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The CBB -> Ste Therese's House

#1: Doubts and Fears - Repost (complete) Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 10:49 am
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I think it was called that last time - I can't remember for sure Embarassed

It was my Valentine's drabble, anyway ...

Hilary Graves looked at the food and realised there was no way it was edible now. She scraped it into the bin and returned to her pretty sitting room. The children were fast asleep in bed, and she had waited for Phil to arrive home so they could eat together, but he had been held back at the San; she had picked up a book to occupy the time while she waited, and it wasn’t until she finished it that she realised how late it was, and Phil still wasn’t home.

He had been working there late a lot recently, she thought. In fact he hardly seemed to be home at all. When he was he was he spent his time buried in medical journals and, although he made an effort to hide it when he was with the children, he was tired and distracted.

Distracted by what? She wondered, or even, by whom? Theirs had been a rather whirlwind romance, followed by the excitement of living first in South Africa, then in Switzerland. Now, with two young children, did he find their life boring? Had he got tired of her? She couldn’t blame him, her life now revolved about their home and children. Not that she wanted it any other way, but it didn’t give much scope for interesting conversation starters. She used to listen to him talk about his day, but when he asked about hers, she couldn’t find much, if anything, to say. She had become a boring, frumpy housewife; it was no wonder her husband no longer wanted to spend time with her and no longer found her attractive.

~~~

Phil left the San once he was certain his patient would pull through after the long operation, and walked along the Platz, his nailed boots gripping easily on the snow. He would be glad to get home and rest. He had worked a lot of long hours lately, covering for some unexpected absences among the staff, but things would hopefully be back to normal after today, and he was looking forward to spending more time with the family. Hilary had seemed so withdrawn lately, if he asked what had happened in her day, she usually answered ‘not much’. No doubt she was bored listening to him talk about his day, so he had started telling her less. Conversation had flagged between them, and to avoid making Hilary feel pressured to talk he had hidden behind his medical journals. She seemed to manage to talk plenty with other people though, so maybe it was just him.

He had known the minute he met her she was the only one for him. He had thought she felt the same way, but what if he was wrong? What if, after a few years of marriage, she decided she had made a mistake? What if she was lost to him for good?

He let himself softly into the house, hoping she wouldn’t have gone to bed and was rewarded by the sight of a thin line of light coming from under the sitting-room door.

Last edited by LizB on Sat May 20, 2006 11:41 am; edited 1 time in total

#2: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 11:25 am
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Hilary lifted her head from her arms at the sound of the door opening, and hurriedly scrubbed at her damp cheeks. She wasn’t going to let him know she’d been crying. She picked up the book she had put down 3 hours earlier and opened it randomly. When he entered the room a minute or two later she plastered a smile on her face as she looked up.

“Hello, Sorry I’m so late.”

“Are you? I’d not noticed the time.” She answered mendaciously, if he didn’t care about her, she wouldn’t let him think she was hurt by it. She would have gone on to ask airily about his day, but she didn’t trust her voice not to give her away.

Would she notice if he didn’t come home at all? Would she even care? He could see no sign of it, as she put aside her book and politely offered to make him a sandwich or some soup.

“It’s ok, thanks, I’m not hungry.” He answered, feeling he couldn’t face food at the moment.

There was silence for a few minutes, as they were both lost in their thoughts.

“It’s been a long day, I think I’ll go straight to bed.” He said, eventually.

She barely looked up from the book to say “Good night” and he didn’t have the nerve to ask her if she would join him. He wasn’t sure if he could take the rejection.

~~~

There had been a time when she had fallen asleep in his arms every night, she remembered, when she was alone again and the house was quiet. But it was a long time since they had done anything but get into their respective sides of the bed at the end of the day. He never reached for her any more, never dropped kisses on her hair as she rested her head on his shoulder, never woke her in the morning with a kiss as he called her Sleeping Beauty.

Phil lay in the darkness, far from sleep. Could she have made it any clearer that she no longer cared? How long had it been since she had snuggled up against him? How long had it been since she had used his shoulder as a pillow? How long had it been since she had pretended to sleep until he woke her with a kiss?

He was still wide awake when Hilary came up to bed, but he lay still, feigning sleep. He was still wide awake when, she was eventually still and he could hear the deep even breathing that told him she was asleep, and, only then, did he turn over and drop a soft kiss on her hair before rolling back again.

She looked over and saw him fast asleep when she woke in the morning, curled up, facing away from her. Had she imagined that light caress on her hair? She had remained still when it had happened, frightened that if she moved she would wake and find it was a dream, hoping that it might be repeated, but nothing else had happened and she had concluded it was not real. Wishful thinking that was all. But she leaned over and touched her lips to his shoulder before she got out of bed.

#3: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 11:41 am
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Today was the 14 February. Did she know that it was 10 years today since they’d met? He wondered, as he walked to the San. He would never forget that first moment he saw her; he had known then that he would love her forever. Was he ready to give up on her, give up on them?

10 years ago he had smiled at her and made her come alive, she remembered, as she washed the breakfast dishes. 10 years ago, she had fallen in love with him. She would never stop loving him. Was she going to let him go without a fight?

~~~

A quick look at his workload, some delegation and he had ensured that he would be home that evening. A visit to the shop at the San furnished him with a bouquet of deep-red, velvet-petalled roses.

A quick phonecall discovered that Jo was quite willing to take the children for the afternoon and overnight. An afternoon spent in the kitchen produced a meal that would not spoil however late he arrived home.

Despite being prepared for a long wait, however, she was ready, wearing a dress he had once said she looked wonderful in, and at the sound of his key in the front door, took a deep breath. What if it didn’t work? What if it really was over?

He paused for a long time in the hall after he had taken off his shoes and coat. The house was quiet and he wondered if she was there for a moment, then he heard the sound of movement from the dining room, and took a deep breath. What if he couldn’t sweep her off her feet again? What if he had left it too late?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. She struck a match, lit the candles and flicked off the light.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. He picked up the roses from the table and opened the door.

~~~

For a moment he was silhouetted against the light in the hallway, then the door swung closed behind him, as he stood still, taking in the room, taking in the look of hope and love in her eyes.

For a moment she could not see the expression on his face, then, as the door closed, she saw the blaze of emotion.

He took two strides forward, as she stepped towards him and then she was in his arms, her face turned towards his.

They talked all through dinner and long after it had finished, clearing up the misunderstandings, finding they had both had the same doubts, realising what fools they had been, promising that they would never let it happen again, discovering that some things might have changed over the last 10 years, but others would always stay the same. Confirming and having confirmed their love for each other.

It was very late when they finally fell asleep, wrapped in each other’s arms, all doubts and fears laid to rest.

#4: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 12:24 pm
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Thanks Liz, it's lovely to see this again Very Happy

Kathryn

#5: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:54 am
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I'm sure I've read this before, but it's just as warm and fuzzy this time around. Smile

#6: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:02 am
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Oh it's nice to see Hilary and Phil happy, I don't think I've ever read a story on here where that's happened before!

Thanks Liz!

#7: Author: Josie, Location: London

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 1:26 pm
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Know I've read it before but just as lovely and fluffy this time round

thanks Liz. x

#8: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 9:41 pm
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Oh, I haven't read that before and it brought a tear to my eye. Thanks, it was lovely.

#9: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 9:52 pm
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That is so sweet - each with the same doubts, each determined to try.

Lovely.

Thanks Liz.

#10: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 9:20 pm
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Just found this for the first time - it's lovely, Liz - thank you! Bless them Very Happy

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