Romance

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Thinking upon it for a moment, one may be quite amazed at the importance of even the most trivial’  decision – let alone the important ones. Why, even the smallest may cause momentous changes to one’™s life. Consider for example one to finally clean out the attic having put it off for years. A fall. Perhaps a maiming for life. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  After thirty years of happy marriage, and upon the recommendation of her gynaecologist, my wife, decided upon a hysterectomy.’  I, of course, went along with her decision; she had suffered discomfort ever since the birth of our first child. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “It was nothing,” assured us her doctor: “In three or four days she will be out and about …

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The weather was depressive. To Letitia, tears were falling from the sky. She was standing in the bedroom she had shared with Ed for so long looking out at the mist and drizzle so common to Wellington.’  Mount Victoria, rising’  across the valley from her apartment seemed equally sad in the misty rain. She felt a helplessness as though she were an animal caught in the meshes of a net. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œFourteen years,’ she thought to herself,’  ‘œand nothing of consequence to show for them. Thirty five, middle-aged already and no child.’  Lines of strain and pain spoiled an otherwise attractive face. Her blue eyes were deep shadowed from lack of sleep ‘“ even her unkempt gold-coloured hair hung …

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Dennis Wheeler awoke with an elated spirit upon a sunny November morning in Sydney that had the makings of a particularly hot day in the hills.’  In his middle thirties, he felt he had a lot going for him; an enviable reputation in a leading engineers firm’  a happy marriage and family,’  a lovely home. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He slipped out of bed and began routine exercises.’  He was tall with a strong, if wiry,’  physique and dark straight hair. Reliable in word, he was a man who could also be tough and stubborn in his dealings. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  A senior partner in his engineering firm, Dennis specialised in the design of steel and concrete spans. Increased traffic from Sidney over the …

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  It was early spring. Three small eggs lay in a nest warmed by the mother bird’s down. Through the hours and days,’ ‘  soundless and unmoving, she maintained her vigil on the clutch.’  Her plain brown colour so blended with her background that she was barely visible.’  It was her mate that to himself, attracted all attention. Completely black, except for a bright orange beak, he perched now here now there, deliberately visible and sang. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  His chains of sound were so beautiful, so spontaneous, that many a human ear may well have been enthralled. The wood was home to many families of blackbirds and their singing filled the air with a magical sound. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Covered with a soft grey …

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Richard stirred uncomfortably in his sleep.’  Next to him his wife, Maureen, woken by his heavy breathing, rose silently to go to the bathroom.’  Returning, she looked down sympathetically at her husband.’  She could just make out his form, now darker now lighter as clouds scudded across the half- moon shining silvery-pale into the room..’  It was a sultry London summer night and’  they had slept with an open window to let in any light breeze.’  Maureen, climbing softly into bed, nudged him gently.’  Richard woke with a disconsolate grunt.’  ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWhat’™s the matter, Dick?,’ she asked just above a murmur. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œIt’™s that dream again,’ he mumbled then plunged back into it as if’  desirous of returning to …

‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œA lifetime,’’  Edwin thought to himself as he stepped off the airliner at Heathrow into the cat-walk which would take him to the main building.’  A man in his late sixties, he was small and of slight stature, his grey hair still showing some of the black it used to be.’ ‘  ‘œAlmost forty five years to the day,’ he continued his thought,’  his camera, overcoat and hand- luggage making his walk look a little like a waddle. ‘ ‘ ‘  As he moved along the narrow corridor with the throng of passengers jostling and nudging, he got a glimpse of the outside from time to time through the windows.’  He smiled at the light November drizzle; the overcast sky and wet …

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œDon’™t ever look to the world or life to treat you fair, Olivia.’  Remember, what you get is what you strive for – your achievements – your successes.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The’  Matron’™s words, though serious, were spoken kindly.’  Olivia, now eighteen, was taking final leave of the only way of living she had known since babyhood. The only homes she could remember were the various institutions for the homeless.’ ‘  The first, when she was just three.’  That had been followed by’  ‘œThe Three Oaks Boarding School for Girls’ and, finally,’ ‘  the ‘œMary Hopkins Home For Young Women.’’  ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Olivia, with the blessing of the staff and of the Matron in particular,’  had now to begin to fend for herself. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  …

‘ ‘ ‘  Edwin, walking at a brisk pace, felt he had now as much time as he needed to think things through. Regain some peace of mind.’  Time to bring his life that had become so besirk back to some sort of equanimity. It saddened him terribly that his marriage to Maureen, so wonderfully begun had soured.’ ‘ ‘  ‘œHow could I have known that Maureen would not be abole to cope with my absences?’ ‘ ‘ ‘  Their whirlwind courtship began after Jock’™s great party in Albion.’  Edwin had been bowled over by that small girl with hair the colour of freshly cut hay and the eyes of a summer sky.’  Had lost all sense of direction.’  Maureen, a common enough name had suddenly …

‘ ‘ ‘  Laura, having just completed an errand, was on her way back to the graphics department in which she worked. A meeting she had had to attend had gone easier than expected and she found herself with a while to spare. Heading towards her twenty sixth birthday, she was beginning to feel old. She was naturally shy and, as a result, only quietly attractive. ‘ ‘ ‘  Her walk took her past one of the most up to date fashion stores in Knoxville where a red dress immediately attracted her attention. It was almost identical to the one she had bought and dared to wear at her graduation ceremony at the University of Tennessee almost exactly two years ago. The sight at …

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  My name is Tillah. My sister, Likkah and I were born in Thailand, she two and a half years before me. Born to a working mother, from the early age of four I began my working life when I joined my sister and mother accompanying them to work. Mother worked on a steep slope in a rain forest pulling and sometimes carrying cut logs and trees to be floated down the great river. She liked her work because her keeper was kind even though the work was hard. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Of course my sister and I didn’™t do any real work but would watch our mother and other elephants at their work. Naturally, just as would be expected of a …