Page 55 - The Letter By Ann Newhouse

‘I’ve been out for a stroll taking pictures for my painting project’, I explained taking my boots off, ‘put the kettle on I could murder a cuppa’.
‘Tea or coffee?’, he asked filling up the kettle.
‘Oh, tea please’.
‘I love your cottage you have decorated it beautifully’, he gazed around the room slowly.
‘Oh Rex! Sorry I forgot this is your first time here and that this was your family home’, I was so embarrassed; how could I have forgotten.
‘No need to apologize, I have only seen photos my mother gave me, so I would hardly recognize it. It looks so much better this way’.
‘Loved’, he added.
‘You did well to find your way here’, I placed two cups onto the kitchen table
‘Joe the post man showed me when he finished delivering around the village’.
‘I borrowed a bike from Penny, belong to her son I believe’.
After we’d had our tea and a couple of biscuits I stood up ‘come I’ll give you a tour of the rest of the cottage and garden’.
‘It’s beautiful Amber, if you hadn’t have purchased it I certainly would have’.
‘Oh, Rex I feel so bad’.
‘Don’t! The right person lives here’ Rex put his arm around me and gave me a squeeze. I hoped he didn’t feel my heart pounding in my chest. I had to look away.
‘I better get back to work’, he moved his arm abruptly, ‘See you on Friday’, Rex called, ‘I’m glad you’re not ill’, he climbed on his borrowed bike and sped down the lane and out of sight.