A Month of 4160 Tuesdays: Day 21: A Kiss By The Fireside

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When Celia came in from the garden clutching a bunch of cut roses, the Grace Darlings they had planted together, Grace was sitting with her coat on in front of the fire. To anyone else this would have appeared strange, but Celia failed to notice even the most obvious. This was the problem, Grace thought. She had hoped so many times that things could be different before it was too late, but ‘too late’ happened suddenly. 

A car’s engine was running outside. This Celia did seem to detect. She paused whilst arranging the flowers in the vase, the crystal one Celia had given Grace on their 15th anniversary, and looked towards the window, past the suitcase by the sofa. 

Celia left, where had she gone? Grace wondered. She was probably in the kitchen, typically oblivious to everything. 

The aroma of freshly baked biscuits wafted through the door, the orange ones she loved, Grace's favourites. She stood up and stooped to pick up the case, mustering her muscle power. She need not have bothered, it was a light as feather. She dropped the case to the ground and knelt to unfasten the locks. It was empty apart from the tied lavender sprig Celia used to keep their stored luggage fresh. 

Celia was back in the room and beside her, kneeling next to her, she took Grace's hands in hers.

‘I ironed them and put them back in the wardrobe.’ Celia said, nodding down at the empty case. ‘Your work clothes were creased.’

Still kneeling, she swung round towards the window, she could no longer hear the car.

'I sent her away.’ Celia said. ‘I told her you were in here waiting and I was not sure if you were waiting to leave or waiting to stay. I thought together we could wait and see.’ 

A tear dropped onto their interlaced hands. Neither of them knew from whose eye it fell.

She brushed her face against Celia’s and they kissed, by the fireside.




Fragrance Notes

Top: Orange, Lavender

Middle: Cloves, Guaiac Wood, Rose

Base: Vetiver, Musk

Find 4160 Tuesdays' A Kiss By The Fireside on the Roullier White website here.

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