Time to Move

The marriage had never been what you could call a great success. Derek thought so, anyway. What his wife Hilda thought about it only Hilda knew. Communication between them on such matters had broken down years before. Seven years before to be exact, which was when they had finally tied the knot on the urging of friends. 

‘A three year engagement in this day and age is ridiculous,’ opined Heather Wallace, Hilda’s best friend. ‘It’s time you two bit the bullet.’ So bite the bullet they did, in a picturesque little non-denominational church, with ivy clustered around the walls, and across  the 19th century Norman-style arched doorway. It was probably the sweetest moment in a marriage totally lacking in sweet moments due to the couple’s inability to share, and the determination of each that a little thing such as marriage was not going to change the habits they had acquired while single.

Monday nights were dedicated to Hilda’s sewing circle, no place for a husband, who usually managed to make himself scarce when the circle met at their house in the inevitable round. Where he went on such occasions was usually indicated by the noticeable smell of spirits on his breath when he finally crawled into bed. Tuesdays were his bowls nights, and the rowdy gang he was a part of would not have been the same had they ever been infiltrated by an example of the woman kind. Wednesday nights were free, and spent dozing in mutual lethargy before the television, unless Hilda took it into her head to pay a visit to one of her many female friends. Thursday was Derek’s fitness night, which usually meant a few games of five-a-side down at the local gym, and Friday nights were set aside for a joint visit to the local pub, where they would enjoy a cheap meal together, and then separate to spend more than they should on one of the pokies each. The weekends were strictly recovery time, with Saturday nights the only time considered for a hurried bout of rubbery sex, which neither fully enjoyed as they kept their climactic moments to themselves. Then Never on Sunday was the rule, a day for gardening chores and vehicle servicings, which Derek undertook himself to save money.

Such was the way of things until Vera arrived on the scene. Vera, a sinuous blonde with tresses that fell artfully over her usually naked shoulders, and who stirred something in Derek that he had basically forgotten about - lust! Vera was Hilda’s friend however, so was essentially out of bounds even for lustful looks. She would appear some Sunday afternoons and sit with Hilda in the garden, laughing in that high bubbly tone she had that caused the fine hairs on Derek’s spine to dance in a conga line of sensory anticipation. Before long, he was in love.

Vera then began to appear at his Monday night bars, and he made it his aim to win her over to his side of the friendship, something that Vera seemed prepared for. She could laugh and flirt with the best, and Derek was not unattractive when out on his own. The friendship developed rapidly, with Vera doing much of the leading where it came to dark corners and secluded booths. It was not long before it was suggested that perhaps they should move in together, as Derek’s marriage was obviously a dead horse, with a wife who patently didn’t understand him at all. In the end Derek could never remember just whose suggestion that was, his, or the delightful Vera’s.

One lazy Sunday afternoon Vera slipped Derek a note, indicating that she had secured a flat, and giving the address. It suggested that he move in the following weekend, and she would move the week after, so as not to make it too obvious. Derek steeled himself for the inevitable scene, and told Hilda on the Wednesday evening. If he had expected tears, he would have been disappointed. Hilda sat knitting fiercely, refusing to allow any hint of emotion to pass over her features.

‘Fine Derek, if that’s what you want,’ was her only comment, and then she went back to muttering ‘one plain, two purl.’ Derek began to pack, but sat for a while on the side of the bed, puzzled. It obviously hadn’t been a love match, he thought. Why had he only realised that now? Seven years of his life, and for what? Well, things would improve now. Life with Vera would be very different to what he was used to. Although the two had not yet shared a bed together, he just knew that heaven was about to welcome him in, and he couldn’t wait.

He left Hilda all the furniture, that was only fair. It was enough that she was going to have to learn to live alone, without her having to adjust to losing all her familiar things. Derek was nothing if not fair in these final dealings. He even split their joint savings account, and handed her the passbook. By the following Saturday he was doing the rounds of second-hand furniture shops, and buying sets of cutlery and crockery to fill the kitchen drawers of his new home. Vera stayed circumspectly away while he attended to all these details. She was to move the following week.

That week seemed to take forever. On the following Saturday he waited for her to arrive, and waited. By noon there was no sign of her, so he waited until three in the afternoon. By four he was becoming somewhat restive, and took the car out to discover what was keeping her. Vera’s car was parked outside his old house, and it was half an hour before she finally came out and saw him there.

‘All settled in?’ she smiled, a mischievous grin signalling something rather discomforting to her would-be lover.

‘I’ve been waiting for you all day,’ he replied, rather miffed at her levity.

‘Now why would you do that?’ said Vera, leaning in through the window of his car. ‘I said I’d move in the week after you did, and so I have. I couldn’t very well move in while you were still here, Derek. That wouldn’t have been kosher.’

‘What on earth…?’

‘Hilda and I are an item, Derek. Didn’t you know? But thanks for making it so easy for us. I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for.’ Then with a sway of her hips she walked back inside where Hilda waited, a beaming smile on her face, the like of which Derek had never seen during the entire seven years of their abysmal relationship.

Reviews

[Lady Lola]

It's nice to see you write prose for a change, you're good at it. I really liked this story, although I did see that tiwst coming quite early on. It's a good read and I would like to know Derek's reaction after realising what the two women had done to him. Not depicting it though was a good decision. It leaves more to the imagination of the reader. But as a writer I have too much imagination as it is and can see a cornucopia of reactions. Since they are not my characters I wouldn't know which one is the "right" reaction for Derek. Would he snap or just mumble something and leave? He seems to be the quiet type, but they can snap famously if reaching their breaking point.

[Nancy Kathleen]

Always. Always have been a fan of your publish works sir! you inspire me a lot!

[Barbz]

Enough facets to make this a Gem of a Short Story. I found it thoroughly enjoyable, and after a good laugh at the end, I longed for more.......but categorically, I guess that's par for the course! You know I'm always taken by your poetry, but you gave this a run for the money!! Thank you for your efforts always.....You are a Master of the pen......Barbz