She stared out of the kitchen window, across the paved yard and the rows of vegetables. At the end of the garden someone had planted a Morning Glory. It scrambled along the rickety fence, large blue trumpets reaching out to the sun. He said that the sky in Egypt was that colour; said he'd never seen a sky that colour in this country.
That was one of the tales that had attracted her to him. During the war he had been to other places, seen wonderful things. All she had seen was the view out of the kitchen window. Not always this window of course, although she had stood here for many years. Before they married it had been the kitchen of the big house. When she started she had been too small to reach the sink. She had had to stand on a box to wash the dishes. She rose to the position of cook; a responsible position but she wanted more from life than that.
She wanted a husband and when she had seen him, she knew he was the one. The problem was that he was already walking out with another girl. A pretty girl, a good girl. She was not unattractive, but no-one would call her pretty. She was not a good girl.
He was an honourable man and when she gave him the news, he did the right thing. It was a winter wedding, they couldn't wait until spring, but it was the best day of her life. Once it became obvious that there had been no need of the rush, it was too late. They were joined together for ever more. Strange that they never did have any children, almost as if she was being punished.
She picked up the cloth to dry the breakfast dishes. She couldn't stand here all day, there was shopping to be done and then dinner to cooked. He would expect it on the table when he got home.
That was one of the tales that had attracted her to him. During the war he had been to other places, seen wonderful things. All she had seen was the view out of the kitchen window. Not always this window of course, although she had stood here for many years. Before they married it had been the kitchen of the big house. When she started she had been too small to reach the sink. She had had to stand on a box to wash the dishes. She rose to the position of cook; a responsible position but she wanted more from life than that.
She wanted a husband and when she had seen him, she knew he was the one. The problem was that he was already walking out with another girl. A pretty girl, a good girl. She was not unattractive, but no-one would call her pretty. She was not a good girl.
He was an honourable man and when she gave him the news, he did the right thing. It was a winter wedding, they couldn't wait until spring, but it was the best day of her life. Once it became obvious that there had been no need of the rush, it was too late. They were joined together for ever more. Strange that they never did have any children, almost as if she was being punished.
She picked up the cloth to dry the breakfast dishes. She couldn't stand here all day, there was shopping to be done and then dinner to cooked. He would expect it on the table when he got home.