Bordeaux

It was during that autumn that the housing market crashed, the first sign of the economic disaster yet to come. Not one person came to view the property, and after six months the agents advised removing it from sale for the time being. Soon after the agent closed down, along with many others. They were of course disappointed, but for Coppelia the fact he had been willing to go this far meant much.

Following further tests H had been diagnosed with unstable angina, and would regularly suffer moderate attacks that were controlled with the use of medication administered swiftly as the attack began. Two or three times the attacks were very serious.

As time passed he told Coppelia he believed H was assured things were over. But they never again enjoyed the freedom to be together as they had back in the spring and early summer. So, they would meet once, somehow, most weeks, even if just for an hour or two in the Drapers Arms, near the station. Dear, dear Peterborough Station!

His regular trips to London for a long lunch with his three brothers continued, as did his London lunches with Ralph. Coppelia would travel down with him, they would have a drink, a walk, then meet after the lunches and spend the rest of the afternoon and evening together before catching the 19.23 train home. She had met his closest brother, Peter, back in March.

Just as it had been, in the beginning. When there is no alternative and all avenues have been exhausted, once we have made our choice, we do find a way to live with that choice - however costly. Coppelia, as the months passed, worked hard to come to terms with her choice to stay with this man.

On Saturday,October 6th she was strolling by Gordon Square in Bloomsbury, on her way to Kings Cross after attending a day conference nearby. The mild early autumn air played around her as the softest of breezes, sending down the first showers of leaves. She wrote in her notebook - ' I walk under the early autumn trees, whose leaves fall over me like confetti - like a blessing. A sign that is telling me it will be alright' ...

Coppelia's financial position had changed in late summer and by November she needed to find part time work, but work which would allow her the space to be with him. As it was almost impossible to be together at the weekends she applied for a job as bar waiter from Friday to Sunday at the same pub where she had found refuge with her sister, that day back in July.

Apart from needing the cash, she wondered if trying something totally new - she had never worked in a bar before, or as a waiter - might be good for her at this time. She would be trained from scratch, meet many people, have to concentrate hard. It involved tiring, physical work, an ideal way to soak up all those insistent painful thoughts, tensions, fears.

Soon after her job started they had wonderful news. How would she like to accompany him to Bordeaux for a few days? The property investment company he helped run with his son was selling a house they had built near Bordeaux, and he needed to spend time there to organise the agent and selling process as his son was too busy, and such a trip would be impossible for H due to her health.

On Monday December 3rd they boarded a flight to that beautiful French city, and returned late on Friday December 7th...what happened in between was more than heaven on earth, more than a dream come true. Because there aren't the words, none will be attempted.

Well, maybe just one.
MAGICAL