It had been years now since he’d said a sweet word to her, or given her a cuddle, much less bought her flowers on her birthday. Barely a ‘hello’ as he came home from the office at the end of each day. Still, she believed it was her place, her duty to look after him – cook his meals, iron his shirts, keep a clean and tidy house.
‘There must be more,’ she often thought as they sat in silence each evening, watching television. He would frown in disapproval on the rare occasion that she’d go and see her friends, perhaps attend an evening lecture or even a performance of the local amateur dramatics society. He himself never went anywhere other than to and from work. Wouldn’t dream of accompanying her anywhere.
Yet he wasn’t cruel, didn’t mistreat her. Separation had never entered her head. But one evening, not feeling well, the pent-up frustration got the better of her. She shouted at him, cried, poured her heart out about her wasted life. He looked at her in astonishment, said not a word.
The next morning he packed a bag and was gone.
She was in despair, at her wit’s end. She was alone. No one even to watch television with. She burst into tears over a cup of tea with a friend. The friend suggested she join a club, a group, a society. So one day she steeled herself and presented herself, with tennis shoes and an old-fashioned tracksuit, at a beginners’ jogging group. There she quickly made new friends, lost a bit of weight. Her confidence growing, she changed her hairstyle, starting wearing make-up again, bought fashionable running gear and a Garmin watch.
A few months later, hardly believing herself, she lined up with hundreds of others at the start line of the local athletics club’s annual 10k road race. It wasn’t easy but she wasn’t last by any means. As she approached the last fifty yards, the crowds applauding the competitors, she couldn’t help but burst into tears. This time tears of joy. She had never known happiness like it, not since her wedding day.
And as she accepted her medal her vision was too blurred with tears to notice, arms aloft and receiving the cheers like a champion, her husband as he, too, trotted over the finishing line.
Jane Fritz said:
Love it! Running conquers all!! I’m going to have to reblog this; I hope you don’t mind. 🙂
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Roy McCarthy said:
A re-blog 🙂 Thank you Jane, pleased you liked it. Written during a rare sleepless night last night.
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Jane Fritz said:
Reblogged this on Robby Robin's Journey and commented:
This is only my second reblog in 5 years, but I couldn’t resist. This piece is written by a blogging friend on the Isle of Jersey, Roy McCarthy, who has written a number of novels. I love the closer in this short story. You’ll see why! Thanks, Roy.
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Ali Isaac said:
A beautiful story! It’s never too late to ‘find yourself’, is it? It’s just a pity it usually takes something sad or traumatic to persuade us to place our feet on that path. 😊
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Roy McCarthy said:
Thank you Ali 🙂 I think that these days more women feel free to start a new life once the old one has failed beyond redemption. Times past it wasn’t the case.
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Ali Isaac said:
Yes that is certainly true. We are very fortunate that we have that freedom.
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jennypellett said:
I loved this story, Roy. Very poignant with hope mixed in. Great!
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Roy McCarthy said:
Thank you Jenny 🙂
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Mithai Mumblezz said:
Beautiful and poignant story!!☺☺
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diannegray said:
What a fantastic story, Roy. I think something got in my eyes when I was reading this 🙂 xxxx
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Roy McCarthy said:
Thank you Dianne 🙂 I read a similar story many years ago – don’t remember where – so I might have the writer after my blood 😦
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Janna G. Noelle said:
Great story, Roy! So true to life (I was waiting for a revelation at the end that the woman was a friend of yours).
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Roy McCarthy said:
Thank you Janna 🙂 I’ve seen at close quarters a number of women whose lives have been revitalised by having the courage to break out. This one’s fictitious though.
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candidkay said:
Oh, I don’t know whether this one breaks my heart or not! I love it:). Either way, I love it.
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Roy McCarthy said:
Thank you Kristine 🙂
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The Silver Voice said:
Loved this little story…with wonderful ending! Now that takes talent!
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Roy McCarthy said:
Thank you SV 🙂 That one has been running around my head for a while, though it wasn’t entirely my creation.
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Browsing the Atlas said:
This is beautiful. Such anguish and rebirth. Loved it!!
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Roy McCarthy said:
Ah, thank you Juliann. I’m pleased this touched people a bit.
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roughwighting said:
Aha! I didn’t see that ending coming. I loved reading her story; now the question is, will they begin running together?
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Roy McCarthy said:
Thanks Pam. I guess they’ve both moved on, but it would be nice if running together now and again were at least to melt the ice a bit.
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macjam47 said:
I loved your story. It left me with questions – did he speak to her, did they get back together?
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Roy McCarthy said:
Thank you Michelle 🙂 It’s probably best left there, but there’s room for speculation as I mentioned to Pam above ^^ Appreciate your visit and comments.
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macjam47 said:
I found your link via Pam’s post Haywire in the Bookstore.
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Roy McCarthy said:
Ah right, Pam writes well doesn’t she? Time she put out another book though 🙂
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macjam47 said:
Agree.
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Britt Skrabanek said:
Wowza, Roy! Nailed it. Pulling on those heart strings with minimal word count and big prose. Love…I pretty much burst into tears when your character did. The cat in my lap has wet fur now. 🙂
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Roy McCarthy said:
Ah thank you Britt, that’s a nice compliment 🙂 Hope you’re well.
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Minuscule Moments said:
Love it Roy we are forever changing and it is a gift when we wake up from stagnation and breathe once more. You captured my attention and imagination the whole way through. This is a hard thing to do in such a busy world thank you.
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Roy McCarthy said:
Thank you Kath, that’s really nice of you – appreciate the RT as well 🙂
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