13

                                    

                                          
13
Celeste had chosen, as per River's joking question at the end of their first date/not-date, the Bank Holiday weekend to make the trip to Scotland and the tea plantations (farms) there. Three days in which Erisa had agreed to look after the little tea shop in River's absence, aided by a cousin of hers that, Erisa assured River, loved tea.
Of course, River had not chosen a new assistant for the tea shop. Not yet. Choosing one applicant, from ones she had interviewed, proved a daunting task and she hoped she could make the choice at some point during the second, extended, date/not-date. She didn't think she could. Apart from the one that Erisa didn't like (read 'despised'), they all seemed like good candidates and she didn't like the idea of disappointing any of them.
Now, while she waited for the huge Lexus to appear in front of the shop, she wished she had already made the decision. It seemed like such an imposition on Erisa, and her cousin, that River almost had a panic attack trying to decide whether it was worse to disappoint Celeste and not go, or Erisa, and her cousin, by having them do her job for her.
Erisa had already sent River back upstairs twice. Both times to weed out the number of clothes she had packed to take with her. The first time, River had packed everything. Two large suitcases filled with dresses, skirts, tops, jumpers, socks, underwear and many pairs of shoes. Erisa had, quite rightly, stated that River was not visiting Scotland for a year. The second attempt still had far too many clothes in only one, large suitcase.
After rummaging through the suitcase, Erisa had pulled out only the items River would need and sent her employer back upstairs to find her smallest suitcase. It still took both of them to close the lid. Even now, River dithered about taking her stoutest, thickest wool coat that she had only ever worn during the last big snowfall, several years before. Erisa vetoed that idea. The only other item she had was the evening dress she had hired, that sat in a clothing bag over her arm.
When Celeste arrived, Erisa manoeuvred River out of the door before she could think of any items she had forgotten, blowing her a kiss as Celeste drove away. She didn't even have her little backpack to hold on to, this time, and sat with her hands upon her lap, fingers twisting together as they made their way towards the motorway and the dreaded 'North'.
"You look good. I like those long skirts you wear." Celeste had a warm smile upon her face, glancing across to River. "I envy that of you. Skirts just don't suit me. I think I look like a man in drag when I wear them."
"I doubt someone who looks like you could ever be mistaken for a man! You're beautiful!" Swallowing the 'eep' that almost escaped her lips, River tried to cover her tracks. "I mean, because, yes, you're tall, but in a slender, statuesque way. And your hair is short, but in a cute, feminine way. I mean, that's not just me thinking that, everyone says so. That is definitely something I've heard people say. Statuesque and cute. Yep, not only me. Others. Lots of others. Lots."
She had never heard anyone else say any of that. A quick glance showed River that Celeste still wore the large, gold ring on the chain. It nestled atop her smooth, flawless chest. The pale blue of Celeste's blouse reflected in the shining metal. She could tell it was a man's ring and people only wore rings in that fashion if it had belonged to someone special. Important.
Luckily, Celeste changed the subject and they began to talk about the last date/not-date and everything that had happened since. The conversation flowed with far greater ease than the last time and the hours seemed to fly by with only a fraction of the awkwardness their previous journey had suffered.
They talked about the tea shop and its highs and higher highs. Of River having to consider taking on more staff. About the interviews and how River still could not decide who to hire. They talked about the influx of new customers, with both the benefits and the problems that that entailed. And Celeste continued asking question after question that almost tired River out from answering.