The Recluse
Copyright© 2025 by Tedbiker
Chapter 7
Callie:
I have a full plate. School, internet learning, church, Open House. That latter is something some of the church members do, at the house of Jeanette Stevenson with the help of her son, Malcolm, daughter-in-law Sasha, and various other friends. It’s a big house, and has become known among the outcasts of society as a place they are welcome, though with limitations. No alcohol, no drugs. A homeless person might find clothes and a shower, food and a hot drink, a listening ear. From time to time, advice and support in getting off the streets. There has been some success; one former prostitute is now married and expecting her first child. She, with one or two other former guests, still visit and offer support to the current crop. It’s educational. Being, myself, off the streets, I have a connection which helps.
After my encounter by the river – I never saw that man again – I spent some time with Dulcie. She prayed for me again. I have begun to know the Man who watched over me, encouraged Robert to offer me shelter, gave me, well, Dulcie calls it ‘the baptism in the Spirit’. That comes with some surprising effects. The first time I didn’t understand what my mouth was saying was ... disturbing, but it felt good.
So, fully occupied most of the time. A couple of months after he left, Robert visited.
Robert:
I was all up to date. I don’t punch a time clock – does anyone do that any more? I was missing Callie. Her voice on the phone, even with her face on FaceTime, just reinforced her absence. I packed for a week, rang the Rectory. Dulcie came to the phone, and when I said I was thinking of visiting she laughed.
“Callie will be delighted. Don’t get a hotel, though. The Camerons will put you up.” She gave me a phone number and address.
“Thanks, Dulcie. I’ll call now. I was going to book a hotel after checking I was okay to visit.”
“Oh, you’re very welcome to visit. But we haven’t really got space here. The Camerons have an empty nest and will welcome a friend of ours.”
So that was okay. I got an early night and actually managed to sleep. As usual, I woke before the alarm – two hours before the alarm, in fact. It often happens when I intend a long journey the next day, and I took advantage by dressing, grabbing coffee and cereal, and loading up for the journey. I was two hours early for the Green Hut, too, and kept going until I reached the Stibbington Diner, which is about half-way to my destination. A Full English breakfast with more coffee, a longish rest and a visit to the facilities, and I was on my way again a bit after nine.
I planned to visit the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, which occupies a second world war aerodrome south of Cambridge. Despite taking my time and breaking briefly at the Cambridge services, I arrived there before the museum opened at ten and had to wait a few minutes to get in. But apart from the queue to get in I had no problems and anyway was ready for another coffee before exploring the airfield. There is much of interest; some of the buildings dating from the second world war, though one of the original hangars was destroyed during the filming of the 1969 ‘Battle of Britain’. The Operations Room is interesting, as is the Land Warfare Hall, but of course the real attraction is the collection of aircraft, many of which are airworthy and perform at airshows throughout the year.
Personally, I always enjoy the food. If a bit expensive, well, it’s supporting the maintenance of the museum.
I spent a bit more than four hours there, and it could have been much more, but I got back on the road at half-past two. Arriving in Maldon, I filled the bike’s tank and rolled up in front of the Camerons’ house at four-thirty. They showed me to a pleasant single room overlooking a manicured back garden. I stripped out of my armour, got out light casuals, and put things away before going downstairs to see my hosts. They offered tea, which I accepted, and extended an offer of dinner later.
“Thanks. I’m going to ring the Rectory and see if Callie’s free to have dinner with me,” I said.
Bridie Cameron nodded with a smile. “I’d expect that. If she’s not free, though...”
“I will accept with pleasure,” I agreed. They suggested I take my phone into the garden to call Callie, and I sat looking into a pond, a few Koi swimming lazily around.
“Saint Mary’s Rectory, Rebecca Hancock speaking. How may I help?”
“Hey, Rebecca, is Callie there? It’s Robert.”
“Oh, Robert! How lovely. I’ll give Callie a call. I think she’s, um, occupied just at the moment. But she’s got your number, I’m sure. A couple of minutes, five, perhaps?”
“That’d be fine, Rebecca. Thanks. There’s no great urgency, it’s just that I’m here in Maldon, and I thought we could meet later.”
“Lovely! I’ll let you surprise her, though. She’ll call you.”
I hung up, picked up the mug of tea, had time for one sip before my phone rang. “Hello?” I didn’t recognise the number, a land-line.
“Get yourself here. Now!”
“I love you too, Sweetie.”
She giggled. “Seriously. Please, Robert. In fact, you start walking and I’ll meet you at the Chinese takeaway shop, top of Church Street.”
Oh, well. I didn’t really want that drink anyway. I found shoes, made my manners to my hosts and told them, “I’ve been summoned to meet Callie.”
Bridie smiled, “And you are properly obedient. Have a good time. Oh...” she went to a sideboard, pulled out a drawer, extracted a key. “Front door key. We won’t wait up – we’re usually in bed by ten.”
“Thanks. I’ll try not to disturb you.”
I walked briskly to the High Street and turned towards Church Street. It wasn’t that far, but Callie was there before me. The moment she saw me, she ran. I braced myself for impact, but she skidded to a halt in front of me. Our eyes met. “I’ve missed you,” she said, and there was a tear trickling down one cheek. I reached out and rubbed it away with my thumb. Next I knew, we were wrapped up together, kissing.
Someone cleared their throat near us; we were obstructing the pavement. I apologised, and Callie tugged on my hand to walk down Church Street and down to the Hythe Quay, our hands still together even when the path narrowed near the bottom of the hill. In front of us the unmistakeable outlines of the Thames barges, in a couple of cases figures of men working on board. She led me past the Water Bailiff’s shed and Cook’s Yard, past the pond, water fowl quarrelling over something, the kiosks all closed. I felt the first spots of rain. Callie paused, looking up, then turned and led me back to a little shelter on the prom. You can sit in there and look out, either to the pond or, on the other side, to the river. Neither is particularly inspiring, and I was with Callie, so I sat with my arm out, and she snuggled in. “Kiss,” she demanded.
That was no hardship. I’m not sure how long we were there. The bench was not particularly comfortable, but somehow that didn’t matter. However, there came a point where, if not exactly satisfied, we had taken the edge off our emotional demands.
“I’ve booked a table at Prezzo,” I mentioned, “for half-past six. I thought we might get in before the evening rush, and not have to hurry, too.”
She glanced at her watch. “It’s nearly six now!” She stood, and looked down at herself. “I should run back to the Rectory to change...”
“You look fine to me,” I commented. She was in jeans, yes, but they weren’t torn or faded, and they weren’t form-fitting or anything like that, and she was wearing a nice wool pullover or something.
“Men! You’re taking me out to dinner, I want to be in a dress. Let’s go!”
Thus, we walked through a very light drizzle to the Rectory, where I was shown to the lounge and Callie disappeared upstairs. Dulcie came in.
“It’s good to see you again, Robert. I think you have a treasure in Callie.”
“I think you’re right. I certainly feel lucky.”
“I think Callie is lucky; off the streets, catching up on her education, and ... a good man, waiting in the wings. I hope you’ll ask me to marry the two of you?”
“No doubt; I couldn’t choose anyone better, or a better setting. Callie’s settled in well, then?”
“Oh, yes. She joins in with the household and the church activities, and is working hard on her schooling. Have you given any thought about where, or what, she might do once you’re married?”
“Not at all. I suppose we might need to think about College in some form or other. Has Callie said anything about what she wants to do? If she wants to stay at home we can manage that, I don’t think that’s anything to sneer at.”
“She seems very interested in what we’re doing at Open House. Possibly she might want to do something in the social care sector. I haven’t said anything about that, though.”
To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account
(Why register?)
* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.