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Lose The Cape: Never Will I Ever (And Then I Had Kids!)

Recently published, and a lovely friend of mine is one of the contributors.

Just a heads up ladies and gents, my laptop has died, it may be able to be saved, but right now its not charging or even turning on. So I am sharing the family computer, so the only time I will get on is when the kids are at school. Mainly my son....anyway I wanted to share the opening of the story I have promised you. I will do my best to edit it and post the rest. Apologies.....

Waking early one Saturday morning, Bethany opened her eyes; annoyed the sky was still dark. She did not want to be up this early on a weekend. It was a day she should have a lie in. With a sigh, she swung her naked legs over the side of the bed, pulled her nightie down to her knees, a nightie she had for years, which she loved and cherished. She pushed her feet into a pair of slippers and padded out of her room, into the bathroom, and then made her way down the stairs to the kitchen. Bethany yawned loudly, placing a hand over her mouth, she then filled the kettle and flicked it on.
Tea made she carried it through to her living room and settled on her sofa, wrapped a blanket around herself, and switched the telly on, found a movie that she had not seen in years, and curled up with a cup of tea. She must have fallen asleep, when she heard her letterbox rattle. The tea cold, the movie over. She shivered, made her way to collect the letters which now lay on the mat, she gathered them up. Amongst the bills was a handwritten envelope. She tore it open with trembling fingers. She had no idea what she would find inside.

She frowned; it was a Christmas card, a handmade Christmas card. She tore it open, and read the inside, twice. All that was written inside was a simple, ‘have a lovely Christmas,’ and it was signed, L. She had no idea who L was, it was beautiful. She had no idea if the person who had sent it had made it, or had it made, either way, it was stunning. And if the person was a he, and had made it for her, it was even more special. Truthfully she had always preferred handmade cards to shop brought ones. In all the years she had cards sent to her, many times she had the same ones on display. From the box sets people brought, which contained some of the same cards.

She had broken one of her rules for opening Christmas cards, she had not of course known it was one, it was a card, and late November. The other reason she told herself was due to the fact it was handwritten. A rare thing these days, they were usually typed.

The letter L, who did she know whose name started with that letter, it was strange, she realised it could be anyone. Or a case of a secret admirer, that thought made her shiver. Could it be that, it had not been signed any other way. She needed to talk to someone, ask advice about what she had received. Karen her best friend would know. She walked to her bedroom, unplugged her phone and took a picture of the card, sending it to Karen on a chat screen.

Karen: Hey what’s that, my card, a bit soppy isn’t it?
Bethany: No, it was sent to me, silly.
Karen: Oh, who sent it? Thought we had a rule of no cards until December.
Bethany: We do.
Karen: So who sent it?
Bethany: I don’t know, it was just signed L.
Karen: Who do you know who starts with an L.
Bethany: No one, that I can think of.
Karen: Let me think, you know what this means though don’t you.
Bethany: What?
Karen: You have a secret admirer.
Bethany: or a stalker.
Karen: Oh come on, this is not like that, you need to get laid you know that right.
Bethany: Oh for goodness sake, why is everything about sex with you.
Karen: When was the last time you got some.
Bethany: I am not answering that.
Karen:  Bethany, you don’t need to answer, I think I already know, it was when Peter left you, sorry to be blunt, but that was two years ago now, you will dry up girl.
Bethany: I will not, that won’t happen. It can’t can it?
Karen: It could, besides you need a little loving dear, you need to find who this is, come on, you’re only twenty one.
Bethany: I know I am.
Karen: You need a little love in your life.
Bethany: You are gross you know that.
Karen: That is why you love me. By the way I am coming over tonight, I will bring wine, and a present.
Bethany: I don’t need one of your toys thank you.
Karen: Don’t knock them until you try one.
Bethany: And we all know you have tried them all.
Karen: How can I sell them if I don’t know how to use them or tell them how good they are! Besides Mark does not mind at all.
Bethany: I am sure he doesn’t. Now I can’t get that image out of my head, thank you.
Karen: You’re welcome.
Bethany: Not what I meant.

​Bethany signed off, put her phone on standby. She was not sure she could wipe that image out of her head. She sighed, staring at the card, she would find out who this was from. If it was the last thing she did, but right now, she had to get ready for work, she had an hour before she was due to go in. It was to some not the best job, well paid, or what she should do with her life, but she had tried so many jobs in the past, this one was one she loved, most days.

​It was better than her first job, at the tender age of sixteen she had spent more time cleaning than she had in her entire life. She shook the thought away, shuddered at the thought. She then dressed in her uniform, and then made the short walk to the café across the road from where she lived. It was sweet little place, she had worked there for three years, she could do another job, but there was nothing that she found, or that wanted her. Or that she wanted to do. This job suited her.