Saturday, 20 October 2018

31 Day Writing Challenge #2: Day 30 - 'Striped Curtains'


Striped Curtains



She knew that she was acting like a petulant child, that realistically, it wasn’t that big a deal. But, if she was being honest, she didn’t care. Her monster-in-law was getting her way, Sadie sure as hell did not have to act happy about it. Hell, exactly where Sadie wanted to send the mustard and pea-green atrocity that her mummys-boy husband was currently replacing her beautiful, carefully chosen, cream and dusty rose floral curtains.

“They don’t even go! The walls are salmon for fuck sake! Why are we redecorating for a woman who visits once a year?” Sadie’s lip was curled in disgust, matching her tone. “She’s going to point out that the room no longer matches the curtains.”

“which is exactly why you chose the new colour.” Connor smirked.

“Damn right. So, why are we changing the curtains?” Sadie’s brain was churning, trying to figure out if there was a way for a deliberately placed candle to ruin the curtains without damaging her living room.

“You cant burn the curtains without burning the room.” Connor stared her down, a note of mocking  in his voice.

Sadie was about to ask how he could have possibly known what was going through her head.

“We’ve been married for five years, honey, I know my wife. “ He chuckled, “Plus, I can see your mind churning and you keep glancing between the candle and the curtains.”

Sadie rolled her eyes.

“We are destroying them the second she leaves. I mean it. I’m cutting them up and burning them straight to hell. Where they belong.”

“Sade, my mom spent a lot of money on them. They were a wedding gift.”

Oh, she remembered that clearly. The “accidentally” left on; the moment she opened the precisely wrapped gift to reveal the ugliest pair of striped curtains she had ever seen. A clear and passive-aggressive comment on how Connor’s mother felt about his new wife.

Sadie had thought that once they were married, Connor would cut the apron strings once and for all, but he was still bending over backwards for the she-demon. Daily, hour-long phone calls, bringing out all the ugly things she had gifted them over the years every time s he visited, calling her after every fight and, worst of all, always discussing life decisions with his mother before his wife and valuing the former’s opinion over the latter’s.

Connor had never believed Sadie that his mother hated her, could not see a bad bone in his dear old mum. He found it entertaining. Just one of Sadie’s little quirks. But it was real.



And one of these days, Sadie wasn’t going to put up with it anymore.

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