Chapter 20 – Admission

I was rather surprised when I saw Morwenna come into the cafe with the Curate, Rosie Edwards. The place was rather out of the way - over by Bondieve - one of the reasons I liked to come here. It was outside of Wadebridge proper so it was quiet, at least when I ate here. I put my tea cup down and called out. "Morwenna?"

She turned when she heard her name. The girl smiled when she saw me, so I waved them over.

The two of them came to my table, so I said, "Sit down, won't you? Please? Join me."

"Oh no, we couldn't," said Morwenna, trying to catch my eye in a fidgety way.

Hm. Something was going on. "No, I insist, and I need a spot of company."

Sighing, Morwenna sat, but she had to touch the Curate's hand to get her to do the same. I waited until they had settled, then called the waiter over (a rather spotted boy who acted as if he'd rather be home playing video games than having to put on clean clothing, face people, and work).

Slowly the boy slouched over bearing two menus, a pitcher of water, and two glasses, still acting like he was doing us a favor by just breathing on us.

"There's sandwiches," the kid grunted. "Nothing fried cuz the fryer is packed up. But the rest?" he shrugged.

"Thank you," I responded then gave him an encouraging smile. "We'll order when we're ready."

Grunting, the kid left us.

The Curate seemed to be a little abashed to be seen out of church, so I tried to put her at ease. "Miss Edwards, so good to see you once more."

She ducked her head. "Dr. Ellingham, yes. Good for me to see you. Uhm, and, how are you?"

"I'm quite well thank you but do call me Ruth." I mock shuddered. "Now that I'm living down in Cornwall my professional title can get in the way."

"Yes," the Curate replied. "I know all about that." She looked around the room. "You cannot imagine how my position can put people off." She peered around the tiny room. "This is… nice. Quaint."

Morwenna chortled. "That's as good as any word. Means old."

Miss Edwards nodded and heaved a deep sign. "And you can call me Rosie." She fanned herself and pulled at her neckline. "This dog collar can be a bit stifling, especially in this heat wave. It's good to be, oh…"

"Off duty?" I asked.

Rosie grinned. "Yes… now, about a sandwich. Hm. Crab maybe?"

"I was looking at the chicken salad," Morwenna said. "With fruit. No chips or crisps for me… oh, for a while." Her hazel eyes bored into me. "Have you ordered?"

"Just before you walked in."

Morwenna got a nod from Rosie, so she called to the waiter. He brightened considerably when a pretty young woman spoke to him. Clearly he was put off by my age, but he enthusiastically took an order from the lips of a pretty young lady. I noted that Morwenna was only having water to drink but Rosie had asked for coffee.

"Not drinking I see," I observed.

Morwenna ducked her head. "Uhm, no."

"Good for you. Alcohol is contra-indicated in pregnancy," I said to her quietly.

"Gawd! Who told you?" Morwenna hissed and her face flushed from her hair roots down to her neck.

"Your boyfriend."

She shook her head. "My God! Does everybody know?"

I touched her hand. "No, my dear. Just those who care about you."

Rosie patted the girl's other hand. "I have noticed there is quite a sense of community here about."

Morwenna shook her head. "Oh. Yeah, then that's all right, I suppose." She shook her head and changing the subject turned to Rosie. "You were rather dropped into it with the Rev Moore being away," I said.

"Yeah. Oh yeah." Rosie gulped at her water. "It wasn't… all that easy… getting a job. I'd resigned my last position to go… uhm…"

"To Australia," I prodded. She blurted it out in front of a whole church full of people.

She rolled her eyes. "Holiday. Yes. I… had been… that is I was…" she sighed. "Engaged. But…"

To spare her a lengthy expose, I said to her, "You went all that way for no good outcome."

"We were going to have a beach wedding." Rosie shook her head and I saw how her eyes had gone moist. "But sadly… no," she managed to say, then shook her head. "Water under the dam."

"Bridge, I think," Morwenna told her. "You poor thing."

Rosie inhaled noisily. "Oh yes. Gerald. Gerald works for BAE and got transferred to Adelaide. Systems analyst, electrical engineer by training. He's tall and rugged, blonde hair… uhm…" Her eyes went wide. "And a body to die for," she gasped. "Oh God in Heaven!" her voice fell. "You know I still dream about him? I will admit though, that I might have seen the signs if I'd been looking. Why else would a man move halfway around the world? Hm?" She added a sad and long sigh. "What a bloody cockup that was for us… for me."

"Perfectly natural to feel these sorts of things," I told her, "after a breakup."

"But… but… he let me fly ALL THE BLOODY way down there! Sell my flat and most of possessions! I had the cutest little car too; a red Mini," she sniffed. "Oh Lord I loved to tear around in that thing. Only at night of course, when… well, when no one could see it was a lady in a dog collar driving!" she giggled then stopped herself with a will. "But that was then, and this is now, and I have to make the best of things, right?"

"Sure," Morwenna told her, then put her arm around the woman's shoulders. "It'll get better."

Rosie smiled. "Buck up, dad always used to say. But why oh why did Gerald let me come down to Oz and then tell me? That uhm… it was… we were… over?"

I shrugged. "He didn't know how to."

"Yes, that's it," Rosie replied. "It was like a cancer diagnosis, you know? Didn't know how to face it. Not that I have cancer, but… it's like that. But good God he could have called me and just spit it out, or even sent an Email!" She slammed her hand down on the table with a loud splat. "Bloody coward he was."

Morwenna and I exchanged eye signals. "So, here you are now. In a new job, and a new place," Morwenna told her. "A new start, right? About Mrs. Tishell… well, she can be a bit…"

"Difficult," I said. "What with all that's happened."

Rosie nodded. "Yes, I know. I heard about that. I'll make peace with her tomorrow." She smiled at me and Morwenna. "But here I am… now… and making new friends," she nodded to me and Morwenna. "Still no boyfriend, though."

The waiter brought our food right about then so the conversation was ended for quite a while; mercifully.