by Ann Purser
“I want to go home,” she said, beginning to cry.
“But we’ve paid for the full week,” he said.
She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. “They’ve left the washing out…on the balcony…and it’s raining again,” she said.
“I know,” he said. Silence fell.
♦
Lois sat in her office. She had heard Enid scream and began to get up. Then she heard Cowgill’s calming voice, and sank back into her seat. The telephone rang.
“Hello? Mrs M? Bill here. Just checking where you want me to fill in next week. No news of Enid yet?”
Lois couldn’t speak for a moment. “Well, yes,” she said. “There is news. Not good, I’m afraid. But go on over to the Charringtons, and I’ll speak to you later. I’ll speak to you all later. Thanks, Bill.”
Something sticking out of her desk drawer caught her eye. It was Mrs Abraham’s journal. She opened it near the beginning, and began to read.
Walter gave me this diary, and told me to write it every day. He said it would help. And he said to tell the truth, because only the truth would do.
Lois frowned. As on other occasions, she felt ashamed, as if overhearing a private conversation. Probably why I’ve not handed it over to Cowgill, she thought. Perhaps she should give it back to Walter, let him decide whether to make it public. But no, it had to go to Cowgill. Should have gone before. She read on, leafing through a few pages.
So here goes. The truth is that I don’t love Walter any more. Edward is everything to me. I don’t need anyone else. Walter knows it, too, though he won’t admit it, won’t let me go. I don’t want him near me any more. There, Walter! You said to tell the truth, so that’s it. All for now.
Lois realized she was trembling. Poor old man. She opened it again at random. The handwriting was wild, all over the place.
I wish Walter and Enid would go away and leave me with my Teddy! While she’s here he loves her more than me. He says he doesn’t, but I know different. Always the same, even when they were babies! That look between them! Why did I have to have twins? Walter’s fault…Twins in his family, not in mine. I wish…
The entry ended with smudged ink. Tears. What a pitiful woman, thought Lois, and shut the diary wearily. She left her office and met Cowgill coming to find her.
“I think Enid needs help,” he said.
She looked at him bleakly, handing over the diary. “She always has,” she replied.
♦
Weeks later, weeks of tension and unhappiness for all of them, and another staff meeting had come round. Monday, midday, and the team was assembled in Lois’s office.
“Right,” said Lois briskly, “let’s get on with it. I’m interviewing some new possibles, you’ll be glad to hear. Now let’s look at the schedules for next week. Bill…”
There was a light knock at the door. “Come in,” said Lois, irritated at the interruption.
“Hello, everybody.” It was Enid, and she came forward tentatively, apparently unaware of their shocked faces. “Move up, Sheila,” she said, sitting down in her usual place. “Sorry I’m late.”
Lois hesitated. “Are you sure you’re…?”
“Quite sure,” said Enid quietly. “Now, Wednesday at the Charringtons, as usual?”
FB2 document info
Document ID: 9c5e345b-4a66-4150-90ac-5650ad302135
Document version: 1
Document creation date: 6.11.2012
Created using: calibre 0.9.5, FictionBook Editor Release 2.6.6 software
Document authors :
Ann Purser
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