Who: Helen & Helena What: Introductions. When: A while ago. Where: A cafe. Rating/Warnings: Low. None. Status: Complete!
Helen had never enjoyed having an abundance of free time, and lately it felt like she’d had more of it than usual. Perhaps it was the holidays. She always missed England most this time of year. Maybe it was time to visit her father again, after the New Year. It would be nice to see him.
She had hardly noticed the small cafe filling up around her as she sat with her tea, lost in her thoughts. But now, she looked up and noticed a dark-haired woman who seemed in need of a seat, realizing at the same time that one of the few remaining seats was across the table from her. With a small gesture to get the other woman’s attention, she motioned to the empty chair, “Please, join me.”
She didn’t expect to be here much longer anyway.
The holiday season was always crazy, but it was normal to Helena. Even before having moved to Orange County, it was hard work preparing for Christmas with a young daughter. Not to mention Helena’s overbearing mother, but that was a different story. Now there was even more holiday crazy with Harley in their family, and the general Orange County crazy that happened during the holiday season.
Today, Helena was out attempting to track down some presents for people, but had stopped to get some tea and take a little break. Except the cafe was rather full until someone offered her an open seat.
“Oh, thank you, I appreciate the offer,” she responded with a warm smile as she took the open seat. “I’m Helena,” she introduced herself, holding out her hand in greeting. It was only proper. Though something else caught her attention. “Do I hear an English lilt in your voice?”
Helen took the offered hand with a soft smile, a hint of amusement slipping into her voice as she responded, “Helen. It’s a pleasure.”
Of course, she would find the only other Englishwoman in the place. And one with a name so similar to her own, at that. “Yes, actually. I’m from London, originally. My father still lives there. And you?”
Helena shook her hand, eyebrows lifting curiously at Helen’s name. Well, they were certainly two of a kind in that respect with only a one letter difference between their names.
“As it happens, I am from London as well. My parents and siblings still live there. Funny how the world works. It takes us being in Orange County to meet despite originally being from the same city. Though of course, London is a rather large place.” And if there was an age gap of any sort, that would also add to it.
Helen hummed faintly in agreement, “Yes, it is. And I left when I was young. I still make time for the occasional visit, of course.”
Some days, she wondered why she’d ever agreed to leave England. But she knew her reasons, and at the time, they had seemed like good ones. Now she’d simply been here too long to go back. Her daughter was here, her daughter’s life was here, and it would be foolish to leave the hospital at this point in her career.
“Taking time to visit London now and then is necessary. I miss it sometimes, though it’s been several years since I lived there.” After getting her degrees, Helena had traveled for her job. Egypt had been one of the first places she’d lived in. Paris had been another, but she had a very deep resentment of that city, both for dream reasons and reasons in this life.
“May I ask what you do for a living?” She asked and sipped her tea. Helena was also curious. She liked meeting new people and getting to know them.
“Of course.” Helen rarely minded discussing her work. She was proud of what she did, and she was very good at it. It suited her.
“I work in a trauma center. I’m a surgeon.” There’s a soft smile. “I spend so much of my time there, sometimes I forget what it’s like to be out here, among the rest of the world.”
Helena was impressed. It took a certain type of person to be a surgeon. “You take pride in your work, as well you should. I take it if I am ever in need of surgery, I could consult you?” She wasn’t completely serious. Surgeons sometimes specialized in specific fields.
“Though I understand forgetting what the rest of the world is like. Sometimes I get caught up in my own work that nothing else exists until I finish.” Or until she got out of one of her moods. Her insomnia sometimes ran rampant with her, but she had learned her tricks to dealing with it, mostly from her dream self.
Helen’s eyes sparkled with just a hint of amusement. “As long it’s nothing too intricate.”
She did love being a trauma surgeon, the calm she felt in the middle of the chaos. It was often difficult, always stressful, and she couldn’t have chosen a better career.
“And what is it you do?”
“I shall do my best to keep it simple,” Helena responded with amusement as she sipped her tea.
“Officially, I am a forensic archaeologist. I have worked on anything from archaeological digs in Egypt to a mass grave in Germany to murder cases, both new and cold. Unofficially, I am an inventor and a writer.” That more or less covered the spectrum of her talents and what she was actually doing with her life. She was making an attempt to be more of an inventor in this life, but hadn’t made it official yet. Forensic archaeology wasn’t as fulfilling as it had once been.
“That’s quite a range of talents, all of which I’m certain have their challenges.” She was more than a little curious how she’d come to branch out into, what Helen would consider, such differing fields.
“What do you write?”
“They do, all of which are welcome.” Helena’s was a mind that needed to be challenged. Otherwise she tended to focus her energy into more destructive behaviors, which she was pointedly trying not to fall into in this life.
“Science fiction. I haven’t published anything, but I’ve been working on a story lately. I suppose you could say I’m putting my other degree to some use. I double majored in English Literature and Archaeology at the University of Cambridge.” Helena had quite a few sources to draw on for her writing, and she was crafting an intriguing story. Or so she thought, at any rate.
That was something else they had in common, partly why her job suited her so well. Every crisis was a little different, a new challenge, a familiar experience shaped in a new way.
“You can’t rush creativity, so I’ve been told. Perhaps I’ll look into it, once you’ve finished.”
Challenges made life interesting, and made her work more fulfilling. Even when Helena was just tinkering for herself or on the nights she couldn’t sleep, it was a challenge that was worth it. Everything that was a puzzle was worth solving, in Helena’s opinion.
“It would be an honor. We shall see if I ever manage a complete draft.” Sometimes, Helena overthought things and would erase parts of her story and rewrite them. That tended to happen quite a lot lately when she was trying to write.
“If it’s something you’re passionate about, you will.” Helen knew well nothing in life was simple, but she did believe that. If it mattered, it would find a way. Besides, she got the impression Helena could be quite determined if she set her mind to something.
“That is very, very true.” As the saying went, where there was a will there was a way. Helena just needed to not overthink things too much. Letting the story floor and correcting problems in the editing process was what the editing process was for. She needed to remind herself of that at times.
Glancing at her watch, Helen realized it was time to gently extract herself. “I hate to cut this short, but I really should be getting back.” She hadn’t intended to stay as long as she had. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Helena. Truly.”
Helena smiled. “Of course, it was a pleasure to meet you, Helen. We should meet again in future as schedules allow it.” Because of course they were both busy women given their jobs, but Helena would always make time for spending time with people. And Helen certainly seemed to be an intriguing woman.
“I’d like that.” The truth was, since Ashley had moved out, Helen didn’t get much company. It certainly couldn’t hurt build new friendships, and she had a feeling Helena was worth taking the time to know.
After a moment’s consideration, she found a pen and some paper and wrote her number. “Call me when you want someone to read that book of yours.” She stood, then, adding with a smile, “Of course, I wouldn’t turn down a decent cup of tea.”
Making her way to the door, she checked her watch again. With a little luck, she might still be on time for her shift.