…”The health of our nation is dependent on the wealth of our nation. The poorest of our society has had to endure great hardships …”
Kathleen gives the remote control button a vicious prod.
“Oi, I was watching that!”
She turns and gives her husband a look of disbelief.
“The last thing we need right now is some stuck up government speaker telling us what we can’t afford, I already know that.”
Her legs crumple beneath her as she falls onto the settee and starts to sob. Ray brings her into his arms and hugs her tight.
“Come on love, I know its been hard but we’ll get through this together.”
“I’m scared Ray, really scared, I don’t know how much longer we can go on.”
Her sobbing starts to subside a little.
“Chin up love, we’re fighters remember. How about I make us a nice cup of tea?”
“There’s no milk left, and no money to buy any,” she managed to say before bursting into tears once more.
“Perhaps that nice couple next door will lend us a cupful?”
“Don’t you dare do that, I’m not letting the neighbours know how broke we are.”
“Kath, its nothing to be ashamed of, it’s not unusual for many people around these parts.”
“I still don’t like asking though.”
“Just let me go and ask them, you’ll feel better after a cup of tea.”
“We’ll never be able to give them something in return.”
“Remember when they moved in, you helped them out then, it will be their chance to return the favour.
“Oh, okay then, if you think it will be alright.”
“I won’t be long, you get the water boiling.”
Ray comes back with two pints of milk.
“They were expecting visitors who had to cancel at the last minute, so they had loads to spare.”
“That’s very kind of them.”
“That’s not all Kath, you need to get your glad rags on and a bit of lippy. They have cooked loads of food ready for their guests. They’ll never eat it all so they’ve invited us over to help them out. I said we’d be over at seven, so we still have got time for that cuppa.”
A beam lights up Kathleen’s face. Ray realises that he hasn’t seen her smile for such a long time.
“That’s so thoughtful of them, I’ll pick some flowers from the garden to take with us.”
Kathleen runs up the stairs to get ready, thinking how good it feels having such a nice husband and good neighbours.
