Three loves of Martha
Dedication
To Berta
a friend with same interests.
Prologue
Martha has never been searching for love. Until today it was finding her and when she least expect it love finds her more than once. Too many options to choose especially when you don't think you are worth it. Martha is running from love and sure when she turns around there will be no one chasing her. Until today – when running was impossible. Blocking the way one man but could it be? Has love finally found her?
Part 1
Chapter 1 – All in your hands
Martha hadn't been on holidays for awhile. It was a nice idea to go to with friends and take a trip through England. London had been nice and not much different from home. Today they finally reached the countryside of England and the sunny coast of Cornwall. Wind blowing in Martha's dark hair. She always thought she was too old for ponytails but today she has to. Jane borrows her one of her own and Martha's friends laugh like teenagers. "You look at least ten years younger"
"Yes, remind me I'm older than you two" Martha isn't much older than Jane and Tracy. Two years more of life and time alone. Jane's husband has friends Martha and Tracy are often asked to meet but both have still not found love. Tracy loves reading of true great lovers and Martha doesn't speak of how HE should be. Hoping Jane won't speak of it during holidays. All Martha wants is a nice hotel and some weeks without dates and busy work. After one week in London the three friends would spend two more weeks in Cornwall before a short trip to Scotland and back home to the United States. Tracy and Jane had plans what to see and where to go and Martha has the map to find the shortest way. She knows her friends wanted to go to England for many years now and booked the whole trip like they wanted it to be. It's still a surprise they didn't decide for a hotel but a small cottage. Of course Martha would be the one to be in charge of the kitchen. Her holidays are not as calm as she hoped but if it was just cooking and not cleaning the house as well she was fine with it. "Jane, the door is locked"
"Yes, we have to ask the neighbour" The neighbour is in the States the man or woman on the other side of the hallway but here it's a small farm. Tracy and Jane are not moving and it's Martha leaving her luggage with them to walk the small path to the next house.
Smell of sheep's and pigs leads her around the house. "Hello? Hello, my name is Martha. My friends and I are on holidays and live in your neighbour's house for two weeks"
The Sheppard looks up and Martha waves her hand a bit shy but friendly. At work she talked to a lot of people every day but apart from that not so much. Martha is unstoppable talking to friends but with others she keeps it short. Martha isn't impolite and doesn't walk away when the Sheppard came closer. "Yes... My name is John, I will show you the house"
John is a tall dark haired man and hasn't shaved in days. Not very attractive to any woman Martha doesn't have to worry what her friends will say. In the last two years she has been set up on more than fifty dates and blind dates and is annoyed of it. These holidays are for herself and for her friends. London wasn't a good start but Cornwall will be. Cornwall is quiet and beautiful and so is the small house John shows to them. Two rooms upstairs and one beside the kitchen. Tracy and Jane take the two rooms upstairs and John offers help to take their luggage upstairs but both her friends refuse. Martha feels sorry for John and asks him to help her. John smiles and he leaves soon after. A Sheppard has to look for his sheeps.
"That was a scary man. Have you seen how ugly he was?" Jane drinks her hot chocolate two hours after John left. Sitting with Tracy by the counter they both wait while Martha cooks dinner for the three of them. She doesn't like to judge people by first look and doesn't answer Jane. John didn't seem like a monster to her. He was nice.
"He has to shave and take a shower. What does he do? Sleep with pigs?" Jane doesn't stop talking but she changes subject. "We should forget him and go to a pub tonight. England must have some attractive men with manners and great accent. What do you think, Martha?"
"I like to stay and read some" Martha serves dinner and enjoys a moment with her friends. She doesn't want to ruin this with a fight but Martha needs some peace. Her friends agree to go out without her and leave Martha alone this evening.
She sits in the living room with a candle and music while reading a book. Wearing a comfortable sweater she enjoys a glass of wine and forgets everything else for a moment. Martha feels warm and safe until the light suddenly fades and music stops. Alone in a dark room she lights up more candles when the door opens and John asks if everything is okay. "Electricity is gone. Do you..."
"We have candles, thank you John" Martha can now see what scared Jane. In the dark John looks like a killer but he looks scared and killers are not scared. "Do you like to have some wine?"
"I... I don't drink alcohol" John stands in the door and doesn't move. Martha doesn't ask him why but is kind and gives him some juice. "Does this happen often?"
"Sometimes when we have heavy rain or... you are injured" John points to Martha's forehead. She shakes her head. "It's nothing. A little accident in London but nothing to worry about"
The lights turn back on and Martha sees John looks worried. He leaves quickly and Martha is alone again. Her book lays next to her while she touchs her forehead. She feels her scar and doesn't want to think about London. The memory still hurts and Martha wants to go on. She goes to her room to change to some fancy clothes and walks through town to find her friends. Being alone is not the best thing to forget something.