We Are The Cure : The Plague Doctor's Tale.

Chapter 32

After a week full of complaints, sweat and irritation, they managed to reach Suffolk before the twilight. They decided to find the accommodation in Sudbury and stay there for one night. This August was hot in particular so it was nearly unbearable to travel wearing their full plague clothing. Once, Rosalynn and Giovanni thought Doctor had got a sunstroke as he was staggering and making long stops. Fortunately he was just overheated and the next day he could travel without any problems. 

After checking in in the inn, Doctor gave Giovanni a letter from Jyne which he had received right before their set off. Giovanni was so absorbed with the letter that disappeared in his room for the rest of the day leaving Doctor and Rosalynn alone.

"Would you fancy an evening with medical records or at least a walk downtown?" Asked Doctor with a neutral voice looking directly at her. 

"A walk sounds more... exciting." Rosalynn tried not to hurt Doctor's feelings as she knew the medical records were his true passion. 

"Of course. I will see you downstairs in ten minutes then." He himself disappeared in his room and so did Rosalynn. 

She changed her clothes since the ones she was wearing were already soaked with sweat after an intense walk. First, she washed herself using a small basin and a cloth, and then decided to wear a light green long dress with white sleeves and a light yellow checked headscarf. The evening seemed to get colder so the temperature outside was much more bearable than during the day. Before leaving her room, she put some rose oil on her neck so she would smell nice and went downstairs to meet Doctor.

He was already waiting for her dressed in dark shirt and black trousers, however, these weren't the same ones he was wearing during their way here. The shirt looked better fitted and the trousers seemed to be made of a thinner material.  As always, he was wearing his belt, scarf, gloves, mask and rounded hat.

"Are you ready, my dear?" He asked her right in the moment she joined him, offering her his arm.

"I think so." Rosalynn replied and gently grabbed his arm. It wasn't the first time they were going arm in arm but this time seemed somehow different. She was looking fine and neat, and so did he. She smiled and they left the inn. The air outside was a bit chilly but still warm, and the sun already set. Not long after that first stars began to appear on the night sky. 

They were walking slowly observing people and admiring the view of the city preparing to the arrival of the night. Everyone were walking fast coming back to their houses and the street lanterns were lighted by lamplighters with torches. When they reached the river bank, Rosalynn suggested resting by the water.

They both sat next to each other and looked at the water flowing. The current wasn't very strong, it could be noticed because of the ducks which were swimming there peacefully. 

"Are you sure it is a good idea to rest here?" Asked Doctor suddenly. "The watery areas quickly get cold during the night. I would not like you to catch a cold."

"It's perfectly fine, Doctor. It's not that cold yet and I promise I will let you know when I get cold. Besides, this dress is made of thick material..."

"I trust you." After his words there was a silence interrupted by ducks' quacking. 

"Have you ever looked at the stars, Doctor?" Asked Rosalynn looking at the sky full of bright stars.

"I cannot count all the times I did." He replied with some kind of nostalgia in his voice and also raised his head up. "Usually when I do look at the night sky, it makes me realise how petty, fragile and worthless my existence is. But tonight... You are here with me and I do not have that impression anymore." Hearing these words Rosalynn smiled.

"I also feel less lonely when I'm with you." Doctor looked at her and stayed like that for few moments.

"What does it mean to be lonely?" He asked finally. 

"Oh, it's when you miss the company of the people you like and care about. It's a kind of sadness because they're not with you anymore." She tried to do her best to describe it to him. 

"I see. Do you miss anyone?" 

"Of course!" She smiled and he didn't know why. "Most of all, I miss my mum, she was a good person and I miss her cooking. I also miss Agness and Joe, they always made me laugh and were there when I needed them..." She stopped for a moment and the smile faded from her face. "I really miss them." 

"Are you experiencing it now?" He was observing her carefully as she wondered for a moment.

"Well... Maybe it's not a pure loneliness but something more like nostalgia? Missing something that was in the past and which isn't present right now." Doctor felt lost in her descriptions even though he tried his best to understand what Rosalynn was saying. "I'm feeling cold. Can we go back to the inn?"

"Of course. Let me help you stand up." He stood up first and stuck out his cane toward her so she could grab it and stand up as well. On the way back home they were still exploring the matter of emotions. "If I am not mistaken, your current state can be identified as nostalgia which somehow resembles loneliness? What is the difference between them then?"

"Oh." She now understood that she didn't mention that. "Let's say loneliness is more painful and permanent? And nostalgia is more like reminding yourself of the past wishing you were back then but without any particular pain experienced. This means that you wouldn't like to change the way it is now." Doctor still didn't seem to be convinced as he only tiled his head to the left side. "Oh I know! Is there anything from the past you would like to do again that made you happy or feeling nice in general?"

"Perhaps the time when there was only the two of us?" Rosalynn was surprised to hear this but happy he understood her.

"Great! So this is the feeling of nostalgia!"

"I see. So what about loneliness?" They already reached the inn but still standing outside. 

"As I said, loneliness is more painful than nostalgia. When you want somebody or something be again present in your life. It implies that you're not happy with the current state and you want it to change for the previous state. It is sometimes described like emptiness in you rib cage. Have you ever felt that way before?" After a long silence Doctor replied slowly.

"Yes. It was probably when my mother died." 

...

Meanwhile, Giovanni was sitting in his room and reading a letter from Jyne she had sent him some time ago. He was irritated with the fact Doctor was the one receiving the letters and forgetting to pass them to Giovanni. Because of that he was replying with a delay to Jyne's messages and he was afraid she would get irritated. 

This letter wasn't different from the previous ones he got from her. Jyne was writing that she was missing him and wishing he would come back to Scotland and marry her. Giovanni himself wasn't really sure whether he was ready to leave his profession for marriage and to settle down in one place. He wanted to travel, meet new people and cure the sick. 

As always, he replied he didn't know when they were going to visit Edinburgh but whenever they did, he would definitely let her know about that. Also, he wrote a short poem and put some dried rose petals inside the envelope so the letter would smell nice.

Having written the letter and putting it inside the envelope, Giovanni was still thinking of Jyne's wishes but couldn't imagine himself as a family man staying in one place. What kind of job would he do? He taught himself to be a plague doctor, not a regular physician. 

He sighed heavily and after a long while of thinking he fell asleep.