Rita, Jules thought, was one of those people who had kindness running through her like a seam of gold. She probably couldn’t be mean if she tried.
She headed upstairs and turned on the taps. There was a small velvet, button-backed chair in a corner of the bathroom and whilst the room filled with the scent of rose and patchouli and the bath frothed with bubbles, she sat in it and poured herself a cup of amber liquid. Even though it was still light shelit a couple of candles, one called Peace, which had a snow-white quartz embedded in the wax, and another that was prettily pink and glowing. Taking off her clothes she sank into the water, closed her eyes and gave thanks for her day.
CHOICES
‘That worked well,’ Isaac said, as he and Eliza sat on the bench enjoying the last of the evening sun. ‘Our guest definitely had a different demeanour when she returned.’
‘Tired,’ Eliza said, ‘but you are right, Isaac, there was a change.’
‘Did you put that idea into Carrie’s head?’ Isaac asked, his eyes twinkling as he studied his wife.
‘I might have floated the suggestion around her,’ Eliza replied, with a mischievous smile, ‘but I believe that our lovely Carrie would have got there on her own, without my help.’
Isaac shook his head.
‘How did you know that was what our guest needed?’
Eliza shrugged.
‘When Carrie arrived, I could see that she needed to sleep, to do nothing for the first few days, but Jules is different. She has already had a week on her own and although she needs rest, she will also benefit from activities which take her mind off her troubles. Carrie recognises that, too.’
‘But pottery?’ Isaac said with a frown. ‘It could have been a disaster. Sent her self-esteem plummeting even further.’
‘Possibly, but we didn’t think so. Our guest delivers babies, she helps to give birth. Creating something with your hands is another form of that.’
They sat for a moment quietly, watching the sun go down.
‘Modern medicine is a marvellous thing,’ Eliza reflected. ‘Perhaps if we had been granted a different time in which to live…’
Isaac took her hand and lifted it to his lips. She pulled herself up a little from her waist, shuffled her shoulders.
‘We made the best of our situation, didn’t we, Isaac? We’ve been happy, just the two of us, have we not?’
He rested his forehead against hers.
‘Of course, my love. You know that you are my world.’
She closed her eyes for a moment.
‘And of course we may not have met each other if the timing of our lives had been altered,’ she said.
‘What is meant to be is meant to be, isn’t it?’
He nodded.
‘And you don’t have to give birth to be maternal, do you? You can fulfil that instinct, that purpose in other ways.’
‘And you have, my love,’ he said, kissing her on the cheek. ‘You still are.’
She leaned her head against his shoulder.
‘I couldn’t have borne an existence without you, Isaac.’
‘But you would not have known,’ Isaac said, smiling.
Eliza felt his chin drop to nuzzle her forehead.
‘I would have known that something, someone was missing. I’m sure of it.’
