Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2025 i Take a Break Fiction Feast

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As Anna made her friend, Suzy, a cup of coffee that January evening, she gazed at her list of resolutions pinned to the kitchen noticeboard and sighed. ‘Keep house cleaner – failed!’ she said. ‘Get up earlier – failed. Cook healthier meals – failed!’ Suzy, laughed. ‘Come on! Your homemade soups are legendary. And so healthy!’ ‘Yeah, when I have time! If only I’d implemented number four: Get the girls to be tidier – failed! And here’s a new one. Stop lying awake worrying about lumps and go to doctor – passed! Well, that’s one tick!’ Suzy frowned. ‘You found a lump?’ ‘Yeah. Guess what, now I can spend all day worrying instead of just at night.’ ‘Anna, you should go to the doctor.’ ‘I did,’ she said. ‘Oh.’ ‘He…

At last I owned my own phone. One morning Mum set it all up and handed it over. ‘So what are you going to do with it?’ she asked. I’m going to save my sister’s life! I didn’t say that – I didn’t know for a start. ‘I’m going to call my friends and take photos.’ Actually, that’s all my phone could do. It couldn’t access the internet or do anything really clever. Mum just wanted me to have it in case of emergencies and so she could stay in touch. Now I was 11, she wanted me to have the freedom to roam a bit further. Even then, I couldn’t roam alone. ‘Maisie, always go with a friend,’ Mum said. ‘They’ll look after you.’ A few days later, with…

The thing is, Julie and I were the best of pals, at one time. We started school on the same day, each of us with a ribbon in our hair, both of us with our knees knocking. Miss Graham sat us beside each other, and although we were far too frightened to open our mouths, we shared shy smiles and I picked up her hankie when it fell to the floor. ‘What’s your name?’ Julie asked me in the playground. ‘Ruth,’ I told her. I knew her name, because Miss Graham had said it. We held hands then, and ran around in the September sunshine. And that was it – the start of a wonderful friendship. Julie was an only child, and her parents lavished her with treats. Her mother…

Jenny headed towards the canal where it was quiet. She found a bench and slumped down on to it, putting her head in her hands and replaying the conversation with Steve. ‘The doctor said I’d never be able to father a child,’ he’d said. ‘Believe me, I’ve considered every alternative – I have to give you the chance to be the wonderful mother you’re destined to be. ‘I love you so much, it breaks my heart, but I can’t live a life knowing I’m letting you down. We’d always talked about having a family, all the fun things we’d do together…’ Jenny roughly rubbed away her tears, just as he’d washed away her suggestions of fostering, adoption, a sperm donor… It hurt just thinking about it, but deep down, she…

Fiona Kerr grinned when David Williams suggested a weekend away. ‘I could do the weekend of the 15th of Feb,’ Fiona said, looking at the calendar on her phone. ‘I’m owed a few days, so we could make it into a long weekend, if you wanted?’ She told him without actually reminding him that Friday the 14th was Valentine’s Day. David was a quiet, thoughtful man but wasn’t one for romantic meals or buying flowers. Nevertheless, she had fallen for him. Fiona didn’t think she’d ever trust a man again, let alone fall in love. Four years ago, she’d met the man of her dreams, James. Everything seemed perfect and happily they planned their wedding day. ‘We’ve been sitting down all day. It’s time for a little walk’ He’d kindly…

Walkies!’ No sooner had the word left Rachel’s mouth than two very excited dogs appeared at her feet, tails wagging like fury. ‘You boys need to calm down,’ she chuckled, ‘or I’ll never get your leads on. Now, sit.’ At once, both dogs sat down, tails still wagging. They stayed like statues just long enough for her to get their leads on. ‘Now it’s your turn, Benji. Come on.’ Of her three dogs, Benji was the oldest. He’d reached the point where he needed a bit of coaxing to leave his cosy bed. Rachel loved all of her dogs but Benji was extra special because he used to belong to Matthew, the man who’d broken her heart into a million pieces when he left 18 months ago. As they set…

You have to see this, Emma,’ said my friend Gayle, thrusting her phone under my nose. Gayle was committed to finding Mr Right and I recognised her online dating app. ‘What am I looking at? Your new beau?’ ‘Look,’ insisted Gayle. I did, and saw a picture of my husband Mark. Still I didn’t get it. Not right away. Gayle spelt it out for me. ‘That’s his profile. He’s looking for a woman for “fun and adventures”.’ Luckily, I was already sitting down. ‘My Mark? I don’t understand,’ I said, though the chill in my blood was telling me I really did. ‘Mark’s cheating on you,’ said Gayle gently. ‘Or at least, he’s planning to. I’m sorry. But I had to tell you.’ I nodded, staring at his profile pic,…

Where shall we go first?’ Ben asked as I spun around the fairground, its lights glowing in the evening air. ‘Rollercoaster?’ I suggested. He looked sceptical. ‘You know I get queasy on the Isle of Wight ferry, never mind an actual big dipper,’ he reminded me. ‘Ferris wheel it is, then,’ I nodded, heading in that direction. ‘The sunset should be spectacular when our viewing car gets to the top.’ ‘Oh, the view’s pretty spectacular now,’ he said cheesily, gazing into my eyes. But right now, I was happy to take ‘cheesy’ over anything else. It went with the current vibe of candy floss, ghost train, shooting gallery – all the fun of an old-fashioned fair. There was even a bloke in a striped tail-coat and top hat going around…

Oh no,’ said the staff canteen manager at Walton’s Engineering. ‘Not another miserable face! What’s wrong with you young girls?’ ‘Leave them alone,’ said Mrs M, the company boss. ‘Alice and Ella get yourself a nice drink and a sticky bun and take a break over there in the corner. My treat.’ The girls looked at each other and then at Mrs M. The older woman smiled and stepped back so they could make their choices. ‘Thank you,’ they both muttered. Alice chose a coffee, while Ella decided on a hot chocolate. Neither bothered with anything to eat. They both nodded their thanks again to Mrs M. She was a good boss, but neither of them wanted her to come and join them, or ask loads of questions. ‘You don’t…

Carol settled down on the sofa with a book and a cup of coffee. Bliss. She’d been looking forward to this all week. It was 1.30pm on Thursday afternoon. She’d left work early as her boss owed her a few hours off in lieu. Carol intended to make the most of her break. It was ages since she’d spent a lazy afternoon chilling out and taking it easy. And there was nothing better than curling up and losing yourself in a good book. She’d just turned the first page when she heard Del, her husband, letting himself in the back door. What on earth was he doing home? He didn’t usually finish work until 6pm. Why was he here? ‘Hi, love,’ he called. ‘Hi,’ she answered. ‘Are you OK? I…

I live in a damp studio above a kebab takeaway and I’m currently unemployed Tell yourself that you’re better off without him,’ my best friend Mia urged over the phone. ‘I will. But I need something to keep my mind off the split. I hate to ask, but have you any vacancies at your shops? I have retail experience,’ I reminded her. Mia and her hubby Tony owned and ran several medium-sized grocery shops. Their T&M Stores did well, because they were located a good few miles away from the nearest supermarket. ‘I thought you were cleaning people’s houses?’ ‘I was, but one client moved away, one hired his student niece to clean and one got a big dog who barked at me all the time. I was scared of…

After five years of saving for a deposit, Stacey and Joe had moved into their own home, a two bedroom end-of-terrace house in a quiet street. Stacey was looking forward to decorating the place and making it their own, but Joe disagreed with all her ideas. Their previous home, a flat, was bland and boring – magnolia walls and beige carpet throughout. ‘There’s no point in spending any money – we’re not staying here,’ Joe said, when Stacey suggested brightening it up. Reluctantly, she agreed with him, while mentally planning what she’d do when they left for pastures new. She visualised net curtains, or floor-length drapes, and squashy sofas with plump cushions. A few colourful rugs would look nice, too. Yet six months after moving, they’d bought no wallpaper or…

Hello there, Mrs Moore, may I speak to Robbie please?’ The receptionist was very formal and didn’t invite conversation. Especially not from Angie, a wife who wore black nail varnish and had a butterfly tattooed on her shoulder ‘Mr Warren is not in the office.’ ‘Do you happen to know if he went shopping?’ Robbie had promised to buy their son’s birthday present today. ‘I believe he’s playing golf, Mrs Warren.’ Robbie? The man who preferred his sport from the comfort of his couch? Angie was about to hoot with derisive laughter when Mrs Moore added, ‘With Mr Connaught.’ So the Director had invited him for a mid-week game at his posh golf club! Angie knew exactly what that meant. If Robbie had the good sense to let him win,…

Fiona clutched her lovely warming mug of tea and yawned as she gazed out at the crisp, sunny January morning. ‘Hear the plop of those Christmas credit card bills on the mat?’ asked the DJ on the radio, as Rainy Days and Mondays came to an end. ‘Martin is in a bad mood. I think it’s because today is Blue Monday’ ‘Yes, folks they’ll be coming any day now. As Christmas and new year fade into a distant memory, as the winter still stretches for months ahead of us and the next bank holiday seems aeons away, is it any wonder that today is called Blue Monday? The worst day in the whole of the year....’ ‘Rubbish!’ Fiona said, as she finished her tea. She didn’t feel down – not one…

I wasn’t surprised when Jennifer knocked on our door that afternoon because I knew she would have missed Craig terribly, but I didn’t want to let her in, so I just opened the door and stared at her. ‘Hello, Martha,’ she said. ‘How was the honeymoon?’ ‘Oh, it was great,’ I replied, focusing on the lasagne she was holding. ‘We’re both very tired though after all the travelling, so Craig’s gone upstairs for a nap and I’m just about to join him.’ ‘Oh, right,’ she said. ‘Is that for us?’ I asked, nodding at the lasagne. She smiled. ‘Yes. I didn’t think you’d feel like cooking tonight, so I made you this. There’s a salad to go with it, too.’ ‘Thanks,’ I said as I reached out to take the…