A Meeting
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“Ready, love?”
Delia had parked Phyllis’s car around the corner from the address they had been given. As she took the key out of the ignition and glanced at Patsy, she could see all the telltale signs of the older woman’s anxiety. She was biting her bottom lip, picking at her nails, and her leg nervously bounced up and down as she stared blankly out the window.
“Pats?”
The redhead jumped, startled to hear her name called out.
She smiled and brushed invisible lint off her blouse and adjusted her jacket. “Sorry Deels, mind is elsewhere.”
Delia reached out and rested her hand on her lover’s knee. “Are you here with me Pats?”
Patsy was surprised to feel a lump of emotion rise in her throat, rendering her unable to speak. She blinked her stinging eyes hard and looked down nodding quickly as she cleared her throat.
Delia’s heart hurt, seeing the strong redhead’s firm exterior waver for a moment. “I’m so proud of you Pats.”
Patsy nodded quickly again. “I know.” She reached up and wiped a tear away. “Gosh, I don’t know why this is feeling this way… it’s just a silly meeting.”
Delia smiled, knowing the older woman needed to minimize the experience to make it manageable. “Ready then?”
Patsy nodded and quickly turned to open the door. “Let’s get in there before I change my mind.”
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Patsy and Delia were surprised to find that the address they were given was a rather ritzy hotel. Both women looked to each other as they stood before the tall building, then shrugged as Patsy held the gold framed glass door and Delia entered the lobby.
“Oh Pats, it’s beautiful.”
Patsy nodded taking in the large lobby filled with marble, mahogany and chandeliers unlike anything found in Poplar. “Are you sure this is the right place?”
“This is the address…” Delia said, pulling out a piece of paper from her coat pocket and double checking the numbers.
“I’ll go ask at the desk,” Patsy said, preparing to make her way through the space filled with well-dressed people and bell hops with carts full of luggage.
“No need” Delia said, pointing to a small sign on the far side of the grand room that had “SCSW” and a small arrow pointing down a hall.
“How do you know that’s it?” Patsy asked.
“Phyllis said the organizer called it ‘Support for Child Survivors of War’. They must use the acronym for discretion.”
Patsy sighed, feeling almost disappointed they had found the group. “And because they would have no luck fitting all that on a sign of that size…”
Delia laughed and swatted the redhead’s arm as she headed off toward the sign.
“Look at that Deels. There’s even a restaurant here,” Patsy said, pointing to a beautiful corner of the lobby filled with small tables and a mahogany bar with shelves full of liquor bottles of all shapes and sizes.
“Perfect, couldn’t be easier. I’ll just wait there tonight.” She glanced at the redhead who was walking slower and slower as they approached the hallway indicated by the arrow on the sign. “I’d prefer to stay close if that’s alright with you?”
Patsy smiled. “I’d prefer it too.”
Just around the corner they could see an open door halfway down the empty hall that was surprisingly quiet considering the short distance from the bustling lobby.
Two steps from the open door Patsy stopped short. Delia turned and could see that her lover was fighting an intense wave of nerves. “I’m right here with you Pats. Let’s take a deep breath.”
Patsy closed her eyes and nodded, appreciating the feeling of Delia’s hand sliding into her own as she breathed in deeply.
“Good Pats, another just like that.”
Patsy nodded and took a second deep breath, feeling her anxiety drop significantly. She opened her eyes and looked to Delia.
“Better?” the brunette asked, giving her hand a light squeeze.
Patsy returned the squeeze. “Better.”
Both women jumped suddenly, startled by the loud sound of clapping coming from behind them. They tore their hands apart and turned to see a thin woman with short brown hair clapping slowly. “Well done you two, brilliant work. Deep breaths… one of the best tools we’ve got.”
Patsy and Delia looked the stranger up and down, unsure if they should be worried she had just seen them holding hands, but hoped it would simply be perceived as a gesture of friendly support.
“Name’s Darcy. I’m guessing by that little show you’re here for the meeting too.”
Patsy felt her cheeks grow hot as the stranger referenced her momentary panic and tried to decide if she should be angry.
“Well, that’s quite a rude thing to say,” Delia replied, crossing her arms and setting her shoulders.
Patsy smirked and looked over at the fiery brunette.
“Hey, hey,” Darcy said, putting her hands up to signify she meant no harm. “I’m only joking.”
“It’s nothing to joke about,” Delia said firmly, again preparing for a full argument if necessary.
Darcy put her hands in her tan slacks pockets and leaned back. “Relax. We have to joke about all this or we’ll go mad. Keeping it light is important. You’ll hear that in the meeting. But I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend. I was being serious. We all get the panic like that. Some more than others. But that breathing works damn good.”
The more they took in the woman, as she spoke with a laid back easy going demeanor, the more Patsy and Delia felt at ease. They both also let themselves look her over with new eyes, now that the initial surprise and anger had passed, and could see that she really was attempting to be friendly. They also quickly noted that she was dressed not unlike some of the women they had seen at the Gateways Club who were not afraid to present less feminine, and moved through the world with a boldness that Patsy and Delia couldn’t fathom.
Darcy wore loose fitting tan slacks held up by a brown belt, and a white button up neatly tucked in beneath a brown leather jacket. Her dark brown almost black hair was cut short and slicked back, held in place by a pair of sunglasses.
They couldn’t be certain but both suddenly felt much less worried Darcy had seen their handholding.
Darcy flashed another disarming smile. “What are your names?”
Delia took a deep breath and uncrossed her arms. “I’m Delia. This is Patsy. And yes, she is here for the meeting.”
“Excellent. It’s always good to see a new face here. You can sit by me tonight Patsy.”
Patsy shifted somewhat uncomfortably but nodded, grateful to not feel fully isolated in whatever was to come in the next hour and a half.
The woman in brown passed them, hands still in pockets. “Let’s head in. You’ll start to see every minute counts in these things for some of the women in here. They aren’t all lucky enough to have a Delia around,” Darcy said winking at the brunette. “For some in there, this is their only lifeline,” she said looking in through the open door with a look that was, for the first time, anything less than happy. “This group keeps some of us alive…” she said trailing off.
Delia nodded with understanding and Patsy shifted uncomfortably again.
Darcy shook her head and straightened up. “Will you be staying Delia?”
“I’m going to wait in the restaurant.”
“Excellent. My friend Emily waits there too. She’ll be the blonde at the bar reading a book. Introduce yourself and tell her I sent you her way. Let’s go Patsy,” Darcy said, turning and walking into the room.
Patsy glanced at Delia who nodded, offering her encouragement. “You’re doing great Pats, I’ll see you soon.”
Patsy nodded and headed through the open door.
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“Excuse me, is this seat open?”
The blonde at the bar lowered her book and looked at the brunette standing next to her.
Delia smiled nervously. “Hello, I’m Delia. I just met Darcy. She told me to…”
“Oh hi dear!” The blonde said pushing the seat next to her out with her knee. “I’m Emily. You have someone in the group too?”
Delia smiled and nodded, sitting down in the tall chair. “My best friend Patsy.”
“First time?”
“Yes, we’re both hoping that it’s…” Delia trailed off not sure what exactly they were hoping for.
“Helpful?” Emily supplied. “It is for most,” she said with a kind smile. “Saved my Darcy. Twice over. First time she was drinking herself silly, second time she didn’t have much desire to keep on when the memories were so bad there for a while….”
Delia looked down feeling a sharp pain in her heart. “I’m sorry…”
“Don’t be, she’s stronger for it. We both are.”
Delia took in Emily’s dark blue skirt, and black button up with a matching dark blue silk scarf, admiring her smart attire. She couldn’t help but notice the sparkle in the woman’s eye as she spoke of Darcy, and the term “my” placed before “Darcy” hadn’t gone unnoticed.
Emboldened by Patsy’s bravery in attending the meeting, Delia decided to be brave as well. “This may seem out of the blue…have you heard of Gateways?”
Emily laughed. “Heard of it? We’re there a few Friday’s a month. You know of it?” the friendly woman said with a wink.
“Delia laughed feeling a wave of relief as she let some of her barriers down. “Yes. Patsy and I enjoy it too.”
“Well, isn’t this a fine meeting,” Emily said as she laughed and slapped her knee. She closed her book and waved her hand at the bartender. “Steven, bring my new friend here a gin and tonic. That alright Delia?”
Delia laughed. “That would be sublime.”
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When Patsy entered the large room she watched as Darcy walked straight to an open chair in a circle of fifteen or so seats that were mostly filled.
She began to follow when a man who appeared to be about her age stopped her at the door.
He wore glasses, a light blue button up shirt under a cream color vest and olive slacks. “Oh, just a moment Ms. …”
Patsy paused and took in the clipboard and pen he was holding, quickly gathering he was most likely the facilitator of the meeting.
“Ms. Mount.”
“Oh wonderful Ms. Mount. I’m so glad you could join us. I spoke to a friend of yours on the phone,” he said with a kind smile that met his eyes. “Welcome. I’m John Hadley. I’m currently organizing the London branch of SCSW.”
Patsy nodded, beginning to feel awkward. “Thank you Mr. Hadley.”
The kind man smiled. “Please, call me John. We all prefer to use first names here. Now, there’s tea and water over there,” he said gesturing to a small table in the corner. Restrooms are just up the hall a bit further on the left. The first thirty minutes we generally stay in the large group with everyone, then an hour is spent divided into men and women. I take the men next door, and your group will be led here by Darcy.”
“Oh,” Patsy said looking to the friendly woman casually leaning back in her chair.
“Looks as though you’ve already met.”
“Briefly. Just moments ago in the hall.”
“Well, she’s an excellent group leader. Everyone loves her.” John smiled, seeing the nerves creeping into the redhead as she looked toward the people seated in the circle of chairs.
“It’s alright Patsy. If you would like, you could just observe this first time around. You don’t need to speak at all. We do our best to make sure everyone here feels welcomed and safe.”
Patsy looked to the man again seeing genuine kindness and understanding in his eyes.
“Please, take a seat. Looks as though Darcy is saving you a spot. It’s time to begin.”
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