Creature Comforts Part Four

Leaving her now snoring mother to sleep, Wendy was just about to put the kettle on when the phone rang in the hallway. It was her mum's supermarket wondering where Alice was and asking if she was coming into work. Wendy knew her mother would be too flaked out. “I'm sorry she's not feeling well this morning, she won't be in today.” Wendy hated lying, it was always at the back of her mind that she'd get found out. It also annoyed her that her mother placed her in this situation. Putting the receiver down she decided to write a short note.

 

Not bothering to have a coffee, she decided to get one at college, needing to get out of the house as quickly as possible before anything else cropped up.

 

Alice was awoken by the phone going off again. She had no idea of the time, finding herself sprawled out on the sofa hardly able to move and not understanding why one bottle of wine should have such an effect on her. “Must be the fact I've not drunk for three weeks,” she decided, muttering away to herself and stretching.

 

With determination Alice went to stand feeling slightly wobbly. Teetering out to the hallway she wasn't really interested in speaking to anyone, so just let the phone carry on ringing. Alice saw the note her daughter had left.

 

Reading out loud it said, “Mum your work rang wondering where you were, I told them you were ill. Wendy.”

 

Alice knew her daughter was annoyed with her, because if she wasn't she'd have written love Wendy with some kisses. She looked at the clock, the time was 9.45am. Alice had no idea how long she'd slept, but decided at that moment she no longer cared about work and would make the best of her day off.

 

Now more awake Alice maneuvered herself back into the living room, her head feeling woozy. She saw the empty bottle on the table and declared to herself, “I need more wine if I'm to enjoy my day.”

 

Hankering for another drink even though she was tipsy, Alice suddenly remembered the record on the deck. Feeling annoyed with herself for falling asleep she quickly made her way over to the player and took the needle of the vinyl that was still going round. Alice tut tutted as she placed her album back its cover, cursing herself for being so stupid. She then made her way over to the floor to ceiling lemon colored curtains, the sun immediately blinding her eyes as she drew them back.

 

Making her way to the kitchen, there was another note attached to the fridge door: Don't worry about dinner for me tonight, I'm going out and staying the night with a friend. Wendy.

 

“Suit yourself,” Alice declared. “Well, at least I only have myself to think about tonight. Easy! I'll just order food in, then I won't have to do anything.” All she could envisage was drinking more wine.

 

First Alice was in need of a coffee she was so parched. Some food was on the agenda too, so placing some bread in the toaster, Alice also poured fresh water in the kettle, then went to the fridge for butter and her favorite strawberry jam. One spoonful of black coffee in her favorite mug with two sugars would hit the spot.

 

As the toast popped up, she grabbed the slices quick and dropped them onto the plate, buttering them while still hot. Alice then quickly set to spreading the slices thick and indulgently with the sweet tasting jam. Licking her fingers she realized just how hungry she was.

 

Sitting at the kitchen table with eyes closed chewing away and enjoying every mouthful, Alice wallowed in her abandonment, reveling in the idea of doing nothing but exactly what she wanted to do, without anyone telling her she was doing wrong.

 

The kettle now boiled, Alice poured the scolding hot water on the milky coffee and stirred. Steam snaked it's way into the atmosphere as she carried the mug back to her seat.

 

Her head had stopped spinning, but she had a ringing sound in her ears, the drone had her jumping up quick to turn on the radio. Alice went through the channels till she found some classical music. “That will do nicely!” She declared to herself taking another bite of her toast which was now cold.

 

Once she'd finished eating and drinking her coffee, she took the mug and plate over to the sink. Alice rolled up the kitchen blinds and gazed out on the garden, sun shimmered through the many trees that were located around the huge lawn, it hardly seemed possible that they'd had such a storm last night! She thought. It was going to be a scorcher of a day, Alice couldn't wait to get out there and soak up some rays.

 

Getting dressed was the next thing on the agenda, so with a more wide awake feeling she was going back upstairs. Alice entered her room and rummaged around in her wardrobe for something to wear. A yellow vest top and blue denim shorts gazed out at her. “Pick me, pick me!” They seemed to be saying. So Alice did, feeling cool as a cucumber.

 

Slipping on her blue flip flops, she made her way to the bathroom for a wee and to clean her teeth. Her tongue was a deep burgundy even though she'd just had some breakfast. Brushing away at the color it just wouldn't seem to disappear, but at least she wouldn't have bad breath.

 

Alice was even more wide awake now as she made her way downstairs. She noticed the post on the floor by the front door, but without even checking to see who it was for, she placed the envelopes on the small table by the phone, having more important things to think about on this day than worrying about letters or bills.

 

Grabbing door keys and debit card from her purse, she placed them in her shorts pocket and excitedly stepped outside, it felt good to breathe fresh air. For the first time in three weeks Alice felt free to do what she wanted, well at least at home anyway. Out here though she would need to be careful, there was no room for tomfoolery when her daughter had told work she was ill.

 

Thankfully the roads were empty as Alice made her way along the tree lined pavement. She was glad that there didn't seem to be anyone around, apart from an old woman on the other side of the road, shuffling along with a trolley on wheels, and a small Yorkshire terrier straggling along beside her, its short little legs seemed to be moving so fast compared to the old ladies. Alice noticed the poor dear appeared hot and flustered, looking like someone who was desperate to get home out of the heat.

 

Alice's thoughts as she sauntered on down the road, were that she didn't want to get old and tired, it made her even more determined she was going to get plastered today. “Live for today, let tomorrow take care of itself!” Alice whispered, checking around to make sure nobody was listening. She skipped as she went on her way.

 

The newsagents stood at the bottom of her road so there wasn't far to go. A bell rang as Alice opened the heavy glass door. It smelt of curry and spices which stood on the first shelf as she walked in. There were three aisles, the alcohol was down the third right at the back of the shop with magazines and newspapers.

 

Alice noticed how expensive her favorite wines were compared to the supermarket prices, so settled on some cheap white hock, after all it was more of a garden drink and that was where she intended to spend most of the day. Alice decided she'd enjoy it just as much.

 

A box felt more tempting than bottles, so lifting one down from the shelf she made her way to the checkout, a smiling Indian man stood behind the counter as she put her card into the machine.

 

Alice didn't feel at all guilty about buying booze so early in the morning as she tapped in her pin number, but she asked for a bag to put the wine in all the same, not keen on the idea of anyone from the neighborhood actually seeing her with alcohol at this hour.

 

Finally on her way home Alice gazed up towards the hills, feeling so lucky to have all this countryside on her doorstep which she kind of took for granted, but not on purpose, it was just she never seemed to find the time to go exploring. Maybe! She thought, I'll take a walk up there another day. Not dithering any longer, her house was soon in sight.

 

You'd never have thought that there had been a heavy storm in the night, the pavements were completely dry now. Only the flourishing gardens showed any sign of a rainstorm, with their dazzling colors and lush green grass. It put Alice in a joyful mood as she strolled up her garden path and put the key in the lock.

 

Opening the door, she walked in and kicked it shut with her foot, flip flopping down the hallway to the kitchen. The sun now blazing out back Alice couldn't wait to get her sun lounger out.

 

Placing the box of wine in the freezer to cool, quickly she made her way outside, heading straight for the shed which was down the path and past the lawn right at the bottom of the garden. The shed was full of garden paraphernalia, along with the sun loungers which were right at the back covered in cobwebs. “Proves how long it's been since I've been able get out and sunbathe,” she mumbled to herself, fighting her way through and nearly tripping over the lawn mower.

 

Picking up a brush Alice swept her way through, nearly jumping ten foot in the air when a huge black spider crawled out from behind the lounger, her heart began beating fast absolutely hating the darn things, squealing and jumping around was her only way of dealing with the situation. “Go away you...you horrible creature,” she yelled. It was a sight to behold as the poor spider scuttled away pretty sharpish, it's spindly legs couldn't move fast enough.

 

This time Alice held the bed out at arms length, just in case anymore should crawl out. Throwing the lounger out onto the path, she flicked open the canvas, the brush ready to attack anything brave enough to still be hanging around. Luckily that spider was the only one to be found.

 

By now the sun was getting really hot. Alice knew time was going on, so after she got the lounger set up and the four legs opened on the little side table, she carried them both over to the lawn and placed them under the shade of the trees, not wanting to end up falling asleep in the sun and burning.

 

It was late August and the children had gone back to school, so it was nice and quiet for a change. September was on its way but there wasn't a cloud in the blue sky. Nothing seemed to matter to Alice at that particular moment, apart from waiting for that box of wine to get cold.

 

Taking her time ambling up the path she checked out her flowers, which she thought needed dead heading, but that would be a job for later Alice decided approaching the back door.

 

She noticed the shrubs where she'd seen the fox and wondered if the creature was okay. The plates of food had been consumed, so she presumed the fox would be back for more now she'd begun feeding it. Alice couldn't understand why this thought came into her head as she picked up the empty plates, but she actually felt concerned for the creature.

 

“Poor mite must have had an awful night in that storm.” She uttered to herself, walking into the kitchen and placing the dirty dishes in the sink.

 

Finding her cassette player and some tapes. Alice loved her cassettes even though William had said they were old fashioned and couldn't understand why she didn't upgrade to a C D Player, or at least something more in line with today's music. “I don't like today's music,” she'd said to her husband. “I prefer my 1970s stuff I recorded onto tape.”

 

William however would tut, tut at her reluctance to keep up with the times. “What would you do if you were on your own completely? There's a whole world of technology out there, yet you prefer to stay in the past.”

 

Alice would sigh and just say, “you'll never understand William. I do love you, but we both come from different worlds.”

 

By now it was nearly an hour later and the wine was already starting to cool down, so Alice got the plastic wine tumbler from out of the cupboard, then opened the box and poured, enjoying the sound of that first stream as it flowed into the flute, it filled her with anticipation.

 

Alice's eyes pondered on the fridge, undecided as to whether to take the whole box into the garden, or just the tumbler. “No!” She said to herself. “I'll just take the glass and see how I go from there, don't want to overdo it too early on in the day.”

 

Alice was now steady on her feet. Picking up her sunglasses, Walkman and cassettes in a bag, she was careful not to tip any wine as she slowly crept out the door and down the garden.

 

Reclining on the lounger felt so relaxing as she placed a Roxy Music tape into her cassette. “Yes, that will do nicely,” she whispered to herself, fixing her glasses on her nose and laying back. Gazing up at the sky, she watched tiny flies circling in the shade of the trees, it was transcending and hypnotic to watch. Some wood pigeons cooed high up on a roof somewhere in her neighborhood.

 

Alice's eyes became heavy as she drifted back in time to the music, Love Is The Drug which was playing, she remembered dancing with student friends at their local disco, feeling the groove of yet more parties. She gazed up at the blue sky as a few fluffy white clouds drifted slowly on by, with eyes closed she too was carried away on the melody of another time, another place.

 

To be continued...