The Fallen Silk

exhale

Effie searched through the cupboards, noting down each item she needed to replace or purchase in order to feed herself, and Nimbus, well for the next month. Her mother had thought ahead, and for what that was worth, had left Effie a sizeable sum of money. She had also invested wisely, giving Effie a monthly income that would help her until the investment tanked. She was, of course, grateful to her mother for making those wise decisions, but Effie couldn't help but feel that Theola had known all along that she would pass sooner, rather than later.

Content with her list, she slipped her arms into her coat and tied her boots. She checked her pockets for her keys, pulled them out, and turned to say good-bye to Nimbus (who was sitting on the windowsill, her tail flicking back and forth, her eyes focused on the birds outside). Without a word, Effie left the house and locked the door – old habits die hard. She knew the town was safe, and the forest was clear of thieves and rapists, but the lessons she had learned in the city were engrained in her mind. She chided herself for not trusting her new neighbours, but did not unlock the door again. Once she had settled into the cottage, she might learn to be as trusting as the other inhabitants of Norswood – until then, she would lock her doors and take precautions.

She slid into the driver's seat and turned the key in the ignition, bringing the car to life. It had been her only mode of reliable transportation for sixteen years, and she would take the best care of it to insure that she wouldn't have to buy another vehicle for a long while – it had been her father's, before he passed, and though she couldn't remember much of him, she did remember him working on it in the garage every weekend.

The drive into town, though short, was beautiful – Effie could clearly see the colours of autumn surrounding the road, and she could hear the rustle of the leaves through the open car window as she drove down the single-lane road.

Norswood was filled with small shops and organic food stands on the pavement of down-town. Effie parked on the side of the road, in front of a large grocery store; she remembered that it had been family owned and managed when she was a child, and wondered if the same family still operated it. She locked the door and pocketed her keys, checking her list again to see what was needed.

The store was smaller than those she had been to in the city, but it had many options she had never found before arriving in Norswood. There weren't any apples, pumpkins, squash, or other harvest produce – not until after the Autumn Celebration, she remembered. The efforts of the townspeople would bring in the harvest over the weekend, which meant she would have to wait for her fruits. Effie placed a bag of potatoes in her cart and checked the item off her list; she passed the dairy section and the meat section, turning down the isle that kept the breakfast foods. She had sweet tooth that was best satiated with brown sugar and vanilla oatmeal. She picked up a few containers of the oats and a bag of brown sugar – though she searched, Effie could not find the vanilla extract.

***

Her shopping finished, Effie placed her bags in the boot of her vehicle and checked her watch – it wasn't too late, and she was in dire need of a cup of coffee. Across the street and down a few buildings was a coffee and book shop that her mother had spent many hours in during their visits to the town. It seemed that Theola's presence had permeated Norswood and wherever she turned, Effie couldn't get away from her mother's memory.

She ordered a large coffee with French Vanilla creamer and sprinkled nutmeg over the complimentary whipped cream the barista had added – she chose a window seat in the corner where she could watch the entire room without seeming mental.

'Effie Wickes?' A voice called from the crowd. She looked up from her cup and saw a familiar face, though one she had not seen in quite a few years. 'Oh, wow, it is you!'

'Vincent....' her voice trailed off as she remembered the last time she had seen her childhood friend. It must have been ten years earlier, the year she had turned sixteen, during the Spring Celebration the town held in March. 'It's been a long while.'

'A long while? It's been a decade!' He laughed out, sitting opposite her. 'Tell me, how have you been holding up? I heard from the Andersons that your mother died. My condolences.'

'I've been better, but it seems to be looking up each day. I'm coming to terms with her death, slowly.' Effie offered a smile, but she didn't feel joyous in seeing her friend again. She had hoped for a quiet afternoon out, without running into people wanting to catch up. Perhaps her request had been a bit too much to ask the universe.

'Of course, it isn't easy losing a parent – my father passed five years ago, and it was difficult to handle it for the first two years.' He said – Effie could tell that he was trying to comfort her, but his words weren't very consoling. 'Why did you come to Norswood?'

His question seemed very abrupt, compared to their previous line of discussion. She was taken aback by it, but recovered quickly, saying:

'My mother left the cottage to me, and there seems to be quite a few boxes that need sorted. I decided to move out here, indefinitely, to get her things in order.' She explained, sipping her coffee. They remained silent, sipping their drinks, both struggling to keep the conversation from stagnating.

'Well,' Vincent began, draining his cup, 'I need to pick my nephew up from school; perhaps we can get together again, soon?' He rose from the table and turned to leave. 'It was nice seeing you, Effie, despite the circumstances. Please, give me a call when you have a free moment.'

'Sure, that sounds lovely.' Effie said, waving at him as he walked away. Why had she felt so nervous around someone that had once been her closest friend? Had her mother's death truly changed her that much?

She finished her coffee and returned the mug to the barista. Effie wanted to walk through the town, but she felt a nagging pit in her stomach threatening an anxiety attack. Thinking better of it, she headed back to her car and home to her cottage surrounded by the quiet and calm forest.