Creative Writing Contest by @aubreyfox

This is my submission to Creative Writing- Part One - Write Something And Win Some SBD run by @aubreyfox

Claire

Leaning against the small bathroom vanity, she saw the reflection that puzzled her. That older face .The one with the sad doe eyes framed by crow’s feet. The once shiny and long chestnut hair, now hung limply around her drooping shoulders.

Claire sighed. She gathered her brush and fashioned the heavy limp mass into a bun on top of her head. She thought of adding a bow to make it look pretty, but she quickly changed her mind. Who would notice anyway?

Frank and the boys would be out doing chores and would be back soon expecting their usual big breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes, hash browns, coffee and juice. It never varied. It had been the same for the last 30 years.

She wandered down to the old farmhouse kitchen to commence her daily routine. Dogs needed to be fed, cats wanting attention and then out to the hen house for the eggs. The air was a bit nippy this morning and she didn’t take long to gather the fresh, warm eggs.

Claire was just putting the food on the table when Frank and the boys came bursting through the door like a herd of wild horses, hungry and dirty from the early morning chores. It would follow the same routine; reminders to wash hands, slowdown, and chew your food. You’d think they would be past the reminders now that they were grown men.

Frank slams his coffee mug down on the table and demands more coffee. Then complains about how badly she cooked the eggs today. The table look like a horde of locusts had descended upon it. The cacophony of noise as the boys left hurt her sensitive ears.

She began the horrendous task of clean up. First picking up and straightening the chairs that were left askew by the retreating rowdies. Then washing and drying of the mountainous pile of dirty dishes.

As she cleared and cleaned her mind wandered. What would her life be like if she hadn’t been so eager to leave home? She felt as if she had jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Had she really been so naive as to think she would be able to change Frank after they were married?

Clean up was finished and Claire could finally have her breakfast in peace. She put a pot of fresh coffee on and place a couple of slices of her home made bread in the toaster. She took out the butter that she churned yesterday out of the fridge and looked for the jar of her sister’s strawberry jam.

She hadn’t been sitting enjoying her breakfast for very long before she heard a faint tapping on the front screen door. She brushed off the crumbs as she got up to see who could possibly be there. No-one came calling during the day unless it was Sunday.

To be continued... (perhaps)