A Matter of Trust by Nick Udall

Author:Nick Udall [Udall, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nick Udall
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

It wasn’t going to be a traditional wedding. Then again, neither had her first one been. The Register Office at All Saints had been sufficient for that and now, it would be so again. Kate had never thought about having a church wedding and reception. In any case, it was far too expensive. With no doting parents to meet the cost and no chance of raising the money herself, it wasn't a practical option. Kate also knew how little the splendour of the occasion would influence the success of her marriage. It couldn't guarantee a loving and lasting relationship. Trust and devotion, those were the qualities that counted and ones that were priceless. As Kate contemplated the state of her relationship with Ed, she was pleased that they had lived together first. Although there were many who condemned ‘living over the brush,’ Kate knew that the experience had meant that married life with Ed, would bring no surprises. With Joe, the pair had been madly in love, or at least Kate had thought they were, but once they were spending twenty-four hours a day together, the flaws in their relationship soon began to appear. Kate had watched Ed very carefully over the last few months, long enough for any misgivings or second thoughts to surface. Ed had been a stalwart partner. He’d told her that he loved her and wanted to spend his life with her from the start and he’d never wavered in that belief. Selfless, he always put her and Rosie first. She knew that she could depend on him.

Yet, as Kate lay in bed listening to the sound of the milk float making its way down Bright Avenue, she was nervous. She hadn't slept well. It was her wedding day; Wednesday January 17th, 1963 and now she couldn't help but ask herself if she was doing the right thing. She had her independence; her freedom. She'd lost that married to Joe and she naturally worried that she would lose it again. She turned her head on the pillow and saw Ed sleeping peacefully beside her. He looked content, blissfully ignorant of the doubts that were now coursing through her mind. She wondered if she should back out; call it off. After all, perhaps it was for the best. Her heart was pounding, she felt it difficult to breathe. She just didn't know what to do. She wanted to get up and go downstairs, so that she could think alone in the kitchen, free from Ed’s presence. She knew how much today meant to him and it simply added to the pressure to see him lay there beside her. Carefully, she moved towards the edge of the bed. There was no response from Ed. Relieved, she slipped out from under the covers, put on her slippers and walked quietly to the door. Putting on her dressing gown, she went out on to the landing and tip toed quietly down the stairs.

Reaching the bottom, she stopped. She couldn't believe what she had just done and felt an overwhelming desire to laugh.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.