Turning down the stereo, Emma contemplates how she will apologize to Ms. Bates. It has been two weeks since she saw her at the picnic. Congress was a lot of fun, but now it is time to mend some fences.
She finds a empty parking space in Ms. Bates apartment complex next to the building with a large “B” on it. She walks along the path traced with green foliage to an apartment “2” on the door and knocks.
The curtain in the front living room window moves, but it seems like forever before there is any answer. After a few minutes, Jane finally answers the door. “Hi Emma. How are you? What are you doing here?”
“I came by to bring you some cookies and I brought some flowers for Ms. Bates as well” softly states Emma feeling uneasy.
“That was very nice of you. Ms. Bates isn’t feeling so well today” explains Jane rubbing her forehead just above her eyebrow.
“Do you mind if I come in anyway? Just for a few minutes . . .” asks Emma knowing that her presence is probably what is making Ms. Bates not feel well.
Jane looks sympathetically at her and lets her in the door. Emma turns as the door on one of the bedrooms down the hallway shuts quietly.
“I can make you some coffee or tea if you would like. We can share the cookies that you brought with you” offers Jane heading towards the tiny kitchen.
“Thanks! Do you have any sweet tea by chance?” asks Emma “If not, hot tea is fine.”
“Actually I just made some this morning” replies Jane from the kitchen also pouring a class for herself.
“It was such fun at congress this year, don’t you think?” asks Emma.
“I think that I’ve had the best time in years! It was so good seeing everyone from around the territory too and catching up” states Jane loudly in the direction of the hallway when she notices Ms. Bates door slightly opening up.
Jane nods to Emma towards the door, “I had such a good time seeing Ellen, Anne, Ted and Captain Brandon. It was so good to catch up with them and see the pictures of the baby. Anne sent some pictures to my phone as well this morning. Do you want to see them?”
“What a cutie! She looks like Anne with a touch of Brandon in her eyes” exclaims Jane loud enough to be heard in the hallway.
The door flies open, “Can I see too? Captain Brandon was such a good and kind officer. I miss him so much. He always came to the house and spent time visiting with mother and me. It was such a beautiful wedding ceremony. I am so happy for Anne and Brandon” Emma smiles at her and gives her the phone instructing her how to change to the next photo.
“The baby is so precious. I need to make a package of goodies and send it to her right away. I wonder what size she wears. Let’s see, she would be about two months old. I should probably get 6-9 month old clothing because babies grow so quickly and if the outfit is too large she can grow into it and wear it for a longer time” gushes Ms. Bates excited to see the photos of two people she deeply cares about.
“Captain Brandon and Anne wanted me to give this to you” Emma hands a card full of baby photos to Ms. Bates. A couple of tears fall down her cheeks as she opens the envelope. “How thoughtful of them to remember me” pleased murmurs Ms. Bates.
“I want to apologize to you. I’m so sorry that I was very rude to you the other day. It was very wrong and immature of me to be so thoughtless. You are a wonderful person and I enjoy having you in my life. Everyone knows how kind you are and I was being unkind” starts Emma not allowing Ms. Bates to get a word in while she apologizes.
“It doesn’t matter. I know that I can talk . . .” begins Ms. Bates.
“No, I should have kept my mouth shut. I was mad about something else and unfortunately and stupidly took it out on you” sincerely apologizes Emma “I hope you still consider me a friend after all of my nonsense.”
Ms. Bates looks to the floor. She has been quite miserable dwelling over Emma’s comments from the picnic. However, she likes Emma and especially has missed her visits in spite of the uncharacteristic rudeness a couple of weeks ago. “We are still friends. You never stopped being my friend”.
Emma stands up and gives her a hug which Ms. Bates returns. Jane sighs relieved that Ms. Bates depression should now be easing some that a bridge has finally been made between the two. It has been a very long couple of weeks and Jane is glad they are over.
There is another knock at the door. Ms. Bates turns to Jane “Is it him again? He was just here yesterday and he stayed so late too.”
Jane blushes as Grant comes in the doorway not seeing Emma sit on the sofa “Hi beautiful!” looking at Jane and then Ms. Bates “It is good to see all of you again! How are my favorite ladies?”
He gives Ms. Bates a hug and then swiftly heads toward Jane before he sees out of the edge of his eye someone sitting very comfortably on the couch. He slowly turns with his mouth still open. “I didn’t see you sitting there. Have you been there the whole time?”
“Yes, the whole time” giggling states Emma aware that he now looks more uncomfortable than she did when she first arrived.
“I brought the new issue of the War Cry for you, Ms. Bates” replies Grant “The Northern News has photos of the Easter concert with the Netherfield band too. Jane and I are in a picture together on the front page.”
Both Jane and Grant laugh knowing the reason for his excitement and relief. Emma is a little puzzled but not overly concerned about missing the obviously inside joke between the two of them.
“Well, I have to be going. I’ll see everyone later at the corps tomorrow for April and Elton’s rehearsal” replies Emma.
“I’m so happy for them. I really didn’t think that April would be the one that Elton would be marrying. To be honest, I thought he was thinking of marrying you, Emma. Both of you always seemed to be around each other so much” replies Ms. Bates “Elton is a good man and I am sure that he will make a great husband for April. I hope she is good to him too. A marriage really takes two people who want to be together. It can’t be happy or good if only one of the spouses is participating and remains caring. Marriage can be a very lonely place for some if they are not with the right person who loves them. I hope they will have many years of love and happiness together. I wasn’t married for very long, but it seems that way to me.”
“I’m sure they will be very happy together. Elton and April seem to be very compatible with each other. April is so much easier to be around now that she isn’t jealous of another female in the room” states Emma looking at Jane.
Jane agrees but nods rather than adding to Emma’s comment any further. Grant looks over to Jane. He smiles remembering some of April’s misguided antics and his own wrong assumptions.
Emma grabs her purse resting against the couch beside her, “Well, I have to go. I’m doing some shopping with Harriet today to find a dress for the wedding. I’ll see all of you tomorrow. I hope you enjoy the cookies Ms. Bates. You’ll have to come over on Sunday if you are available for dinner.”
“That sounds lovely. Would it be all right if mother and Jane came too?” asks Ms. Bates.
“Of course it is. Jane is that all right with you?” asks Emma then looking at Grant relaxing in the recliner “You are welcome to come as well”.
“Dinner sounds great. I’ll see you on Sunday” replies Jane.
“I guess I’ll see you then too” replies Grant glad that he will see and spend time with Jane for another day with his friends.
As Emma heads towards the door, Ms. Bates gives Emma another hug of forgiveness. “Emma, you are very special to me.”
“You are too” replies Emma hugging her back. Emma promises to herself that she will do her best not to ever hurt Ms. Bates feelings again.
While starting her car, Emma begins to wonder about a comment Ms. Bates made about Grant coming over the night before. “Perhaps he was just dropping off something” she considers and decides not to give it another thought.
No comments:
Post a Comment