BREAKING POINT

Ignorance was certainly not bliss in her case, Penny thought with a wry smile. If she had not been so appallingly ignorant in the first place this might never have happened. She pulled herself up sharply. Nothing had happened yet, but no doubt that could be accounted for quite easily… Nerves, over fatigue, the sudden change in her way of living. She was imagining all these things. It was all her guilty conscience, she told herself severely. This was fates way of paying her for doing wrong.

Penny could not bring herself to say ‘living in sin’. Living with Jeremy could not and must not be tarnished by such a description of their beautiful love. She wanted her love for him to remain perfect and beautiful and nothing should be allowed to spoil it. She would not have this child.

She managed fairly successfully to put her worries out of her mind for the remainder of her visit. She talked to Jeremy twice during that time and he told her how much he missed her and couldn’t wait to to get back and see her again. She bruised herself with aunt Ann in the kitchen, spring cleaning the cup boards. During the afternoon she went for a long walk with her dog and on a sudden impulse called in at the house where she had spent so many happy days. Howard’s old home.

His parents were delighted to see her. They had always been kind, friendly and appreciative. Mr Hampson told her she was growing more beautiful with every year that passed. She wondered at first whether the news of her engagement might upset them, old Mrs Hampson in particular, but they both congratulated her with genuine pleasure.

“I’m so happy to think that you can start life again, my dear” Howard’s mother assured her warmly. “My old Jack and I have hoped you would in time forget the tragedy of losing our boy.. Our darling Howard”

Penny finally left them, feeling relieved yet a little guilty about her own happiness. She had been able to forget her late husband.. Or at least build another life without him. But his parents were older… And the loss of their only son was a tragedy from which it was obvious that neither of them would ever fully recover. It was very sad.. And they must so often have wished that she and Howard had had a child so that part of him might live to keep him with them.

This evening she played chess with uncle Charles until long past eleven, she when at last she retired to her own little room she was tired enough to fall asleep almost as soon as she had turned out the light. Her last thought was that tomorrow she would be seeing Jeremy again, tomorrow night she would be in his arms with her head on his shoulder and his lips against her hair.

Penny drove back to town on plenty of time to have dinner ready in case Jeremy should arrive early. She did not expect him till about seven o’clock. By Six she changed into a rose pink silk dress which he had always found attractive, and was sitting on the little sofa waiting for the sound of a taxi outside, or his footsteps coming up the stairs.

She waited, trying to keep herself from imagining that something might detain him. He might be call and say that he had to stay longer for some reason, or that he missed did flight. She knew that she could not bear it if he did not come. One half of her listened eagerly for her phone to ring. The other half dreaded that if she called him, he might tell her that he wouldn’t be able to come… And she didn’t want to hear that.

She picked up a book to read, only to find that her eyes had traveled the length of a page without understanding a word she had read. She closed the book and wandered into the kitchen to look at the small pieces of lamb. It wouldn’t be a good idea to put it in the oven yet. An hour would be plenty long enough and if Jeremy were late it would be spoilt. Besides, he would want drinks fast.. Perhaps a hot bath.

Penny hurried back into the living room, carrying glasses and a jug of water. Jeremy had brought a bottle of whisky before he went away, and it was three quarters full. He had asked to see if she could get any beer but she had forgotten to do so.

Her phone rang, startling her on her feet, and for some reason he hesitated before She checked the ID. It was Jeremy. She held the the phone to her ear happily.

“Hello,”

“Hey, Penny” Jeremy said. “How are you doing?”

Penny smiled. “I’m fine, Jeremy. Where are you? Will you be here soon?”

She heard his chuckle of amusement, then he said : “Yes. I’ve just arrived. Thought I’d let you know that I was on my way”

“Oh darling, thank you” Penny hugged the phone to her ear as if that might bring him closer.

“You took a long time answering” Jeremy was saying. “Were you in the shower?”

She giggled, happiness over flowing inside her.

“No. I was afraid it might be bad news. I thought you were might be calling to say that you were help up somewhere”

He laughed, sounding pleased and happy.

“Well, I’ll be getting along” he said. “See you soon”Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

“No. Don’t hang up yet. I want to hear your voice again”

“Silly” said Jeremy. She could tell by the tone of his voice that he was flattered. “I will be with you soon. So don’t worry”

Penny smiled. “Come as quickly as you can. I’ll be waiting”

“Bye now” Jeremy answered and hung up. She dropped the phone and stood there for a while, then realizing how stupid she was she rushed over to the spaniel who was stretched on the sofa.

“He’s coming Benny. Your daddy is coming” she cried, squeezing the puppy in her arms so that he wriggled to get free. “Oh Benny, I’m sorry. I’m just so happy. I just don’t know what to do”

She dropped the dog and rushed into her bedroom to look at herself in the glass. Quickly, she smoothed her hair, added a touch of powder to her nose, her lips needed more pink.. Her lids a touch of green shadow.