Unexpected Visit

Miss Peeg & Libby

by Atonia & Layne

Still not sure she was doing the right thing, Libby parked her car outside the cottage that belonged to Miss Peeg. She was struck by how beautiful the garden surrounding the house looked. It was obvious the woman had put a lot into the plants and flowers here. Libby hoped a place of her own would look this welcoming one day.

Then, her mind came jolting back to why she'd come here. That startling realization that she'd fallen in love with Richie. When all she'd ever meant to be was friends. It had left her with a desperate need to talk with someone. She'd thought of Abby, but Abby had plenty of problems of her own right now. Besides, she'd wanted someone older, more motherly.

Miss Peeg had come to her mind immediately. She'd talked with her once, and the woman had left Libby with no doubt that she didn't approve of the friendship between the two of them. But she'd also been sympathetic, and Libby could tell she cared about Richie.

With a deep breath, Libby got out of her car and knocked at the door.

Miss Peeg removed her reading glasses and put down her book. There it was a knock on her door. She opened the door, “Miss Tyler.” She smiled, “how nice to see you, won’t you come in?”

Despite that friendly smile, Libby hesitated at the door. "Miss Peeg- I'm sorry for just dropping in like this, without calling. If I'm catching you at a bad time, I can go."

“Not at all I was only reading a book,” Miss Peeg held the door for her to come in curious about the visit.

Her face filled with worry and anguish, Libby finally walked in. "I'm sorry to bother you like this. I just- Uh-"

What was she supposed to say? Why had she really come here anyway? Seeing a box of tissues on one of the decorative tables, Libby took one of them and wiped a few tears from her face.

No, she told herself firmly. She'd already decided that she wasn't going to cry. Looking around her, she said, "Wow. This place is certainly different." She tried to smile over at Miss Peeg, but she wasn't sure she was successful.

Miss Peeg noticed the tears, this young woman was obviously upset about something, “Yes, it’s quite a surprise when you come inside isn’t it? Won’t you have a seat…would you like a cup of tea dear?”

"Tea? Uh- No, thank you." Libby perched on the edge of a chair. "Some water would be nice, if you don't mind."

"Miss Peeg? Would you mind if I asked you a personal question?"

Miss Peeg rose to get her a glass of water and stopped, “no my dear if it’s something I can answer.” She turned, questioningly.

"You told me once-" Libby paused, swallowed, and went on. "You told me you'd been in love once. That you would have married him if he hadn't died-"

Miss Peeg was quiet for a moment and sat back down, “Yes, I would have, we’d made plans you see to meet in London.”

"I know this is none of my business," Libby told her quietly. "But- What happened?"

Miss Peeg took a breath, “He went out on a mission, oh I never really knew what he did, I suspected he was a spy of some sort. We’d just had a lovely fortnight together and we’d made plans to meet in London in six months time. He never came back from his mission, I was called into my boss’s office and asked to send his family the death notice. He knew of course of my relationship and he couldn’t bring himself to look at me. He was in a jeep and it was blown up. So I packed away my lover in a box, everything he’d ever given me, silly little things and I sealed it up. I never opened it again until I moved into this house, I tossed the contents into the fire there and struck a match. I let him go you see.”

"But it took you a long time," Libby said softly. "You must have loved him so much. How long ago was that?" Her eyes were intent. These were things she really needed to know.

“Thirty three years, yes it was a long time. He was the one true love of my life and when he died I sealed my heart up in that box along with match covers and a silk scarf and other little things. It was time you see, he was never coming back and it was silly of me to hold onto that box. It was a relief really when I let it go. I’ve freed myself now. Oh,” she chuckled, “not that I’m looking for a romance at my age but I do have a companion I care about. You know now when I look back, well I had opportunities one does but I was so convinced that my heart was in that box I never let it live again.”

Libby was totally absorbed in the story Miss Peeg was telling. "What was it you loved about him? And how did you know you loved him?" She couldn't believe she was asking these things of Miss Peeg, or that Miss Peeg was really willing to answer her.

“Oh he was loaded up with good looks and charm, a boyish cockiness about him that attracted me but inside was a very serious man, I was only just getting to know that man, he had a steely look he could give when he was displeased, he never directed it at me. How did I know I loved him? Oh dear I’m not sure I can answer that it just was…my whole world turned right side when he came near. He made me happy. Well I have rattled on a bit,” she touched her neck, “You wanted some water I believe.”

Libby didn't hear what Miss Peeg said about water. She was watching the older woman's face as Miss Peeg talked about the man she'd loved. But now, she smiled at Miss Peeg, even though the smile came through a haze of tears. "That's exactly how I feel about Richie."

Miss Peeg blinked, had she heard what she thought she had…oh dear this is what she had feared all along, “Oh my dear,” she said and bit her bottom lip.

Libby hadn't meant for it to come out like that, but it had and now she couldn't change it. "It's a wonderful feeling, isn't it, Miss Peeg?"

“Well, it is of course…if it is true and if it is mutual. You’ve fallen in love with Mr. Roberts?” Perhaps she had been mistaken.

"Oh, Miss Peeg-" Libby rushed to correct her. "It's a wonderful feeling, even if it isn't mutual. It's the best feeling I've ever had in my life. Even though I know it can't go anywhere."

Libby had been feeling that she had to tell someone how she felt, or she'd burst. And, since she couldn't tell Richie himself... She'd wanted someone motherly--someone totally unlike her own mother, who would have just laughed at her.

“But Miss Tyler, a one sided love is not complete. I think you are correct in saying it cannot go anywhere. What will you do, my dear?” Miss Peeg thought a moment, “has he given you any indication that he feels the same?”

"No, he hasn't," Libby old her quietly. "And he won't. Because he doesn't feel the same."

"As for what I'll do-" She took a deep breath. " I'll do nothing. I'll keep being friends with him, just like I've always been."

She looked at Miss Peeg in alarm, having meant to say this before. "And, please- You won't tell him, will you? This is just between us?"

“No…I won’t say anything about this to him, I never discuss private matters with Mr. Roberts unless he initiates them and he hasn’t. I do worry about you Miss Tyler and I would like to see you with someone who could return your love.” She reached over and patted Libby’s hands.

"But Miss Peeg-" Libby was still nervous, very afraid of losing that friendship. "Even if he were to ask, please- You can't tell him anything!"

"It wouldn't serve any useful purpose. It wouldn't make him love me in return. All it would do is destroy our friendship, and we've become such good friends." Libby smiled.

She squeezed the other woman's hand hard, forgetting that she had once disliked Miss Peeg a little for doubting that she and Richie could have a friendship. "And there's no reason for you to worry about me. I can take care of myself. I always have."

"There's plenty of things in my life to keep me busy." Libby went on, talking in a rush as she always did. "There's work, and I'm thinking about a change in jobs. I'm looking for a house to buy. I talked to Mr. Skinner down at the bank about that just yesterday. And I'm making other plans too." She wasn't ready to tell anyone about that, just yet.

“I do know one can have a full life on one’s own, I have lived a full life without marriage and children, I don’t regret my decisions. Miss Tyler I would never divulge anything you have told me today but I do hope you will guard yourself from hurt, I would hate to see that. Now you are looking for a house, that is wonderful news, I am so enjoying my little cottage.”

"It's a very nice place." Libby looked around appreciatively. "I love your gardens. I've looked at a few places in the last couple of days. I love big yards and porches. Richie told me he's looking too. It'll be so nice for him to have a place where Michael can visit him. I've offered to move out of the apartment, so he could live there, but he wouldn't let me." Her voice was happy when she spoke about Richie.

She didn't tell Miss Peeg that, while she might not be thinking about marriage, she didn't plan to live her life without children. There was a lot of planning, a lot of work to do, before she got around to that anyway.

“I’m not the manic gardener that my sister is but I do like to putter about,” Miss Peeg smiled, “I saw the advertisement for the house Mr. Roberts wants to look at, it seemed quite a nice place. There are homes scattered about the Glen area most of them are out toward Nana Glen. I hope you will find something soon.”

It still bothered Miss Peeg that this young woman had fallen for Mr. Roberts, she was young and already had to bear more than her share of disappointment. She wondered if he had any idea of her feelings for him.

"Yes, Richie mentioned something about the one he was looking at being off Glen Road," Libby went on. "A couple of the ones the real estate agent showed me were out that way as well. There seems to be a lot of property available out in that direction. Maybe I'll go for something that needs some fixing up. It would be something else to keep me busy."

She had noticed the slight frown that Miss Peeg still wore. "You look like you're still worried, Miss Peeg. I'm okay. I'll just-" Libby laughed a little. "I'll just learn to live with how I feel about Richie. It's not as though it's his fault or anything. He didn't do anything to lead me on. We made the rules in the beginning. It just happened."

She was facing the other woman squarely. "And, you know-" Libby blushed, but went on. "It wasn't because I was sleeping with him either. Or not entirely. I think it was because the better I got to know him, the more I saw there was to love about him. He really is a wonderful man with a lot of good qualities. He just seems to have a couple of little problems that most women don't seem to be able to live with."

“He is a good man Miss Tyler or I would not continue working with him as I do.” She was not going to comment on Mr. Robert’s failings as a husband. He had admitted them himself. “You say you can take care of yourself dear, I hope that is true but remember if I can help you in any way, please call on me.” She bit her lip wanting to say more. “Miss Tyler, my advice to you is not to pin all your hopes on Mr. Roberts, please keep an open mind where other men are concerned.”

"Oh, my hopes aren't pinned on him, Miss Peeg." Libby smiled at the woman who'd been so nice to her. "I'll go on with my life. But I'm not interested in anyone else. I've already found out that relationships hurt too much. Why go on trying them again and again, just to be hurt again and again?"

She shook her head. "No. I've had enough of that. I'll continue to be friends with Richie, and I've got other friends here in town--like Abby at work. And now you. At least, I hope you'll let me consider you a friend now." Libby smiled a little shyly, still somewhat embarrassed at the way she'd simply laid her life and her problems on Miss Peeg.

“Well of course we are friends dear, and please don’t worry about me saying anything to Mr. Roberts I wouldn’t dream of it.” She smiled.

Libby returned that smile and then, impulsively, she hugged the older woman. "Thank you so much for listening to me. For talking with me. Amanda's very lucky to have you as her aunt.."

Getting ready to go, she said, "So, I'll keep on being friends with Richie and, who knows, maybe one day..."

“One day I hope you meet a man who will return your love Miss Tyler, one who will be good to you and give to you in return all that you give to him.” Miss Peeg gave her a quick hug. “You know I have not seen Amanda in a couple of weeks, she’s very busy with her school now. Johnny comes by once a week and does little odd jobs for me.” Miss Peeg walked her to the door, “you’re welcome to comeback anytime.”

"Thanks again," Libby told her. "And you're welcome to come and see me any time too. Hopefully, I'll have an actual house for you to visit soon!

As she left, Libby was pretty sure that Miss Peeg had deliberately misunderstood her. Libby's hope was that, one day, Richie might return that love. She wasn't counting on it, she told herself firmly. But, still, it would be nice...

Miss Peeg watched her walk to her car and closed her door. That poor young woman to be holding out for Mr. Roberts, she shook her head. She knew Mr. Roberts was fond of Libby Tyler but she didn’t think it would ever be anymore than that. Well, a cup of tea would be welcomed now.