Life has its own way of unfolding.
“Natalie, Ive got news for youNicholas is coming home from the army tomorrow, so well be getting married soon. Youll come to the wedding, wont you?” Emily chattered excitedly.
“How do you know? Last I heard, you werent even writing to him when he left. You were just friends. And how do you know hes arriving tomorrow?” Natalie asked, sceptical.
“My mum ran into Aunt Irene. Well, well see if were just friends or not. Thats what he thoughtwhat everyone thoughtbut Ive loved him for ages. Now I wont let him slip away,” Emily beamed.
“Oh, go on then, be happy. Though I doubt youll manage to rope Nicholas in. Hes always been his own man. And now, after the army, hes probably grown up, got a bit more sense. Back in school, he was such a scamp,” Natalie said, though Emily looked slightly offended.
Emily had always fancied Nicholas from the parallel classscamp or not, he was quick-witted and handsome. By the ninth form, hed shot up, taller than all the other lads, but what stood out most was that he never paid any girl special attention. He joked with them all, spent evenings with his mates, but never walked a single one home after the pictures.
Emily often found excuses to be near him. If she heard he was going to the village hall with his friends, shed rush there too. Hed chat with her, even throw an arm around her shoulders sometimesbut that was it. The girls secretly adored him, though they whispered among themselves:
“What a strange one Nicholas is. All the other lads walk girls home, but he always goes back alone.”
When he left for the army, the girls saw him off, and some quietly began to wait. Each hoped that after his service, hed finally notice one of them. After all, hed have to settle down someday, start a family.
Margaret taught at the county school, transferred there four years earlier from the village where shed first worked after finishing university. She lived with her mother, Anne, her father having passed away young. Anne had been relieved when Margaret moved from the village to the townat least she wouldnt be alone in the flat. Still, she sometimes thought:
“Im glad Margarets with me, but sooner or later, shell marry”
That morning, Margaret saw her mother onto the busAnne was off to the countryside to visit her elder sister, summer having begun. Margaret herself walked on to the school. Though term had ended, teachers still had work to do.
Her own life had seen little change. Once burned by Paul, a fellow student whod promised to take her to his city, even proposedonly to back out at the last moment:
“Changed my mind, Margaret. My parents expect me home alone. So goodbye.”
Shed weathered it, left for the village. Now twenty-eight, she hadnt loved since.
Margaret sat in the headmasters office, discussing summer plans, when the deputy popped her head in:
“Margaret, theres a young man asking for you.”
“How interestingwho might this gentleman caller be?” the headmaster teased. Margaret shrugged.
“No idea. Ill go see.”
Stepping out, she spotted a man in uniform at the corridors end, his back turned as he gazed out the window. When he faced her, smiling, she noted:
“Goodness, a paratroopersolid, strong. Who could he be?”
They met midway.
“Good afternoon, Miss Margaret.”
“Good afternoonyou were waiting for me?”
“Of course. Who else?”
“Forgive me, but have we met?”
“Oh, we have. A long time ago,” he grinned, dimples appearing.
“Nicholas?” She recognised her former pupil, pressing her hands to her lips.
“The very same. Have I changed so much?”
“My word, you certainly have,” she said, embracing him.
She patted his back, then stepped away, studying him.
“Let me look at you. What a man youve becomebroad-shouldered, strong. Had I passed you in town, Id never have known you.” Before her stood every girls dream.
“Now youre embarrassing me, Miss Margaret. These are for you,” he said, offering flowers. “Im just an ordinary bloke. But you wouldnt have passed meId have called out.”
“How did you find me here?”
“I knew which school you taught at even before I enlisted,” he said proudly. “Came straight from the station, service done and free.”
“Where are you staying? Youve still to get back to the village. Oh, you must be starving. Wait, Ill fetch my thingsyoull come to mine. Its close.”
As Margaret reheated lunch, Nicholas washed up, the summer heat making him shed his uniform, leaving just his vest. Returning to the kitchen, he asked:
“Miss Margaret, need any help?”
“No, Nicholas, sit down.”
Margaret turned to the stove, stealing glances. Seeing him muscled and grown, her heart fluttered. Nothing remained of the scamp from the ninth formthis was a different man entirely. She stood, spoon pressed to her lips.
“Whats come over me?”
Nicholas sat, barely containing himself, longing to embrace the woman hed loved since schoolkind and beautiful. He knew she wasnt marriedhis mate Simon had written that his aunt was the schools deputy.
“Eat up, Nicholas,” Margaret said. “Well have tea after.”
They reminisced about her time at the village school where hed been her pupil. Shed sensed his gaze then but thought little of itolder boys often noticed young teachers.
“I wonder how the village is now. Whos taken my place? Id love to see everyone,” Margaret mused.
“A young lass named Victoria. My elder brother married her quicktheyve a son already.” Nicholas paused, then blurted:
“Margaret” dropping the Miss for the first time “Ive come for you. Marry me. Ive loved you since school.”
“Marry you?”
“Yes. Im asking properly. You see Ive grown, but my feelings havent changed.”
“But Nicholas, dear Nicholas, theres eight years between us.”
“Forget that,” he said calmly, taking her hands. “Forget those years. They meant something thenfourteen and twenty-two. But now? Now Im a man, ready to care for my family, to face whatever comes.”
Drawing her onto his lapMargaret too stunned to protesthe went on:
“Well be happy. Well build a house in the villagebig, with room for children.”
Margaret, speechless, could only nod.
“I havent even said yes, and youre talking children.”
“I saw it in your eyes. They burned right through menearly set me alight.”
“Youre a dreamer,” Margaret laughed at last.
“That I am.”
They talked late into the night. Nicholas stayed over, and come morning, they drove to the countryside to introduce him to Anne and share their newsMargaret was leaving with Nicholas for the village.
Arriving, Nicholas took up a spade, turned the soil.
“Plant whatever you like,” he smiled, then fixed the wobbly gate.
The women busied themselves indoors.
“Hes a good one, Ill give him that.”
At lunch, Margaret and Nicholas announced their engagement. Anne and her sister were astonished but congratulatory. Nicholas noticed Annes sadness.
“Mrs Anne, dont fret about being alone in town. Well build our house and bring you to the village. Its lovely thereyoull like it. My mothers kindMargaret knows.”
After the meal, they caught the train to the village. Nicholas rang ahead:
“Ill be on the six oclock. And Im not alone.”
“Whos he bringing?” Irene wondered aloud. “A girl?”
“Dont speculate, Mum,” said Bernard, the elder sonhe, his wife Victoria, and their boy had come over, knowing Nicholas was due back.
“True enough,” Victoria agreed. “Best set the table.”
Irene kept glancing out the window but still missed their arrival, only spotting them at the gateher younger son, grown, and Miss Margaret, his old teacher.
“MumNicholas is here!” Bernard shouted, rushing out to hug his brother, now taller and broader.
“Look at youthose army muscles! Proper paratrooper.” Then, recollecting himself: “Good afternoon, Miss Margaret.”
Irene hurried out, embracing her son.
“Hello, Margaret. However did you two meet?”
“Mum, enough questions. Lets go inside.”
At the table, Bernard poured wine. Nicholas stood.
“I know youre wonderingMargaret and I are getting married.” He drank alone, the others stunned.
Margaret clasped her hands; Nicholas covered them with his. Silence fell, then Irene suddenly laughed.
“Im happy, Nicholas. MargaretIm so happy.” She glanced at Victoria, laughing harder.
“Margaret taught here before you, Victoria. Now youll go on maternity leave, shell take overthen shell leave, youll step in. Like a merry-go-round!”
The table erupted in laughter.
Then the door openedEmily and Natalie walked in.
“Hello! We heard Nicholas was back”
“Well, come in,” Bernard said, as Nicholas kept an arm around Margaret. “Weve newsNicholas is engaged. Wedding soon.”
The girls exchanged disappointed looks but sat briefly before slipping away.
