Status: updates are kind of slow. sorry.
Hard Water
i
My life ended the day it should have began.
It didn’t start in a particularly memorable way. Like if I had woke up and thought to myself: today will be a good day, or maybe a bad day, but it wasn’t even like that. 24th August 2013 was neutral, as far as I was concerned. Just another dog day of the fading summer, like so many before that had been swept away by the unforgiving winds of the North that were moving in closer to Scotland as autumn approached.
At around five pm on 24th August 2013, marked by temperate weather and bashful sun, I recieved a call from my fiance, Callum, inviting me to meet up at the seaside restaurant that had been our favourite haunt back in the early stages of our relationship. We didn’t go out that much anymore - not anywhere nice, anyway - due to money troubles, so I was a little puzzled. Still, after hurriedly applying a little lipstick and shrugging on my coat, I got in my car and drove to the Beachouse. I spotted Callum straight away, sat outside on the balcony overlooking the sea. He looked thoughtful and a little troubled, which increased my worry. A feeling of unease began to spread through my abdomen.
I peered over the top of my menu at Callum, who had mostly remained silent after I greeted him with a kiss and a little small talk. I was itching for him to tell me what the matter was. I observed his mop of dark brown, almost- black hair, the way his long eyelashes fanned out over his cheeks, analysing him like I would the birds we studied. I didn’t consider myself as having a type, but if I did I was sure Callum wouldn’t be it- there was something a little too girly about him. He looked cute when smoke poured out of his pouted lips, something I wrinkled my nose at. It wasn’t the habit itself I disliked, just the smell. Evidently satisfied that he had decided what he wanted, he put his menu down and took a drag of his cigarette, inhaling a little too deeply and choking on the tobacco.
“I wish you wouldn’t smoke,” I said, watching him disdainfully.
He glanced up at me in surprise, blue eyes wide and innocent, “I thought you didn’t mind.” After staring at him for a moment, I shrugged my shoulders, and he turned back to gazing over the seafront.
Even after two years of being in a relationship, it was embarrassing to admit I still didn’t know whether I truly loved him, or whether I just needed somebody to cling to when I felt alone and missed my parents and friends back in Wales. Most of the time he was vacant and quiet, preferring to sit on his own rather than be in the company of others. I never ceased to wonder about him, and his life, but his answers to my constant questions in my futile attempts to understand him were always short and noncommittal, much to my disappointment but not particularly to my surprise. I was drawn to him when we were both students on an obscure Ornithology course at the University of Aberdeen simply because we were both introverted and lovers of birds, but we were both out of university now and I was feeling the desperate urge for something new, something different.
“So?” I asked him finally, letting my impatience get the better of me. “What’s the matter?”
He smiled and dug his hand into his khaki coat pocket, then pulled out a leaflet, handing it to me. Welcome to Fallegur, it read. I had heard of it before: Fallegur was a small island in the Shetlands, population of around one hundred. "I found a place for our wedding. My parents live on the island, and there's a nice little chapel on the outskirts of the town. Sunhaven, I think it's called. Anyway, what do you say?"
I observed the photograph on the front of the leaflet. It seemed a picturesque location, especially perfect for a small wedding. "Of course," I replied, "but what about my parents? They'd have to come up all the way from Wales. It's a long trip, especially since Mum's not getting any better." Emotion washed over me as I thought of my mother: she was sick with leukaemia, and was showing not signs of improvement the last I had heard. I was pretty much preparing myself for the worst. I had returned home and stayed with her for a few weeks, but she insisted that I went back to Scotland to continue my studies. Dad had said that it was because she didn't want me to be there when she died. She was as strong as ever. I smiled a little at the thought.
Callum leaned over the rub my back comfortingly, and I buried my face in his warm chest. "Listen, Mona, I'm sure she wouldn't want you to put your life on hold. You can send them some pictures." I mumbled in agreement.
"I know. I just want her to be there, that's all." I said.
"Why don't we make it just us two?" Callum suggested. "It's be more romantic. More intimate. We don't have to make a big deal out of it."
"Will it be expensive? We don't have that kind of money."
"Not if it's just us two. The ceremony won't cost much, and I've already contacted the people who run the inn on the island. They were very reasonable, especially since it's only for one night."
"Wow," I laughed, "you've certainly been productive. I'm impressed, Cal."
"Anything for you, my love," he said mockingly, rolling his eyes then planting a light kiss on my forehead. He stood up. "Come on. Let's get going."
He smirked when I raised an eyebrow. "We have some practising for our wedding night to do." he answered my unspoken question.
I gasped and shoved him playfully. "You complete and utter dick!" I scolded him as he doubled over with laughter, then took his hand and left the restaurant feeling the happiest I had felt in a long time.
It didn’t start in a particularly memorable way. Like if I had woke up and thought to myself: today will be a good day, or maybe a bad day, but it wasn’t even like that. 24th August 2013 was neutral, as far as I was concerned. Just another dog day of the fading summer, like so many before that had been swept away by the unforgiving winds of the North that were moving in closer to Scotland as autumn approached.
At around five pm on 24th August 2013, marked by temperate weather and bashful sun, I recieved a call from my fiance, Callum, inviting me to meet up at the seaside restaurant that had been our favourite haunt back in the early stages of our relationship. We didn’t go out that much anymore - not anywhere nice, anyway - due to money troubles, so I was a little puzzled. Still, after hurriedly applying a little lipstick and shrugging on my coat, I got in my car and drove to the Beachouse. I spotted Callum straight away, sat outside on the balcony overlooking the sea. He looked thoughtful and a little troubled, which increased my worry. A feeling of unease began to spread through my abdomen.
I peered over the top of my menu at Callum, who had mostly remained silent after I greeted him with a kiss and a little small talk. I was itching for him to tell me what the matter was. I observed his mop of dark brown, almost- black hair, the way his long eyelashes fanned out over his cheeks, analysing him like I would the birds we studied. I didn’t consider myself as having a type, but if I did I was sure Callum wouldn’t be it- there was something a little too girly about him. He looked cute when smoke poured out of his pouted lips, something I wrinkled my nose at. It wasn’t the habit itself I disliked, just the smell. Evidently satisfied that he had decided what he wanted, he put his menu down and took a drag of his cigarette, inhaling a little too deeply and choking on the tobacco.
“I wish you wouldn’t smoke,” I said, watching him disdainfully.
He glanced up at me in surprise, blue eyes wide and innocent, “I thought you didn’t mind.” After staring at him for a moment, I shrugged my shoulders, and he turned back to gazing over the seafront.
Even after two years of being in a relationship, it was embarrassing to admit I still didn’t know whether I truly loved him, or whether I just needed somebody to cling to when I felt alone and missed my parents and friends back in Wales. Most of the time he was vacant and quiet, preferring to sit on his own rather than be in the company of others. I never ceased to wonder about him, and his life, but his answers to my constant questions in my futile attempts to understand him were always short and noncommittal, much to my disappointment but not particularly to my surprise. I was drawn to him when we were both students on an obscure Ornithology course at the University of Aberdeen simply because we were both introverted and lovers of birds, but we were both out of university now and I was feeling the desperate urge for something new, something different.
“So?” I asked him finally, letting my impatience get the better of me. “What’s the matter?”
He smiled and dug his hand into his khaki coat pocket, then pulled out a leaflet, handing it to me. Welcome to Fallegur, it read. I had heard of it before: Fallegur was a small island in the Shetlands, population of around one hundred. "I found a place for our wedding. My parents live on the island, and there's a nice little chapel on the outskirts of the town. Sunhaven, I think it's called. Anyway, what do you say?"
I observed the photograph on the front of the leaflet. It seemed a picturesque location, especially perfect for a small wedding. "Of course," I replied, "but what about my parents? They'd have to come up all the way from Wales. It's a long trip, especially since Mum's not getting any better." Emotion washed over me as I thought of my mother: she was sick with leukaemia, and was showing not signs of improvement the last I had heard. I was pretty much preparing myself for the worst. I had returned home and stayed with her for a few weeks, but she insisted that I went back to Scotland to continue my studies. Dad had said that it was because she didn't want me to be there when she died. She was as strong as ever. I smiled a little at the thought.
Callum leaned over the rub my back comfortingly, and I buried my face in his warm chest. "Listen, Mona, I'm sure she wouldn't want you to put your life on hold. You can send them some pictures." I mumbled in agreement.
"I know. I just want her to be there, that's all." I said.
"Why don't we make it just us two?" Callum suggested. "It's be more romantic. More intimate. We don't have to make a big deal out of it."
"Will it be expensive? We don't have that kind of money."
"Not if it's just us two. The ceremony won't cost much, and I've already contacted the people who run the inn on the island. They were very reasonable, especially since it's only for one night."
"Wow," I laughed, "you've certainly been productive. I'm impressed, Cal."
"Anything for you, my love," he said mockingly, rolling his eyes then planting a light kiss on my forehead. He stood up. "Come on. Let's get going."
He smirked when I raised an eyebrow. "We have some practising for our wedding night to do." he answered my unspoken question.
I gasped and shoved him playfully. "You complete and utter dick!" I scolded him as he doubled over with laughter, then took his hand and left the restaurant feeling the happiest I had felt in a long time.