‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The weather was depressive. To Letitia, tears were falling from the sky. She was standing in the bedroom she had shared with Ed for so long looking out at the mist and drizzle so common to Wellington.’  Mount Victoria, rising’  across the valley from her apartment seemed equally sad in the misty rain. She felt a helplessness as though she were an animal caught in the meshes of a net.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œFourteen years,’ she thought to herself,’  ‘œand nothing of consequence to show for them. Thirty five, middle-aged already and no child.’  Lines of strain and pain spoiled an otherwise attractive face. Her blue eyes were deep shadowed from lack of sleep ‘“ even her unkempt gold-coloured hair hung as if listless and tired.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Had she known before that Ed had a problem she may well have found a way out of their engagement.’  As it was. it was a matter of one step leading to another.’  Parties, laughter, congratulations.’  Almost before she realised it, she had become Mrs. Hadley.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œActually,’ Letitia correcting her first thought, ‘œEd was a very nice man to have known. Easy to live with, reliable and steadfast, he had been a comfort to her in hard times and their relationship had always been warm ‘¦’’ ‘  Her thoughts were cut off abruptly with a soft knock on the door.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  She was surprised to see her father standing there.’  She had left him at Ed’™s bedside at the hospital not an hour since. Her ‘œHello, . . . ‘ trailed off as she saw the expression on his face.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œEd’™s gone.’’  His voice was almost matter-of-fact.’  The news not news. She had been beside Ed till she could not take any more.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Ed and she had had this hanging over them for over seven months.’  The trips to the doctors, the hospitals.’  The short-lived elations that came with an optimistic diagnosis.’  But now all that was ended.’  Now she had to face the certainty that comes with hard facts.’ ‘  She buried her head in her father’™s shoulder and wept the tears she had been hiding behind her smiles of encouragement.’  She wept for all the things she and Ed may have shared together and did not have.’  Sobs raked her body as she gave in and released the flood she had dammed up for all those many months. She was also deeply and gratefully aware of the comfort she had from her father’™s presence – of his silence and strong shoulder. Letitia lifted her face to look at him and through her tears managed a hint of a smile.’  They understood one another so well.
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Letitia remembered that scene of nearly four months ago again as she took her early morning fast walk in Rotoroa Park. She had recovered well from the traumatic death of Ed thanks mainly to the warmth she had in the home of her youth.’ ‘  After her father’™s announcement of Edward’™s death, she had simply locked and left the flat as it stood that day and with her father’™s support had run from her sorrows and pain.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Now, back once more in the home she had shared with Ed, there was so much to put in order. But she was not one to swerve from her routine of a brisk morning walk and jog in the park.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  It was drizzling just as it had drizzled then. Gusts of wind, such a constant in Wellington, drove the droplets at her face but this time these were invigorating and refreshing.’  From time to time she broke into a jog in order to finish her round quicker.’  Then a figure she had noticed on previous walks’  caught her attention.’  This was not the first time they had passed. He was, she guessed, a little older than Ed, but had a good figure and walked briskly.’  He had never, by even by the slightest sign shown any interest in her passing presence.’  ‘œProbably a bore,’ Letitia thought to herself as they passed.’  But she also promised herself that at their next encounter she would make a gesture of greeting – ‘œjust to test the reaction,’ she thought with a touch of humour.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The next day on her walk in the very cold July morning she did not see him.’  Nor the next. Nor, in fact for the next week.’  She found it strange that she even began to wonder if he was alright.’  ‘œPerhaps he’™s fallen ill?’’  The thought surprised her.’  But the the next thought, ‘œPerhaps he has no one to care for him,’ surprised her even more. Ed came to mind but she shook these thoughts from her and concentrated on the things that had to be done. Her flat was still in a mess and much needed doing to bring it back into shape again.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The following day, a Sunday, Letitia almost jumped when she saw his athletic figure approaching under the trees. He was wearing a heavy chequered scarf about his neck.’  At a distance of some thirty feet, looking at him, she stopped and deliberately waited for him to come abreast.’  He could not help but stop.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWere you ill?’’  Her greeting surprised her as much as it did him.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œYes, in fact I was.’’  His answer was curt but not unkindly.’  He even smiled a half smile.’  ‘œFlu, you know.’  Not uncommon in winter.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI found myself worrying.’’  Again her words surprised her.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œThat’™s nice of you.’  But there was really no need.’  I keep pretty fit you know.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI can see that,’ Letitia answered, the complement showing in the slight blush that came to her face.’  She wondered at her effrontery but was not sorry for the phrase.’  It was her turn to be a little startled when he took a step towards her, held out a strong hand and with a smile said, ‘œEdward.’  What’™s yours.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œLetitia.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI hope we’™ll meet again soon.’  I’™m sorry but I must be off – busy day, you know’. And with that they were both continuing, their energetic strides increasing the distance between them rapidly.’  But Letitia’™s head was in a whirl.’  How had she come to behave as she had – say what she had said? She wondered at herself – at her boldness.’  But something inside her was glad.’  Glad that she had broken the ice with a stranger. Since Ed’™s death she had estranged herself from people except for her one closest friend.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  She smiled that day and a gladness she had not known for many, many months came over her.’  Then, realising the trend of her thoughts, she reproached herself.’  ‘œHe has his ties. Here I am, already building castles . . .!’ But her thoughts persisted: ‘œSo strange, his name being Edward, too.’ But she finally flung the thought from her as she prepared herself for her day at The First Credit Bank of New Zealand.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Asked that day to take a call from a Mr. Lipton, she answered as she would any business call. But she was a little abashed when she recognised the bass voice she had heard in the park.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œLetitia?’ The single word made her heart jump.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œHow did you know where to find me?’’  Her words astonished her.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œLetitia, you know is not a common name. I recalled an obituary I read some time back and the name stuck. The rest was easy,’ Edward replied in an easy manner.’  ‘œWould you object if I were to say that I would like very much to get to know you better?’  You see, ever since we exchanged those few words in the park your image has haunted me.’  I would like very much to know why.’
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  That had been the beginning but not the end.’  Letitia had had a guilt feeling at first because of Ed but remembering his sincere injunction: ‘œPlease, Letitia. Don’™t stop living because of this.’  Promise.’’  She knew that he meant it. Nevertheless it was not an easy decision.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI shall always call you Edward,’ she said to him at dinner that first evening, ‘œnever Ed.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The more Letitia got to know Edward the more she found him agreeable.’  He did not, not by even the smallest gesture, force the pace of their acquaintance but was considerate beyond even Letitia’™s expectations.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI can well understand what you have been through’  because of my experiences of three years ago.’  I guess I’™m luckier, I have my two kids to take my mind off things. They are a great consolation.’’  That evening’™s episode had brought to Letitia’™s mind that perhaps there is a God after all.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Several months had passed from that first evening. Months and many meetings with Edward that had helped bring some consolation and many moments of happiness to lighten Letitia’™s life.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  A call at work delighted her. She felt it must be Edward.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI’™ve got tickets’, he said. Something special’. Edward’™s phone-call that morning had been a hope.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œTo what?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œTwo very jolly pieces: Cavalleria Rustikana and Pagliacci.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œEdward! I didn’™t know you liked opera?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI love it. I decided to take a chance.’  Do you, Letitia?’.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œAs a matter of fact, yes, but I haven’™t been for ages.’  You see, Ed didn’™t like opera’  and I … well, I just didn’™t want him to suffer.’  I’™ll be really happy to come with you.’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Letitia put down the phone her blood rising.’  The hours seemed to drag; then the tidying of her desk and the drive through the spring October weather.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  October and trees were beginning to bud.’  That evening seemed to hold a promise of magic as she wound her way through the traffic of Wellington.’  There was a sparkle in her eye and a joy of living she had not known for many a long year.’  For her, the overcast sky may well have been clear, the stars twinkling.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œNow, that,’ said Edward to Letitia after the performance, ‘œwas what I call a first rate production.’  I enjoyed every minute. Did you?’™’ he added, beaming at her as the final curtain came down.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  But Letitia did not answer. She was in a state of reverie from which she did not wish to awake.’  With a happiness that filled her, she remained seated and silent for a while to allow the finale to be absorbed and the magic of the evening not disrupted.’  Edward, always considerate, did not urge a reply.’ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  It was in the little coffee house later that he looked at her in such a way that required a query. ‘œAnything the matter, Edward?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œYes. In a manner of speaking, there is.’’ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhat is it?’  Can I help?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  His reply had startled her.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhat is it?’, Letitia repeated, a worry and a doubt creeping into her voice.’  Edward reached over the table and took her hand as if to comfort her.’  Letitia suddenly went cold.’  Her face paled a little.’  Edward felt her hand chill in his.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œThere’™s nothing wrong ‘“ nothing the matter Letitia.’  It’™s just that we’™ve been going out quite a while now. We enjoy each the other’™s company.’  You have got to love the kids and they you. Is there any reason in the world that we should not be together?’
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Letitia did little but look as if the sky had fallen into the room at that instant. Edward removed a small packet from his jacket which he set on the table, covering it with her hand.’ ‘ 
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  In excited suspense, Letitia opened it knowing even as she did so what it would be.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  As she looked at the oval, beautiful turquoise set between four small diamonds, the warmth returned suddenly to her face.’  Then she noticed something on the surface of the ring.’  Her curiosity aroused, she held it up to the light.’  Into it had been delicately engraved two figures hand in hand – walking.