Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Amy had been brought up by her grandmother and didn’t have any other family.
Clara wouldn’t have missed Amy’s big moment for anything.
She couldn’t have been prouder of the young lady who, despite her difficult upbringing, had reached her dream of entry at Oxford to graduate with a first in medicine.
Amy was everything Clara wished she had been when she was younger.
Feisty, determined and ambitious, there were so many of her qualities Clara wished she had.
Clara was looking forward to meeting Amy’s grandmother after the ceremony and wanted to tell her what a wonderful job she had done in bringing up such an aspirational young lady.
She looked out for her as she watched the throngs of ecstatic parents take their seats for the graduation at the Sheldonian Theatre.
She tried not to think about the last time she was here, and what an utterly magical evening it had been.
Instead, she flicked through the pamphlet with the names of all the graduates and looked for those she recognised, including Amy’s.
The students started pouring in dressed in their academic gowns over their subfusc, and Clara spotted Amy with her smart dark suit underneath her gown. It was as much as Clara could manage to act with decorum and not shout, ‘Go Amy!’
When the Bedels entered, the chatter in the room quietened down.
Then the proctors and the registrar followed before The vice-chancellor arrived.
Clara knew the procedure off by heart, and remembered all the students she had seen who had done this over the years.
Many she had lost touch with and she hoped they were all doing well.
The vice-chancellor opened with his Latin formula, after which parents watched on proudly as their offspring’s names were called. When it was Amy’s turn, Clara whooped and clapped. She noticed an older lady in the audience who strained her neck to look and clapped equally loud.
After the ceremony, Clara made a beeline for the lady who she assumed must be Amy’s gran.
‘Are you here for Amy?’
‘I am indeed. You must be the reverend?’
‘I am. Was it the dog collar that gave it away?’ Clara laughed.
‘No. You’re exactly how she described you. Amy’s always spoken highly about you. She thinks the world of you.’
‘That’s so kind. She’s a lovely lass and you’ve done a wonderful job bringing her up to be the fine young lady we see before us today. Ah, and here she is.’
Amy came bounding joyfully towards the women.
‘Congratulations, love,’ said her gran.
‘Yes, congratulations. You’ve done so well,’ agreed Clara.
‘You can achieve anything with hard work. I also had the best support network,’ said Amy, looking at Clara.
‘It’s been a pleasure. And, on that note, I’ll leave you two to celebrate. I’m sure you have a lot to catch up on.’
‘Thank you, Reverend.’
‘As I say, it’s a pleasure. It’s been wonderful getting to see Amy succeed.’
As Clara walked away, she got caught up in a group of students who were tossing their graduation caps in the air nearby.
She wondered how many of them knew the actual significance of the tradition, and its symbolism of being ready to embrace new opportunities.
This was something that Clara needed to remember when it came to the job she had applied for.
Switching her phone back on as she prepared to head home, there was a message from Eleanora.
Drinkies?
Surrounded by all the graduates and their families who were preparing to celebrate, Clara couldn’t resist. The atmosphere was practically contagious.
Quick change and I’ll be there.
However, it took Clara a little longer than expected to get ready.
She was surprised to receive an email that downloaded on her phone from Bryony Malcolm.
Her immediate thought was that she couldn’t have been successful for her to get back to her this quickly, but then she saw the heading: ‘Offer letter’.
Nervously, she opened up the message.
Dear Clara,
Many thanks for coming for an interview at King’s College Chapel. Whilst we had a large number of applicants for the position of senior chaplain, we were very impressed with your experience and commitment to your work.
We were delighted that you chose to apply and I wish to inform you that we would like to offer you the position. I attach an offer letter herewith.
Please do let me know if you have any queries. We look forward to welcoming you to King’s College. Congratulations!
Kind regards,
Bryony Malcolm
Clara read through the email again to be sure she had read it correctly. Goodness. She had done it. Clara had managed to get the incredible job in Cambridge. She knew her late parents would be so proud of her right now. How she wished she could speak to them.
‘Wow, I really did it!’ she said to herself.
She was an emotional mess as she thought about it all. It meant leaving Oxford, telling Lawrence the news and saying goodbye to her lovely parishioners. Yet it was also a fantastic promotion. Clara couldn’t get to the Raging River to tell Eleanora fast enough.
‘Oh, what a day I’ve had,’ said Eleanora, already clutching a pint of cider when Clara arrived. She could tell it had been one of those days as soon as she saw her. Eleanora always had a cider when she was stressed, and she had started before her.
‘Oh no, like that is it?’
‘Indeed. By lunchtime I’d already had a tourist who almost managed to capsize, another who managed to lose their quant and when I didn’t think the day could get any worse, one of the students announced they wouldn’t be staying for their summer job after all and walked out leaving me seriously short-staffed over my busiest period. ’
‘What a day, you poor thing.’
‘Tell me why I took over the family business again!’
Eleanora laughed but she knew she wouldn’t have it any other way. She was brought up on the Cherwell and adored every inch of it.
‘So, what’s the news?’
Clara thought she would never ask!
‘I got the job! I have literally just received the email confirming the job is mine. Can you believe it? The Reverend Clara Bennett has been offered a post as senior chaplain, of King’s College Chapel.’
Eleanora almost tipped the round bar table over as she reached over to hug Clara.
‘I knew you’d do it. I knew it.’
‘Obviously, I am honoured and delighted but I have a feeling that once I sleep on it, I might panic. I mean, I am leaving the life I love for it.’ Clara grimaced.
‘Oh, it’ll be fine. You’ll soon settle in, I’m sure.’
‘I hope so. At least the silver lining is that I won’t have to leave Tom now.’
‘I’m guessing you haven’t heard anything further from him.’
‘Nope. He’s not been in touch again. I’m glad he had the decency not to force anything further. In fairness to him, he reached out to me and I didn’t respond and that was it. He totally respected my decision.’
‘That’s good. I think he’s a good man, just has his issues. Are you okay about it all now?’
‘Yes, I’ve accepted it. I do wonder how things might have worked out had he been different, but I have to accept that he’s a complicated man.’
‘People can change though.’
‘Yeah, they can but I don’t want to be hurt by him again. I couldn’t bear it. It’s hard when you haven’t had much love in your life. I don’t exactly have a benchmark.’
‘You have the love of God and all your friends. Everyone loves you.’
‘I know. I’m so grateful for that but I mean romantic love.
I’ve even wondered if I was unlovable in a romantic sense at times.
Men always see me as a mate and never in a romantic way.
Look at Charlie. It’s always been the same, even though I never saw him like that.
They don’t realise that I’ve often wanted to curl up in a guy’s arms instead of being the one they banter with.
It feels as though Tom was the first person to see me as a woman and not as one of the lads. Mad, isn’t it?’
‘No matter what happened, I’m still glad you both met. I really think it’s awoken something in you. He brought such a smile to your face.’
‘He did and, yes, he made me realise how much I enjoy male companionship. All my life, I’ve been pretty much single and it was nice to finally have someone to share things with, even if it was short-lived.’
‘You never know. You might see each other again.’
‘I very much doubt it. Unless he can get himself together then that’s never going to happen.’
‘Well, that’s a great shame. You two seemed as though you’d go the distance.’
‘I thought we might too, but it’s history now.
It was wonderful while it lasted, but it wasn’t meant to be and I suppose I was meant to take up a great job offer instead.
Sometimes people come into your life for a reason, or to teach you a lesson.
I might have saved his life, but I’m still not sure what my lesson from Tom was. ’
‘I’m sure you’ll find out one day.’
‘Perhaps,’ said Clara.
However, as she sipped on her drink, she knew it was more important to think about the new start that lay ahead. She had never been someone who dwelled on situations that were out of her control.
‘It’s time for a new beginning, I suppose. I’ll have to start thinking about informing Lawrence. I wouldn’t want a request for a reference to land in his inbox before I’ve told him.’
‘There is only one thing to do then. Time to give in your notice,’ said Eleanora, clinking her glass with Clara’s.
‘To new beginnings . . .’