The Signing Of The Papers

Signing Of The Papers

The slight movement of the curtains reminded Mary that she had
not
closed the window. The night air was warm but the noise of the rain
was
disturbing her train of thought, silently she crept up to the
window
and pulled it closed. Outside the rain fell in heavy blobs on the
pavement, Mary watched as the water ran down the street in to the
waiting grates. Mary realised how pretty the rain soaked street
looked,
so clean and shiny.

How different it was in the day light, dark and littered with
sweet
wrappers and dog dirt. She had lived in this street for almost
ten
years, she had seen people come and most of them go. The street was
a
hard place to live but she liked it.
Mary went back to her desk, the papers piled up on the edge, just
waiting to be knocked to the ground. All afternoon the papers had
been
there and all afternoon Mary had wanted to knock them off so she
coyuld
prolong the inevitable. If the papers were mixed up she would not
be
able to sign them straight away and Adam would have to take them
tomorrow. 'Oh..Adam, why did you have to do it?' Mary sighed to
herself.
Without grace Mary picked up the papers and held them to her chest,
she
couldn't help feeling that maybe she was to blame, that she had
somehow
meant for this to happen. Adam had seemed cold and heartless about
it.
He'd even lost his temper and stormed out of the room. Mary knew
that
it was going to happen but she had hoped that Adam could have
waited,
at least let christmas go by.
Everyone but Mary seemed settled to the idea, even her mum said it
was
about time, and her dad said it should have been done long before
the
arguements started. 'Well..thats all they know' whispered Mary to
the
ever creasing papers.
Mary read the papers yet again, they seemed straight forward enough
but
what if they left something out, it might be too late. Mary
struggled
with the urge to phone Adam, she knew he would be back now.
The rain outside had slowed to a gentle shower; the dark clouds
had
disappeared to let the moon lay its light along the windowledge.
Mary moved over to the draws to look at the photo of her and Adam
in
happier times. She wondered how long ago it was that they had
actually
spent time together, just the two of them. When was the last time
she
had held his hand. The thought actually made her smile; Adams
hands
dwarfed Mary's so much that you couldn't see hers when he held
them.
Infact the whole of Adam's six-foot frame dwarfed her, she was
only
five foot four. People would stare when they walked hand in hand
down
the street, some people mumbled it was a disgrace or they would
turn
their faces to the ground. Mary often wanted to shout at them that
it
was none of their business. Adam was fourteen years older than
Mary,
her first love and hopefully her last.
Mary had noticed the clock had just struck eight and she was no
nearer
to signing the papers than she had been at two o'clock that
afternoon.
She wondered what would hapopen if she did not sign, what would
people
say about her. They would probably say she selfish, that she
didn't
care about any one else but herself. That wasn't true, Mary knew
what
she wanted and it definitely wasn't to sign the papers.
Locking up the office mary watched the other late shift workers
getting
in to their cars. Holding the umbrella and her bag in the other
she
tucked the unsigned paers under her arm. Their house was just two
blocks down the street, all the lights were on, Adam said it made
the
house look welcoming.
Mary reached the front door with her heart pounding and her teeth
chattering. She took out her set of keys and unlocked the door.
Shrill
laughter was coming from the front room, Adams voice was booming
over
the noise. Mary held her back to the front door andf sighed, 'at
least
they are having fun' she thought.
Mary hung her coat and bag up keeping hold of the papers, it
seemed
that she was now permanently attached to them.
In the kitchen she finally put the papers down and sat at the
bench,
there was a faint smell of fresh washing and percolated coffee.
She
poured herself a coffee just Adam walked in. The look on his face
told
her he was pleased she was home. She told him that she had not
signed
the papers, his smile fell away like melting ice. He turned round
and
headed straight in to the living room . Mary could hear him talking
and
the scream of her daughter as he explained. She stood up and
slowly
walked in to the room.
The sight that greeted her was a sad one, her daughter was sat on
Adam's knee crying. Her small frame shuddering with every tear that
she
shed.
Mary could stand it no longer, she raced in to the kitchen and
grabbed
the papers, she reached a pen off the counter. Her hand shook as
she
signed the three documents, all the while tears were flowing
quietly
and freely down her cheeks.
When she had finished she put all the papers together and took them
to
her husband.
Adam sat his daughter on the sofa and stood in front of Mary. He
tried
to explain to her again that it would be for the best.
Again and again she had heard the same thing. Mary could stand it
no
more, she screamed at Adam, she hit him, she looked at her
daughter.
She realised that nothing would be the same again. Their lives had
been
turned upside down by six little signatures, hers and Adam's.
That night Mary slept on the living room couch, she could not
bring
herself to sleep with the man who had ruined her life. She wanted
the
world to open up and swallow her.
Her heart was breaking and nobody understood. She listened to the
monotonous sound of the clock until she fell in to a fitful sleep.
When
she woke up, it was nearly five o'clock. Adam would be up in half
an
hour. The horror would begin. She walked in a daze to the
kitchen,
wondering how she would get through the day. She heard a small
sound
and turned to see her daughter standing in the doorway. Her eyes
were
red and swollen; Mary noticed her eyes were still wet from recent
tears. Mary wanted to take her in to her arms and hold her forever
but
she knew after today it would be a long time before she could do
that.
Tiny arms were held out to Mary. She picked her daughter up and
held
her, she kissed her forehead and cheeks. She could taste the salt
from
the childs tears on her lips.
She held her daughter until she begged to be put down. She wanted
her
breakfast, cereal and toast, the usual. Everything seemed so normal
but
Mary understood that it would never be the same again.
When Adam came in to the kitchen he kissed his daughter's head and
gave
a shy glance at Mary. She was stood at the sink staring out in to
the
garden. Adam walked up to her and touched her hand. At first she
shrank
away from him but slowly she turned round and held his gaze with
hers.
Adam grasped her hand, he gently kissed her fingers.
Mary began to cry. She felt as though she was going to break,
great
gasps came out of her shuddering body. Adam held her tightly, he
caressed her hair, she could hear him saying sorry, but what good
was
that today.
Their daughter stood in the middle of the room watching, she was
smiling.
Slowly Mary calmed down, she looked from her husband to her
daughter.
She knew that in just under two hours they would be both gone.
How
would she cope..?
Adam offered to clear the breakfast things while Mary got their
daughter dressed. She took hold of the small offered hand and went
out
of the room. Upstairs the clothes were laid out on the bed
waiting.
Mary held her arms out for her daughter, she was rewarded with a
quick
cuddle and a kiss. The child was impatient, she did not
understand
everything that was happening,; she just wanted the adventure. Mary
on
the ther hand understood every detail, it was a nightmare and she
was
the main character.
When her daughter was dressed Mary went and had a shower, the hot
water
helped to clear her head a little bit.
The clock ticked louder and louder, Adam watched through the bay
window
for the car coming. Their daughter was fidgeting on the sofa.
Mary
stood watching and listening for the growing silence that she
knew
would come in ten minutes.
Adam would be taking their daughter out of her life. How many
couples
went through this, she wondered? Her friends had all told her that
she
was just being silly and that she would get over it in no time.
They
tried to point out that she had been tied down for long enough.
Mary
didn't want to get on with her life; she liked the life she had
with
Adam and her daughter.
Mary was pulled from her thoughts by a horn sounding outside. Adam
had
grabbed the bags from the table and was fastening the buttons on
the
tiny red coat. Mary held back her tears, she didn't want to upset
the
child anymore than she already had. She took hold of her
daughters
hands and kissed her goodbye. Adam pulled Mary to him and held
her
tightly. She could hardly breath, she could feel the tension in
his
arms and she could see the tears beginning to form in the corner of
his
eyes.
Mary took one last look at her daughter as she got in the car.

Mary closed the door as the car rode down the street. Adam had
taken
their daughter. Mary walked to the kitchen in a daze, she sat on
the
bench. She could still see the milk stain from he rdaughters
breakfast.
Automatically she reached for a cloth to wipe the stain away. As
she
did so, a plastic bag fell to the floor. Mary picked it up, there was
a
piece of paper inside. She ripped the bag open and gasped, it was
a
note from Adam. Tears welled up in her eyes, she couldn't help
herself.

The note read:-
Dearest Darling Mary
(I knew you wouldn't resist the stain).....Please don't worry,
Megan
will be OK. We knew this time would come and I'm so sorry it has
upset
you but she needs her own space. You said yourself that you have
no
time to yourself, now you will have. We'll be able to spend more
time
together like we planned. I'm upset too you know but it had to be
done.
I Love You Darling
Ps.
See you at tea-time when I pick our little girl up from school
XXXXXXX

Mary dropped the note on the table, she held her head in her hands
and
laughed. She laughed until she thought her lungs would burst. How
stupid she had been, the weeks of worry and torment she had put
them
all through. She decided she would cook their favourite meal for
tea,
fish fingers and chips.