The squeak of the wipers and large drops of rain hammering the windscreen drowned out the faint sound of the radio as Vera made her way home to her cottage. Shaking the water off her hat and coat as she entered her hallway she picked the post up from the floor, and turning on the kitchen light threw the post onto the worktop and made her way into the lounge where she was greeted by her adorable tabby and white cat which she gently picked up.
"What have ye been up to"
Vera walked her out to the kitchen "What shall we have for dinner, would ye like salmon?".
Vera squeezed a small pouch of cat food into the pink bowl before opening her fridge.
Smelling the contents of a plastic container she raised her eyebrows before putting it into the microwave and stood watching her cat as she waited for the bleep.
As she washed the plastic container and plate she glanced over at the post. An unusual looking letter, unlike the others which were mostly bills of junk mail caught her eye.
She shook her hands into the sink before drying them with a towel and carefully picked up the envelope. As she opened it and began reading her hands began to tremble. She pushed her stomach into the worktop as she continued reading as if the pain of that could distract from the contents of the letter. The trembling worsened and soon she could feel the contents of her stomach rising to her throat and without warning her meal ejected from her body and into the sink.
The sudden echo of the doorbell stopped her vomiting as she stood still hoping the unwanted visitor would go away.
"Vera...Vera I know you are home so you can put the crisps and chocolate away and let me in".
Vera stood holding onto the edge of the sink and whispered "Please Joe, go away".
"Vera...open up its freezing out here" He begged as he shut the letterbox.
Vera made her way down her hallway muttering to herself as she opened the door.
Joe quickly entered and took his coat off. As he placed it on the rack by the front door he turned turned to Vera who was leaning against the wall of the hallway and not wishing to make eye contact.
"It's Michael Sykes" He began.
"I don't mean to be rude love but I am very tired". Vera announced as she gazed at the floor.
Jo narrowed his eyes. "Vera, what's going on".
"As I said pet I am exhausted and just want an early night". She explained before being rudely interrupted.
"Vera I know you too long now look at me". Joe answered as he moved closer to Vera.
She slowly lifted her head and he could see immediately that something was wrong.
"Are you OK, what's the matter I only left you an hour ago".
Vera waver her hand "I am fine it's just something I ate, nothing a decent nights sleep won't cure".
Joe shook his head. "I don't believe you, you were fine earlier".
"For goodness sake will you just leave it this once Joe." Vera snapped as she shook her head and reverted her gaze back to the floor. "Just go home Joe and leave work until the morning."
Felling irate at trying to help Joe took his coat and shut the front door, not slamming it but shutting it hard enough for the letterbox to open and close.
Vera slid down the wall and buried her face in her hands.