Delia was laid on her bed when the tapping at her door began, she was irked that she had to pull herself out of the warm cocoon she had made.
Pulling open the door, Delia pushed out a dejected "hello" looking up she saw the sheepish looking Patsy.
Delia was surprised, Patsy was the last person she expected to see at her door. There was an awkward silence that felt like an eternity before Patsy finally whispered, "I was…err…hoping to come in?", Patsy fiddled with the hem of her skirt, "you know…to err …discuss what has happened..." Patsy voice trailed off.
Delia said nothing but turned into the room opening the door wider.
"Well?" Delia sighed, "Say your peace" Patsy was faced away from Delia looking at the book case in the corner of the room.
It was not long ago, she reminisced, that her and Delia were organising Delia's books when she first moved in and were nearly caught in the throes of passion by Trixie. Patsy's mind flicker back into the room at the sound of her own laughter at the memory, she turned to face Delia.
Delia's first was twisted into a frown as she started Patsy in the eye, "WHAT?" Delia shouted "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU FINDING FUNNY, RIGHT NOW? IN THIS MOMENT?" Delia's eyes had welled with tears and Patsy knew that she had put her foot in it once again.
"Nothing…err...just memories from when you first moved in and Trixie nearly walked in on well you know what" Patsy blushed.
Delia's face softened at the memory for a brief second before another frown etched upon her forehead. "Seriously though Pats, why have you come here?" Delia's voice was soft but emotionless, Patsy hadn't expected this.
Patsy eyes met Delia's and then dropped back to the ground, she moved from by the book case over to Delia's bed. Sitting down Patsy's voice quivered and she let out an "I love you"
Delia turned to face Patsy "And I love you cariad, but that was never the issue, was it?" Delia's voice was quiet and Patsy knew the Welsh nurse was on the verge of tears.
Delia studied Patsy's face, she had seen her lover look sad and downbeat before but she had never been the cause of the look. It was hard to read Patsy sometimes, she was very good at bravado, perhaps due to the war or maybe it was just because of how guarded she had to be about her love life; either way this usually made it all the more difficult to gage Patsy's real feelings. Not this time though, Delia could see every inch of pain in the lines forming across Patsy's forehead.
"Cariad, what are we doing here? I love you, you love me, but we don't seem to be moving forward in anyway. We're stuck in a convent for God's sake!" Delia threw her arms up in dismay.
Patsy knew she was right, they were stagnating. Their relationship had progressed no further than dates and stolen moments. Teenagers' relationships had developed further than hers and Delia's had, they had never even shared a hotel room together. Patsy opened her mouth but no words came out.
"I think the silence says it all" said Delia as she turned to look out of the window. "I will always hold you dear Pats, but maybe we've come to the end of our fantasy?" Delia looked dejected, but shed no tear.
The sound around Patsy blurred, she had come into Delia's room expecting to leave with the safe knowledge her and Delia were okay. That they were going to survive this. Now she just felt like they were finalising their break up. Patsy rose from Delia's bed, bending over she placed a peck upon Delia's cheek and muttered "I will always be here Deels, waiting for you, if ever you miss me do not be afraid to search me out" and with that Patsy left Delia's room.