Could she..? - Short Story

Kate woke up with a jerk. She had this strange dream that she was playing tennis with David Beckham in her pyjamas and with a start she realised she wasn’t on centre court but actually in her double bed at home. Her sleeping husband was beside her, his hand casually lay upon her stomach and his breath was warm against the nape of her neck. Feeling like she desperately needed the toilet, she quickly slid out from under the warmth of the quilt into a freezing cold morning in Jersey. Silently, she closed the small window in the room, turned on the heater and then entered her bathroom.

Sunday mornings, she mused to herself, the best time of the week. She quickly turned on the taps and watched a steaming hot waterfall fill the round bath she and Pete had just bought the other week. The pearly surface combined with the essential oils floating on top of the water created a psychedelic effect that eased Kate into a semi-catatonic state. Slowly she eased herself in the nearly too hot water and watched as the oils swallowed her body whole.   

She looked down at her body, her painted toe nails popping through the surface. Her body toned from her weekly visits to the gym and to her yoga teacher. Her long hairless legs brushed against each other. Kate looked at her body and was satisfied with what she saw, slowly she closed her eyes, letting the oils seep into her pores and fragrance the whole room.

Pete woke up and saw the empty space Kate had left in the double bed, he looked up at the window Kate had closed and through a slight gap in the curtains he could see the white sky outside. He bundled the quilt around him in an effort to fill the space and keep himself warm, ‘It’s Sunday morning’ he thought to himself, ‘Just relax… one more day of freedom’ and so he burrowed his head into the pillow, closed his eyes and gently his breath became regular and deep. 

Later, Kate walked back into the bedroom and saw the mound that was her husband, she could see his brown hair poking out from the quilt and compulsively, she reached out to touch his head. She could feel the warmth of his body. She let the towel slide off her body and she joined him under the quilt to gain some of that warmth he was generating and naturally, even in his sleep, his hands went out to take her waist and fit her body into his. Sunday morning did not exist in this household and the sea outside, forever working on the tidal pull, was retreating to let the couple enjoy unconsciousness.    

……….

  “What do you mean, India?” Kate put the car into second gear as the Monday afternoon traffic jam assumed a slow front crawl towards another set of traffic lights. She briefly looked at Pete who was loosening his tie and undoing the top button of his shirt.

  “Exactly that, the bank told me today that the call centre was relocating to India and they asked me to go over to make sure it’s set up properly and everyone’s trained up.”

  “Well, how long is that going to take?” Kate asked

  “I don’t know, as long as it takes I guess…” Pete’s voice trailed off as he looked out of the window. A teenage couple were jumping between the cars in an effort to cross the road.

  “But that means we will be apart” Kate tried to control the emotion behind her voice. “How can the bank expect us to cope with a request like this?”

  “I don’t know Kate, I think it’s what we both need”

  “Both need? Separation?” Kate jumped in, almost hysterical, “I thought we were happy… have I been fooling myself all this time?”

  “Kate” Pete started to laugh as turned towards her and rested his hand on her shoulder, “Who said anything about separation? Why don’t you come to India too? I think we both need to leave this island for a while. I mean we’ve lived here all our lives and there is only so much a 9 by 5 piece of rock can offer us. Do you intend to do the same thing until you die?”

Kate’s fingers gripped onto the steering wheel whilst she tried to get her head around the idea. India? Kate had never thought about living anywhere other than Jersey for the rest of her life. She loved the sea, the cliff walks, the beaches… how could she leave St. Ouen’s beach or Plemont?

  “I don’t know Pete, I really love it here. I have my family and friends…”

  “Kate, they’ll still be here when you get back”

  “I know… but what if I miss something important?”

  “If it’s really important then we’ll come back. It’s not as though we’re penniless and I will be getting paid the same wages”

  “My job…”

  “Take a sabbatical…”

  “I can’t just up and leave Pete, I have worked too hard…” Kate’s mind pictured her boss Cathy almost slitting her wrists at the thought of her best and longest serving employee leaving her small law firm. Kate was indispensable to her, always one step ahead, always there to serve the clients even when Cathy was ill, working crazy hours just to make sure everything worked like clockwork.

  “I can’t make you decide what your priorities are Kate. I have to go to India, I would love you to come with me. I love you, Kate. I want this to strengthen us, not pull us apart.”

  “Do you have to go?” Kate felt like a whiny six year old.

  “Yes and no Kate… yes and no….” Pete looked out of the window again. “I have always wanted to go  travelling and if I don’t do it now I don’t think I ever will. And I know I will regret it if I don’t. The bank asked me to do it, I don’t have to but personally, I think I should.”

Kate finally pulled into third gear and started coasting, neither of them said anything for a while.

As soon as Kate pulled up in their driveway she turned to Pete and said “I’m going to take a drive for a while, do you mind?” He turned towards her, looked at her, leaned forward and kissed her long and deeply. When they finished kissing, he looked her in the eyes and nodded. He got out of the car and walked into the house.

Kate sat in the car, her eyes were burning and she tried to calm herself by breathing deeply. Once she felt a little more in control, she pulled out of the driveway and started driving. She knew where she was going, she had to go to the only place that would comfort her right now. She changed the music and pretty soon it was blasting the airwaves, Kate pulled into fourth gear.

Soon enough, the houses started to diminish and the road transformed into sweeping arcs, the air turned slightly salty and before Kate knew it she could see the horizon. She could see where the earth and sky met and that made her feel a little better. The sea was out and miles of sand was exposed to the earth, still wet from the receding tide. She got out of the car and made her way to the seashore. She looked out at the tower in the sea she had never set foot on but loved more than any other landmark in the world. Silently she asked the tower what to do but as usual, in the tower’s infinite wisdom, it remained silent.

Throughout her life, St. Ouen’s beach has been an essential anchor. This beach had been the backdrop to most of the important events in her life. From her first kiss to her wedding day, the soul searching walks with family, friends and boyfriends. This is the place where she and her friends would come down for a barbeque and a swim in the inky red sunset. And when Kate just wanted to be alone she would walk up and down the shoreline, in awe of the diverse landscapes in one space. The tourists would escape by late afternoon to allow the locals to reside during the spectacular sunsets, before lights out.

But today was different, the air was misty, almost translucent. The surfers had given up riding the waves and Kate almost had the place to herself. She sat down on the sand and looked out towards the sea relentlessly battering the surface, slowly grinding the sand beneath it. Kate tried to imagine if India would be like this, as moody and temperamental as her surroundings were today, lonely and desolate with the view obscured by atmospheric conditions.

Could she do it? Could she up and leave everything that she had ever known for love. She had made her vows to this man, to love and cherish him through thick and thin. Could she give up on the first hurdle? Did she have it in her to follow him to the ends of the earth or at least to Asia..? And if she couldn’t leave Jersey, could she let him go?

You can read my short stories here: Gracie's short stories






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