Episode 84… An old friend… Part One
Charles often wondered if they would see or even feel the presence of their beloved Rebecca ever again, time took its place and life seemed to move on at a respectable if not enjoyable pace. As the business, in the little studio shop, gathered itself, Charles and Esme found more time to be together, and then one day in an early, cold December, a young lady entered their little shop in Bayswater.
Celia Tickle was a life long school friend of Esme, and they had many adventures together. This reunion was quite outstanding, she had walked into the shop quite courageously and just quite a lady. Charles of course, knew Celia, and there was much to talk about, so they took themselves into the small parlour at the rear of the shop.
There was talk of the schooldays and lots more. Esme and Charles listened with great interest.
‘I don’t suppose you know I married, yes… Another school friend, well perhaps you did not, you both have been so busy and I have followed your adventures in our local paper.
‘That’s wonderful news Celia.’ Esme and Charles chorused together and Esme blushed with the slight embarrassment for not keeping in touch.
I also followed Herbert’s rise to his present good fortune,’ she said with delight ‘ That’s how I knew where to find you both.’
Esme spoke quietly for a moment. ‘I once had a dream, at least, I’m sure it was a dream. We were all together. ‘We were all together on some adventure, then the scene dissolved and I was standing outside Charles home, and I don’t know how or why. Tell me, did you marry a school friend from one of our adventures.?’
‘Yes, I did, his name was Robin, Robin Masters, and we had a wonderful time in the four years that we were together. He was a painter, an artist, a potter, he drew wonderful pictures of me and of many others. His success was remarkable. He was loving and caring, and thankfully, he left me a small legacy from the short years we had together and that gets me through the bad times and the memories.’
‘Can we help.’ Esme asked thoughtfully. We will help in any way we can Celia, you know that, you only have to ask.’
Celia read Esme’s thoughts carefully. Then suddenly broke into tears, I’m sorry’, she sobbed. I didn’t come here to disrupt your lives in any way, please forgive me Esme, I know you have this gift, both of you, a way of going beyond our normal lives and into the darkness beyond, I have read and heard the rumours, that you, have a way, of reaching the spirit world, that is far from our normal understanding and far from our perception of what lies in the darkness and for the destiny of all of us.’
Charles and Esme looked at each other with open faces, and thoughts crossed both their minds. “This was a friend in trouble”
