Sex, death and a snake in the grass: 19 linked short stories, fiction for the Internet. Read in narrative sequence using the left-hand menu or follow characters through the in-page links
6
There were some things about Dan Fiona found better to ignore. He was too much for her sometimes: she'd freely admit that. His emotional up and downs could take up a lot of mental energy.
Over the years she'd found the best thing was to back off, give him space. He'd usually work things out on his own. In the end.
But this? Was this capable of working out?
Fiona liked simplicity. Clean, bracing air. Regular exercise and healthy food. Knowing your place in life and filling it as best you can. Not cluttering things up with unnecessary detail. Not allowing any room for doubt.
The 'certainty principle', Dan had called her one day.
She took a deep breath and seated herself on the bed, her mind wandering. There'd been a time years ago when there'd been so much more fun in their life. And more sex, too! Her fingers traced out a pattern on the bedspread. God, what about that ridiculous riding outfit!
Fun, though.
But when Dan started prancing around in her high heels, well, she wasn't so sure about that.
She stood up, looking through the bedroom window out into the fields. Dan had disappeared into them with the dog almost an hour ago.
Suddenly she was furious with herself. It was only a pair of knickers! Her knickers, at that. And they'd clearly got into Dan's wardrobe by mistake. She'd simply ask him about it, in a light-hearted way, her voice expressing none of the uneasiness she felt inside.
That's what she'd do do.
Definitely.
