Working together

Sarah and Craig lay awake in their bed. Not touching, not speaking. The space between them a gaping chasm. Sarah pondered this while she stared at the ceiling. His job loss, and his interfering mother were part of the problem. But it wasn't the main reason. She pushed the thought back down, back into its…

Across the garden

The vista from the bedroom window is pristine. Neatly mowed lawn and trimmed edges. Not a leaf on the paved pathway. Verdant green shrubbery, and bright coloured flowers: peonies, roses, nasturtiums, and daisies. Marianne's garden gives her much pleasure. Although, she's really upped the amount of work she pours into it, given the ongoing lockdowns.…

Nerves and Friendships

'I'm nervous.' Shelley needn't have spoken; her legs were twitching, her face was flushed with pinkish hues. Her fingers, with their perfectly manicured nails, trembled. 'Yeah, I can see that,' said Beth, suppressing a chuckle. Shelley smiled. 'You're the best.' 'What? Why?' 'Because you always know what to say. Especially in times like this.' Beth…

The Writer’s Husband

'But Sam, you know Erica always uses real life situations and turns them into fanciful plots.' Sam is slumped over my dining table. I've never seen him so defeated, so deflated. He's usually upbeat, a devil-may-care type of bloke. 'True, Marcia. That's true.' He lifts his head from his arms, and begins to play with…

The moment of realisation

Ellen checked her makeup. She fixed the collar on her shirt, then closed her compact mirror. With a sigh, she stepped into the lift and waited for the doors to close. Terrence was in Room 818, waiting for her. Funny how a string of text messages and a few phone calls had plunged her into…