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Great Writing - Home > Extended > Let no man put asunder - chapter 1
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Extended Work
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| Let no man put asunder - chapter 1 | |
| By LynB | ||||||
| 21 November 2006 | ||||||
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Chapter 1 Three months had passed since Eileen’s untimely departure, and for all that time, her house had stood empty – well, empty apart from a lifetime of memories indelibly imprinted in each and every room. If that house could have spoken, it could have told many a tale of happiness, total despair and every emotion in between. Eileen would be an almost impossible act to follow, and whoever moved into her house would have to be very special indeed, if they ever stood a chance of gaining a place in her neighbours’ affections. “There’s a van outside Auntie Eileen’s house!” announced Rosie, as she took her place at the breakfast table. “I just saw a man take a sofa out – it was the most disgusting colour I have ever seen!” “Rosie!” scolded Donna, trying not to smile. “You shouldn’t say that – especially where they can hear you!” “Well, it was!” replied Rosie, unrepentant. “Auntie Eileen had much more taste – her sofa was really comfy – all soft and squishy. I miss her, mummy! Do you miss her?” “Yes!” said Donna, tears pricking her eyes. “I do miss her, but I’m happy when I think about her, because I have lots of happy memories, and no one can take those away!” “Where’s daddy?” said Emily, looking around. “I’m sure I saw him come down!” “Outside!” said Clare, pointing at the door. “Daddy outside!” Emily turned her wheelchair around, and made her way into the back garden. She saw Jon standing there, lost in thought, as he held David in his arms. He was almost six months old now, and resembled both his parents – he had his mother’s dark hair, and his father’s piercing blue eyes. He had a smile to melt the hardest heart – it had been said that he would break more than just a few when he was older! Emily stopped next to him, and reached up to kiss the hand David held out to her. “Are you all right, daddy?” she said, putting a hand on his arm. “You look very thoughtful!” “I’m fine, Emily!” he said, smiling fondly at her. “I was just thinking – he’ll never know Eileen’s love, will he? He’ll never know just how much she would have loved him, and I know he would have loved her. Why couldn’t God have spared her for just a bit longer, Emily, so he could have had the chance to know her – even if it was only for a little while! All those flowers, they’re beautiful right now, but will they die without Eileen’s magic touch to keep them alive? I still miss her so much, Emily. I’m trying not to, but it’s so hard….” His voice tailed off, and he rested his head on top of David’s, as he silently fought to keep his self-control. Emily noticed the tears shimmering in his eyes, and her heart ached for him. “Hang in there, daddy!” she said, her hand still resting on his arm. “It’ll be all right!” With that, she wheeled herself back indoors, leaving him, once again, amazed at the wisdom and compassion of one so young. She had been through more in her ten years than some people had in a lifetime, and possessed a degree of understanding and maturity far beyond her years. He pulled himself together, and went back indoors with his tiny son, smiling indulgently at him as he smiled and giggled, and blew raspberries, just happy to be in his daddy’s arms – a place where he felt safe and loved. “Daddy!” said Rosie, climbing down from her seat, and rushing over to him. “We’ve got some new neighbours! I saw a man taking some furniture into Auntie Eileen’s house!” “I suppose it’s not really her house any more, is it?” he said, softly, handing David over to Donna, so he could eat his own breakfast. “It belongs to new people now – it’ll be their house from now on. It’ll take a bit of getting used to, but we’ve got no choice – it wasn’t going to stay empty forever. Anyway, it’ll be interesting to see just what our new neighbours are like!” Just as he had finished speaking, the doorbell rang. Still holding David in her arms, Donna got up to answer it. She could not believe her eyes when she realised who it was standing in front of her. “Laura?” she said, completely lost for words. “I don’t believe it! Don’t tell me you and Steve are our new neighbours! God, what a coincidence!” “I can’t believe it, either!” said Laura, as she took hold of David’s hand. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to the new member of the family?” “This is David!” said Donna, gesturing for Laura to come inside. “He’s almost six months old now! God, it’s been a long time – I didn’t think we’d ever see you again! Come in, and have a cup of tea! Where’s Steve?” “He’s helping the removal men! Tempers are getting frayed, so I’m keeping out of the way!” “Best thing to do, if you ask me!” said Donna, as they sat down on the sofa together. “Men are nothing but a pain in the backside!” “Including me?” said a voice behind her. “I could be very offended by that remark, you know! It’s lovely to see you again, Laura! How are you doing?” “Very well, thank you, Jon! How are you?” “Can’t complain! We’ve got a few open air gigs coming up! I’m really looking forward to those – I’m just hoping it doesn’t rain!” “I’m sure plenty will come, even if it does!” said Laura, smiling warmly at him. “I bet Donna misses you when you’re away!” “Yes!” replied Donna, looking up at him. “but it’s damn good fun making up for lost time, if you know what I mean!” “I’m leaving tomorrow night, so I’ve got to make the most of today and tomorrow, because I’ll be away for quite a few days after that! I love the life I lead, but it sometimes comes at a price!” After the initial surprise of finding out they already knew their new neighbours, Jon and Donna gradually got used to the idea of someone else living in Eileen’s house. Although they missed her, they knew she would not have wanted it to remain empty – it was full of love and laughter when she was alive, and she would have wanted it to remain that way after she had gone. Despite Donna’s best efforts, the girls refused to go to bed until they had said goodbye to daddy. He put his bags in the car, and came back inside to say goodbye to them – no matter how many times he did it, he hated leaving them. He knew he would miss them all so much, and it never got any easier. He hugged them all in turn, and promised them he would be back soon, and that he would ring them every night, and tell them what he had been doing. When, at last, they were all in bed, Donna closed the living room door behind her, and turned to face him. To his surprise, her eyes were full of tears, and her lips were trembling. “I wish you didn’t have to go away so often!” she said, fighting to hang on to her self-control. “I miss you so much while you’re gone! I get so lonely, I….” “Come here!” he said, holding out his arms to her. “It won’t be forever, I’ll be back before you know it!” She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him as if she never wanted to let him go. She sighed contentedly, breathing in the heady scent of his aftershave, giving herself up to his embrace. As his lips claimed hers, she closed her eyes and savoured every single second – it would be the last chance she would get to kiss him for some considerable time. She looked up at him, and saw tears rolling down his face, he closed his eyes in a vain effort to stop them. “Come on!” she said, softly, kissing his eyelids, and holding him close as he rested his head on her shoulder. “I don’t want to see any tears! Like you said, you’ll be back before you know it! I want to see a smile before I let you go – that’s better!” As the front door closed behind him, she walked slowly back into the living room, and sat down on the sofa. God, it was so quiet now he had gone, and all the children were in bed. She wanted him to live his dream, and, because she loved him, she had always encouraged him to do exactly that, but, as he had said earlier, it sometimes came at a price – long lonely days, and ever longer nights, when she ached for his touch. She consoled herself with the fact that whenever the world took him away, she was always the one he came back to – and he held on to the thought that wherever he was, and however long he was gone, Donna would always leave a light on for him. He just hoped that he would never be away too long, that he would always be back in time to keep that light flickering.
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