The CBB :: View topic - For Christine

#1: For Christine Author: CBB Secret Santa,

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 10:13 pm

Jo Bettany picked up her shady hat from the hat stand in the hall and left the house quietly so that she disturbed no one. She desperately needed time to herself, time to just sit and daydream, letting the world go by. Tomorrow was her wedding day, and the last weeks had been hectic, what with trying to get in touch with those of her friends who could make the trip to Guernsey, finding a dress, and all the other hundred and one details that have to be seen to before a wedding. To complicate matters, she was marrying a Catholic. It made no difference to her what his faith was, nor to her sister, but it meant that there would have to be two ceremonies - the wedding in the Anglican church at Torteval, and a blessing in a Catholic church. Jack Maynard had found a wonderful chapel, built by a monk and decorated with shells. It was very small, so small that only the immediate family could be accommodated, but Jo had fallen in love with it at once.

She wandered along the cliff path that led to the wide sandy bay where they all loved to swim, drinking in the summer smells, and the sound of the sea washing onto the shore. Seagulls swooped overhead, shouting their raucous cries, and she could here children shouting somewhere below her. Presently she came to an outcrop of rock and sat down, remembering the last month or so. She knew that Jem had hoped that she would forget if the subject was never mentioned, but Jo wanted to remember. Not the horror, the feeling of helplessness, the terror that she and her friends had endured, but she needed to put it into perspective and settle the whole affair in her mind, rather than have it shunted away into a corner. She was afraid that it would fester if she did that. Besides that, she wanted to get a book out of the experience, so she had to get her memories sorted out and clear. The problem was that once she was safe she had collapsed and frightened everyone. The strain and stress had all caught up with her, and she had let rip at her sister of nothing very much and then fainted. When she came to herself again she was in bed, and there she was made to stay for far longer than she had wanted, given the option. However, she was not given the option and she stayed where she was, whether she liked it or not. At first they had not even allowed her to read, but had also said she wasn’t to think about her escape from Austria.
“How can I avoid it when you won’t let me read?” she had asked, perfectly reasonably she thought.
“Now Jo, don’t be awkward,” replied Jem. “You need to rest, and you can’t rest if you’re reading. Do as you’re told like a good girl, and maybe you can read for a little while tomorrow.”
A little while had turned out to be half an hour, which as Jo had complained was almost as bad as nothing at all. Just as she reached that point in her musings, she heard the sound of footsteps coming along the path, and frowned. She really didn’t want to see anyone, but she recognised the limping steps of Bill, who was still using a stick to help her walk after the long trek out of Aria had made her foot flare up again. She nearly got up and walked on, but felt a little too lazy, and then it was too late.
“Hello Jo. Having a peaceful few minutes?”
“Hello Nell. Yes, I needed time to think, and you can’t think in that madhouse. I wanted to think about Austria and everything else, but Jem doesn’t like me to talk about it. Says it’s better forgotten.”
Miss Wilson sat herself down on the rock beside Jo, and looked at her thoughtfully. The colour had come back into her cheeks and she looked herself again.
”You know Jo, I don’t altogether agree with Jem over this. Bad memories need to be put behind you yes, but not forgotten. How do we learn and grow if we only remember the good things? We were there, and he was not. What about Jack? Can’t you talk to him about it?”
“A little, but I think he believes the same as Jem, that it’s best to forget. I don’t want to do that. But because I’m supposedly highly strung they all try to keep me in cotton wool, and I’m a bit fed up of it if you want the truth. I’m not what Matey calls a spineless jellyfish!”
Miss Wilson laughed. “No Jo. No one could ever say that of you. But you are still too close to your childhood illnesses for anyone to want to take any chances with your health.”
“I know that really. It’s just sometimes that it all gets to me. Then I have to get out and walk and think. Talking to you has helped me see that I’m not wrong, and nor are they really. We just see things differently.”
Miss Wilson rose to her feet. “I’ll let you get on with your thinking. You know you ought to be able to get a book out of all this. That would do you far more good that trying to forget it all. I’ve always understood that writing can be therapeutic.” And with that she set off along the path leaving Jo alone. Forgetting all her training about sitting on grass, Jo slid down the rock until she was sitting with her back leaning against it, and let herself drift. The talk with Bill had cleared her mind a lot, and now she was able to let the memories wash through her, sparking ideas for her next book. She even had the title now - ‘Nancy meets a Nazi’.

#2: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 10:27 pm

Thanks santa!

Lucky Christine!

Ruth

#3: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 10:36 pm

Thanks, Secret Santa. That was lovely and moving for Christine. It's good that Nell was able to help Joey.

#4: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 4:05 am

That was nice, thanks, Santa. Naughty Bill, daring to disagree with Jem's advice!

#5: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 12:15 pm

Thanks Santa. Bill is so right - writing is therapeutic Smile

#6: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 5:14 pm

Thanks Santa!
That was lovely, and good for Nell! I think that chat was just what Jo needed!

#7: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 7:10 pm

That was so lovely - thanks Santa Very Happy

Liz

#8: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 9:18 pm

Nell is so right. Catharis central.

Thank you Santa

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