THE STORY OF GINNY

She hated that bedroom. It was small and cramped with two small windows, on which were hung dark gold draw drapes. When closed such as in the early morning hours, she felt like she was lying in her coffin. Except that in the stillness she could hear the heavy content breathing of her husband Paul lying beside her. What would he think if he knew of her morbid thoughts. Why did she have them? Were they normal...what was normal? She pretended to be asleep when Paul's alarm went off at eight. She stayed in the same position lying on her side facing those dark drapes, and wondering if today would be the day that they wouldn't open at all. She lay there listening to Paul and their two small children laughing and talking as they got dressed and then more happy laughter as they had their breakfast together, they were so close.

Suddenly the house grew quiet, as the front door shut with a bang. Paul was off to the office, and the children were on their way to school. She gazed at the bedroom clock, it was almost nine. She would be alone with her thoughts until the children returned from school at three. The room remained dark and quiet. It was late spring but already the days were growing warm. She rolled over onto her back and stared up at the stark white ceiling. She could hear a fly buzzing above her. She wondered what excuse Paul had made to the children for her not getting up to have breakfast with them. Silently she vowed that tomorrow she would. "I've got to get up now, I've got to start my day" she said silently to herself. But still she lay there making no move that would remove her from the bed.

The phone's shrill ringing made her whole body shake. She turned her head toward it and stared at it. It was demanding her to pick up and make contact with the world again. She hesitated, wanting to resist but finally giving in by the fourth ring. Her voice shook as she said "Hello?" The reply back was a soft "Hi, are you up yet, sleepy head?" It was him...She felt a mixture of happiness and sadness at hearing his voice. She hesitated before saying "Yes." "I'll be over in about twenty minutes" he said confidently. Before she could answer the phone went dead, he'd hung up. She lay holding the receiver not even aware of the funny buzzing sound in her ear. He hadn't even waited for her answer, was he so sure of it? She quickly placed the receiver back on the phone, and stretched as she got out of bed.

Her eyes caught the clock on Paul's side of the bed. Twenty minutes mentally ticked off in her head, as she made a mad dash into her bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face, and had her teeth brushed and sparkling in record time. Back in the bedroom, she put on a pair of white knit slacks and a blue casual top, she was dressed. Back to the bathroom she raced to comb her hair, running her fingers through her casual look. As she applied her blush and lip gloss, she willed her mind not to think what she was going to be doing this morning.

To be continued....