The Lonely Days

When her husband is away on business, she finds it hard to cope.

                            

                                                         The Lonely Days

Mary Wilton had lived in London all of her life.  She was thirty years old, and happily married with two children.  She adored her two daughters, Sally and Ann.  Her children were still very young, so she wasn’t working at present, instead, she stayed at home and cared for them.  Her husband was in the forces, he was the same age as her, and they had met at college.

Her spouse at this moment in time was away on army business.  He had been gone for a week and a half, and yes, she missed him terribly.  The first three or four days of him leaving, she had been fine.  Keeping her mind busy took her mind off the fact that her husband John was not there.

After this period the days started to feel empty, and in the evenings she would be seated in front of the television, longing for the company of her partner.

She disliked the weeks which would follow.  The last time he had been gone was for several months,  and she did not know what to do with herself.

Late September last year when he came home, she remembered being so happy, also relieved that he was in one piece.  It had snowed on this day, the ground covered in white.  She recalled him saying the journey from where he had been staying to here was a nightmare, due to the weather being so treacherous.

Only ten days without him being there, and she was miserable.  If it was not for Sally and Ann, she knew it would be a lot more upsetting.

Once the children were safely tucked up in their beds, she would dwell on the thought, that, being in the army she could lose John at anytime.  Sometimes, this would make her cry.  Every day she would pray for his safe return.

She awoke to the sound of the alarm clock.  She got out of bed and put on her dressing gown.  It was chilly in the room.  Mary walked to the window and peered out.  The weather was typical of January.  Grey skies above, and in the street below some people were observed as they wore thick coats and hats.

She heard no sound in the house.  The children were still in bed, and this is what she hoped.  The last thing you needed at this time of day was youngsters running about your feet.

Sally was the oldest, being the age of four.  Ann was two years younger.  They were still at the age where you needed your wits about you.  If you failed to keep a very close eye on them, anything could happen.  In one more year Sally would be old enough to go to school.  Mary couldn’t wait.

She made it to the upstairs hallway, and pushed the door ajar to the children’s bedroom.  They were sound asleep, with such peaceful expressions on their faces.

Carefully, Mary pulled the door shut.  She did not want to make a sound.

Every morning was the same routine.  She would walk down the stairs heading towards the kitchen, and for the first half an hour, she would sit on the sofa in the living room drinking a hot cup of tea.  It was the only time she got to herself.

She now knew her daughters were safe.  Mary headed down the stairs.  At the bottom she stopped, thinking she heard a noise.  A shadow appeared, and mail was pushed through the letterbox, and landed onto the mat below.

The postman was earlier than normal, she thought to herself.

She picked up the many letters and laid them onto a nearby shelf, so she could look at them a bit later.  Then she proceeded into the kitchen, to make herself a well deserved cup of tea.  

While the kettle boiled, Mary sat on a wooden chair by the table, and pondered on the day ahead.  She needed to do some shopping at some point.  The fridge was near enough empty.

Mary made the drink and left the cold kitchen for the living room.  This room was warmer, as the heating had been switched on some weeks back.  She sat on the sofa and took her first mouthful.

At some time in the future she hoped a letter would arrive from her husband.  She knew it would be at least twenty days before she would receive anything, because he was stationed so far away.

An hour later.  The time was ten minutes passed eight, and Mary was busy getting breakfast.

“Mummy, I’m hungry,” groaned Sally.

“Just give me a minute,” she said back.

She poured some cereal into three bowls, and covered it in milk.

The two girls sat next to each other at the kitchen table, and for once they did not misbehave.

Mary placed the bowls down in front of them.

Both picked up their spoons and began to eat.

Mary joined them at the table, and gave them a curious look, before she asked, “What’s wrong with you two?”

The girls were silent.

Her instinct told her something was wrong.  Earlier, when she called them to get out of bed, they seemed oddly obedient.

She asked them again, “What’s wrong, sweethearts?  You can tell me if something is on your mind.”

Both said nothing, and peered down at their bowls.

“Are you missing your daddy?” she said softly.  “It’s all right, I miss him as well.”

Sally peered up, and with a disheartened look on her face, she said, “Why does he keep going away?”

This broke Mary’s heart, and she replied the best she could in such circumstances, “I’ve told you before, he has a very important job.  That’s why he goes away a lot.  He’ll be back shortly, I promise.”  She bit her lip, knowing it was going to be longer than her and the girls would have liked.  “Do you understand what I’m trying to say to you?”

“I suppose,” Sally answered, still a little dispirited.

To cheer up matters, Mary had to think of something to say, “I know, let’s all go to the shops.  Do you two fancy some sweets?”

Smiles broke out on their faces.  “I love sweets,” both answered cheerily.

“Straight after breakfast, we will clean our teeth and put our warm coats on.  Then to the shops we will go.  How does this sound?”

Ann giggled, before she said, “Sounds great.”

Mary now felt glad.

They had put their coats on.  Ann still being very young sat in the pushchair.

“This is fun,” screamed Sally in a delightful sort of way.

Mary opened the front door.  They made their way out.

Eight fifty was the time.

The street in front was empty of people.  Most now being at work, and for the ones which did not work, probably still in bed.  It was eerily silent.  The odd vehicle would come down the road, but apart from this, nothing.

Mary kept an eye on Sally while she ran a couple of metres in front.  Ann who sat comfortably in her chair would laugh at the silliest of things.

“Mummy, mummy, look at that little bird over there,” Ann all of a sudden said.  “I think it is hurt?”

At the side of the road a black bird laid near the curb.  It was injured, and it flapped its wings unable to stand.

“If you close your eyes, sweetheart, and when I tell you to open them, the bird will have flown away,” Mary said.

“Will it be better?” Ann asked.

Mary hated lying.  “Yes, closing your eyes would give it strength to fly away.”

“Is this true, mummy?” answered Ann.

“Would I lie to you, sweetie.”

“That sounds silly,” said Sally out of the blue.

Mary had to think quick.  “I can see the shop over there, I wonder what sweets they will have?”

Thankfully, the girls stayed quiet.

The co-op just ahead, they made their way to it.

Mary picked up some items and put them in a basket which she held.  With the pushchair in one hand and the basket in the other, on top of keeping an eye on her roaming daughter, she proceeded to the checkout.

A woman with grey hair looked up, and said with a fake smile, “Would you like some carrier bags?”

Mary had some from home, and declined the offer.

The food had been placed into the bags.  Mary had paid the woman and was ready for the trip home.

“Come on, sweetheart,” said Mary to Sally, the little girl followed.

By the entrance some newspapers were stacked.

She peered down at the main headline on the front page, and it read:

‘Man still not caught after 3rd stabbing.’

Mary had heard about this on the news about a week ago.

In the local area a man being described as no older than late thirties, has been breaking into houses, and viciously attacking the people who live there.

It was terrifying to think that someone as dangerous as this was on the loose.

It made Mary shudder.

They walked out of the shop, and began the journey home.

Mary hanged the three bags onto the pushchair.  It made it a little easier.

The walk back went without any problems, apart from the bird, which now laid dead on the hard road.

The moment Ann saw this, she said, “I thought you said the bird was all better, why hasn’t it flown away?”

Mary could only think of a single answer, “Maybe the injuries were too great?”

“Poor thing,” the girl muttered.

All three now made their way up the street, only a few doors away from where they lived.

Thank god, nearly home, Mary thought to herself.

Her arms ached a little.  She was looking forward to a nice cup of tea.

Mary noticed the gate to the front garden was open.  “That’s strange,” she said under her breath.

When finally they’d reached the gate, she saw the front door was ajar.  This was most peculiar.  She definitely remembered the door being locked when leaving the house.

Mary said to Sally, “Just wait outside here, and I’ll see what is going on.”

Sally replied, concern in her voice, “What is wrong, mummy?”

Mary thought back to the headline in the newspaper.  She was a little petrified, but she didn’t want to overreact.  “It’ll be okay, I just want to check on something.  So, promise me, stay here until I give you the signal to come in.”

“I will, mummy,” said she.

She walked to the door, and the children stayed by the gate.  Mary made her way in.

In the hallway she heard a sound coming from the kitchen.  

It startled her.

She neared the door.  Her hands shook through fear.  She could see the door slightly open, and peered through.  Inside, all she could observe was a man’s arm.  Grasped in his hand was a knife.

Her heart began to race.

She lost her balance and hit the wall, which caused a slight noise.

Footsteps from inside the kitchen were heard approaching the door.

Mary realised suddenly, that whoever had broken into their house was now aware of her presence.

She ran away from the door to the bottom of the stairs.  Without much thought she charged up the stairs.

Mary ran into her and John’s bedroom, then hid behind the bed.  She glanced towards the door.  Mary had never been so scared.  She felt so vulnerable.  What should she do, thankfully the children were outside, away from the danger.  Her heart raced and her mouth was dry.  There was silence apart from a bird outside while it sang a tune.  Her hands were placed onto the quilt.  She looked about her for a weapon, anything which would protect her from this intruder.  Mary removed her hands from the top of the bed and felt under the mattress for anything heavy.  There was nothing.  She was beginning to panic.

A bang from down the stairs, followed by despairing cries.

“Oh my god, my children,” she shouted.

The fear now had gone, and adrenaline had took over.

She rushed out of the room then headed to the top of the stairs.  At the bottom she saw a man dressed in casual gear, his back to her.  A metre from him stood the two girls.

He still held the knife.

This is when the man turned in her direction.  

The sheer joy she felt in that moment in time, when she realised her John was stood there.

“Hello, Mary.  Surprised to see me?” he said.

She was taken aback.  This was something she had not expected.  “You had a knife…. I thought you was that man……”

“I came home early for you and the girls, because I love you very much,” he said.  “If you haven’t forgotten my dear wife, it’s your birthday next week.”

He held out a small box in pink wrapping paper.

“Why did you have a knife?”

“Mary, you must know me by now, this is how I open envelopes.  When I walked in, I noticed the post on the shelf.”

Mary ran down the stairs, tears running down her cheeks.  “I have missed you so much, and I love you with all my heart,” she cried.

He cradled her tenderly.

She gazed into his blue eyes.  “How long have you got?” she asked.

John smiled at her, and brushed a hand through her dark hair.  “As long as your love for me is true, I will, with baited breath and a beating heart, stand by your side for eternity and more,” was all he said.

                                                              The End

Reviews

[Marie]

This is very good, very suspensful--with a wonderful surprise at the end.