Christmas at the Foyles Bookshop by Elaine Roberts

Author:Elaine Roberts [Roberts, Elaine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788544870
Publisher: Head of Zeus

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Ted Marsden lay still in his hospital bed. When he slept he could forget what was happening to him. His dreams were in colour and so real but every morning he woke up confused and his grief hit him all over again. Every day was the same; he had to live with the imposed silence and his demons in this room. His world was dark now. There was no light or shade, and there was definitely no colour. The smell of the toast seemed heightened as it mingled with the overpowering antiseptic and disinfectant that oozed from within the walls. His blindness meant he was unable to reach for his toast or the cup of tea that was placed nearby without knocking it over, but then he had no reason to eat or drink. He had no reason to live anymore.

His hand touched the soft bandage that covered his eyes and most of his face before slowly moving down to rub his nose. He turned his head towards the muffled laughter and voices creeping through the closed door of his side room, those soldiers were happy to be home but he wished he’d died with his friends on the battlefield. He had no future; he was destined to be alone and unable to work. His blindness was disorientating. He didn’t want to be that person waving his hand around trying to grab things; he didn’t want to feel unable to cope with the different noises and smells that appeared to be assaulting him from every direction, while always trying to guess what they are.

Ted sighed. He had nothing to offer Victoria; there was no future for them so there was no future for him. Tears pricked at his eyes. Ignoring the pain that took his breath away, he squeezed them tight as memories of Victoria immediately jumped into his mind. The many times they had sat together holding hands in Hyde Park watching the world go by. They had been happy to just be in each other’s company, but he was never again going to see the blueness of the sky or the vivid colours of the flowers in the park, and more importantly he was never again going to see the beauty of the girl he loved or watch her wonderful face light up when she laughed. Anger surged through him, he had thrown away seven years of being with her, all because he wasn’t able to cope with her grief and new responsibilities. It hadn’t taken him long to realise he had been a selfish coward; he’d had plenty of time to reflect and regret his actions but there had been no going back. He had left it too late. His mind cast back to when he’d finally plucked up the courage to write and ask for her forgiveness. The bombing and rifle fire had stopped and left an eerie silence around him in the trench he had been standing in, only occasionally broken by the murmurs of conversation amongst the men.

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