A Brave Start

by Andrea J Severson

Bashfully, “I have several actually. I kind of collect them.”

  Raising an eyebrow, “Really?”

  Feeling slightly embarrassed under his scrutiny, “I’m sure it sounds silly, but I tend to pick up a copy any time I travel. I have it in English, German, French, Italian, and Spanish. My oldest copy was printed in the 1920s. And I’ll get this copy because even though it’s not a terribly rare edition from the 1980s, it has this inscription on the inside cover,” she opened the cover and placed her finger below a block of writing that read:

  To our darling Anne,

  Enjoy your first term studying at Oxford.

  We're so proud of you!

  Love always, mum and dad

  xoxo

  “It’s probably silly, but it mentions Oxford, I’m buying it in an Oxford bookshop, and Blackwell’s at that, and the previous owner was named Anne, like Anne Elliot,” Eleanor stated simply.

  “And like you,” Patrick said, looking down at her with a sincere smile.

  “And like me, or like my middle name at least,” she said, smiling back.

  “Are you ready to continue our tour? Or do you want to keep looking here.”

  “No, I’m good, we can go.”

  They paid for the book and left the shop. They walked along the road a ways before coming to a main intersection and then headed to the right. Patrick was doing his best as a tour guide, pointing out different buildings and colleges and explaining the history and story of things they passed. Before long they crossed the street and kept walking along the other side. Soon Eleanor saw another sign that made her stop and squeal with joy.

  “The Eagle and Child! Oh can we stop there for a bit? Just one drink?”

  Looking down at her with amusement, “So you’ve heard of the place?”

  “The pub where J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis and the Inklings met to discuss writing and philosophy and such? Umm, yeah.” She replied, rolling her eyes. “I’ve heard of it. So can we stop?”

  Laughing, and putting his arm lightly across the back of her shoulders, steering her in towards the door, “Yes, this was our next stop. At least I don’t have to try to remember all the facts about this place now, since you already know about it. We can just have a drink and enjoy sitting among the history.”

  They went inside and Patrick settled Eleanor in a quiet corner before going for their drinks at the bar along with a side of chips to snack on, this time flatly refusing to let Eleanor pay. She watched him walk up to the bar and place their order, chatting casually with the bartenders behind the bar. This was different from the giggling girls at the church, she could tell he actually knew these people, a girl and two guys working the bar, the four of them chatting and laughing, catching up quickly.

  He came back with their pints, beer for him, cider for her. “Here you go, a pint of Aspall cider m’lady” he said teasingly.

  Laughing, “Thank you kind sir. Friends of yours?” She asked nodding towards the staff at the bar.

  Patrick smiled, “Yeah, this is one of my favorite pubs, even if it is really busy with tourists half the year. I can usually sit in a corner with my face buried in a book. I’ve gotten to know a bunch of the staff here, they’re good people. A couple of them are artists, one is a writer, there’s a couple who are trying to break into acting. It’s nice to talk to other creative people who care about the art of their craft, you know?”

  Eleanor nodded. “I know what you mean for sure, that’s how it’s been with the friends I’ve made at the Harrison. Especially my friend Jack. But Clara, Maggie, and Alexandra have been amazing too. I’m used to being the only writer and creative person in my friend group. Grace and Carly back home are great, and they’ll listen to me talk about writing, but it’s not the same. It’s nice to have people to talk to about the intricacies of writing, of plot and character development. People who understand how and why you might be struggling with something, not just because they’re readers, but because they’re writers and creators themselves.”

  “Wow, I’m not used to being around someone who can articulate that feeling, but you’re so right. The business is hard, I mean, it’s easier in the UK where a lot of actors go to drama school and actually study the history and craft of acting, but even here we still have the occasional person who just had the right look and was in the right casting room at the right time. They’re less fun to work with. It’s challenging, but not in a fun way.” Patrick frowned in frustration. Eleanor could tell he was thinking of some specific experiences.

  “Yeah, I can imagine. There’s some people at the Harrison who really don’t care about what they’re writing. Like, none of us care about someone’s genre preference, if romance or horror or whatever is your thing, cool. And our professors are very accepting of that, it’s not like other creative writing programs I’ve heard about or researched in the past. But some students just don’t even try! They just think they can get something published and become the next hit author. I think that’s why Jack, Clara, Maggie, and Alex and I gravitated towards each other. We’re some of the few in the workshops actually workshopping our work and the only ones interested in forming a writing group outside of classes. I don’t think I’d be doing half as well without all of them.”

  “It helps when you find your fellow creatives to bounce ideas off of,” Patrick said with a smile.

  Smiling back, “It really does,” Eleanor agreed.

  The chips, actually what would be considered thick French Fries in the U.S., arrived a few moments later, piping hot and so delicious. They settled once more into easy conversation. This time about random things like books they’d read recently or places outside of the UK they’d each visited. They also occasionally lapsed into easy, companionable silences.

  Eventually, Patrick broke the silence that had fallen, “You’re very easy to talk to Eleanor. I don’t often meet people that I can spend a whole day talking to like this. You’ll have to pardon me if this sounds a bit mental, but...well, it feels like we’ve been friends for ages.”

  Feeling a bit taken aback by what he was saying, and the sincerity in his voice and expression, Eleanor, smiled shyly. “I know what you mean. I’ve had a great time today. I didn’t know what to expect from Oxford, but spending this day with you has far exceeded any possible expectations.”

  “I hope this isn’t too forward, but, can I see you back in London? We could get a drink, or just do coffee? Whatever you’d like.”

  He looked so hesitant and vulnerable, like he was afraid she’d say no. Eleanor still couldn’t believe she’d run into him again and now he wanted see her again? On purpose?

  With a calmness she didn’t feel inside, she heard herself saying, “That would be nice. Coffee sometime would be great.”

  They sat for a bit longer smiling at each other, neither quite sure what to say next. Eleanor looked around at the pictures on the wall and thought about Tolkien and Lewis and their friends sitting in this very pub discussing their work and ideas. This made her start to think about her father again and her smile dropped a bit.

  “What are you thinking? You’re frowning all of a sudden,” Patrick said with concern.

  “Sorry, I didn’t realize,” Eleanor replied, trying to smile again.

  “You don’t have to apologize, I just hate seeing you unhappy.”

  “Trust me, I’m very happy. Today has been incredible. Thanks to you.”

  Eleanor heard her phone alert that she had a text. “Sorry, but I should probably check this text.” She said as she dug her cell out of her jacket pocket, a quick glance showed her it was getting towards evening, and that Jonathan had texted to see how she was doing.

  “Everything ok?” Patrick asked.

  “Yes, it’s just my cousin, wondering how I’m doing. When I left this morning I wasn’t sure how long I would stay here today.”

  “Is your ticket just an open one?”

  “Yeah, I can just get on any train I want, whenever I’m ready.”

  “Well, I hat
e to say goodbye to you today, but whenever you need to leave just say so. I’m staying here tonight at my parent’s place, but I can take you back to the station and make sure you get on a train.”

  “That’s so sweet, you really don’t have to do that,” Eleanor said, protesting slightly.

  “I insist. Do you want to get dinner first?” Patrick asked, looking adorably hopeful.

  Eleanor wasn’t sure how she managed to refuse, but she did. “That’s a nice idea, but I’m not super hungry after the fish and chips earlier and the extra chips just now. I might just grab a sandwich from the M&S I saw at the station and eat on the train.”

  Recovering quickly from his disappointment, “Right, well shall we go then?” he asked, noting their empty glasses. “We can get a cab or walk.”

  “I’m not in a huge rush, walking would be nice,” Eleanor said brightly.

  Smiling, “Brilliant! Let’s walk then.”

  As they walked back towards the city center they passed an older couple who smiled and said hello to Patrick, who waved back in a friendly way. In response to Eleanor’s inquisitive look, Patrick explained, “Friends of my parents.” Eleanor smiled in response. Another several yards down the sidewalk they passed a younger couple who smiled brightly at Patrick and said hello, this time when Eleanor looked at him Patrick said, “No clue who they are, I think they’re local, maybe I met them in a pub one night, but definitely don’t know them” he said sheepishly. “Like I told you, coming back to Oxford it’s like everyone knows me and I’m the prat who keeps forgetting everyone’s names.”

  Eleanor just laughed in response then said, “I suppose if you’re going to be famous and get recognized constantly this isn’t all that bad.”

  “No, it’s not. I’m definitely lucky.”

  Patrick turned them down a quieter road that passed in front of the Ashmolean Museum.

  “It’s not really that much of a short cut, but it gets us away from all the busy-ness of the center of town,” he explained.

  Eleanor couldn’t help but notice that he kept glancing over at her and seemed a bit nervous. Or at least, he didn’t seem like his usual self-assured, confidence that he always had in the characters he played, interviews, and red carpet appearances. She also noticed that even as they crossed the street, he always moved himself to be closest to the curb and had a way of gently guiding her without actually touching her. She thought about how all day, she’d just felt so at ease with him.

  Eventually they reached the train station and Patrick went into the M&S with Eleanor and watched as she picked out a sandwich, some crisps, and an elderflower juice. He also managed to keep her from seeing him smile when she swiped a pack of Percy Pigs from the rack by the till and added them to her purchase at the last minute.

  Purchases stowed in her bag, they walked back out into the main area of the station and Eleanor checked the board showing all the train times. There was a train back to London Paddington in about twenty minutes.

  “I’ll stay and keep you company,” Patrick said.

  “Oh no! You really don’t have to, I’ll be fine,” Eleanor protested.

  Glancing over her shoulder as if looking for something, “No really, I insist. I don’t want to leave you until I know you’re getting on a train, there’s a spot to sit over there.” He led them over to an empty bank of seats and they sat. Eleanor noticed Patrick checking the time on his watch.

  “I’ll make sure I don’t keep you and make you miss your train," he said with a mischievous grin.

  Laughing a bit, Eleanor could only smile in reply. She noticed a few people taking notice of Patrick, but no one approached them. Some smiled and waved at Patrick and he smiled and waved back. She was starting to be able spot the difference between when it was some stranger recognizing him as “Patrick Reynolds the Actor” and when it was a local who knew him personally. Patrick’s smile was always genuine, but there was an extra depth to it when directed at someone he knew personally.

  They sat in silence for a bit, before Patrick spoke again, “Thank you for spending the day with me Eleanor. I’d thought it was going to be just another quiet day here when I went for my walk in the park. Running into you was the best thing that could have happened today.”

  A bit taken aback by his sincerity, Eleanor stammered slightly, “You’re welcome...And thank you. For being such a great tour guide, and for spending the day with me. It was a lot of fun.”

  “Good, I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Patrick said, smiling brightly.

  They continued making general small talk for another fifteen minutes, Patrick asking Eleanor what her plans for the week were. And then about five minutes before her train was due he walked her to the barriers.

  “The train will come to Platform 1 which is this one right in front of us through the doors, so you’re already pretty much where you need to be,” Patrick told her.

  “Great,” Eleanor replied, not quite sure what to say or how to say goodbye. He’d said he wanted to see her again but she figured once she was gone he’d forget all about her.

  Almost as if reading her mind, “So, how can I reach you?”

  “Umm, let me give you my mobile number, that’s probably the easiest.”

  “Great!” Patrick took out his phone, the latest model of the iPhone that Eleanor had been lusting after, and opened up a new contact before handing the phone to Eleanor to put in her number. Fingers fumbling a bit she entered it in and triple checked she’d done it correctly.

  As she handed it back he leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, “Better get going, I promised I wouldn’t let you miss your train,” he said with a smile.

  Slightly dazed, she turned and put her ticket through the barrier and walked through the doors to the platform. Moments later she heard her phone ping again. She slipped it from her pocket and looked at the screen. It was from an unknown number and read:

  Testing...testing ;)

  She turned and looked back through the doors and saw Patrick waving his phone at her and smiling. She threw her head back and laughed at how silly his grin looked. In that moment he was no longer Patrick Reynolds, he was just Patrick, a really cool guy she was starting to get to know. She had definitely seen a different side of him today than she figured most people got to see.

  Her train pulled up and turned to wave goodbye one last time and then boarded the train and found a seat by the window. Once she was settled, she tapped a response into her phone:

  Afraid I’d given you the wrong number? ;)

  A few seconds later:

  The thought had occurred to me. Glad (and honored) you gave me the real one.

  She smiled and then replied:

  Of course I gave you the real one. Use it whenever you like.

  She saw the three dots indicating he was typing and a few moments later:

  I plan to, though be careful what you give me permission for. I might start texting you every day. I’ll be busy the next couple days but once I’m settled back in London with some free time I’ll be in touch. You promised to meet me for coffee, I’m going to hold you to that. Enjoy your train ride back. :)

  She typed a thank you and then plugged in her headphones and turned on her music before putting her phone back in her pocket. She really couldn’t believe the crazy turn this day had taken. Or how easy it had felt to be around Patrick. She replayed their conversations and she was surprised at herself with some of the things she revealed but he made it so easy to talk and he seemed truly interested in her. She didn’t know when she’d hear from him again, and she couldn’t help but hope it was soon.

  Chapter 10

  The next day Eleanor spoke with her mom over FaceTime. She needed advice, about Mark and Patrick and everything that was going on. They talked for a while, and Cassie understood Eleanor’s discomfort with Mark and his extravagance, but didn’t quite share Eleanor’s cautious excitement about Patrick. Cassie was afraid that Eleanor was getting swept up by the glamour of seeing not just a movie
star, but her movie star crush. Reality was often different than the dream. Eleanor assured her mom that they were not “seeing” each other, they were just friends. But she couldn’t help but feel like she was telling a slight white lie with that. Did she want to be more than just friends? Was she really attracted to him or just the characters he’d played? She was scared, that was for certain. After the time wasted with Michael and then the false start with Mark, she didn’t want to get swept away by Patrick’s charm and gorgeous smile. After assuring her mom that she was not going to get into anything serious with anyone they ended the call.

  Still feeling like she needed some advice she managed to get her friends Grace and Carly on FaceTime. They, of course, were very supportive about Eleanor’s decision concerning Mark but totally freaked out when she told them about her day in Oxford with Patrick Reynolds. They’d gotten excited back in August when Eleanor told them about her encounter with him in Covent Garden and then again when she told them about seeing him at her birthday party, but this was a whole different level of excitement.

  “Date him!!!! Marry him!!!!” Grace exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement.

  “I don’t know that I would go that far Grace,” replied Carly, the more practical of the two. “But I honestly think you should give him a chance. You need to get back out into the dating scene Elle. Michael was an asshole. And Mark sounds nice but a bit showy, and I know how you feel about guys like that. Patrick certainly lives a glamorous life but he seems much more down to earth and relatable than Mark, from what you’re saying, based on what you all did and talked about in Oxford.”

  “Yeah, I don’t know,” Eleanor replied quietly. “I mean, sending over the bottle of champagne at my party was a pretty flash move, but he did it quietly, just a private note to me, not a big gesture making everyone know it was him sending it. And in Oxford he just seemed so different from what I’d expected. He was so easy to talk to. I honestly started to forget that he was an actor.”