I watched intently as the long, thin glass tilted and the pale fizzing liquid moving slowly towards the rim. Everything appeared in slow motion and I stared expectantly as the bubbles rose to the surface and tipped over the edge in a thin stream until......
“Honey, what's wrong? You look as though you have seen a ghost.” Philip looked at me across the table. “Erm, no, nothing,” I eventually replied. “I just thought I saw someone I knew but I don't think it was them.” “I'm not with you,” he replied. “As we pa...
Over the following week, I was somewhat troubled by what Penny had said which, on the face of it, was precisely nothing. She was never coy, never afraid to speak her mind and yet here she was, seemingly hinting that something wasn't all it appeared but wa...
“Good grief, it's hot!” Gina wafted her hand in front of her shining face. The mercury in the office thermometer had risen past the eighty-five degrees mark and even with all the windows wide open the room was completely airless. It was 1976 and the summe...
The following morning I awoke with a dry mouth and painfully throbbing head. As I lay there I made up my mind that the time had come to pull myself together and get back on my feet... metaphorically speaking at that point, considering I had a broken ankle...
The rest of the day seemed to pass so slowly. Philip was attentive as he ever was, making coffee and tea, and ensuring I stayed off my feet as much as possible, generally behaving as he always did but it wasn't the same and we both knew it. He had lost th...
As Penny had requested, Sam and Anna remained seated quietly together, side by side, holding each others hand. She wasn't gone long and soon returned carrying a tray containing a large cafetière of freshly brewed coffee, three cups and a plate of biscuits...
“Sam, wait! Come back... Please!” I shouted as she ran. I tried to get to my feet but my cast made it difficult. “Penny, stop her!” Penny ran after her but it was too late, Sam was gone. When she returned I begged her to follow her, to find and tell her h...
I was excited! More excited than I could ever remember having been in my whole life. After more than fifty years of existing in a life of pleasing my husband, family, relatives, friends and keeping up a facade of an ordinary working woman and mother, I wa...
“Philip wait it's not what...” I jumped, the sentence left hanging in the air as the front door slammed closed. “Penny, stop him, please!” I begged her, “I have to explain to him.” Penny was already up and followed him out through the door. I tried to sta...
It was several hours later that I finally plucked up the courage to call Sam back. Philip had gone for a walk, 'to clear his head' he had said. He promised he would not be long but it gave me the chance to speak with her undisturbed. My head was still ach...
Although my eyes closed sleep did not find me. My head was pounding from a combination of hitting the door frame and the stress of what I had done. The room was dark and silent. I knew Philip was also not sleeping as I could not hear him breathe. I could...
It was late when I finally decided to go home. I phoned Philip and he came to get me without even the tiniest grumble. When my Mum opened the front door for me and helped me down the step, I noticed that it had begun to snow and on the ground was a very t...
When I was dressed and ready to leave, Philip came with me to the front door. "Are you sure you won't let me take you?" he asked sadly. I placed my finger on his lips and shook my head. "I have to go or I will miss the bus," I said gently and kissed him....
After some considerable time Sam spoke without looking up at me. “What will we do?” she asked. “When?” I replied. “In the future. I don’t want to leave you because I don’t know when I will see you next.” I could feel something warm trickling between my th...
