For sale, Baby’s shoes never worn

For sale, Baby’s shoes never worn.

The package had just been delivered by the postman. Looking and wondering at it she turned back into the dining room. She had ordered nothing, but the address was for her.

Opening the plastic packaging, she pulled out a pink box with the words, ‘nine months to one year,’ clearly printed on it.

Derek watched the postman shut the gate and with a glance at his watch let the mower stop, it was eleven, and time for tea.

Walking into the dining room, he found his wife stood with such a look of deep sorrow on her face it made his heart sink. He could see held in her hands, a pair of pink baby’s shoes; delicate little things with an angel adorning the toe’s. Putting an arm around her waist he asked. “Who are they for?”

“No one.”

“No one?”

She remained silent looking at the shoes.

“Well where have they come from?”

“You know how I do these questionnaires?” Her husband nodded. “Well I did one about your child; it was for mothers with a child between six months and a year.”

“Why, what made you do that?” There was a shrug.

“I don’t know, I just did, there was a free gift for the best one hundred.” She held up the shoes. “It’s a pair of baby shoes.”

“We’re pensioners, we never had children.” Regret immediately followed this, as his wife slumped in his arm.

“We could have had children, but it was all my fault. I was to blame. Do you?” there was silence, his arm tightened around her waist offering her comfort as he said.

“No you know I don’t, I have you, and you’ve given me forty years, happy years, no I have nothing to complain about.”

“But if we had children?”

“We haven’t, and there was nothing that could be done about it so stop blaming yourself.” There was a sniff, he handed her a tissue.

“It could have been?”

“It wasn’t intended, so don’t fret about it. Now what are we going to do about the shoes. None of our nieces are expecting are they?” his gaze went to the numerous pictures of nieces, nephews, and their children in the room.

“No, I could put them away I suppose…. Or I could put them on eBay….” There was a sniff before she said, “For sale baby’s shoes never worn.”  The arm around her tightened.

“Do you want me to make the drinks?” there was a silence as the shoes were studied.

“They’re such nice shoes.” Hearing the catch in her voice, he took her in both his arms. Holding her and knowing her sorrow he slowly eased her onto a dining room chair.

“You sit here and I’ll make us a drink.” The watery smile he received followed him into the kitchen.

The shoes, she held them in her hands. Put them on eBay…. no, she knew exactly what she intended to do with them. Getting to her feet she made her way into the lounge and towards the mantle piece.

Pictures of nieces’, nephews and children were lined up along the wooden mantle looking at her; but it was the plain silver frame in the centre that she was looking at, her daughters picture frame.

Plain silver, un-adorned, and displaying the original white paper backing it had come with. Reaching forward she moved the frame a little further back, before carefully placing the two shoes in front of it.

There were tears in her eyes, as she looked at the two shoes. Two shoes, that would like the picture frame, wait for the child she had always wanted had lost, and would never have.