Emmie 7

There on the doorstep surrounded by an aroma of roses was a young girl, probably the same age as Helen Regan but altogether different in attitude and dress. She wore a rather long swirly flowing skirt in floral colours, a sort of linen shirt with a gentleman's waistcoat and she had one of those studs in her nose. They were banned in school. Underneath her arm was a motorcycle helmet.

"Hello! Are you Mrs Jacobs? This IS 23 Chapel Walk." 
"That's the number on the gate," said Emmie, feeling not too well disposed to this rag tag and bobtail image before her, " And who might you be?"
"My name's Jenny Hedges."
"Well, Jenny Hedges what can I do for you? As  you can see, I'm just on my way out and I haven't much time."
" I am the person who found your brocade bag on the bus and my mother insisted on returning it to the address inside - this address. I live in Shoreburn, I came on my scooter." She brandished the helmet as evidence. 
"Oh! Have you come for the photograph? it's a long way to come. You could have dropped me a line and I could have posted it back. I'll just go and find it"
" No, it's about something far more important."
" Well seeing that you have come so far, you had better come in."  Emmie took off her coat and hung it on the peg on the hall stand and, followed by this odd looking creature, made her way into the back room. " Now what's this all about? 
" I have this friend who is in very serious trouble."
Emmie was quite familiar with friends in trouble. They were cropping up by the day in school and were not far removed from the person who was actually telling the story. She made a mental note to take it all with a pinch of salt till the problem was out. However seeing as the girl had come some distance, she thought she had better listen. " What makes you think I will be able to help?"
" I need someone who is far enough away and not linked to me. I thought you might be able to help because of the bag."
" The bag ?"
" I liked that bag. It had good vibes and I was sad when my mum secretly took it and brought it back. I thought that the person who owned it and cherished it, put the address inside must have expected it to be something special. So I thought that person must be someone special as well.
" That's a bit  far fetched."
" Yes, well, I suppose it is but it's what I thought."
" Well I think I'd better phone the friend I was going to meet and tell her I am going to be delayed."  Emmie went to the hall, checked Dorothy's number and dialled. There was no reply. She must have already left for church to start the flowers. Emmie went back to the back room, sat down, placed her hands on her lap and began, "Well you had better tell me all,about it."
" Will you help?"
" If I can."
" My friend is called Yasmin and she is in my class. We finished our A levels a few weeks ago and I have been in touch with her on the phone. Then suddenly I was told by her mother that she was not there and she would be going on holiday. I was immediately suspicious because she had told me that her father was talking about finding a husband for her.  It's quite common in our school and rumours are always drifting about. It's a girls' upper school and the staff are always very careful about this sort of thing."
Emmie held up her hand. " I think we could both do with a cup of tea before we hear the rest."
Jenny nodded and Emmie rose with a sigh and went to the kitchen. Jenny saw the bag which had been left on the chair and smiled to herself.

When the two china cups and an old fashioned teapot appeared Emmie poured out,"Milk?"
"Please."
" Sugar?"
" Two please. "
" I think you can carry on now." Emmie  said,  gently, stirring her tea.

"  Well  anyway I got a message on the answer phone to meet her in town at Burger King. She was not there at first, then she appeared and rushed me into the Bus Station. She was in a right panic and said she had to escape. Then a couple of days ago she turned up on my doorstep with a few things in her bag and asked if she could stay. My mum and dad are are away at the moment so she has stayed with me. She can be easily be traced to me so we need a place for her to hide till we can contact a refuge. She knows about one in Sheffield. "

"So that's the story."  with that she opened her hands and made a gesture of resignation. "Will you help?"

There were a few moments of silence and then Emmie, speaking quite softly  said, " I will give it some thought and we had better have a plan, at least for the time being."
At that moment the telephone rang. " That will be Dorothy wondering what has happened to me. I had better get that."

Emmie returned, having spoken on the phone for a few minutes. "  That was Dorothy, my friend. I will discuss the situation and if we can meet again the day after tomorrow with you and Yasmin then we can set upon a plan.
" Thank you. What time?"
" About seven thirty. "

So the arrangement was made to meet again on Monday at half past seven and they would come on the bus. Jenny did not want to risk the scooter with only her provisional
licence.


JL July 28 11:14