Welcome to Tuesday's Tales
Once again, many thanks to all those who drop by each week. I also appreciate, and often act upon comments and suggestions left. Many thanks.
This week I am back with my current WIP. Amanda is at the same fairground as Josh and is still observing his actions when she thinks back 24 hours....
Something, she didn’t know what, had
pulled her to the place. Well not exactly. She’d stopped to fill up her car
with petrol and been fascinated enough to linger. Whether it had been the gold
of the setting sun turning to fire and flaming the lacy silver clouds, or
whether it has been the laughter drifting out from the open door of the café
across the road. Perhaps it had been the sway of the trees turning almost black
in the lengthening shadows. She didn’t know and at the time didn’t care.
The enchantment of the place had her
parking near the café and walking in. People looked up, some nodded others
redirected their attention to their companions while a couple watched her walk
to the counter ordered a meal, and then followed her progress to an empty table
near the window. Music, too loud to be described a ‘background’ forced the
level of chatter up a decibel, and Amanda listened in to snippets of
conversation around her.
“Time to let it rest.” Someone behind
her had stated. The impatience in his voice was followed by a grunt while a
woman chastised him for his intolerance.
“Don’t be daft woman; it’s time to let
it be. They keep raking it up year after year…”
“If you’re so dead set against this
fair, then why are you making such a large donation to the cause?”
A child at another nearby table set up a
screech of discontent drowning out the man’s reply, and Amanda wished she could
turn round and see the man whose generosity had been found out. But for what,
she wondered, and sat back with a smile for the waitress who delivered her coffee
and a piece of chocolate cake.
From her window seat she watched several
diners leave and head for their cars. Couples, young and old, and a mother
couple, the father carrying a child in his arms and the mother with a baby in
one of those body-sling things that had become so popular. A fluorescent pink
one, that almost glowed in the dusk. She smiled, and acknowledged the curl of
envy that clutched at her belly. She’d always dreamed of having children. Lots
of them. Four at least, perhaps more.
But time was a passing and the chances
of her dreamed of family receded with each birthday. The buzz of her phone
distracted her from the young family and she sighed when she identified the
caller. Time seemed to be front and centre stage right now. Soon she would have
to make arrangements for a temporary move to London while she worked on
refining her film scores. Giving in to temptation she switched off her phone,
smiled when the waitress stopped to ask if she wanted anything else. Another
coffee seemed like a good idea, Amanda thought and stopped the woman long
enough to ask for a recommendation on somewhere to stay overnight.
