The television is on in the lounge, the radio in kitchen, the sounds of computer games are firing away from an upstairs bedroom whilst the latest music video blasts from another.

Muttering in the kitchen I think that at least they are quiet, quiet! It’s just a load of jumble head-splitting noise!

The telephone rings almost unheard as it blends in with the overall sounds being generated.
I answer, sigh, its someone asking if she wants to change electricity, says no and replaces the receiver. The doorbell rings, I know because I can see the shape of someone at the door through the glass, somehow it helped to hear the bell. So I go and open the door, another someone trying to sell something, with the noise from inside and the man trying to talk over it I sigh again, shake my head and closes the door.

Standing in the hall I could feel her temper starting to rise as I walked back to the kitchen. Passing the lounge hubby could be seen slumped in the chair reading the paper and listening to the television. Closing the door behind me in the kitchen I switch the radio off, one less ‘noise’.

With the door shut the other sounds were muffled to an well almost bearable level as I prepared the evening meal. At the appointed time the table was laid and the 'tribe' called, no answer, so I sat and ate, and cried.

Where have the days gone where we used to run to the table at the sound of my voice its ready?

Where have the days gone when we used to talk around the table.

Where have the days gone when I knew what it felt like to have a family.

A grumbling noises comes from upstairs, ’is dinner ready’, decided to give no answer, just carried on eating.

The door opens and hubby comes in, sees the food laid out, me already eating – and me crying.

He stands there looking at it all, and says ‘what’s up’, how do you answer that, can’t he see I’ve spent ages cooking and cleaning, answering telephones and the door, having my ears bombarded with- well lets just call it noise! All I want is a bit of quiet so we can be a family again and talk.

He shouts upstairs that dinner was ready and down they came, the noise still was there, they ‘forgot’ to turn it off!

They sit down and look at me, a look of what can only be called fear was in their eyes, I continued eating, they started but the atmosphere around the table was tense.

Again hubby asks what is wrong, everyone stops eating and looks at me, so I tell them.

I was tired and fed up of all the noise in the house, I was tired and fed up of being taken for granted, I was tired and fed up of seemingly walking behind them picking up what the drop.

I wanted my family back, I wanted to say hello when they came home, I want to know how their day went and most of all I wanted the artificial noises from the television and game consoles to be shut off!

They all looked at me sheepishly, said sorry, well I expected that, and continued eating.

Nothing more was said, they left the dining room and went back to what they were doing, and me to the dishes!

The day after the atmosphere was different, they came down and spoke, yes spoke, good morning they said, good morning I said, two words and a half smile was there.

They sat around the table eating breakfast and talking about what they were going to do that day, I felt a part of it all again. As they got up to leave the table they all looked at me and said sorry for last night and went to collect there things for the day.

Leaving the house I got a kiss from each and a ‘see you later’, I folded my arms and smiled, maybe it was only a little thing but that was all I wanted. Then a cynical side of me came and I sighed and thought it would be back ads usual tonight!

But at least until then my little smile and feel good factor remained for the day.

Everything prepared for the evening meal, except tonight it will be ‘al-fresco’ in the garden. A bottle of pimms and white wine was chilling in the fridge and a nice salad all prepared.

A bit late for them, ah well might as well just relax in the garden with the piece and quiet whilst I can. A half-hour passes and they still haven’t arrived, not really worried but annoyed as everything was ready and I was getting hungry.

The door opens and all three come in, see the dining table empty and walk into the kitchen. The kitchen has a lovely view of the garden and it is nice to be able to drift away in thought whilst preparing the food and doing the dishes. They could see me in the garden in the reclining chair and with the food prepared so they go into the garden. They greeted me with an ‘hello’ and a smile, hubby gave me a large bunch of flowers from them all and said they did appreciate what I did for them and were sorry not to have said things before and more often. I blushed and felt another tear as I kissed him and took the flowers into the kitchen. Back in the garden they all waited, as I came out they were there in aprons and towels over there arm waiting, would madam like her dinner now? Said one, would madam like a drink? Said another. I laughed and went along with it acting prim and proper.

As the evening went along we all chatted about, well everything, there was a laughter of smiles, I had my family back.

I got up looked at the dishes and started to pile them up, they looked at me and cowered, some things never change.