Strawberries prompt from The Flame
They sat there on the kitchen table, looking thoroughly innocent. Their cheerful red went well with the yellow bowl and the two small glasses beside them contained frothy milkshake. She hadn’t eaten either of them since childhood. Her husband, Derek, sat across from her, waiting patiently. He kept saying she could take her time. That had to be a lie; if she took all the time she wanted then she would be out of the room already without having to face it at all.
They waited.
She slid a nervous hand across the table and took one of the succulent strawberries. They tasted sweet and were perfect for the bright summer sunshine outside. She ate another and then another.
Derek looked at her, still waiting. The tasty fruit turned to ash in her mouth. She pushed the yellow bowl away.
They waited for a few more minutes.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to know. She really did. She was just afraid that she wouldn’t get the answer she wanted. They had been trying for so long. The doctors had said there was very little hope and she had been devastated.
Then she had started being sick in the mornings. Did she dare hope?
Derek was still watching her, waiting for her to look first.
They waited.
Finally, she decided to be brave. She stood up and went through to the bathroom to retrieve the test that could change her life. With a deep breath, heart racing, she looked.
Slowly, she released the air from her lungs.
Composedly, she placed the test back precisely where she had found it and went back into the kitchen. Avoiding Derek’s gaze, she picked up the chocolate milkshake and climbed the stairs to their bedroom.
Her bed was soft and she buried herself deep in the covers, blocking out the harsh sunlight that streamed through the windows. She heard Derek come through a short while later. He climbed into bed beside her and pulled her close to him.
They slept.
They waited.
She slid a nervous hand across the table and took one of the succulent strawberries. They tasted sweet and were perfect for the bright summer sunshine outside. She ate another and then another.
Derek looked at her, still waiting. The tasty fruit turned to ash in her mouth. She pushed the yellow bowl away.
They waited for a few more minutes.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to know. She really did. She was just afraid that she wouldn’t get the answer she wanted. They had been trying for so long. The doctors had said there was very little hope and she had been devastated.
Then she had started being sick in the mornings. Did she dare hope?
Derek was still watching her, waiting for her to look first.
They waited.
Finally, she decided to be brave. She stood up and went through to the bathroom to retrieve the test that could change her life. With a deep breath, heart racing, she looked.
Slowly, she released the air from her lungs.
Composedly, she placed the test back precisely where she had found it and went back into the kitchen. Avoiding Derek’s gaze, she picked up the chocolate milkshake and climbed the stairs to their bedroom.
Her bed was soft and she buried herself deep in the covers, blocking out the harsh sunlight that streamed through the windows. She heard Derek come through a short while later. He climbed into bed beside her and pulled her close to him.
They slept.