Drip Drip Drip

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The finger wiped the top of the mirror and looking at the dust on that finger, the person it belonged to tutted under her breath. She washed her hand under the tap and screwed the water off again, looking in the mirror before leaving the bathroom. She swept a stray grey hair back behind her ear. Then throwing the paper towel she had dried her hands on into the bin, she walked out of the room, turning off the light as she went.

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Kathy sat up in bed reading her home magazine. To be honest she was not actually reading it, she was skimming through wondering if she could afford that kitchen in one breath and in the next dismissing it and thinking about a holiday. She flung the magazine on the floor and lay down pulling her furry throw up under her chin. Although not cold at present, she loved the warmth and comfort of the new throw she had found in the sale.

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She hadn’t gone in to buy the throw. Her car radio was actually being fixed in Halfords and she had gone into a local store for their cafe. Of course they had put these throws, on sale, in the way. They looked like teddy bear material. Snug. As she had stroked the soft fur a couple of ladies had also been reaching out to touch it as they walked past. She grinned as they said conspiratorially to her, ‘You just have to do it, don’t you.’ She nodded and decided, as soon as they had left, with a final feel, out of the door she had just come in through, to buy it. She also bought a huge double slipper to put her feet in when watching tv. It was raining when she left the store and she wrapped them in her raincoat running to the car. She had been drenched by the time she had got there but the throw and slipper were warm and dry.

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She reached out and turned off the light. Lying there in the downstairs bedroom she thought about her Mother, staying over upstairs in Kathy’s actual bedroom. Kathy had made the bed up in here for her Mother, but the room had not actually met her Mothers exacting standards, so Kathy had swapped, after grabbing her throw and her next days clothes.

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Not saying her mother was a pain but Kathy had been horrified when she had rung to tell her she was staying. Her mother was a stickler for things being right and managed to complain about the uncomplainable. Every visit was a trial and normally Kathy visited there instead keeping her mother away from her homely, untidy and very comfortable home.

‘I will be there for 13 days, Katherine. Do not make any plans whilst I am there please. Your Father is travelling to his cousins in Ireland and I do not wish to be alone. I will be bringing Trixi and so I expect you to keep your dog somewhere else. I cannot have Trixi upset, she has a terrible constitution, as you know.’

Kathy hated Trixi. An obnoxious Shih Tzu that seemed to have a particular aversion to Kathy also. Snarling at her everytime Kathy entered her space which appeared to be a mile wide. She asked tremulously if Trixi could not stay in kennels whilst her mother stayed with her but after listening to 10 minutes of strenuous reasons about why Kathy was being unreasonable, she had relented and just sighed, ‘Ok, Mother. Trixi will, of course, be very welcome’.

‘Of course she will, Katherine. I knew you would understand’

Harry had agreed happily to take Miracle to his for the fortnight. He loved Kathy’s big German Shepherd and often joked he was going to steal him one day. She loved Harry with his unassuming and cheerful outlook on life. Best thing that had ever happened to her. Best he not meet her mother. After all, weren’t you supposed to look at your girlfriends mother to see what the girlfriend will be in the future? Arrgh no!

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Kathy heard her mother walking into the kitchen and drawing a glass of water. On the way upstairs with it her mother stopped outside her door and Kathy was aware of what a bad daughter she was by being so glad she had already turned off her light. She heard the snuffle as Trixi sniffed the gap and the sound of the growl which her mother hurriedly shhh’d.

Hearing the footsteps die away back upstairs and the sound of the bedroom door closing, Kathy relaxed.

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The next morning Kathy awoke early. She had been dreaming of being in a boat, swaying gently on a lake, hand over the side trailing in the water. As she came around from her slumber she realised she was in a boat, hand trailing in the water. She brought her hand up to her face and it dripped onto her throw. She sat up quickly and the throw slid off the bed. All around her was water.

Her bedroom door sloshed open. In the doorway stood her mother, holding a bedraggled and very soggy dog.

Perhaps she should have remembered to tell her she needed a new washer in the bathroom tap but she had actually forgotten herself. She had been about to say something but then Trixi had started growling again and it had gone clear out of her head. She looked at the water now flowing around her bedroom, over at her mothers slippered feet, water lapping over the tops, up at the sad faced but defiant Trixi in her mothers arms, and at her wet throw lying in on the floor, drenched, and, ignoring her mothers shocked face, burst out laughing.

Done as part of the Writing Tasks on Our Arts Magazine https://ourartsmagazine.com/writing-tasks/writing-skills-task-337/2018