followed her
Auntie into the hospitality industry. The job at AGM was a stop gap that
became permanent.
Auntie Belle had an apartment in Newquay but
travelling there would take almost as long as a long haul flight she wasn’t
quite up for that. She would call her Aunt later and decline. For
the moment anyway.
The TV was on in the background but she wasn’t
paying any attention and sat on the sofa legs curled up under her in her little
den. She thought about doing some laundry or reading a magazine or
calling her family but she did none of the above. Staring into space she
was unaware of how long she sat on the sofa. The glass of wine untouched
at her side. Her mobile was on silent from work and she looked at the
screen announcing she had missed calls and texts. A quick scan and she
texted her sister back. Claire would appear at the door if she didn’t
check in. The mobile at her side and the screen flashed as the
screensaver popped on. She hadn’t changed it and there was Rob looking
goofy but sweet. It caught her breath as it did every time she looked at
it. Maybe she should change it and spare herself the heartache but she
couldn’t. She picked the phone back up and touched her finger over his
face. If only she could speak to him again – just one more time for even
one more minute. The phone vibrated again announcing another text.
Her sister had replied – trying to get Carrie to come over that weekend
for Sunday lunch. She texted back she would think about it.
That usually worked better that a flat out NO.
Would she always feel this way? So empty, so
sad? It was as if the happiness gene was taken away from her. To be
honest, she just couldn’t be bothered. Everything appeared to have such a
great effort attached to it. She had closed her face book account and
didn’t want to read updates on how great everyone’s lives where when hers was
shit. She couldn’t bear to update her relationship status instead
she just closed the account. She had declined many family gatherings over
the last few months. The multitude of Aunts, Uncles and Cousins brought
many occasions that Carrie had opted out of. She knew her family wouldn’t
pressure her to go to an event but they would also give her the straight talk
that she wasn’t ready for. The doorbell rang and she couldn’t ignore
that. Couldn’t pretend she wasn’t home with her car in the driveway and
lights on throughout the house.
“Hi Carrie, sorry to bother you” it was her
neighbour Chris. He was looking for the return of his hedge
trimmer. They had borrowed it ages ago and Chris didn’t want to pester
her for it back.
“I completely forgot about it Chris. Meant to buy
myself another and return yours ages ago. But just with everything … well you know
how it is” She let the conversation hang, busy opening the double garage doors
and there it was tucked in the back where it had been for the last 6 months.
“It’s the summer barbeque on Sunday” Chris reminded
her.
“Oh, yes .. it’s the 1 st weekend of August,
isn’t it?” Their annual summer barbeque on a bank holiday weekend. “I think I
will give it a miss this year Chris .. I’m going to Claire’s for a family
lunch” well it wasn’t a lie and she now had a ready-made excuse. It was
too soon to be faced with her neighbours en masse at a social
event. Maybe that’s why Claire had been trying to get her to agree
to lunch? She wouldn’t put it past her sister to organise it so that
Carrie would be away from the street.
“Maybe next year Carrie?” Chris offered.
“Yes, maybe next year Chris” she concurred.
Her family had always joined them for the barbeque
were everyone pitched in and brought dishes to share. In rainy years
gazebos and make shift shelters were erected to ensure the day would go
on. Always full of laughter it marked the start of summer and another
reason why Bluebell Gardens was a
Auntie into the hospitality industry. The job at AGM was a stop gap that
became permanent.
Auntie Belle had an apartment in Newquay but
travelling there would take almost as long as a long haul flight she wasn’t
quite up for that. She would call her Aunt later and decline. For
the moment anyway.
The TV was on in the background but she wasn’t
paying any attention and sat on the sofa legs curled up under her in her little
den. She thought about doing some laundry or reading a magazine or
calling her family but she did none of the above. Staring into space she
was unaware of how long she sat on the sofa. The glass of wine untouched
at her side. Her mobile was on silent from work and she looked at the
screen announcing she had missed calls and texts. A quick scan and she
texted her sister back. Claire would appear at the door if she didn’t
check in. The mobile at her side and the screen flashed as the
screensaver popped on. She hadn’t changed it and there was Rob looking
goofy but sweet. It caught her breath as it did every time she looked at
it. Maybe she should change it and spare herself the heartache but she
couldn’t. She picked the phone back up and touched her finger over his
face. If only she could speak to him again – just one more time for even
one more minute. The phone vibrated again announcing another text.
Her sister had replied – trying to get Carrie to come over that weekend
for Sunday lunch. She texted back she would think about it.
That usually worked better that a flat out NO.
Would she always feel this way? So empty, so
sad? It was as if the happiness gene was taken away from her. To be
honest, she just couldn’t be bothered. Everything appeared to have such a
great effort attached to it. She had closed her face book account and
didn’t want to read updates on how great everyone’s lives where when hers was
shit. She couldn’t bear to update her relationship status instead
she just closed the account. She had declined many family gatherings over
the last few months. The multitude of Aunts, Uncles and Cousins brought
many occasions that Carrie had opted out of. She knew her family wouldn’t
pressure her to go to an event but they would also give her the straight talk
that she wasn’t ready for. The doorbell rang and she couldn’t ignore
that. Couldn’t pretend she wasn’t home with her car in the driveway and
lights on throughout the house.
“Hi Carrie, sorry to bother you” it was her
neighbour Chris. He was looking for the return of his hedge
trimmer. They had borrowed it ages ago and Chris didn’t want to pester
her for it back.
“I completely forgot about it Chris. Meant to buy
myself another and return yours ages ago. But just with everything … well you know
how it is” She let the conversation hang, busy opening the double garage doors
and there it was tucked in the back where it had been for the last 6 months.
“It’s the summer barbeque on Sunday” Chris reminded
her.
“Oh, yes .. it’s the 1 st weekend of August,
isn’t it?” Their annual summer barbeque on a bank holiday weekend. “I think I
will give it a miss this year Chris .. I’m going to Claire’s for a family
lunch” well it wasn’t a lie and she now had a ready-made excuse. It was
too soon to be faced with her neighbours en masse at a social
event. Maybe that’s why Claire had been trying to get her to agree
to lunch? She wouldn’t put it past her sister to organise it so that
Carrie would be away from the street.
“Maybe next year Carrie?” Chris offered.
“Yes, maybe next year Chris” she concurred.
Her family had always joined them for the barbeque
were everyone pitched in and brought dishes to share. In rainy years
gazebos and make shift shelters were erected to ensure the day would go
on. Always full of laughter it marked the start of summer and another
reason why Bluebell Gardens was a
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