Chapter 7 #2
“Will your mother be joining you?”
“Yes! My mother and a friend.” She raised her eyebrows.
“Do tell,” the fifty-something woman said.
“I can’t yet. But let’s see if either of us can pick up on any signs.” Ashley winked at the woman.
Ashley and her mother were regulars at the cozy Greek restaurant. Mrs. Georgiou’s husband, Spiro, was the chef, and his pasticcio—a sort of Greek lasagna—was to die for. Mrs. Georgiou was always teasing Ashley about finding a good man. Now it was Ashley’s mother who appeared to have found one.
A few minutes later, Jessica and Noah appeared in the narrow entrance. Ashey waved to them. She was scrutinizing every move the two of them made. Their body language revealed nothing. Dang.
Ashley got up from her chair and gave her mother a hug and a kiss.
“Darling! Your hair!” Jessica exclaimed.
Ashley’s hand went immediately to her head. “Is it dreadful?”
“Not at all! It looks smashing!” Jessica gave her daughter the once-over. “Seriously. Very sophisticated.”
“Thanks. I wanted to be able to blow-dry it quickly and look a bit more polished.”
“I have to agree with Jessica. Not that you asked, but it’s very becoming.”
“Thank you, Noah,” Ashley said sincerely.
“I knew it was a good idea to bring you along,” Jessica said to Noah.
“Who wouldn’t want to dine with two stunning women?” He also sounded sincere.
Ashley’s wheels were turning. Clearly, he fancied her mother, and her mother clearly appreciated the compliment.
“Jessica tells me that you are planning a whirlwind trip to England for the holidays.”
“Yes.” She paused. “Do I hear a bit of an English accent?” Ashley asked. “Or am I Brit obsessed?” She chuckled.
“Good ear,” Noah answered. “I’ve been in the States since I was five. I suppose some of the words may belie my heritage.” Noah pulled a chair out for Jessica. “Your mum told me you will be studying at Oxford, eh?”
“Yes. I’m rather excited. Actually, extremely excited.”
“I haven’t been back for eons. I keep promising myself that I’ll eventually find my roots.”
“Oh?” Ashley asked curiously.
“My family came here forty-odd years ago. My father was a banker in Philadelphia.”
“How did you end up in Doylestown?” Ashley asked.
Noah snickered. “Love.”
Ashley put out another “Oh?”
“Do you really want me to go into the gory details?”
Ashley leaned in. “Please do!”
“We met while I was at Villanova. After we graduated, she got a job working for an intellectual property company and we decided to move in together.”
“And then?”
“And then she decided that she wanted someone who made more money than I did.” He chortled.
“What kind of work are you in, if you don’t mind me asking?
” Ashley felt like she might be too pushy, but what the heck.
If her mother had any inclination to become involved with this guy, Ashley decided she should know as much as possible about him.
Afterall, she would be thousands of miles away, and her father was the personification of Where’s Waldo?
“I’m in the jewelry business. Mostly antiques.”
“Fascinating.” Ashley was warming up to the man.
“I travel a lot. Taking a dance class provides a social atmosphere that isn’t a bar, and I get to loosen up a bit.” He smiled at Jessica. “Your mum keeps me on my toes.”
“No doubt.” Ashley rolled her eyes at her mother.
Several minutes of conversation continued during which Ashley shared the itinerary for their trip. “I trust it meets with your approval?” She looked at her mother.
“Sounds fantastic,” Jessica responded.
“It certainly does,” Noah added. “And you are willing to give it a go on the roads?”
“So far. We’re doing it in hour-long increments. Much like student driving, I suppose.” Ashley chuckled.
“I’ll notify the authorities,” Noah joked.
“Brilliant idea,” Jessica quipped.
They spent a good portion of two hours eating and chatting. Ashley decided that Noah passed the test of being decent, especially when the check came. There was no hesitation. He handed his credit card to Mrs. Georgiou without even looking at the bill.
Noah was okay in Ashley’s book. She was happy her mother had a pal. Where would it lead? She didn’t know. No one could predict the future.
Emily
Cambridge, England
Emily was settling in at her new digs. She was fortunate to secure one of the studio flats that are offered to postgraduates.
It was a lovely complex on the riverside, next to the heart of the city, and a short walk to Peterhouse, the oldest of the thirty-one colleges within Cambridge University.
The rich history of Cambridge not only could be seen, but it could be felt, yet it also felt like home to Emily.
She appreciated the English translation of the school’s motto:
From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
She knew she would thrive there … if she could only get past the one thing which haunted her.
If she allowed herself to be distracted by her obsession with finding her twin sister, it could prove to be perilous to her future.
But it was hard for her not to think about it.
It was hard not to want some resolution.
Emily decided to take a walk around the campus to clear her head. Without any particular destination in mind, she found herself in front of King’s College Chapel. Its spires reached 150 feet into the air. It was the iconic photo in real life.
Built between 1446 and1515, it is the finest example of Perpendicular Gothic architecture.
As Emily stepped inside for the first time, she was awestruck by the fan-vaulted ceiling, the largest of its kind.
It consisted of bands made of limestone in the shape of fans.
It was spectacular and brilliant. She had to wonder how such a magnificent work of art and architecture could have been created almost six hundred years ago when the tools and machinery were rudimentary at best. The stained-glass windows were beyond stunning.
It was hard to imagine that Henry VIII, someone with a wretched reputation, would be the one to ensure the completion of the chapel, including the stained-glass windows.
Emily stared up at the ceiling. She was surrounded by glory and inspiration. It was at that moment that she decided to let go of her obsession with her twin. If God wanted them to meet, then it would happen. A sense of peace flowed through her body.
She had no idea how long she had been standing there when someone sidled up to her. “Glorious, innit?” the young male student whispered in her ear.
His presence startled her.
“I’m terribly sorry.” He realized he had pulled her from her musing.
Emily turned and smiled. “No worries,” she whispered in return. “And yes, it is glorious. Are you a student here?”
“Aye,” he replied.
“Scottish?” Emily asked, noting his accent.
“Is it that obvious?” He grinned.
“Just a wee bit.” She pinched her thumb and forefingers together, smiled, and nodded for them to walk toward the exit. When they got outside, they picked up their conversation in the sunlight.
Emily held her hand against her eyebrows, shielding her eyes from the sun. “I’m Emily. Emily Evans.”
“Nice to meet you, Emily Evans.” He held out his hand. “Blair Wallace.”
“Nice to meet you as well.” In the sunlight she couldn’t help notice he was a “well-made” man with a thick crop of well styled light brown hair mixed with a few strands of blond.
He had a close-trimmed beard and mustache, which accentuated his chiseled features and his emerald-green eyes.
Emily heard somewhere that Scotland has the highest rate of green eyes in the world.
They began to walk toward Peterhouse. “Care for a coffee?” Blair asked.