Goodbye, Emmet
Hyacinth stood on her doorstep expectantly awaiting the arrival of the postman. He looked up the driveway, apprehensive, as he spotted her standing stoic like a sentry. He could feel his palms get clammy and he licked his suddenly-dry lips.
"Good morning, postman!" she trilled, her perfectly-coiffed auburn hair glinting in the morning sun.
He mustered up the courage to approach: back straight; stiff upper lip; head held high; steely gaze fixed. He marched right to the front door and thrust a handful of assorted envelopes at her. Elizabeth opened her door to await her mail and watched the scenario in front of Hyacinth's house unfold.
"Emmet! Come quick!" she whispered to her brother who sat in the front lounge sipping his morning tea.
Emmet silently scurried to his sister's side. They had a front-row view.
"Here!" the postman said curtly.
Hyacinth received the pile and riffled through it. She made a face as she felt the dampness from the postman's hands.
"Wait!" she protested, "This one has second-class postage! I object to having second-class stamps thrust through my letterbox!"
"Then perhaps you shouldn't associate with second-class citizens!" he spouted, "Good day, Mrs. Bucket!"
"It's Bou-"she began to say, but he was well on his way; he didn't even bother to wait for her correction as he stalked toward Elizabeth and Emmet's. Hyacinth was left steaming.
Emmet and Elizabeth stood tittering as Hyacinth caught them standing there.
"Elizabeth! Emmet!" she beckoned, her mood shifting.
They straightened, faces devoid of joviality. The postman rounded the driveway and approached. Emmet ducked behind a pillar.
"Yes, Hyacinth?" Elizabeth called.
"Coffee at, say, nine twenty-five?" she chirruped.
"OK!" Elizabeth said, then winced, regretting her knee-jerk answer.
"Bring Emmet!" Hyacinth answered. Emmet grimaced.
"Nice try!" the postman quipped, "You almost got away with it!" He laughed.
Emmet narrowed his eyes, "Shut up or we'll bring you along!" he threatened.
The postman handed Elizabeth the mail and departed quickly. Emmet began laughing again from his hiding spot. Elizabeth handed Emmet an envelope containing first-class postage and an official-looking return address.
"Here, brother dear. This one's for you," she smiled.
Emmet gingerly ripped into the envelope. His eyes scanned the letter and then went wide. His face exploded into a wide, open-mouthed grin, "Brilliant!" he exclaimed.
"What is it?" Elizabeth asked, craning her neck to read.
"It's an acceptance letter from Reading School. They're want to hire me as a music professor!" he gushed.
Elizabeth hugged him tightly, "Well done, Emmet! Congratulations!" she beamed.
Emmet smiled proudly, "This is going to be a great opportunity!"
Suddenly, Elizabeth's smile faded, "Reading? You'll be leaving then?" Her shoulders slumped. She'd grown accustomed to having another adult in her home. She enjoyed the quiet times they shared together and having someone to eat meals with. Elizabeth missed her husband immensely; his work in Saudi Arabia kept him away from home for the past four years. Her daughter Gayle was away at university and, having completed her bachelor's degree, was accepted to her graduate's study program. Another four years minimum. Elizabeth sighed.
Emmet's smile fizzled as well.
"I'm afraid so, sis. Well, perhaps it's best with all what's gone one between her and me," he nodded toward Hyacinth's. His mouth formed a straight line and his forehead furrowed, eyebrows arched.
"If it didn't happen, would you still have gone? To Reading?" she asked, taking the letter from him.
He nodded, "Yes. It's time I'd moved on with my life. The work I do here is piecemeal. Church musicals. Tired, old plays. Playing piano for the old folks at the nursing home. What I really want to do is teach, Liz!" He held both of her hands in his.
"Then go and do what makes you happy!" she said, her smile returning wider than before. She knew that he wasn't truly happy living here; she had hoped he would have found someone to settle down with. Perhaps a fresh start in a new place was just what he needed.
He tightened his grip on her hands, leaning in to kiss her cheek, "I'll come visit every chance I get," he whispered against her face. She nodded.
"Well, we'd better get over to Hyacinth's; you know how she is about punctuality!" Elizabeth joked. Emmet chuckled and stashed the letter in the inside pocket of his jacket.
xXx
Emmet and Elizabeth stood on the brick front step of Hyacinth's detached home and removed their shoes.
"You know, she made me remove my shoes all those afternoons?" Emmet said as he sat down to untie his brown suede shoes.
"Really?" Elizabeth said, smiling incredulously, "I guess she doesn't play favorites!"
Emmet stood, smoothed his trousers, and pressed the doorbell. The whimsical electronic Westminster chime tolled.
"I shall not miss that!" Emmet sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Coming!" Hyacinth bellowed.
She cheerfully opened the door for her friends.
"Come in! Come in!" she welcomed them, giving Emmet a sideways glance as he passed her. He smiled uncomfortably, but Hyacinth strode to the kitchen unflapped.
"Sit down!" Hyacinth invited.
Emmet and Elizabeth took their seats as Hyacinth bopped over to the coffee maker to fill the carafe. She was in a good mood which made Emmet and Elizabeth cautious.
Hyacinth returned to the table carrying a tray of her fine Royal Doulton bone china cups and saucers with the hand-painted periwinkle design. Her pride and joy.
Elizabeth put her hand up to protest. The Royal Doulton with the hand-painted periwinkle design always made her exceedingly nervous.
"Hyacinth, I'm perfectly alright with a beaker!" she said, her voice cracking a little.
"Nonsense!" Hyacinth countered, "Nothing is too good for my company!" They both rolled their eyes.
She poured them each a cup of coffee, "Biscuit?" she asked offering the plate to them.
Emmet took a biscuit and set it on the edge of his saucer, "Thank you, Hyacinth." The air was thick with awkwardness and anticipation. Hyacinth subtly brushed the back of Emmet's hand. His breath hitched. Hyacinth sat down in the chair closest to the kitchen worktop and took her cup, added two sugarcubes and stirred.
Elizabeth broke the tension, "Emmet has some wonderful news, Hyacinth."
Hyacinth's head swiveled from Emmet to Elizabeth and back to Emmet, "Oh?"
Emmet took the letter from his inside jacket pocket. He unfolded it and handed it to Hyacinth. She read it quickly, her lips forming the words on the page. Her lower lip quivered and her eyes went sad.
"Are you going to take the job, Emmet?" she choked.
He nodded, smiling nervously, "Yes, Hyacinth."
Her eyes locked on his and she looked as if she were about to cry. Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably. Hyacinth inhaled slowly and her mouth split into her signature smile, "Congratulations, Emmet!" she bubbled and lay her hand on his arm, "You will be an excellent professor of music! My Sheridan has always had excellent professors at university!"
"Thank you, Hyacinth," Emmet said sincerely.
"I shall miss our having our threesome for coffee," she said softly. Elizabeth stifled a giggle as she saw Emmet's face blanch.
"I told Elizabeth that I shall visit every chance I get. So I will still be able to occasionally enjoy your delicious coffee!" he winked.
"We shall have to have a candle-light supper before you go. A sort of Going-Away Soiree! Something intimate, with only a few select people and lots of little things on sticks," she said brightly, waving her hand with a flourish, her eyes dancing.
"I shall look forward to it!" Emmet grinned, "You'll have to invite your sister Rose."
Hyacinth's eyes flew open and she gawped at him, "Rose?"
"Yes. Rose," he said, smiling like the Cheshire Cat.
The telephone rang as if on cue. Hyacinth chuckled nervously, "I'd better answer that," she said springing to her feet, "It's probably someone very important!"
She fled the room and Emmet and Elizabeth stared at the closed door shaking their heads.
"Rose?" Elizabeth cocked her head and arched an eyebrow questioningly.
He shrugged and grinned mischievously, "Why not?"
From the foyer, they could hear Hyacinth trill merrily, "The Bouquet residence, lady of the house speaking!"
Emmet and Elizabeth tittered and drank their coffees breezily, calm now that Hyacinth was out of the room.
"Oh, it's you Violet!" she turned toward the door and poked her head into the kitchen, "It's me sister Violet; she's the one with the Mercedes, sauna, and room for a pony..." she trailed off. Emmet and Elizabeth mouthed the words as Hyacinth recited.
Elizabeth eyed her brother, "Rose?"
He pursed his lips in thought, "A little something to for the trip..."
Elizabeth shot him a mock-horrified look, "Emmet! You're wicked!"
"Blame the older sister!" he said sing-song and stuck his tongue out at her.
Hyacinth fluffed a dust rag at the knick-knacks above her telephone station, "What do you mean Bruce has asked you to shave his body? What ever for?"
Violet had responded and Hyacinth's face contorted and her eyes blinked independently, as if her facial muscles had short-circuited.
Elizabeth walked to the foyer and Hyacinth, upon seeing Elizabeth, chuckled nervously, "Violet, I can't discuss Bruce's upcoming swimsuit model photo-shoot; I have company."
Pause as Violet protested to being dismissed.
"No, Violet, I'm pretty sure neither Elizabeth nor her brother Emmet would want to have a copy of Bruce's photo spread from the Lally and Willets catalog!" She hung the phone up abruptly.
"Hyacinth, Emmet and I have to go," Elizabeth explained. Emmet joined his sister in the hallway.
"Oh, yes, dear. Certainly. It has been a wonderful afternoon; thank you both for coming," she smiled, composing herself, "Richard will be disappointed in your leaving, Emmet. He is so fond of you."
Emmet's throat constricted as he recalled his last encounter with Hyacinth, "Give him my regards."
"Yes, dear!" she smiled.
Hyacinth walked her guests to the front door and they left.