Louisa raised her beer glass high and her friends did also. "To the completion of another successful year at Portwenn Primary!"
As their glasses clinked together, happiness echoed in the various replies.
"Hear, hear!"
"We made it!"
"Vacation, here we come!"
This group of teachers was enjoying one of their first days of freedom from their classrooms until the next term began after summer holiday. They were relaxing over a late lunch in the nearby town of Wadebridge before their drive back to Portwenn. Carol had stopped for Louisa early this morning and she'd seen that Annie and Sandy were in the car already.
This shopping excursion had been hastily arranged after Louisa mentioned at her Farewell Party that she needed to buy a few more things before she left for America, like toothpaste, a few cosmetics and maybe some last minute additions to the wardrobe she was taking on her trip.
Louisa had been escorted from shop to shop by these friends eager to have her try on the latest fashions and to help her find just the right outfits to impress everyone she would be meeting over the summer. They agreed her purchases perked up the clothes they had all seen her wear during the school year. Louisa had been urged to buy a few more items, but she was being her practical self. Growing up as she had, she knew about living with a scarcity of funds and so she did not indulge her whims for shopping very often.
Several shopping bags now were leaning against Louisa's chair and they held a new dress, a scarf and several colorful tops that she knew would be easy to pack and launder. She hoped the young students in America would enjoy seeing her wear them because the little girls in Portwenn often made comments about what she wore.
Louisa was feeling happy and confident. When she got home, Louisa knew she would check off shopping as one of the last items on her list of things to do to get ready. In just two days she would close her suitcase and be all set for her teacher exchange trip. She was going to America!
The subject of shopping in America had come up as they looked at a store window of several mannequins wearing denim jeans and jackets. "Isn't that one souvenir people always bring back from America? True-blue American-made blue jeans?" Annie asked.
Carol added, "That's all my teens want to wear. Now it's ones with the tight, skinny legs, the latest style."
"They're as American as MacDonald's," replied Sandy.
Louisa did not add anything to this discussion. Although she had been trying not to think of him today, an image of Martin wearing a suit entered her mind and she had quickly thought, "I'd like to stuff his bum into a pair of jeans, and give it a pinch too!"
This thought surprised her and she certainly could not say it out loud. After her encounter with Martin last night, she was thankful for this planned excursion and had been enjoying a day away from Martin and Portwenn.
Sandy's remark reminded them that they were hungry and Annie piped up, "No burgers for me. I'll take fish and chips every time."
"And I know just the pub here that serves the best," said Carol as she directed them across the street.
In a few minutes they were seated inside the comfy pub. Feeling satisfied with the day's purchases that Louisa and several others had made, the friends were ready to enjoy their lunch of fish and chips.
Carol raised her glass and called out, "To our adventurous colleague, happy travels!"
"To Louisa, have a great time."
"Bon Voyage!"
"Don't forget to come back!"
Louisa called out, "Of course, I'll come back!"
Annie, sitting net to Louisa, touched her elbow as she said, "Louisa, I'm thinking you'll meet someone in far away Illinois in America, fall in love and never come back!"
Louisa replied, "No, I don't think that could possibly happen."
"Ah Louisa, so there IS someone back here for you." Sandy positively beamed at Louisa as she said this..
"...and we know who it is," sang out Carol.
"I don't understand why you're leaving right now. Shouldn't you stay around, keep things moving forward." That was Sandy again
Louisa quickly said, "My bags are packed and ..."
Carol quickly stopped her. "Louisa, you could make the biggest catch of the season. More than all the fishing boats in Portwenn together!"
Then Carol's voice filled with awe, "The village GP ..." and trailed away.
Louisa glanced down at her hands, clutched together tightly in her lap. She took a deep breath, raised a hand to a passing waiter and asked for a glass of water.
"Are you feeling okay, Louisa? A touch of love sickness?" Annie inquired.
Louisa took a sip and when she looked up, there was a stern look in her eyes. She was determined to end their playful bantering. She began, "I am trying to understand your interest in my relationship with Martin ..."
"You make the perfect couple," gushed Sandy as Louisa finished her statement,
"... but there isn't one."
"There could be," Annie responded.
Louisa continued, "I must remind you that we are all teachers, working women, and we share a goal of doing our very best by our students. I hope this trip will help me learn ..."
"Louisa, we're on holiday. You don't need to sound like our headmistress," Carol said.
"We're just having a bit of fun," explained Sandy.
Oh no, Louisa thought, suddenly very aware of something. Now she knew how Martin had felt after she had made her careless remark about his gift and laughed last night. He had gotten up and walked out of her house.
Her appetite was gone. Her thoughts were racing. She could leave too. She should just get up and call a taxi right now. She was not the one who had driven the group to Wadebridge and she could get back to Portwenn by herself.
But then Louisa clearly realized something else. No, she did not handle things the way that Martin had last night. She would not leave. She could give as well as receive.
"Annie, has Howard come down to see you from London lately? Sandy, why did Cal get so drunk at my going-away party? And Carol, I'm wondering if Jerry really does like that new hair color of yours?"
Her friends had stopped talking and were sitting there with their mouths open like baby birds waiting to be fed.
Louisa finished her tirade by flashing her warm, lovely smile at all of them. She spoke slowly again. "So let's stop this line of talk. Just leave the men out of it for today."
"Hear, hear," Sandy raised her half-empty beer glass and the others raised theirs.
"To summer."
"To Louisa's trip."
"To good friends, no matter what," Louisa concluded.
She hoped they were still her friends. She felt a bit remorseful that she was as blunt in assessing her friends' relationships with the men in their lives as Martin could have been.
The group began to discuss and compare plans for the summer. Louisa talked about the small community in Illinois that would be her home for the next few months. No one else was traveling outside of Great Britain. Annie was returning to her hometown in Scotland to give her father a respite from his daily care of her invalid mother. Carol and her husband were taking their children on holiday to the Lake District for some hiking on the fells. Sandy and her husband were doing some remodeling work in their kitchen.
Louisa listened as the lively chatter continued and she wondered who she would be sharing her thoughts with in the weeks to come. She hoped she would find at least one friendly person, perhaps a fellow teacher, to spend some time with when the work days were over.
"Louisa, isn't that right?"
"Oh, sorry. What was that you said?" Louisa turned to Annie in response to her question.
This time Annie asked, "Where were you, overseas already?"
"Oh, no, not really. Just thinking how I'm going to miss all of you."
Annie gave Louisa a sly smile. "Louisa, don't you really mean the one you're going to be missing is that lovable GP of Portwenn?"
"Martin ... he ..." Louisa began.
At the mention of Martin's name, Carol and Sandy stopped talking together and turned to look at Louisa, all ears for her response.
Louisa did not know what to say. She thought she had stopped all speculation and talk about her and Martin just a few minutes ago.
Annie's question reminded her of the awkward spot she was in. Seeing him yesterday had not gone very well. She felt confused, wanting to stay in Portwenn and clear things up with Martin, but now eager to be off on her trip to Illinois and away from him too.
Annie quickly filled the silence. "I saw Doc Martin in the Pharmacy yesterday morning and Mrs. Tishell couldn't take her eyes off him. She was batting her eyelashes and practically falling over trying to find what what he needed ."
Louisa replied, "She can have him!"
Seeing the surprised looks on her friends' faces and feeling as surprised herself by her abrupt remark, Louisa had to backpedal a bit. "I didn't really mean that. Martin is too good ... Ah, well ... you know Martin, he can be so ... grrrrr ... irritatingly Martin!"
Louisa saw heads nodding all around the table. but she immediately realized that she had only made things worse. She would be bombarded with comments and questions. She wished the whole subject of conversation, actually any talk at all about Doctor Martin Ellingham, would be dropped as quickly as you could fall off a cliff in Portwenn.
She decided to be evasive, but polite.
"We agreed, no talk about men. My lips are sealed." Louisa again gave them her biggest smile.
"Thank you for taking me shopping here in Wadebridge. You all helped me so much. Finally I am feeling ready for this trip. It can't come soon enough. I wish you all a wonderful summer!"
Louisa saw the others eye each other and that there was mutual agreement. There would be no more talk about any of the men in their lives today.