Blissful, happy, ever-present nothingness. White-out.
Sinead woke up to a moment’s blessed blankness, then she remembered that Lizzie was dead. But it didn’t crash in on top of her like a belt from a hammer, the way it had done the last two mornings. She was surprised by how calm she felt.
A vague memory of a dream floated about in her head. She couldn’t manage to hold onto it. But it was something nice, something good … And a strange peace worked it’s way through her.
Until she began to get ready for work, that is. The memory of Ginger ringing her at Lizzie’s funeral made her furious.
“That bloody job,” she raged. “That bloody Ginger. I’m going to leave. One day I’ll just hand in my notice and then he’ll be sorry. I really will. One day soon.”
Her head filled with Italian images. Mornings lit by yellow sunshine. Purple flowers against a wall so blindingly white it hurt to look at it. Lying in hot, gritty sand with some unknown, perfect man.
“One day,” she promised herself grimly, as she tried to find something to wear to work.
She rooted around in her linen basket, looking for her cleanest dirty shirt. Suddenly, a perky thought lit up out of nowhere. The time is now. The time is always now.
Actually, I won’t hand in my notice some day, she thought, her heart soaring. I’ll do it today.
OPEN DOOR SERIES
SERIES ONE
Sad Song by Vincent Banville
In High Germany by Dermot Bolger
Not Just for Christmas by Roddy Doyle
Maggie’s Story by Sheila O’Flanagan
by Deirdre Purcell
Ripples by Patricia Scanlan
SERIES TWO
No Dress Rehearsal by Marian Keyes
Joe’s Wedding by Gareth O’Callaghan
It All Adds Up by Margaret Neylon
Second Chance by Patricia Scanlan
Pipe Dreams by Anne Schulman
Old Money, New Money by Peter Sheridan