"Spill it, kid."
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“Alright, lass?”
A familiar voice came from the kitchen doorway as Delia moved the kettle over the flame.
The brunette turned with a smile and crossed her arms as she leaned back against the counter. “Now why on earth would you ask me that, with that tone of voice, as if you already know... What about me could you possibly have seen that told you things are anything but peachy?”
“Those shoulders of yours were slumped. They only slump when there’s something weighing heavy on that heart of yours,” Phyllis said matter-of-factly. “I suspect it has something to do with Nurse Mount who I saw scrubbing bathroom tiles with the greatest enthusiasm before the sun had risen.”
Delia laughed. “Sometimes your perceptivity is frightening Phyllis.”
The older woman crossed the kitchen and took three cups out of the cupboard. “Spill it, kid.”
“Well, things have been quite wonderful really. Pats has been marvelous. We’ve been marvelous…” Delia said, staring off with a slightly dreamy expression as she remembered all of the silly and playful moments the redhead had instigated in the past few months. “She really seems to be doing well with the groups, I’m noticing a difference in her. She’s sharing more of what she’s feeling, she seems lighter most days, she’s having fewer nightmares… today is something of an anomaly really. Haven’t seen her like this in quite some time.”
“Neither have I,” Phyllis said as she took the kettle off the heat and filled the pot. “I hope she finds respite for her mind as the day goes on,” the older woman said as she too leaned back against the counter. “How are you getting along?
Delia smiled at the care she heard in her friend’s voice. “I’m also doing much better with it all. I met a wonderful new friend at the group, Emily. She’s full of brilliant ideas about navigating this sort of thing as she’s doing it too. We talk about what it’s like being with someone who was in the camps, and we bounce ideas off one another.”
“That’s wonderful,” Phyllis said, as she poured tea into the three cups. “I’m proud of you, you know. I’m so happy you two have each other.”
Delia smiled and reached out to pat the older woman’s arm. “We wouldn’t have made it this far without you. You know that don’t you? And you mean so much to the both of us.”
Phyllis cleared her throat and straightened up, doing a poor job of hiding how moved she was by Delia’s words.
“Well, that’s very kind lass. Very kind of you to say. Now, take these,” she said, handing the younger woman two steaming cups. “And get yourself back to Nurse Mount. I believe she’ll be more than ready for your return.”