Molly walks out the front door and like all the other sheep she walks down the hill towards town.
She hears a revving of an engine getting louder.
The motorcycle stops directly to her right.
The rider hands her a helmet.
Molly grabs it and stands irritated at the interruption getting home to her Jennifer.
The rider takes off their helmet.
Molly smiles, "I know those eyes". She quickly pulls up her skirt, gets into the sidecar, puts on her helmet and braces as the motorcycle weaves in and out of streets.
Moments later they arrive at Chantry House.
"My mother and Kay returned from their Africa trip with this and decided that it would be best for our commute. That way the hour each of us waste daily will be utilized more efficiently."
Molly smiles at the concept of free time.
"Kay and April brought it up from London."
"Where are they?"
"They had to return to the farm." She hands over an envelope, "This is from your brother."
"Your brother followed in the farm truck." She sees the disappointment in Molly's face. "They truly had to return."
Molly quickly opens the letter and begins to read out loud without hesitation as they have their afternoon tea.
After she finished the letter she looks up, "I have found a roommate."
"Who?"
"Her name is Isabella Conard. She is German Quaker who married a History Professor at Oxford." Molly leans in and almost whispers, "She works the regular shift and commutes back and forth from Oxford almost every day."
Jennifer joins in the excitement. "We need a roommate to add to the illusion of us working girls."
Molly shakes her head in agreement and continues, "Which means we also have the income to pay for this place. It should make your family happy. She will be by sometime next week."
"Where is she currently staying?"
"She is paid up through the month, believe it or not, at Park Hotel."
"Urgh!" Jennifer squishes her nose, "We must rescue her from that place."
Molly smiles.
"On another note of schedules. I have been thinking about changing my shift to midnight, to match yours."
"That is up to you," Jennifer offers eyes of concern, "It is a difficult shift and everyone is cranky. I don't want you miserable or cranky."
Molly shakes her head, "So what if I am cranky? I am cranky now." She refills their teacups, "It would be easier for us to share meals, socialize and even manage the business. It makes practical sense. Also, I don't know exactly what you do, but I know it is not in my area. I never see your name on our work. So, if I am cranky, you'll never know."
"I know when you are cranky. You don't smile as bright and laugh less. Thank you for the tea." Jennifer enjoys the warmth of the hot tea. She closes her eyes and feels the warmth through her body. She sparks up as if she just remembered something, "Speaking of business. The delivery of our inventory will be here Sunday and the kitchen should be fully stocked. All the employees have been hired."
Molly's face changed from cranky to annoyed.
"I am sorry, today is my only day to get things in order. Tomorrow is my third week with my sixteen."
Molly leans over and touches her hand, "Do you mind that we just talk ... we are unable to talk about our days. Can you please remind me of our future?"
"Our future?"
"Yes, tell me what you see in our future?"
Jennifer tilts her head, "I am not a fortune teller."
Molly teases, "It is just make believe."
Jennifer knows certain things, but not sure how much she should share. She starts out with a bomb, "We shall have eleven children."
Molly almost chokes on the biscuit in her mouth. She inhales her tea to stop from coughing crumbs all over the table. "Eleven? How on earth? Eleven? Why Eleven?"
"I want my own cricket team."
"Who will be birthing these eleven children?"
Jennifer takes sip of tea, shrugs her shoulders and smiles, "You."
"Me?"
"I can't."
"You can't?"
"Correct. I am biologically unable. That burden is all yours."
"But I can?"
"Yep?"
"Who shall put me in 'the family way'?"
"Me, or course."
"With you?"
"Yep. Like my grandmother and my mother."
"How do you suppose we are to raise eleven children in this little place? Let alone the scandal it will cause as we are two women! I will be a woman of questionable morals."
"We won't be living here."
"No"
Jennifer shakes her head slowly, "No."
"Where shall we be living."
"We shall be living with my family." Jennifer halted the game, "We never talked about our future. I have wasted any normal courtship pinning over my sister's wife. We spend our times comforting each other out of exhaustion or the business. "
"Ah." Molly becomes quiet. "Just to be clear, I do not want eleven children."
"Neither do I."
"Then why on God's earth do you tease me so?"
"Because our future, where we will be, how we live or even where we live is almost uncertain. We are at war and I am scared that we are putting the cart before the horse. We have kissed, we have a business together and ..." Jennifer waves her hand, "We have a home. But we don't share a bed because I have been a fool."
"Agreed. But we are here now." Molly reaches out and touches Jennifer's hand.
"In a regimented life." Jennifer coils her fingers around Molly's hand and points to a window with her free hand, "We are bound. I wasted so much casual courtship."
"Which is why I want to change my shift." Molly smiles, "You owe me outing and a true courtship."
Jennifer sits back, "When do you suppose you change your shift?"
"Tonight."
Jennifer lets out a huge laugh and continues until she realizes that their shift begins is less than seven hours. "We need to get some sleep."
Molly frowns
"I tell you what. Tomorrow we shall a full breakfast, a real breakfast together. We will talk, really talk about things."
Molly grins, "Deal."
They kiss and head towards their separate room.
"When do you suppose we are supposed to share a bed?" Jennifer asks from her open door.
Molly smiles as she shuts her bedroom door.
The next few days Jennifer and Molly scour the residence area of any sign of a relationship. They strip the common rooms of anything that could remotely connect the two in any way other than a friendship.
When Molly returned from gathering flowers, food and a few knick-knacks for the small living area she was surprised to see a few working men leave the Chantry House. "Jennifer, was there a problem?"
Jennifer laughed, "Not a problem. They built a solution. Come see." Jennifer takes a bag and leads Molly to the residence and into her room. "I had them switch your bedroom to the room next to mind. You gain a larger window overlooking the grassy knoll." Jennifer swings molly around to face a built-in.
"A closet space?"
"Not just a closet," Jennifer slides it open and walks straight through to her own room. She turns around and waves to a stunned Molly.
"That is brilliant."
"This way," Jennifer walks back into Molly's room. "We can have our own privacy, no matter the roommate."
Molly kiss Jennifer.
Jennifer smiles and continues the tour, "I had the men add locks to each of the bedroom. That way the roommate will have privacy, security and will not give a second thought to ours."
Molly is about to kiss Jennifer again but is interrupted by a knock at the door. Her eyes go wide, "That must Mrs. Isabella Conard!"
Molly attempts to move.
Jennifer pulls her close and kisses one last time.
Mrs. Isabella Conard loved all the simplicity of the common areas, the lock on her door, she didn't see any fags nor signs the two women partake.
"Who owns the business below?"
"We both do," Jennifer quickly responds. "It is a teahouse, laundry service, bookstore."
"There is no alcohol served," Molly shares hoping to appeal the Quaker morals.
"Do either of you attend services?"
"With our schedule with B.P. sleep is a religious experience." Jennifer responds with slight annoyance, "I assure you that there is a no men policy in the bedroom. I misspoke, the business downstairs is our responsibility. However, the initial investment has been relatives."
"I see." Mrs. Isabella Conard looks around the room, "I like the flowers. How do you spend your free time?"
Molly laughs, "Free time? We manage a business downstairs, gleefully take our shifts at B.P. and what is left is allocated to eating or sleeping. I thought you would rather be here than at the grubby pub?" Molly pulls Jennifer arm and looks at the watch. "We begin our shift at eight. We are going to have a half a sandwich, tea and right to sleep."
Jennifer looks at Molly, "B.P. makes everyone cranky." and turns her attention to Mrs. Isabella Conrad, "I apologize. We are tired. You can think it over. Molly is right we do need to get some sleep before our shift begins."
Jennifer leads Mrs. Isabella Conard to the door, "Please let us know within a week. Have a good day, evening."
Mrs. Isabella Conard nods, "Thank you."
Jennifer closes the door and returns to the common area and pulls Molly into a hug. "Let's get some sleep."
Jennifer and Molly sleep in their separate rooms with the closet doors open.
Jennifer sleeps soundly as she can taste the air of Molly scent.
Molly sleeps peacefully dreaming of eleven children playing cricket.
Mrs. Isabella Conard sends word two days later. She places a deposit and moves in the following week.