Chapter 1: Prologue
—
Saturday the 4th of May 2014
The day had dawned blessedly bright and clear. Delia Busby sat at the hotel suite dressing-table and applied the final touches to her hair and make-up.
She and Patsy had booked themselves in to a spa hotel in Brighton for their special weekend, and had spent most of Friday pampering themselves and sampling as many of the hotel's varied therapies as they could squeeze in before dinner.
Pausing for a moment now, in front of the mirror, Delia leaned forwards a few inches and scrutinised her reflection.
She winced slightly at the sight of the elderly face gazing back at her - framed by once raven hair, which was now silver and cut in a much shorter style these days - her reflection often caught her by surprise.
She never could quite get used to it. Inside, she still felt 26 years old. It was at least a kindly face she thought however, with clear blue eyes, undimmed by age, that glittered with the same enthusiasm and humour of her youth.
The evidence of her life was etched clearly for all the world to see in the soft, fine lines that crisscrossed her skin. She smiled at herself then, and her dimples deepened… they had gotten her into a few scrapes in her younger days…. not least of which had been catching the eye of one Patience Elizabeth Mount…
She grinned at that thought, and the laughter-lines around her eyes and mouth formed even deeper crinkles - she was particularly proud of those. Aside from the few rough patches along the way that most people experience, almost every one of her 77 years had been happy ones. And today - well today was going to be the icing on the cake!
She had paused again to select her final choice of lipstick from her make-up bag, when Patsy's rich, low contralto sounded from the door of the ensuite.
"How are you coming along old thing? Trix and Babs will be here in an hour or so…."
Patsy had eventually given up smoking 30 years ago (thank God), but the habit had left a lasting effect on her vocal chords. Delia had to admit however, that it was really very alluring - often reminding her of a mature Lauren Bacall...
Delia smiled and twisted around in her chair, to see Patsy wrapped in one of the thick, fluffy hotel robes and leaning against the door frame watching her.
"Hey - less of the old, thank you very much…" Delia chided softly, "…you do know you'll always be a few steps ahead of me on that score!" she teased gently, turning to face her love.
"You know, you really should start respecting your elders Busby - but then again - why break a habit of a lifetime…?" Patsy flashed that lopsided smile - the one that always did strange things to Delia's heart - and crossed the room quickly. She stopped by Delia's chair and rested her hand on the smaller woman's shoulder, before leaning down and gently touching her lips to Delia's, "You look lovely Deels" she whispered.
Now in her 81st year, age had not diminished Patsy's stature.
In fact, she cut quite an imposing figure. She knew it too, sometimes using it to her advantage when the need arose. Delia loved seeing that in action! She still stood tall, and moved with the easy elegance and grace of a considerably younger woman.
Her skin, although lined with age, was clear and soft, and her high cheekbones were still one of her best features. Her hair was white as snow now (she'd finally stopped colouring it when she'd hit her fifties). She still kept it shoulder length, but always styled it straight and smooth. That and her occasionally stiff, achy joints were the only true indicators of her advancing years.
Those offending joints - her knees in particular - had nearly let her down (quite literally) last summer, in an incident which had led to this very moment…
—
Wednesday the 17th of July 2013
Delia was bustling around the kitchen of their Brighton townhouse preparing dinner. Patsy had inherited the house in her father's will in 1962, and over the years they'd managed to turn the old place into a warm and welcoming home.
"Sweetheart?" Delia called over her shoulder to her partner, who was engrossed, as usual in the Six o'clock News in the conservatory, just off the kitchen.
"Can you put garlic and red peppers on the shopping list, cariad? We're almost out…" she called before carrying on intently with her culinary tasks.
Silence...
"Pats?"
No response...
She was about to turn and go through to the conservatory to see if Patsy had nodded off again - when suddenly, she felt long, slender arms encircle her waist. She jolted in fright and nearly chopped her index finger instead of the tomato she was working on.
Dropping the knife onto the chopping board, she whirled round, still in the taller woman's embrace, "Jesus Pats!" she exclaimed, "what are you playing at? I nearly lost a digit!"
Patsy just smiled lopsidedly.
And then dropped slowly - and with some considerable effort - down onto one knee.
For one horrifying split-second, Delia thought her love might be having some sort of turn, but then Patsy took her left hand, and ran her thumb over the ring on the third finger there.
The she heard her say Those Words: "Delia Busby, will you marry me?"
Delia inhaled sharply and blinked.
After what seemed like forever she finally breathed out, "What…?"
Patsy grinned, "Deels - I just heard it on the BBC news - Parliament has passed the Same Sex Marriage Act - we can actually get married!"
Delia's mind had started to whirl.
"But we're already civil partners…", she stated blankly. She thought back to that day in 2006 when they'd gone into the Registrars Office with Trixie as their witness. They had exchanged vows and rings, and it had been lovely and amazing… if a little low-key…
Patsy's voice pulled Delia back to the moment: "Deels, please don't let me kneel here any longer… I don't think my knees - or my heart - can take it… will you marry me?"
She smiled tentatively and added hopefully "…you can finally have that wedding you always wished for… shall we do it?"
Delia's mind cleared then, and she gripped Patsy's hand tightly "Oh God, yes Pats I'd love to - let's do it!"
Patsy laughed in relief, "Thank goodness, otherwise that would have been rather embarrassing!"
Delia heard herself giggling like a school girl.
"Actually Deels…" Patsy whispered then, still kneeling on the floor, "…this really is embarrassing - I can't get back up!"
"God Pats…" Delia laughed, bending to help the stricken woman up off the floor "…you really are a fool," then she added softly, "…a beautiful, soft-hearted old fool - and I love you so much!"
She leaned forwards and tilted her face up towards the now upright Patsy. The taller woman inclined her head downwards and hesitated, before closing the gap a fraction and pausing again, her eyes flitting to and fro between Delia's eyes and lips. Then she finally leaned in and kissed Delia softly.
Delia felt Patsy's eyelashes brush lightly against her cheek as her eyes closed, and she was instantly transported back to a very similar, very hesitant kiss that they had shared a lifetime ago, when their love was brand new.
—
TBC
