Mornington-By-Mere – (17) Learning to Love

(Part 01)

Debbie Dunlop was the Deputy Headmistress of The Mornington School, where she had taught for the whole of her professional life.
She lived and worked in Mornington-By-Mere which is a small country village lying in the Finchbottom Vale nestled between the Ancient Dancingdean Forest and the rolling Pepperstock Hills.

The Mornington School catered for students from years 1 to 13 which they had managed to do quite successfully with just four teaching staff and some imaginative use of technological teaching aids and live video links to Finchbottom Grammar School, but with the Military Row properties fully occupied and new residential properties gradually being let out they were seeing an increase in numbers, so the school had employed another two teachers

31 year old Debbie Dunlop was also a resident of Military Row where she lived alone, though that wasn’t always the case.
She had been married, she still was married for that matter, but not for much longer.
She had been separated from her husband Ian for two years at his suggestion and she was still angry about it.
It had come completely out of the blue, she loved the very bones of him and she thought he felt the same about her but she was clearly mistaken because he left her.
And her abandonment became the second great sadness of her life.
The first one being her inability to conceive a child which eventually led to the second.
Ian saw his wife’s inability to give him a child as a personal slight which diminished him as a man.
Debbie pointed out to him that there were other options like fertility treatment or adoption, but he refused point blank even to consider adoption as that would undermine his manhood even further and to even suggest that he participate in IVF was an insult to him and how dare she suggest he humiliate himself.
So he left her and his vehemence and anger rang in her ears for days after.

Although he spoke of separation as he packed his bags, after the angry outburst she knew that it was only ever going to end in divorce.
Even in the unlikely event that he wanted to return she could never forgive his aggressive behaviour or the things he said to her, demeaning and belittling her.

She could have left Mornington herself and started afresh somewhere new but she loved Mornington and its chocolate box picturesque quaintness.
She loved the Manor House, the 12th Century Church, the Coaching Inn, the Windmills, the River the Mere and of course the Old School House.

Like the Headmistress Cynthia Sharp, Debbie began at the school fresh out of Winchester Teacher Training College and quickly made herself indispensable.
Until after five years she was offered the Deputy Head’s position.

She loved the school and the children and they loved her back.
The people in the village liked her and she had made many lasting friendships inside and outside of the Church.
There was no way she was going to give up on Mornington for the sake of her soon to be ex-husband.

(Part 02)

Philip Welch was 33 years old and by profession was an accountant and would have become a junior partner at Brady and Clare, the firm of accountants he worked for in Abbeyvale had his wife not died.
Her death came at a time that should have been a very happy one. Gemma was in labour at home about to give birth to Carly, their third child, but there were complications and she was rushed to hospital for an emergency caesarean, where Carly was delivered safely but Gemma died on the operating table.

He married Gemma straight after university and they were married for a year before Stephen was born but five years and two children later he was a single parent and had to give up work to look after his children.
He and Gemma were both originally from Nottingham so living in Abbeyvale he was a long way from his support network.

His baby sister Mandy moved down to live with him for three years.
Which enabled him to take a part time job but then she met and fell in love with someone and got married which put paid to the job.
But when Carly started school he was left with a stark choice to make.
He could either move the family up to Nottingham to be close to their family or try and find a job locally with flexible hours.

When he was left alone to raise the family his role was as far removed from his former professional life as it was possible to get and when he was able to do some part time work, that also bore no relation to his accountancy roots, but he wasn’t a proud man and his family came first no matter what.

He had set himself the target of them being wherever they were going in time for the kids to start at their new schools in September.
But by the beginning of June he still hadn’t decided where it was going to be.

However he was tending toward Nottingham until the day, quite by chance, he ran into Jonathon Springthorpe while he was walking through the Abbeyvale Mall.
Jonathon knew Philip from when he worked for Brady and Clare who were the auditors for O’Sullivan and Springthorpe Auctioneers.
He was walking through the town with his head down, deep in thought.
“Philip! Is that you?” he asked bringing him back to the moment.
“Oh hello Mr Springthorpe”
“Just Jonathon” he said “you look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders”
“You could say that” he replied

They spent the next 45 minutes in the Calypso Coffee House where Philip explained the reason for his dark demeanour.
“I’m sorry I didn’t know about you wife” Jonathon said
“Why would you” Philip said “No need to apologize”
“But it’s not that, that’s weighing you down right now is it?”
“No” Philip replied and went on to explain at length the full details of his current dilemma.
“So what’s your preference?” Jonathon asked “Go north or stay local?”
“Stay local” he replied
“And what about work?” he asked
“Anything I can get that pays the rent and fits in with the kids school hours”
“Well I don’t know if this is local enough but I have something in Mornington” Jonathon suggested
“It’s a bit of a commute” Philip remarked
“No need to commute, there are properties to rent and priority is given to families and the village school is excellent”
“It all sounds too good to be true” Philip said

(Part 03)

On the 12th of August the Welch family moved in to 14, Military Row but it was not the Philips first time there.
Jonathon Springthorpe was one of the partners in O’Sullivan and Springthorpe Auctioneers in Shallowfield but he was also a resident in Mornington, living at the Old Forge, and he was also a close friend of Baron St George and his family.
So as a result he was able to pull a few strings to get Philip moved up the waiting list for a house.

So at the end of June he had his sister drive him over to the village, he was there for two reasons, the first was to meet with Tallulah St George about renting a house and the second was a meeting at the Mornington School.
The Headmistress, Cynthia Sharp, was away on that day so he met with her deputy Debbie Dunlop.


“Mr. Welch?” Debbie said offering her hand “Mrs. Dunlop deputy head”
“Pleased to meet you” she said taking his hand
Philip was by his own admission a rather odd looking sort, tall and scrawny with big feet and unruly straw coloured hair.
And with the strains put on him, physically, mentally and emotionally since his wife passed he looked older than his thirty three years.
But if Debbie was shocked by what she saw she didn’t show it.
Jonathon and Debbie were friends and he had warned her what to expect and filled her in regarding his circumstances.
But even if he had not, Debbie was not the judgemental type after all she wasn’t perfect herself, far from it in fact.
She was a rather plain almost emaciated looking girl, stick thin with straight shoulder length blonde hair and as she never wore make up at work she looked five years older than the thirty one she actually was.
She was by nature a bit of a tomboy and wore quite masculine looking clothes which led some to think she might be a lesbian.

Philip’s first impression of her came as he sat opposite her in her office as she began filling in some forms.
Even though her features were plain there was something about her that shone through from within, now whether it was her eyes which were the most stunning green or a smile that could melt the hardest heart it was difficult to know, but he liked what he saw.
Whether or not she would prove to be as nice as he thought she looked remained to be seen.
He surprised himself somewhat because he had not looked at anyone in that way since Gemma died.
He hadn’t dated or even thought about dating, not that he would have had the time even if he had.
But then he chastised himself for forgetting the reason he was there at the school, namely his children.
But that didn’t stop him noticing that she wasn’t married, but he had noticed faintest tan lines indicating where a ring once resided.
“So where are you moving from?” she asked suddenly looking up from her desk.
“Abbeyvale” he replied
“And how many children do you have?”
“Three” he replied proudly
“Ok, can you give me their names and how old they will be when term starts in September?”
“Stephen is 11, Emily 9 and Carly 6”

(Part 04)

Debbie continued firing questions at him for the next ten minutes and after the formalities were complete she said
“Well that’s everything I need, do you have any questions for me?”
“Only one really” he replied “is there an after school club”
“Yes we have a breakfast club and an after school” she replied “We also run a club during the summer holidays”

He left the School and went off to find his sister who had texted to say she was in the pub.
He was very encouraged, not about getting the children enrolled, that was a given, what encouraged Philip was that for the first time in six years he had looked at a woman with an appraising eye.
Not that he had any intention of doing anything about it, but it was significant, it was a breakthrough and finally he was making progress.

Debbie watched him walking across the playground and thought what a nice man he was and she wondered it that was because she felt sorry for him.
She had been a single woman for two years and quite content to be so during that time, she had not met the right person to begin again with and she was in no hurry to, possibly because she doubted her judgement in such matters after Ian.
So she drained her coffee and made her way to the staff room to prepare for her next class.

When Philip got back home he told the kids about the school and were very happy about it as it meant they could go into the after school club with the new best friends they hoped to make.

On the 12th of August a small Here, There & Everywhere removals van pulled up in Military Row outside number 14 and two men climbed out and went to the back and opened the shutter.
At the same time Debbie Dunlop, who lived at number 1, saw the van pull up as she was walking down to the shops.
But as she got close to the van there was no sign of Philip Welch or his children.

It was about an hour later by the time she had done all her errands and was walking home.
The truck was still outside the house but still no sign of the new tenant.
However as she was about level with the tail lift a figure suddenly jumped down and made her jump out of her skin.
“Oh God” she exclaimed “You almost gave me a heart attack”
“I’m so sorry” Philip said and then recognised who it was he had almost frightened to death
“Oh Mrs Dunlop” he said
“Debbie” she panted
“Excuse me?”
“Debbie” she said still slightly breathless “Call me Debbie”
“Oh ok I’m sorry I startled you Debbie” Philip said “I should say it’s been a good while since I took a girls breath away”
“I’m scarcely a girl Mr Welch”
“Philip” he said
“What?”
““I’m scarcely a girl” Philip” he said
“Oh yes I see” She said and laughed
“So are the children not with you?” she asked looking around and about “I would love to meet them”
“No they’ve gone up to Nottingham to stay with my parents for a couple of weeks while I get the house straight” he replied
“Oh that’s a shame” she said “but it makes sense”
“Where does this one go?” a middle-aged man in H, T & E uniform asked
“Bedroom two” he replied
“I’ll leave you to it” Debbie said
“Oh ok” he said “Bye”

He watched Debbie as she walked up to her house as the two removal men carried a small wardrobe into the house and thought.
“That’s a shame”
He was enjoying their little interaction and he wasn’t sure, due to his being out of practise, but he thought there was some flirting.

(Part 05)

All the teaching staff devoted some of their time to the Holiday Club, in a supervisory capacity only, as most of the activities were run by students from the village.
So during the school holidays Debbie worked at the school two or three days a week.
The day that Philip Welch moved in to Military Row however she was not working.
Since that day back in June when he enrolled his children she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him, which she thought was a bit silly really, and it surprised her, firstly because she didn’t believe in instant attraction and secondly because he wasn’t her type, not even close to it.
She liked tall, dark and handsome and although Philip was tall he was also scrawny with unruly straw coloured hair.
But he wasn’t unpleasant looking though and he had a good sense of humour.

So in the spirit of neighbourliness after she returned home and put her shopping away she made some sandwiches, and put them in a bag with some bags of crisps and a couple of bottles of Mornington Ale from the fridge and walked down the road.
“Perfect timing” she thought as The Here, There & Everywhere removals truck was just driving off.

She knocked on the door and waited a moment and suddenly felt a little foolish and decided to go just as the door opened.
“Mrs Dunlop! I mean Debbie, do Come in” Philip said “You’ll have to excuse the mess”
“I didn’t expect spotless with the truck just leaving” she remarked
“You’re just in time, the kettle has just boiled” he said
“Well I brought beer” she said “And sandwiches”
“That’s really kind” Philip said and looked around at the piles of boxes and black sacks.
“Well as you can see I’m very well organised so I think we should go out on the patio, I haven’t made a mess out there yet”
“Good idea” she agreed

Philip led the way out to the patio and Debbie put her bag on the table.
“I wasn’t sure what you liked” she said “So I have Ham salad, Cheese and Pickle, and Tuna Mayo”
“Oh lovely, I like all of those” he said “I’ll get plates”
“Excellent” she said and then she reached into her bag and produces two bottles “and I have Mornington Ale”
“Wonderful, I’ll get glasses as well”

“This was very kind of you” he said when they had finished the sandwiches
“It was my pleasure” Debbie said
“So how long have you lived in Mornington” he asked
“Ten years” she replied “But only a year in Military Row, I lived on Purplemere Road before then”
There were a number of cottages and small houses on Purplemere road in the part of the village known as Manorside.
“So is there a Mr Dunlop?” he asked casually
“There is or more accurately I should say there was”
“Divorced then” he presumed
“Very nearly” Debbie replied sadly
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to pry” Philip said
“It’s ok really” she said as she gathered up the dirty plates and glasses and took them to the kitchen and Philip cursed himself for being so pushy.
When she reappeared at the kitchen door she said
“Listen I have no plans this afternoon, I would be happy to help out”
“Oh I couldn’t possibly let you to do that”
“Nonsense” she said in an authoritative voice “Put me to work”

(Part 06)

Philip and Debbie worked all afternoon and by the end of it they had made a significant dent in the unpacking, Philip in the lounge while Debbie organised the kitchen and she was quite impressed by the array of implements.
“Do you do a lot of cooking?” she asked
“Yes quite a lot” he asked “Do you not?”
“Me? No, not anymore” she replied “I can, but I don’t bother so much just for me”
“Why don’t you let me cook for you tonight” he suggested “As a thank you”
“I would like that but another time” Debbie said “I think ordering a Pizza would be a better idea”
“That sounds good” he agreed “My treat though”
“Oh ok” she conceded “Vale Farm in Shallowfield deliver”
“What all the way out here?” he asked
“Yes” she replied “I’ll go and grab a menu”

The pizza box lay empty on the floor and an empty Pinot bottle accompanied it and the two of them sat on the sofa quietly content and both reflected on a day well spent.
With two rooms completed, pleasant company, excellent pizza and lots of laughter.
He couldn’t remember when he last laughed as much as he had that day.
Time passed so quickly in his amiable company and she felt so at ease with him and the experience had awakened feelings in her that had lain dormant for two years.
It was Debbie who finally broke the silence
“I think I had better make a move”
“No not yet” he said unable to hide his disappointment “Have another drink”
“I really should go” she said
“I haven’t enjoyed myself so much for ages” he said “proper intelligent grown up conversation is a real treat”
“I’ve enjoyed it too” she exclaimed, “Ok, one more drink, but if I fall asleep and dribble down myself you’ve only got yourself to blame”
“I will do the gentlemanly thing and pretend I didn’t notice” Philip said
“Fair enough” she said and held out her glass for a refill

As it turned out they both found their second wind so neither of them fell asleep and they finished the second bottle.
But as the clock hands reached ten o’clock they both knew it was time to call it a night.
“Well thank you for all your help” he said
“Nonsense you more than made up for it with a very pleasant evening” Debbie replied “I’m free again tomorrow, so have the kettle on early”
And before he had chance to protest she kissed his cheek.

As she walked a little unsteadily up the road to her house she was feeling rather pleased with herself which was possibly due to the bottle of wine she had drunk.
But that aside she thought she had made an impression on him, he had certainly made one on her.
When she got into bed she lay in the dark thinking about the day which ended with her kissing his cheek.
“I should have snogged him” she slurred and fell asleep.

(Part 07)

“I should have snogged him” may well have been her last utterance before she went to sleep but the next morning Debbie had changed her tune.
“I should not have kissed his cheek” she said from beneath the duvet “And why the hell did you volunteer to help him again”

It was nice, she had a nice time, and he was good company, very good company in fact.
And after two years of living alone and eating alone it made a pleasant change but it was ridiculous to go around kissing a virtual stranger just because you’ve had a glass of wine and a slice of pizza.
“No I can’t be doing with all that at the moment” she said crossly and threw back the covers and headed for the shower.

The shower cleared her head and she decided that the best course of action was to knock on his front door and say that she had a prior commitment and she shouldn’t have volunteered her time.
“Yes I think that’s for the best”

Philip on the other hand started the day in an entirely different frame of mind and he very much wanted to spend the day with her again.
So he was up early and showered and shaved before eight o’clock and was waiting expectantly for her knock on the door.

A knock came at dead on 9 o’clock but when he opened the front door he found Susan Newbold his neighbour from number 13, with a housewarming gift of homemade Shortbread, she stayed for about 20 minutes and then 15 minutes later Shelley Larsen from number 15 with a large fruit cake and after half an hour of small talk she left.
The next knock on the door came at 10.15 and he was speculating with himself as to which neighbour was knocking this time and what they had in their Tupperware box.
But when he opened the door this time it was Debbie.
“Hi” he said brightly “come in”
“I’m sorry I’m late” she said and stepped in and this time he kissed her cheek.

As she walked down the road her resolve was steadfast she was going to tell him that she had a prior commitment.
She was determined to nip it in the bud before things got complicated.
Her change of heart came somewhere in between releasing the door knocker and Philip saying “Hi”

They spent another agreeable day together this time they worked together upstairs unpacking the children’s boxes and then Philip made omelettes for lunch which they ate outside and before they went back to work.

That evening as weariness set in she said
“Well I’m knackered”
“Me too” he agreed “and I’m starving, what do you fancy?”
There was an obvious answer to that question but she refrained from saying it.
“A curry” she said
“I’m not sure I have the stamina to cook a curry from scratch today” he replied
“No takeaway” she replied “The Bengal in Shallowfield do a great curry and they deliver too”
“Wow that’s a great idea”
“It’s my turn to pay this time though” she insisted
“But…” he began
“No argument” she said in her best stern deputy head voice
“Yes miss”

The curry was astoundingly good and so was the wine but the evening ended earlier than the previous one due to the accumulated fatigue.
“I’m on duty at the school in the morning” Debbie said
“I understand” he said as he stood up and walked her to the door
“Thanks again for everything”
“My pleasure” she said and leant in to kiss his cheek but instead she went straight for his lips.
And a long unhurried comfortable kiss ensued until she broke away with a look of alarm on her face.
“I don’t this is a good idea” she said
“Why not?”
“I’m your children’s teacher, what will people think?”
“Why would they think anything?” he asked
“I’m sorry but it’s all happening too quickly” Debbie said and rushed off towards home.

(Part 08)

She woke up on Friday morning in a black mood, she had made a fool of herself the night before.
“What was I thinking?” she shouted to herself
“It was a nice kiss though” she replied
“That’s hardly the point you stupid woman” she rebuked

Her mood had not improved when she got to school that morning where she was on duty with 24 year old Amy Hoddinott.
Who despite her tender years could tell there was something on her mind and asked.
“So what’s up?”
“What?”
“There’s something on your mind, what is it?” Amy pressed her
“Nothing”
“No, it’s definitely something” she persisted
“I kissed Philip Welch” she said finally giving in.
“The new guy at number 14?” she asked
“Yes”
“But he only moved in two days ago” Amy pointed out
“I know”
“Respect” Amy said and patted her on the back
“So what’s wrong, wasn’t it very good?”
“No it was lovely” Debbie replied
“So didn’t he like it then?” Amy asked
“I don’t know I just said “I don’t this is a good idea” and ran off” she confessed
“What did you do that for?” Amy said
“I panicked” Debbie said
“Oh Debbie you plank”
“What am I going to do?” Debbie asked
“I don’t know” she replied “But you had better tell me everything”

Debbie spent the next hour telling Amy every detail of the previous two days leaving nothing out and Amy listened intently without interruption and at the end of it Debbie turned to her and asked
“So is it hopeless? It’s hopeless isn’t it? Oh God it really is hopeless”
“Stop talking now” Amy said
“Ok”
“Now answer me this question, do you like this man?” Amy asked
“Yes” she replied without hesitation
“How much?” Amy asked
“Very much”
“Then go and get him”
“But how?” Debbie begged “I don’t know how”
“You need to woo him” Amy replied
“I don’t know how to woo” she said pathetically
“A dinner party” Amy said “invite him to dinner”
“He won’t come” she said
“Leave that to me” Amy instructed “All you need to do is cook dinner and look drop dead gorgeous by 8 o’clock on Saturday night”
“Well the former I can manage” she replied
“Well I promise to get him to your house for eight but after that you’re on your own” Amy said

On Friday afternoon just as Debbie walked the long way round to the Boddingtons Butchers to pick up something special for Saturday night, Amy was knocking on Philips front door with an invitation.

“I don’t think that’s a very good idea” he said
“There was some awkwardness the last time we met”
“Yes I know” Amy said
“She told you?” Philip asked
“Yes and she really regrets what happened”
“What part?” he asked
“The running away part”
“Not the kissing part?” he asked hopefully
“No”
“I still don’t think it’s a good idea” he said but Amy just gave him a cold stare
“You’re not going to take no for an answer are you?”
“No” she replied flatly
“Ok, what time?”
“8 o’clock” she said and walked back up the path.
“Who else is going?” he called after her.
“You’ll see”

It was with mixed feelings that he walked up the road to number one on Saturday evening.
He really liked Debbie, he “really” liked her, and she was the first one since his wife that he had, and then of course there was the kiss, the wonderful passionate and sensual kiss.
So he was desperate to see her again but that was tempered by the fact that he didn’t really know how she felt about him.

He nervously knocked on the door with butterflies performing somersaults in the pit of his stomach and after a few momenta the door opened and he gasped at the sight of Debbie in and low cut backless evening dress.
“Wow” he said when he could speak at all
“Am I the first one?” he asked as he followed her into the lounge
“You’re the only one” she replied as she turned to face him and then she stepped in close and kissed him.
“Not that I’m complaining but I thought you said this wasn’t a good idea” he said “Because you’re my children’s teacher”
“I may have been a little hasty” she replied and kissed him again
“I think you may well have been” he agreed when she relinquished her hold on him
“And Technically I’m not their teacher until September” she said
“That’s a very valid point” he said kissed her again.