Lilies And Smoke

CHAPTER ONE: Old friends

Anita Clark leans back on her sofa, the steam from her cup of tea masks her upper lip as she sips its sweet content. It has been a couple of months now, since she moved into her house on Ashwood Drive and she was happy with it for the most part. She's certainly glad that she was out of her small rented apartment and out of the busy streets of Manchester town centre. She closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath, relaxing more as she slides down. The best part for her is that her childhood friend Janice only lives a couple streets away and that she did not have to put up with her any landlords. Especially because of her old landlord who had tried to scheme her in his foolish attempts to convince her that there were no faults in her flat. Anita huffs at the thought of the black mould that grew from the window ledge, the single glazed windows that were not sealed and at the landlord's remarks about her sight dog.

He is a golden retriever; his furs as soft as silk and went by the name of Bill. Anita couldn't remember the reason she named him Bill, but what she did know was that she fell in love with him the moment her mother brought him home eight years ago.

A high pitch tone echoes throughout the living room, the sound of chimes and bells ringing. Anita reaches out in front of her towards her phone; on the right-hand corner of the table and answers the call button. "Hello?" she answers, placing her cup of tea on the table.

"Neet!" A woman's voice shrieks, Anita could tell it rang with a smile.

"Hey Janice, what's up?", she stands and makes her way towards the kitchen behind her.

"Just calling to let you know I'm coming around in a minute, I've got the new wallpaper for the living room. Don't worry it's very you and it's lovely" Janice assures.

"You're lucky I trust your style more than I trust your taste in men" She teases, a playful smile dangles across her lips.

"Please" Janice scoffs, "at least I can find a date, where as you prefer to stay at home and play with your accounts and do nothing but drink tea all day".

"And I read, and I take Bill out" Anita adds in agreement, she searches around the kitchen for her chopping board. she keeps in the bottom cupboard closes to the back door.

"When will you let me set you up on a blind date? The last guy wasn't so bad".

"If you can find me a date that doesn't point out or joke that I'm literally a blind date, then I will let you set me up with someone more" Anita chuckles, "and the last guy, if you remember had insisted on walking me around without my cane. Pulling me along and had me tripping so much, he might as well have been dragging me all the way home". Janice bursts out in laughter at the memory of Anita calling her up that night, livid and swearing all the names under the sun.

"Well, at least he was a gentleman" Janice interjects.

"A gentleman who took me to watch a movie and sat there talking all the way through it". Anita opens the cupboard and feels around for her chopping board. Her hand hits a wooden, thick block. She takes the chopping board out and places it on the kitchen side. She shuts the cupboard and retrieves the chopping board; moving across to the other counter and puts it down. She reaches out her right hand in front of her and feels for her knife block. Her fingers graze the handles of the top knives and runs them across to the far left and down one and takes out the knife, placing it beside the chopping board.

"How long are you going to be?" Anita quizzes, turning on her heel to her left and walks four and a half steps towards her fridge.

"I'm getting in the car as we speak" and with that note Anita could faintly here the high pitch click of Janice's car unlocking.

"Alright, well the door's unlocked so just come in when you get here".

"Will do" Janice replies, hanging up the phone.