even if you did have your nose in the air most of the time.” She hit the mute button on the TV. “The strange looks? I think that’s only because you have been a ‘helpless female’ for a long time. I know you’ve never been helpless, but you’ve never had a problem getting others to do your work for you. You’d been doing that so long, that no one knew you could do anything else.” Emelina leaned her head back on the sofa and laughed.
Then sat up. “Really. You don’t have to be so mean……but I guess you’re right. Jeremy was being a jerk and had been for too long. And no one ever suspected that I could do anything outside but walk the track.” Dez sat forward. “Remember that first night of the pandemic when you had to come to pick me up?” Em nodded. “Yes! I was terrified at first because I was all alone, but when that police officer called and asked me to come get you I didn’t even think about me. I just knew I had to find the car keys and get to town. Bring you home. Didn’t matter that we’d been mad at each other for years.” Relaxed, she smiled and picked up her phone. “Thanks Dez. It’s time to call Jeremy.”
“We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place,
we stay there, even though we go away. And there are
things in us that we can find again only by going back there.”
~ Pascal Mercier, Night Train to Lisbon
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