She rinsed the gravy boat once more under the tap, yes that’s better she muttered. She’d always been meticulous, everything needed to be spick and span, put away. It made her feel anxious if things were out of place or left out overnight. It had always driven her husband mad. “Relax” he always said, “It’s not going anywhere”.
The silverware got a quick, final buff with a tea towel and she nestled the cutlery back into the cushioned box until the next special occasion, smiling as she thought about a comment from her granddaughter that she could use the spoon as a mirror it was so shiny.
She turned around and scanned the room. Perfect! Moving through the living room she turned off the TV, adjusted the photo frame and placed the remote control purposefully back on her Christmas copy of the Radio Times, so that it could be easily located in the morning. She switched off the lamp and with a weary sigh slowly climbed up the stairs.
Just one thing had been left on the table. In the centre sat her Christmas cracker which she had failed to pull as normal before she tucked into her turkey dinner. That, she had left out. Left out until she could be with someone to pull it with.
By Michelle Stevens
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