Thursday 12 September 2024

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (186) New Years Eve

 


When they first moved to Spaniards Creek, Molly was hoping

St Clara’s would suit her rather more than the main churches on the island in St Pierre.

So, when she and Danny walked inside, she was apprehensive, but she was not disappointed with the church she’d chosen and felt immediately at home, and they had been regulars ever since.

It was a small church by Norman standards and was full of catholic iconography and a spectacular stained-glass window behind the dais was a joy to behold.

 

It was a gloriously bright morning, on New Year’s Eve, with a clear blue sky and not a hint of breeze or the snow which was expected by the next day.

The Church was well attended and there was a hum of chattering among the congregants as the news of Arielle’s blessing was spread among the faithful, they spotted Arielle sitting on the front pew with Harry in protection mode and they assumed the other woman with them was Justyna Krajewska.  

She and Arielle were the same age, but very different in appearance, both were attractive women, Arielle was a small and delicately featured woman with bobbed brown hair, and pale complexion due to her condition, whereas Justyna Krajewska was a tall willowy woman, with shoulder length brunette hair, intelligent green laughing eyes, a broad toothy smile and a warm open manner and altogether a very pleasant demeanour.

“Hello Arielle” Molly said and stooped down and kissed her.

“Hi Molly” she responded “Have you met Justyna, she is a fellow cleric”

“Hello,” she said and shook her hand “How do you like our little church?”

“I love it, I felt immediately at home as soon as I set foot inside” Justyna replied

“Yes, it had the same effect on me” Molly responded and smiled at Arielle.

 

Reverend Henry Noble took the service, but Arielle did the reading, however that would be the last time either of them attended St Clara’s for a while and the following Sunday Reverend Justyna Krajewska was in the pulpit.  

 

The Shaw Brothers Ferry Company were holding a New Year’s Eve party at the Mablethorpe Spa Hotel in Pipershaven.

Bernie Keach worked at the St Giles Island office and travelled to the Hotel in the morning and was the first to arrive and had booked in early, so he could enjoy some of the facilities.

Later when he was on his way down to the bar to have a drink before going in to find his table, he heard a commotion at the function’s check in desk, and he recognized one of the voices as one of his colleague’s, Ewa.

He paused on the stairs and drank in the scene, though his eyes were focused on her, and he thought she looked gorgeous in her evening dress.

“What do you mean I’m not on the list?” she shouted

“My name is Ewa Szczepaniec”

“I can’t see it” the receptionist said as he perused his list “Can you spell it?” 

“S.Z.C.Z.E.P.A.N.I.E.C” she said slowly and deliberately

“No that hasn’t helped” he said, “Can you write it down?”

Reluctantly she printed her surname on a piece of paper and handed it to him

“No that hasn’t helped either” he said and then laughed

“Wow that would score big on scrabble, perhaps that’s what we should call you Miss Scrabble”

“My name is Ewa Szczepaniec” she repeated slowly “S.Z.C.Z.E.P.A.N.I.E.C”

“Yes, I understand” he said “but I must just ask, do you lot have something against vowels”

“My lot, my lot, what do you mean, my lot?” she said angrily, which was when Bernie arrived, and stepped between them before Ewa brained him.

But it quickly became apparent that she was not calming down, so he steered her away from the fray and she left reception like a marauding bull, with him right behind her carrying her pashmina and clutch bag.

Once Bernie caught up with her, he walked Ewa around the courtyard and calmed her down and soothed her temper with his comforting words and a reassuring hug.

 

After half an hour her mood had lightened sufficiently for him to propose they make another attempt to gain entry to the function and she concurred, so they walked back to the Hotel arm in arm and he stayed by her side all night, and she had never in her life been happier, so at the end of the evening on the terrace in the moonlight she kissed him.

They often joked over their long life together that the entire night had been something of a cliché, but they didn’t care.

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