“Em, I’m so sorry.” Jeremy and Emelina had gone out to supper in Hartley. It was their favourite restaurant. “Their” corner was dark and quiet. Whenever they had needed time together and away from their worlds, they went there. It was a habit developed some time before they were married. They hadn’t planned it, but it was neutral ground for hashing out sensitive questions. Like the most recent. Jeremy’s unsavoury behaviour over Emelina’s plans. Emelina’s walking out on him and letting him stew. They both knew how things could have been done differently, but had only talked to others, never to each other. A good thing. Emelina talking to Dez and Jeremy to Matt, had been a start for each of them. They greeted each other like they were on a first tentative date. Jeremy took her coat and gave it to the coat check attendant. They followed the maitré de in silence. Seated in their private corner, they looked intently at their menus. Jeremy closed his and reached for Em’s hand. “Em, I’m so sorry. This has all been my fault. I didn’t want to hear you out. I wanted you to give me all your attention. If you were to get more involved with the workings of the farming part of the Estate, you wouldn’t have time for me. My time away from work is so limited and I am so tired.” He stopped for a breath. Emelina had put her menu down, letting him talk. “Thank you, Jeremy.” She didn’t know what else to say. The waiter arrived to take their orders. She sensed the same tension that she saw at many tables, especially these private corners. “Do you need a few more minutes?” Looking up at her, Emelina smiled. “Yes, thank you.” Alone again, eyes twinkling, face serious she said “You should be sorry.” Then she laughed. “I just can’t stay mad at you. There’s no point Jeremy. I love you, just don’t be that mean ever again ~ you know how fragile I am.” They both laughed, the tension dissolved. They held hands and locked eyes. “You hungry, Em?”
“Yes, I haven’t eaten for hours.”
“Let’s order so we can get home.”
~~~~~
“Elizabeth, come to the cottage for supper tonight. You’re always feeding everyone else, I’d like to feed you for once. James has been out of town at a business conference for the Association he belongs to. It’s pretty quiet over there and I’d like your company for supper.” Cook wasn’t surprised. Martha had been distracted all day, missing James. She couldn’t have her daughter and grandchildren over; some school function had them occupied. “Sounds good, Martha, dear. I won’t have to cook, or wash dishes. We can gossip to our hearts content. Miss Em and Dr. Jeremy seeing each other again; Miss Dez and Mr. Matt off on some road trip; who knows what else we’ll get up to.”
“Well, we could play cards. We haven’t done that for a long time. There was a time when the two of us would get all dressed up and go out on the town.”
“You go ahead and get supper started. Let me tidy up here and I’ll be right over. I’m bringing dessert. I made peach pies today and one of them seems to be just for us.” Elizabeth texted Samuel. “Going to Elizabeth’s for supper tonight so won’t be home for the evening. Come for breakfast in the morning.” She finished tidying the kitchen and, as was her habit, set out what she would need for the morning. She glanced up the stairs. Miss Em seldom informed her about comings or goings, but she didn’t expect her home tonight, so she made sure all the doors were locked and the lights out.
“They spoke of small things at first, since it was best,
when reattaching threads, to begin with the easiest knots.”
~ Chris Cleave, Everyone Brave is Forgiven
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