Saturday 2 March 2013

306: In Only Seven Days

On the first day, everything changed.  Carl changed his mind about the wedding and Rosie saw everything changed to darkness from light.  He said there would be no more big day, no more big night.

On the second day, she asked him why.  Carl wasn’t forthcoming with a reason.  He only muttered about ‘Sky’ and Rosie wondered if he meant the blueness above, or the Scottish island.  Or perhaps he had met someone called Skye.  

On the third day, Rosie thought about their first holiday.  They flew to a Greek island where spiky mountains reached high into the air.  The sea was such an unnatural blue, remember you said that, she said to Carl.  And the olive trees grew fruit on their gnarled branches.  And that trip to the pressing plant.

On the fourth day, the sun didn’t shine all day.  Rosie wished it would never shine again.  The greyness suited her mood and besides, a blue sky would just remind her Carl had left her for stripper with a tedious stage name.  Rosie preferred the night but the day’s clouds remained, blotting out the light from the stars and hiding even the small cut of new moon.

On the fifth day, Carl said he needed his space and she had to let him go.  He needed to spread his wings and fly, soar high above the earth.  If she loved him, she would let him go.  Rosie wished he could have been a little more original in his pleading.

On the sixth day, Carl admitted he didn’t want children.  He knew how much Rosie did, even if that was far in the future, and he couldn’t pretend anymore.  He would rather cause her heartache now than later.  That was the real reason he had called of the wedding.  And he never would have looked at Skye if he hadn’t already made his mind up about that.  Rosie thought how selfless of him.  Good for Carl.

On the seventh day, Rosie learnt the truth.   Carl probably really didn’t want children but Skye was going to give him one anyway.  In about four months.  Rosie couldn’t be bothered to work out which came first, Skye’s baby news or Carl’s wedding decision.  But she decided to rest from crying and feeling sad and wishing for things.  On the seventh day, Rosie rested and vowed not to let Carl into any days beyond then.

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