2022 WATTYS SHORTLISTED || After being forced into a marriage by her devoutly religious parents, Aspen's husband is diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, and she must find her purpose as well as fight feelings for her husband's nurse. || Aspen Wat...
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T W O D A Y S L A T E R
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The Bible says God created the Earth in six days and had a rest day on Sunday. That's why we have seven-day weeks, and that's why Sunday is known as the day of rest. That's why we have Sunday shopping hours, and why people go to church on Sundays. You need four weeks to give legal notice of marriage, even though you make your vows before God in a church, so you'd think he'd let you do it whenever you want. For a divorce, you only need ten days for it to be processed and sent to the other party to agree or disagree. Then we'll need to attend court to get a 'decree nisi', and then I still have to wait six weeks and one day until I can apply for a full divorce.
I don't understand how God can create an entire planet and people within six days, yet I have to wait two months to get a divorce. Or why it's easier to enter a marriage than leave it.
I suppose that's the point, though; if it was easy to leave a marriage, you would just be more likely to marry more people.
The doorbell goes off as I pour a glass of wine and I groan. I open it and instantly the metaphorical heavens beam down, and a hymn starts in my veins when I see his smile.
"How did you know I wanted to see you?" I question, my lips curving into a grin automatically.
"Because I wanted to see you, so I assumed you would feel the same," he replies.
"I'm sorry for putting our date off last night. I... I couldn't face it after, you know... whatever," I ramble.
He chuckles as the door closes behind him. Like a wizard, he draws me closer to him. I pull his face down so I can kiss him. I shower his lips; the freedom radiating through my veins, bubbling to the surface and releasing onto him.
He grins when I finally let him go, and he hands me a small gift bag. "I get it. It doesn't matter. This is for you."
"Thank you," I respond, fishing out a jewellery box. When I open it, a silver bangle sits there, a single daisy painted white and yellow in the middle. "Nick, it's lovely."
He smiles and fixes it on my wrist for me. "You don't have to wear it if you don't want to, I just saw it and thought of you, my daisy. Now you've applied for the divorce and moved on. It's a symbol for your new start."
"Don't be silly, I love it! Thank you," I gush. He presses a kiss onto the back of my hand when he's done.
"So... I have a confession," he says. He follows me through, and I pour him a glass of wine. "I phoned in sick tomorrow and wondered if you wanted to accompany me on our third date."
