Short story: The Last Post

She couldn’t let Eunice down, not after everything they’d been through together

Thick snow had nearly reached the windowsill

Marianne gazed out of her window at the growing sea of white and sighed impatiently. At this rate, she wouldn’t get out of the house again until March! Living in a beautiful Lake District cottage was wonderful, but it did have its disadvantages – and winter and heavy snowfall were two of them.

‘I suppose it doesn’t really matter,’ she said to herself. ‘Worse things happen at sea. Eunice will understand.’

She’d known Eunice Piper since the long-ago days when they’d worked together. Now they lived at opposite ends of the country, but it was a firmly established tradition that they would always, without fail, send Christmas and birthday cards to each other. They always put little notes in the cards, giving brief updates of what was going on in their lives. Eunice’s birthday was on 7 January. Today was 3 January.

‘Oh, well – if I can’t get out, I can’t,’ Marianne

mumbled, bending to nuzzle the neck of Simba, her ginger tom. ‘Eunice will understand. She’ll have seen it on the news, how we’re all snowed in up here.’

Even so, she hated being the one who had to break the long-standing tradition. A phone call would do but somehow it just wasn’t the same. The thick snow had

nearly reached the front

room windowsill. There were only a few flakes

coming down now, but the sky still looked ominously dark. Thank goodness she’d learned, from past experience, always to keep a well-stocked pantry.

Even the Land Rover was well and truly stuck, but, thanks to

her forward-planning, it wasn’t likely she’d starve before the thaw.

Marianne was about to put the job of snow-clearing back another day when movement in the far distance attracted her attention. Surely not..? There was a figure trudging through the snow towards her house. Marianne was almost scared. It felt like weeks instead of days since she’d last set eyes on another

human – apart from on the telly, of course.

The figure was coming steadily closer, and, as there

was nothing else

in the immediate area except the Mayhews’ old farm, he could only be coming to her. She realised it was

a man, wrapped in a thick, hooded parka and layers of scarves.

Marianne began to panic, then reproached herself sternly. How could he be dangerous? He had no bag

with him, no motor vehicle, nothing by which to make a speedy getaway with a haul of stolen goods. A probability sprang into her mind. His car

must’ve broken down somewhere and now he was desperately seeking help.

But why didn’t he have a phone? The days of anyone finding themselves stranded and having to make their way desperately to the nearest place of civilisation for help were long gone.

Marianne began to feel uneasy all over again. Even Simba was feeling the fear,

for the large cat leapt off the sill and into his cat basket under the table.

The Yeti approached, forced open the snow-wedged gate and took massive strides up the path. Then…

Drrr-drrr!

The bell was supposed to sound like birds twittering, but, in this moment of panic, it sounded to Marianne more like a chainsaw. What options did she have?

‘Hi. You’re Marianne?’

Her fears dissolved immediately. He was instantly likeable, and, as he peeled back a woolly layer, she saw a very nice-looking guy.

‘That’s right. Who are you?’ she asked. ‘Harry, your local postman,’ he replied.

‘The postman!’ Marianne was amazed. ‘I wasn’t expecting anything…’

‘Special Delivery,’ Harry said, handing her a letter in a cream-coloured envelope. Her name and address were written in capital letters across the front, so there was

no clue from the handwriting as to who the sender was.

‘Oh…’ The heat from the hall rad was melting the snow on Harry the postman’s boots, and he was starting to drip. ‘Er, would you like to take those off and step inside for a minute?’

‘That would be lovely,’ he agreed happily, rubbing his hands together.

‘I could make you a cup of tea – or something stronger,’ Marianne said. ‘You must be

very dedicated to your job to come all the way up here just to deliver one letter.’

‘Not really,’ Harry chuckled. ‘I’d just finished my last shift before my week off when this woman in the

pub came up to me and

Marianne was

now only interested in the letterÉ

asked me very nicely if I could get this to you first.’

‘Oh dear,’ Marianne

murmured, not sure what

else to say. The only pub in the vicinity was The Blue

Lamb, and, as far as she knew, it was bereft of guests in this inclement weather.

‘No, it was fine,’ Harry assured her. ‘She was a really friendly sort. Up on a visit, apparently, and got caught in the blizzard. Asked me to get this to you, if at all possible. Well, I’ve always liked a challenge. Are you sure it’s OK if I have a cuppa? Two sugars?’ He had such an engaging smile.

‘Have as many as you like,’ Marianne murmured, wondering who on earth had asked him to deliver the letter. ‘You must have a lot of energy that needs replacing if you’ve just trekked all the way here.’

‘Not at all,’ Harry chuckled. ‘The road’s actually not that bad once you get down to Cherryman’s Way. I left my van there.’

‘So the snow’s clearing?’ Marianne asked.

‘A bit,’ he replied. His dark, twinkly eyes flashed to the letter in her hand. ‘Aren’t you going to open it?’

‘Of course. I’ll just put the kettle on,’ Marianne said. ‘OK, Polly.’

She couldn’t help smiling at his corny joke.

‘Just don’t let Sukey in or she’ll take it off again,’ she added with a chuckle.

He laughed merrily, and Marianne suddenly felt very warm and happy. Harry was

a gift from the gods – there was no reason he couldn’t take Eunice’s card back with him and post it from the depot when he dropped off the van. It would get to Eunice in time, after all.

Marianne put two big

mugs of tea down on the table and invited Harry to sit.

‘This is a lovely place,’ he said, gazing around at the beams and brasses in the

front room – features Marianne was determined to keep, despite the relentless

march of monochrome and slate. ‘The letter..?’

‘Oh yes,’ Marianne said, picking it up again. ‘Actually, I was wondering if you’d be so good as to take one back with you and post it from your depot for me? It’s a birthday card, and I’d so like it to reach my friend on time.’

‘After all this hospitality? No problem!’ Harry grinned. ‘Hand it over.’

Marianne gave him Eunice’s card, and he glanced down at the address. Then, with a slight frown, he looked at it more closely.

‘Towman Pandy, Devon? Wow! That’s either coincidence a huge or else…’

‘What?’ Marianne butted in.

‘Or else the

person this is addressed to is the same

lady in the pub

who asked me to bring you that letter,’ Harry replied. ‘We chatted, and she said

she’d come all

the way from Towman Pandy to surprise a good friend.’

Marianne’s heart began to thump wildly.

Eunice? Here?

‘As a postie, you do come across some funny old place names, but that’s a real corker!’ Harry went on.

Marianne, however, was

now only interested in the

letter. She ripped it open and

smoothed it out, reading without even bothering to reach for glasses first.

My dear, dear Marianne, What sticklers we are for tradition – I just couldn’t bring myself to phone and spoil the surprise! I’ll try to keep it short and sweet. Basically, a good neighbour said they were travelling up this way and, knowing I had a friend here, asked if I’d like to hitch a ride! I agreed – I’d every intention of giving you a wonderful surprise and of us being able to celebrate my milestone birthday together!

I’d already booked into a pub near you, but my wonderful idea of arriving on your doorstep out of the blue was shot down when the weather stopped me getting any further than the pub car park! I was all set to phone and see if there was any way you could make your way down to me when I got chatting to this very nice man, who turned out to be none other than a postie!

Basically, I’m writing to tell you there’s no need to worry about posting my card. They’re saying the snow will thaw a bit in the next couple of days

so, with fingers crossed, let’s hope we’ll be able to celebrate together for the

first time in years!

Much love, Eunice

Marianne wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

‘Not bad news, I hope?’ Harry asked, his concern quite touching.

‘No! Brilliant news!’ Marianne grinned. ‘And you won’t have to post anything for me now, thank you. The recipient will be able to collect the card herself!’ ‘So the woman in the pub is the person you were writing to?’

Marianne nodded. And already another plan was forming in her mind.

‘Yes! Um… Look, could you do just one other thing

for me and hang on for another 10 minutes?’

‘For a refill – anything,’ Harry chuckled, gesturing to his almost empty tea mug.

Marianne skipped away and took from the pantry a giant chocolate cake she’d intended to devour bit by bit

during her assumed weeks of incarceration. She packed it tightly in a stiff, durable box. Then she pulled on layers of

weather-resistant gear and threw a few things into a bag – chances were she’d be

staying at The Blue Lamb overnight. By the time she’d pulled on her walking boots, Harry had just about drunk the teapot dry.

‘Wow! I take it you want to come back with me?’ he said.

Marianne laughed. ‘Yes, please. And, for the walking bit…could I please hold on to your arm?’

‘It will be a pleasure to escort you, Ma’am,’ Harry chuckled, rising to his feet.

Marianne switched the fire off and made sure Simba was well catered for. ‘And do you

think you could take charge of this? I’m so scared of dropping it and ruining it,’ Marianne ventured, holding out the cake in its box.

‘No problem,’ Harry said,

taking it and securing it firmly under his arm.

They set off together – Marianne holding on to Harry cautiously at first, but gradually becoming more confident as they started to

reach areas where the snow had indeed begun to thaw.

She knew deep down that, far from being a happy

ending, this was, in fact,

a very happy beginning!

THE END Lin Silver, 2019