The Food Of Love

The Food Of Love Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 Terrie arrived at her Godmother's house feeling emotionally drained.

 She was awash with a mixture of joyful excitement at the adventure ahead of her and a heavy sadness that she had caused this upheaval in her life by sheer carelessness. There'd been no excuse for sleeping with Max with no protection and she couldn't forgive herself or him for it.

 Elsie greeted her beloved girl with a hug. As always she kept any reprimands about her foolishness to herself.

 ' There now lovie'. She told Terrie with all the protectiveness of a Mother. ' We'll be alright together. You me and the little 'un'. She was so certain and strong that when Terrie had finished another flood of cleansing tears she found she could almost believe they would be.

 They organised their plan of campaign. Telling the truth about how Terrie's child was conceived was a no go Elsie had said. 'Most people in the village wouldn't bat an eyelid. But there's a minority who seem to regard themselves as the moral guardians of the community. Sadly with more influence than they deserve on account of being members of the parish council. And they could make life very hard for the 2 of you.

 So Max became the late Max. Terrie's dead husband who had passed on before Terrie knew she was carrying their child.

 There were times when having told the story so often Terrie found herself believing it .

 12 years later.........

 Terrie and Elsie sat with tears of proud joy in their eyes listening to their 12 year old Peter singing at his first End of Year Concert at Elderdale High School.

He was singing Keane's Somewhere Only We Know and the sweet purity of his treble could have melted the stoniest heart.

 Terrie just didn't know where his musical talent came from. She played the piano and had pupils to supplement her job at the Elderdale village library. She sang too after a fashion but nowhere near with the perfect pitch and spot on phrasing of her son. And as for Max. He hardly had a musical bone in his body.

 And the lad's talent didn't stop at singing. He played the piano, Terrie was happy to admit far better than she did. And he'd started learning the cello when he'd first moved from St Aldhelm's Primary School in Elderdale up to the High School. Though it had to be said his teacher there was not of the highest standard.

 He had his heart set on trying to join the National Youth Orchestra but they only started recruiting from 13. In any case Terrie wasn't keen for him to go into something so serious until he was at least 14.

In the meantime there was the school orchestra though the standard was not especially high.

 After today there would be 6 weeks of summer holidays to enjoy and in September elderly and disenchanted Mr Wilson the music teacher would be retired and gone. Perhaps his successor would be better

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 Mark Chatford hadn't realised he'd accumulated so much junk over 10 years. The local charity shops were going to do well out of him when he moved.

 It was to be a fresh start and he didn't want to be over burdened. He loved London buzzing, vibrant melting pot that it was but he had a yearning for his rural roots.

 10 years as a cellist with the BBC Philharmonic followed by 5 as a soloist and he'd had enough.

 Travelling, concert halls, practice rooms and hotels. Fun for a time but no longer.