#ebenezer forester

[zachariahforester]

A Turning of the Tide

Date: 13th of June, 1904 Place: Fairford House, St Maur Status: Closed for @cescapist

Zachariah took the first train home on Monday morning. He already felt he'd tarried in London too long. He arrived home before noon. Approaching the house he'd felt an odd mix of apprehension and relief. He knew that talking to Benny would lift so much weight from his shoulders, but they were big words he had to say, and though he was fairly certain Benny would take them well, there was no certainty.

He was already taking off his coat and hat as he came through the entrance, a maid scurried to take them, clearly not expecting his haste. "Is Ebenezer at home?" He asked, but barely waiting for a reply as he headed to the dining room. "Yes sir, he's just-" The maid's slightly anxious voice followed him but cut off when Zachariah disappeared through the door.

Even at first glance, there was no mistaking the man sitting at their table for Ebenezer. He stopped in his tracks. Their guest was sitting there, fairly dishevelled, in the state of undress you might relax into when you were not expecting to see anyone. Zachariah blinked. Then nodded. "Good morning Valentin." With that, he made as if to turn but then stopped. "I'm just going to speak with Benny, I assume he's upstairs but, ah- please enjoy your breakfast, we shouldn't be too long."

Any script he had in his head had been blown far away now, so he climbed the stairs empty-headed, with only finding Benny as his goal. As such he didn't pause to knock at Benny's door, but entered unannounced, and sat down heavily in a chair. He nodded to himself a few times, aware Benny was there, but needing a second to collect himself.

When he finally looked up, his eyes found Benny, his lips pursed with held-back emotion. How did he start? "I made a lot of mistakes the last time I was here." He paused, what came next? "And I- well I need to apologise."

[zachariahforester]

Matters of the Unanatomical Heart

Date: 19th of March, 1904 Place: St Maur Doctor’s Office Status: Closed for @cescapist

“Ah Benny, come in, sit down, please.” Zachariah pulled out a chair and gestured for it. He’d just finished packing his bag for a house call he was making in the afternoon. He was feeling a little more pressed for time than he would like but he wanted to devote his full attention to Benny now if he could.

Unfortunately, his stomach felt otherwise. “Do you mind if I eat while we talk?” If he didn’t eat now, he wouldn’t get another chance before he left for his next appointment and by the time he was finished there it would be mid afternoon. Usually, he wouldn’t have asked, but with Benny he felt less pressure to be perfectly refined at all times. “Cook always packs too many sandwiches, so there are plenty if you want some too.” He sat down at his desk and then looked back at Benny. “Unless you need an examination?” He wouldn’t want to get all covered in crumbs if Benny needed him to look at something. Although, he had said before that it wasn’t strictly a medical matter.

“What was it you said you wanted to speak about?”