Bluenoseuk

Here's chapter 2 of Sometimes the mind can be devious!!! For all those who read chapter 1, I hope you get to read this as well and continue to give me your input. I would really appreciate it if you can post your views. I hope you like this chapter, and I look forward to hearing from you...thanks

2.


Sandra opened a new carton of Orange juice and sipped it adding some ice cubes out of the freezer. Her eyes flicked to David, who was wearing his suit, had an attaché briefcase on the table in front of him and hidden behind that a plate full of gently toasted bread with butter and yellow marmalade. He also had a mug of steaming coffee and behind him on the kitchen side the television was switched onto CNN.
“I wish you wouldn’t put that briefcase on the table, we eat on here you know?”
David removed the briefcase and leant it up against the table leg, revealing only half a plate full of toast and half a mug of steaming coffee.
“I guess with all this Ratcliffe stuff going on you’ve forgot that our son is leaving on the weekend.”
Tim Patterson was there only son and at nineteen he thought it was about time that he went on the trail as an explorer. He was hoping to become a lawyer on his Dads firm, but he has put this on hold until he comes back. He was leaving on the weekend for his year trip to Europe, his dream was always to visit the gladiator’s arena in Rome, and climb to the top of the Eiffel tower in Paris.
“Of course I haven’t,” David reacted bluntly. “I promise I will concentrate on Tim as soon as the hammer falls in court.”
Sandra smiled, “I’ll hold you to that, I’ve heard you say that before, but another case usually comes up.”
David started munching on toast, “Look at me, I’m being completely honest with you. As soon as the case finishes today, I will start to organise things for Tim. If anything comes up I’ll leave it to someone else.”
“Don’t forget, he doesn’t want a party. Tim’s meeting most of his friends in Rome, I’ve told you this haven’t I?”
David smiled; he was amused by his wife’s forgetfulness. “That is why I have booked a table for three at the Pine Global restaurant, non smoking.”
“You haven’t?” she said, with amazement. She walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek, he smelt heavily of aftershave that she had bought him for his birthday. “Well, aren’t you a dark horse. When did you do that, the place is usually full?”
“I booked it for Friday evening at seven. I was lucky I guess. A nice family meal before he goes away, see I can be thoughtful amongst all the aggravation of the court case!”
“I never doubted you for a second!” She planted another soft kiss on his cheek, and turned the volume up on the TV. “God, they’ve got cameras outside already, give me a smile if you can.”
David didn’t say a word, he was in her good books for the moment, and he didn’t want to sacrifice that for anything. He looked at her and nodded with a mouthful of toast.
“Wipe your mouth before you leave, you’ve got a crumb beard!”
Spoke too soon, David thought, but smiled at her comment. “I don’t want you worrying about today, got it?” he said, reluctantly.
“Didn’t even come into my mind. I have a new batch off books coming to the bookstore today, I’ll have my mind fully occupied, don’t worry about me. But, I’ll still have CNN on in the store.”
David sighed. He knew his wife well, she would do anything to make sure she was in the full picture of the situation, whether it be him going to do some food shopping, she would phone him every half an hour to make sure he got the kitchen rolls on special offer, or the large bags of pink and white marshmallows.
“Remember, You’re dropping me off at the store before you go into court.”
“Yes, I remember,” he finished off his toast licking the corner of his lips for loose marmalade. “And you are getting the bus back, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. The seventy-two at two o’clock. The only one that runs, as I keep telling you, David.”
David sighed, waving his hands about to say he realised that he had forgot once more.
“You got all your papers?”
“Yes, I’ve checked and double checked. Got them all.”
“Good, then we are ready.”
David nodded, reaching for his coat hung on the back of the door and holding his briefcase close to him as if it was his secret weapon against the judge and jury. Sandra grabbed her handbag from near the fruit bowel, switched off the TV, clutched the house keys and walked to the door. She stopped for a brief moment, listing everything in her mind as if she was walking around a food store.
“Come on Sandra I can’t be late!”
“Yes, yes I’m coming.”



The car stopped just short of the bus stop marked with yellow lines, and a few old women chatted under the shelter and an old cinema poster was peeling off the glass of the shelter. The silver shutters were down on the store gleaming in the bright morning sunshine, and people walked the streets with brown paper carrier bags.
“You’ve got everything, David?”
“Yes, now can you get out of the car, I’m going to be late.”
Sandra opened the car door and stepped out onto the pavement, “I’ll see you later, David. Good luck, try not to get too stressed.”
“Goodbye Sandra.”
The car drove off and Sandra watched until the car disappeared out of view.



The bookstore was a small homely place, not like some of the large old bookshops that were formal, with expensive fixtures and suited customers. The bookstore wasn’t cheap, but it was enough for the customers who came into the store.
The bell at the front door rung and Elaine walked into the store armed with a box full of books. She was a slim woman with ginger hair, high amount of makeup and she was middle-aged.
“Hi ya!” She was a bubbly character with a high but comforting voice.
“Hi Elaine.” Sandra marked the piece of paper she was handed. “I guess you’ve heard it’s the last day.”
“Ah yes, the whole Ratcliffe thing. I bet you’re relieved, I know I would be. I’m lucky my husband just likes fishing,” she noticed the TV was on CNN on a bracket attached to the wall, and she glanced up at it. “I see you’re keeping up with events.”
“Yes, the silence would kill me. I didn’t like to admit to David, but it has really affected me.”
They walked out to the small blue van parked out the front of the store and started loading books into the storeroom at the back of the shop.
“Does David know how you’ve been feeling?”
“I don’t know, he hasn’t showed…”
“Men! I swear they are blind sometimes.”
“David is okay. He booked a table at Pine Global, you know, for Tim’s going away dinner.”
“Pine Global, you lucky lady. I don’t think Joe would do anything like that, bloody Kola’s bar is as far as his wallet stretches,” she saw the concern on Sandra’s face. “I’m sorry Sandra, I should be listening to you. It must be hard to see Tim go away.”
“Its difficult,” she confirmed. “I’m not going to pretend it isn’t. I just find it hard to believe it will only be David and I for a year, and no one else. Did I tell you Julie is moving away from next door?”
“Barmaid Julie?”
Sandra nodded, “She’s moving to Florida to get closer to her mother, the pair have fallen out and she wants to make up.”
Elaine lifted the last box onto the front desk, “A bit of a drastic step isn’t it, moving away like that?”
“I’m more worried about who is going to move in. David doesn’t seem that bothered either way, but I want some nice neighbours, you know, the friendly type who you can go out and have a drink with sometime.”
“We all want neighbours like that!” She looked up at the TV, and Sandra also glanced up. “When are you expecting news?”
“Hopefully by lunch time. I don’t know why I’m getting so worked up about it, I guess it is one of the biggest cases the firm has ever handled, and I just want David to be happy. I can’t imagine what he’d be like if he lost the case.”
“Knowing David, I guess he would put a brave face on it all,” Elaine suggested. “I saw him in town yesterday, he sounded pretty confident.”
“He was in town yesterday?”
“Yes…oops…I hope I haven’t spoiled a surprise, it looked like he was shopping for a present.”
“Where in town did you see him?”
“The main square. I think he was talking to this old lady, I don’t know, I think she was in trouble or something she looked upset. I spoke to him after, I have to admit he looked pretty shocked to see me,” she laughed. “I guess this court thing is getting to him too.”
“He doesn’t show it sometimes.”
“Will you be alright with these boxes?”
“Yeah sure, you get off I’ll be fine.”
Elaine walked to the door and then stopped in the pool of golden sunshine slightly shadowed by the blinds attached to the door. She looked back and smiled, as if to give reassurance.
“I’ll be alright Elaine!”
Elaine nodded, “Okay, but phone me when you hear news from court, got it?”
“Got it, now just go and make your deliveries, I’ll speak to you later.”
“Goodbye Sandra. Take care.”
Sandra watched Elaine. Her ginger hair tied in a bow, she spoke to a passer-by, then heaved herself into her blue van as if she was getting onto a horse, turned the key in the ignition with a large plume of exhaust fumes rising behind her, and with a loud unhealthy sounding chugging of the engine revved out of view.
Elaine was Sandra’s best friend; a friend that she needed right now despite her bubbly personality Sandra saw that as a good thing rather than an unwanted hindrance.
Sandra’s back was turned when she was putting the boxes into the storeroom at behind the desk. She made sure the till was in working order or the moneybox as she usually called it, and had a glance at the corners of the ceiling for cobwebs. The doorbell rung again as the front door swung open. Bernie, the local regular who loved his hardback covers stood in the partial sunlight at the door.
“Hello dear, so what does the day bring for you?”
“Nothing much, Bernie,” Sandra smiled, and glanced up at the TV blaring out news on the Middle East crisis. “I’m just waiting.”
“Ah….oh….what is that then dear?”
“The Peter Ratcliffe case… it’s the last day.”
“Oh…David will be fine you watch. I’ve seen him in action, quite the lawyer he is. I can’t believe it is the last day. I can remember you telling me about it when David first told you, how the time flies.”
Sandra nodded, and her anxiety couldn't be hidden. Her eyes looked to the ground and her face was straight. She was biting her lip slightly. She felt sick in the stomach the suspense was eating into her.
“How are you bearing up?”
“God, I’ve been asked that so many times that I’ve lost count!”
Bernie looked hesitant, “Oh…I’m sorry dear I didn’t mean to…”
“No, its okay Bernie. Its just, well, Elaine was in here saying the same things.”
“Everyone has noticed that you’ve been looking a bit down, they’ve all guessed it’s the trial. I tried not to bring it up, but its difficult not too. I’m sorry Sandra, things will be okay.”
Sandra watched Bernie as he looked up and down the shelves for his latest hardback book. He picked one, and put it on the desk.
“How are you anyway, Bernie?”
Bernie handed over his twenty dollars, “Old age is starting to creep into me these days, I’ve had terrible trouble with my back, and my doctor reckons I might need a hearing aid. All I need is my fishing, that’s all, and hopefully the big beggars will come for the biting.”
“Don’t let old age stop you fishing Bernie, you keep on doing the things you like best. I know I’m going to do that no matter what it brings.”
Bernie smiled warmly, and his cheeks that were blue when he walked into the store had turned a rose pink. “Don’t you worry, I’ll keep on fishing. I’ll tell you what, next time I catch a trout I’ll bring one over for you and David, how about that?”
“That’s a sure deal, thanks Bernie.”
“No problem, my dear.”
Bernie turned and waved as he left the store, looking down both sides of the road as he crossed and waited at the bus stop on the other side.

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Deadally

I found that I liked it, despite it being the typical exposition.

I particularly enjoyed that the dialect of Bernie was right on par with what I expected of him.

I can't wait to read on into less expository waters! You know?

Keep posting this story

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