Review, Revision, Edit and Update
I rewrote several pieces in this Episode, beginning in the very first paragraph. The final sentences in that paragraph did not make sense, so were removed and rewritten. I'm not pleased with the title, but chose to leave it alone. I'll not go into detail about others later in the piece. It really reminds me that a good copy-editor is very necessary. I am very grateful for their good work.
Catching Up With Cook
Fashioning her life from abundance seemed far-fetched to Dez then. On some days, it still did. Her sister, however, was full of fanciful ideas. Dez was twelve and Emelina was fourteen. Dez, wanting to be known as Big D, was always playing at being an adventurer or gypsy. She did try her hand at tree planting one summer, but the grubby glamour of it quickly wore thin. Emelina, on the other hand, wanted to be just like Amy March in Little Women. Dez pooh-poohed her choice. “That's dumb, Em. Jo was the smart one. Climbing trees and chopping of her hair, scribbling stories, going off to the city by herself.” Sharing a bedroom, they had a strip of green tape down the middle. Dez's half of the bedroom was a mess. She couldn't tell her clean laundry from her dirty laundry and didn't really think it mattered. Emelina's side was neat a pin, not a speck of dirt to be found, and pretty as she could make it. Many times their mother shook her head with a laugh. “Emmie. Dez. I just give up on the both of you. Just make sure you keep your room clean.”
~~~~~
Driving to the Estate, Dez had decided to take a more scenic route. It was an early, but warm, spring day. Window rolled down, she spoke to the crying gulls that hovered in the air currents along the coast. “We’ve both landed where we wanted. I’ve had the life of a gypsy and here’s Em on an Estate, all kinds of money and a handsome doctor to boot. Hah!” She tap-wiggled her fingers on the steering wheel. Her adventures had not been the adventures of a twelve year old, but each one had taught her a lot about herself. How to roll with the punches, settle and be still when she was flat on her back, and pick up and move on again when it was time. Her sister’s money and people to do for her, had kept her seduced by the calm beauty at the estate, but stifled by the expectations her sister lived under. Since Covid when life spun out of everyone’s control, she had changed. Without her sister's staff in those early pandemic days, having to take Dez in, the two of them back together after years, her sister also had to change. She had believed that they wouldn’t be able to get along again. The distance between them was as great as it had ever been and included strips of green tape that kept them apart. Dez chuckled. “It was the green tape. We managed to get across it and be friends again.”
~~~~~
Dez followed the gravelled drive around the Estate house. Parking in front of the back porch, she turned off her old Jeep. Gathering up her battered leather bag and her Orchard manual, she stepped out on the gravel and walked up the steps. “Cook! Do you have coffee on? Have time for a visit?” She liked Emelina’s cook. No nonsense, much like the gardener Samuel. And her food! Always delicious. “Yes, I’m here Miss Dez. Coffee’s in the pot and I’m getting scones on the table. It’s tea for myself and a good visit with you. We’ve not crossed paths for quite a bit.” Dez did feel like giving Cook a hug, but was still hesitant because of the pandemic. “It is so good to see you! How are you? You were under the weather for a while? Where is everyone?” In the breath before the next question, Cook laughed and said. “Slow down, Miss. I am fine. I was never under the weather, just isolated when Martha was sick. My sister Lily passed away in England. Digby is in his office. Martha is still home but much better. Samuel’s in the garden. Your sister and her husband are out walking. There. Have I answered your questions?” Dez just stood and listened, breaking into a smile as Cook spelled it all out. “Oh, Cook, I’m so sorry about your sister! I know you loved her letters, and loved writing to her.” Cook sat down with her mug of tea. “Well let’s not talk about that. I get all teary and like to leave that til I get home. What about you? I know Miss Em has missed you, even though she sleeps in at your place when Dr. Jeremy is working.”
“We don’t really get much chance to visit. She’s up in the morning and gone til late in the afternoon. I’ve had a few afternoon jobs, so we just wave at each other. Leave notes like when we were kids.” Dez turned away from the table suddenly. “What’s that noise?” A rattling and a sharp bell broke into their conversation.
“Oh, that’s just the dumbwaiter. The two of them must be back in for the snack I sent up for them. Dr. Jeremy has eaten every crumb I’ve sent up there. Miss Em sends me a note asking for more. Seems I can’t fill him up.” She brightened up, pulling pencil and paper from her apron. “Here. Write her a note about something and we’ll send it up to them.”
~~~~~
“Meet me by the garden shed in thirty minutes.
Come alone. Make sure you are not followed.
(but you can bring Jeremy)
Big D
Her note secured to a pottery plate with sticky tape, Dez set it in the dumbwaiter. She rang the bell on the shaft. Pulling on the noisy old chain, the note disappeared into the darkness.
“I had dreams, but I didn’t have the sense that they would
necessarily work out. They seemed very far-fetched.”
~ Greta Gerwig
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