Time After Time

She picked up the photograph, gave the glass a quick polish with her sleeve and placed it on the mantelpiece. As she sat back down in the armchair, she heard the church bells and she checked her watch. 4.00pm. The village had been up in arms about those bells, saying that they were a nuisance, too loud. Shirley was sure that soon they would ring out just for special occasions - as they had on her wedding day. 

She looked back up at the photo and smiled. Attractive, polite, loving, attentive in bed. She was so lucky. 

‘What a catch’, her friends had said. And he was. Shirley remembered the other night as they had danced and danced, Harry so handsome in his tuxedo and she, in her red chiffon evening dress, looking ‘like a princess.’ A beautiful couple. She glanced at her watch and then, for confirmation, glanced round at the clock on the sideboard. 4.05pm. He was due home at five or so. She got up slowly and walked over to the window and glanced out. No sign of him yet of course, but this was a habit of hers. She missed him more and more when he was at work and though she saw her friends occasionally, she enjoyed their company less and less. It wasn’t their fault; it was just that she loved Harry so much and time that was spent with other people seemed so counterfeit. She sat back down in the armchair and picked up a magazine from the coffee table. She put it back down almost immediately and started to tap her fingers on her lap. She looked back up at the photo and smiled again. Harry really did look wonderful in their wedding photo. For some reason she felt tired but she couldn’t go to sleep now. She had to be wide awake for Harry. 

Shirley opened her eyes and glanced at her watch. 5.20 pm. She was glad she had woken up in time as Harry would be home soon. He normally finished work around five-thirty and was home by six. She got up from the armchair and made her way to the window. It was getting dark so, after looking at the path for any sign of him, Shirley thought about drawing the curtains. Of course she couldn’t. She hadn’t expected to see him yet, it was just habit to go the window and check. She needed the toilet so she went out of the sitting room, passing the sideboard but stopping in front of the mirror. She pulled her hair from her eyes and looked at the person that stared back. It looked like her but a lot older, hair white and tangled, face lined, smaller. 

She sat back down on the armchair and looked at her watch. 5.35pm. She picked up the magazine and skimmed it, eyes squinting, working overtime. She was tired. 

She woke up and stretched. Why had she fallen asleep? She hadn’t done that in ages. She glanced at her watch. Just gone 6.20pm. Harry should be home soon.

- THE END -