Emmie Jacobs 6

Emmie worked on Tuesday and Thursday and this week had been quite busy. They had asked her for an extra  day as the exams were in full swing. She went in on Friday to help with the paperwork and took one of the last parcels to the post office on her way home.

She enjoyed her two days in school during the week. The Head was quite personable and the secretary had become quite a close friend. This was unusual for Emmie as she had never had a close friend. Fr. Kavanagh had been right and the vacant space left by the absence of David had needed a person to share the odd doubt or need for advice. Dorothy, the secretary was married with grown up children and they also happened to be members of the same congregation at St Johns. In fact they were both members of the flower arrangement team and regularly met on Saturday afternoon to do the flowers.

After the Post Office she made her way home dropping in on the market on the way. On the last part of the journey she was caught up by a young girl who lived just down Chapel Walk. It would more accurate to say that she was a young woman. Her name was Helen Regan. She had been Head Girl for a year, elected by her fellow sixth formers. They always chose someone who was attractive and unassumingly clever. Emmie thought she was a sort of Enid Blyton character with her tight strawberry blonde curls, always cut close, a fresh complexion which never seemed to show a hint of cosmetic, a winsome smile and cheerful nature.

Her first comment as she bustled up to Emmie was to share the news that she had successfully achieved a place at Edinburgh university to study medicine. No doubt she would end up on the arm of some handsome specialist, Emmie uncharitably supposed. Even so Emmie was also aware of the wonderful opportunities which were available to young people. They parted at the gate, and Emmie wished Helen a good weekend and with a final wave put her key in the door and walked in, trampling on the day's post which always seemed to get caught in the doormat. The post was mainly advertisements, a plea from a local charity and inevitably, the Gas bill.

Came Saturday, Emmie had a bowl of Cornflakes and  planned to tidy up, put some washing in the machine and then to meet Dorothy at two to organise the sanctuary flowers. At one thirty she took her coat off the peg in the hall, buttoned up and went into the kitchen to fetch her bag.  As she gathered herself together the doorbell rang. Now who could that be at this time on a Saturday, probably the Jehovah's witnesses, she thought. That should be no problem as she had her coat on and was ready for off. The doorbell rang again. " All right, all right!" she muttered under her breath and opened the door.