Twenty-four

The next morning, she opened her eyes to find Josh lying next to her in bed. He was on his back with his right arm stretched above him. Sunlight was beaming through gaps in the curtains, caressing parts of his face and exposed chest. She couldn’t resist gently pushing a stray piece of hair from his forehead. As it didn’t cause him to stir, she decided to get out of bed and go outside. She was desperate to see the view from the cottage in the light. Wrapping her dressing gown around her and pulling on some thick socks, she walked out to the hallway where they’d left their shoes. She knew she would need their welly boots for this weekend, it could get very muddy here this time of year. She pulled them on and shut the front door gently behind her.

Considering it was the end of February, it was actually a beautiful day. It was cold, but it was a cloudless sky, so the sun was shining bri