Emily by Jacqui B (books for students to read txt) 📕

EMILY

Everything in Jane’s house was in pristine condition. But so it should be, given that she spent so much time cleaning. That had been Jane’s upbringing, everything had to be clean, tidy, nothing left out of place. Before Jane could contemplate doing anything in her day, housework came first. Now, as usual everything had been ‘accomplished’, and she could get herself ready and off to the shops, a few special gifts she’d been thinking about and now eager to be on her way.

As she finished getting herself ready, her mind wandered back to her childhood upbringing. Nothing could be out of place in their house, or of course if it was, it was put right in haste. ‘A replica of mum’. Her sister often chided her, ‘You have to learn to change a little Jane’. She wished she could make that ‘change’ as she spent many times trying to work out just how her sister’s attitude towards ‘daily chores’ could be so different, when they had both been bought up in the same home. Jane’s friends hadn’t been welcomed to visit her house, even the garden was out of bounds, for fear that the perfect lawn would be marked, maybe someone would ‘touch’ a plant. It went on and on and on.

Ready to go, but before opening the front door, Jane glanced around her home, clean and tidy, a feeling of contentment surged through her because her home WAS lived in and she was happy, happier now than she had been in such a long time. She had meaning in her life, which she could never have envisaged after losing Lily. A terrible accident many years ago, it had taken her such a long, arduous time to accept life without her darling, precious Lily. ‘Time’s a healer, life goes on’. Friends and family had instilled into her and finally that had happened. She now had Emily.

The day had started out in her perfect shopping routine, bus times, train times, Jane knew them off by heart and then it happened, the train had been cancelled due to problems on the track at one of the junctions. As the announcement came over the loudspeaker, Jane felt her heart miss a beat, not Jane’s train, her train couldn’t be late. Glancing up at the screen she read the timetable, the next train; 3.15pm, the horror set in. No, her mind racing, she had to be home by 3.00pm latest. Emily would be there by 3.30pm, waiting, and only waiting because Jane was always there for her, Emily never had to wait. Panic started to set in, was there a bus she could take? She had to be there for Emily. Running along the platform, she reached the stairs, taking two at a time to get her to the top where someone, please someone would be able to help her. Where to go for the bus, if there was a bus.

He was so helpful, the Inspector standing outside his office looking across to the row of buses. One which she prayed would be for her. But, no he’d said there was no bus and she would have to wait for the train, she tried to remain calm, and thanked him, slowly turning to make her way back to the platform. He watched as she started her return journey, back down the stairs, where she would have to wait, patiently. There was nothing else she could do. There was no point in phoning Jeff, her husband, he was working miles away today and had told her that morning, he wouldn’t be home until at least 7.00pm.

Back on the platform, sitting on the bench her thoughts now on what was going to happen, just when everything had been going so well. Emily had settled in so quickly, Jane had been fostering her now for 6 months and they had enjoyed so many good times together. When they came from the home to check up, there had been no faults, all the boxes were ticked, Emily would definitely be able to stay, they even talked briefly on adoption! And now this. For sure Emily would be taken away, someone would see her waiting at the door, someone would call and report that Jane couldn’t be trusted as a Foster Carer. Her insides churning, the thought of losing Emily, not again, not after Lily.

Jane couldn’t remember getting on the train when it eventually arrived, she was miles away, her thoughts on Emily waiting with no one to greet her, surely she would panic and go, where? Willing the train to go faster she was so relieved as the train eventually pulled into the station, already waiting at the door, waiting for the ‘magic’ word, she hit ‘open’ and ran and ran from the station, her footsteps thudding in her head. Turning the corner her house now in sight, she continued to run, please, oh please let her be there.

Pushing the gate open she stopped, relief flooding throughout her body, there sitting on the doorstep was Emily. Jane threw her bags down, picking her up she cuddled her into her arms, ‘Oh Emily I’m so sorry’. Emily snuggled close into her trusted owners’ embrace, purring and pushing her face around Jane’s neck, emitting a miaow. Jane smiled, she knew she was forgiven and everything was going to be fine. Just fine.

Publication Date: 02-09-2012

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