A new lease of life

Story Navigation
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8

Ewen watched his little boy falling asleep on the sofa.

At just 4 years old, he unfortunately didin't make the greatest company after about 7pm. Sat on the sofa next to his son, listening to the clock ticking, and looking out the window of their beautiful rustic cottage, Ewen felt a sadness that he knew only too well. The ticking second hand counting out the slow passage into Christmas eve night. Ewen was only 32 and alone with his son at Christmas.

Normally Ewen would tell himself off, forbidding himself to wallow in this self pity. But Christmas... Christmas was hard. He'd left London and moved to Southern Ireland 9 years ago, at the time with Millie. Now far from family and with only William for company, he felt alone and miserable. And he just couldn't shake it off, not tonight. William was still too young to really understand, and being asleep he wasn't much of a distraction anyway.

Leaving the wine glass, Ewen picked up the whole bottle, kissed William on the top of the head and covered him with the blanket. It was Christmas, he'd be generous and let him stay on the sofa by the blazing open fire he had got going. At least, he convinced himself that was the reason, but in truth, asleep or not, William was Ewen's only company, and the only person who would even realise if he just disappeared. Ewen was really down. Standing up, and stepping outside onto his balcony, Ewen left the door to keep an eye on William. Since Millie had passed away in that fateful accident, Ewen knew he was being over-protective, but just couldn't bare to imagine losing his little boy.

This beautiful home, a few possessions and that wonderful child were all that remained, linking Millie to him. The only things giving any real meaning to his now dull and aching life. And the home was getting harder and harder to hold on to. Payments were getting higher, the task of keeping on top of it all tougher and tougher work every month. Millie's death had sent Ewen into a flat spin, and his career was still not fully recovered. Who worries about pensions or life insurance at age 29? Of course, Ewen had had very little to fall back on. He had been young, comfortable and happily married It seemed just days ago since their wedding. Everyone congratulating them, telling them what a gorgeous couple they were. Ewen had been the lucky bastard who finally married the most beautiful girl in his University. He had felt that way anyway. But that luck had been shortlived. After 7 years of married life, here he was; a widower. The 6 pack of his sports physique lost, hefty debts, a face beginning to show the signs of his age, dark brown eyes which used to glisten with contentment but that now stirred like cauldrons of deep anguish and bitterness, and no one to talk to.

Looking out over the park, and the expansive sweeping view they had fallen for so long ago, he could see the Christmas decorations and the brightly decorated trees towards town. Ewen leant on the rail of his balcony, put his head on the back of his hands and indulged his sadness. Sobbing into the stillness of the night. His thoughts weren't of money or work. He just longed for someone to hold his hand. Someone to tell him everything would be ok.

Next Page »