Virgil talked about automobiles, and when it became obvious Theo knew nothing about automobiles, Virgil got fired up and talked about drum brakes and ignition starters. Theo talked about Africa and coffee beans and growing raspberries that do well in the frost, unlike most things, which Virgil knew nothing about. Paul and Gracie watched on, raising their eyebrows at Edie every now and then as if this was all her fault. Edie was indignant. She hadn’t done this at all, she hadn’t made Theo come back eight years too late.
When Virgil prickled and sat up straighter in his chair to try and be taller than Theo, Paul defused everything by talking about the forty-four hour week again, which he was adamant was needed to protect the health of the workingman and the predicted financial collapse which nobody but he believed would actually happen, and Gracie sat grinning like this was the best entertainment she’d ever had. Edie had never had two men fight for her and didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to hurt either and was a fluster of upset. Her tea went cold in its cup and whenever anyone asked her a question all she could manage was ‘Hmmmm.’
When the scones were gone and the afternoon had gone as well, both men tried to be the last to leave but eventually Edie saw it dawn on Virgil that nobody could outlast Theo and he got up and said, ‘I must be going.’ Glaring at Theo, he added, ‘I don’t want to wear out my welcome.’
Edie walked Virgil out to his car, where he stopped and took her hands in his and, hoping Theo was watching, said, ‘I think next week we might go for a drive on Saturday afternoon instead of Sunday,’ then he leant in to her and whispered, ‘and back to my place afterward,’ but she leant away from him even though she didn’t know why and when he tried to kiss her, his lips landed on her cheek. He slammed the car door when he got in and it made her flinch.
When she went back inside Theo was deep in conversation with his mother in Lucy’s room. By the time he came out Edie was in the kitchen with Gracie and Paul washing the dishes.
He stood in the doorway. ‘Lovely scones,’ he said. ‘I’m off, I won’t be back for a fortnight, I have things I have to organise,’ as though he had not the slightest fear that Virgil might get the advantage during his absence.
Saturday, 6 September 1924, when Edie knows.
A week could be a very long time. It could take from one Sunday afternoon to the following Saturday and a whole life could be lived in the middle.
At three Virgil arrived at the door. The weather, being stubbornly changeable and unreliable in autumn, surprised everyone by being pleasant. Virgil suggested they drive to Lal Lal and Edie, who couldn’t concentrate on anything, would have agreed to go anywhere he wanted.
They walked around the racecourse and discussed nature and trees and birds and Edie thought neither of them said one word to each other that they actually wanted to say. After they had walked more than she wanted to they meandered back to the car and Virgil said, ‘Do you want to come back to my place?’
Edie said, ‘I would like to but I need to get home to help care for Lilly,’ even though Lilly was up and about now and probably putting dinner on and needed no care at all. Suddenly she felt guilty she’d put him off like that with a lie and added, ‘But you could come in for some tea if you like,’ realising it was a poor consolation and wasn’t at all what he wanted from her.
‘If I like?’ he said bitterly and he got in the car and forgot to get the door for her so she opened it herself and got in the passenger seat. They drove to Webster Street in silence, and the silence continued even after he had parked outside her house. Some minutes later she realised she was waiting for him to say something and he wasn’t going to and was probably waiting for her to say something. She didn’t know what to say so she reached for the door handle and said, ‘I’ve never seen you lost for words before.’
‘I am lost for words. Edie,’ he said and he reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. He gave it to her and said, ‘I should have done this when you wanted me to.’
‘Oh,’ said Edie and she turned it over in her hand.
He got out and walked around and opened the door for her.
She got out of the car and he put her arm in his and walked her down the driveway. The pebbles were out of tune under her feet. She couldn’t find her mind, or any other part of her. Every time she thought she’d found just one thread to hang onto, it floated away on the breeze until it was just out of reach.
At the door he took her face in his hands and kissed her and she remembered how sweet his kisses were, and the feeling of losing something when they stopped.
She realised that Theo had never kissed her.
Virgil pulled away and smiled. ‘I’ve never forgotten our first kiss.’
‘You didn’t even ask,’ she said.
‘No, I didn’t,’ he said, laughing. ‘I saw a pretty girl and I took her,’ and she watched him walk back down the drive in his blue vest with his blue eyes.
‘Darn it,’ she said again, leaning against the kitchen table as she opened the envelope and read Virgil’s letter.
‘What does it say?’ asked Gracie.
‘Don’t bother her, it’s obvious what it says,’ said Paul.
‘It’s a marriage proposal. Now I have two,’ said Edie.
‘Oh,’ said Lilly, hoping Edie would choose Theo.
Edie flopped onto the chair and buried her head
