Read Online Licence to Dream by Anna Jacobs - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anna Jacobs
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the card Meriel noticed the Lotto machine on the counter. She didn't normally buy lottery coupons because the odds against winning were astronomical and it was a complete waste of money. She had told Rosanna so dozens of times, but her friend just laughed and said she enjoyed her weekly licence to dream.
Today, however, was a special day and Meriel had an urge to do something different to mark that. She hadn’t been lucky in love, so she might as well test the old saying and see if she was lucky in other ways. ‘I'll have one of those things as well,’ she said.
‘Slikpik?’
‘Yes, all right. Give me a slikpik.’ She waited impatiently as the machine churned out a coupon, choosing her numbers for her, then stuffed it into her purse and left, already regretting her impulsive purchase. That money could have been added to her savings. She’d wasted it, absolutely thrown it away.
Back at her flat she hurled her handbag on the couch, dumped her shopping in the kitchen and sank into her favourite chair. She’d found the wooden rocking chair in a junk shop. Some idiot had painted it a hideous shade of green. Thanks to Grandpop's training, she had recognised its potential, stripped off the gunk and waxed the chair until it gleamed. The wood was now a glossy honey colour, the carved back fitted the curves of her spine exactly and she usually found sitting in it soothing. But not today. Today, nothing seemed to soothe her.
She wasn't worried about the exam. She knew she’d passed and probably done quite well, too. But she felt empty, not elated. Was that because she’d reached one of her main goals in life and what she really wanted now was to use her new skills?
Well, she couldn’t, had to continue number crunching and that was that.
She wished . . . oh, she didn’t know what she wished! That was the trouble.
* * * *
Meriel spent Saturday working on a painting. She was designing a series of greeting cards based on Australian flora and fauna, and was rather pleased with the results so far. As usual she lost herself in her work and it was lunchtime before she knew it.
While she was eating she flipped through a magazine. One of the male models looked a bit like Ben Elless and . . . She got annoyed with herself for thinking about him again. Anyway, the man in the magazine wasn’t nearly as good looking and . . . she tossed it on to the low coffee table.
On the Sunday she slipped out to get some fresh air and buy a newspaper, enjoying the spring sunshine. Only when she opened her handbag did she remember that she’d bought a Lotto coupon. She scowled at it. Might as well throw it away. But of course, she didn’t. She would have worried that she might have won ten dollars or whatever tiny amount you did occasionally win on these things.
When she got back home she dumped the newspaper on the kitchen surface, made herself a cup of coffee then settled down to read.
Only later as she was putting her bag away did she remember to take out the Lotto coupon and check the numbers in the newspaper. It was hardly worth bothering, but still . . . Shrugging, she picked up a pencil. She might just, if she were very lucky, recoup her money.
A minute later she stared in startled disbelief at the line of circled figures. Six numbers, all in one row. Her heart began thumping so loudly she had to press her hands against her chest to calm herself.
‘I won!’ she said aloud, her voice hoarse and scratchy with shock. It was impossible odds, but she’d won! She stood up and walked round the room, feeling jerky and uncoordinated, then flopped down on the couch and said, ‘I won!’ several times more. She thumped a cushion to emphasise her words, before picking it up and tossing it in the air.
Then she shook her head. ‘I must have made a mistake.’
She checked the numbers again, not realising she was holding her breath until she had to let it out in a whoosh. There was no mistake. Six numbers. All in one row.
She sat staring
Today, however, was a special day and Meriel had an urge to do something different to mark that. She hadn’t been lucky in love, so she might as well test the old saying and see if she was lucky in other ways. ‘I'll have one of those things as well,’ she said.
‘Slikpik?’
‘Yes, all right. Give me a slikpik.’ She waited impatiently as the machine churned out a coupon, choosing her numbers for her, then stuffed it into her purse and left, already regretting her impulsive purchase. That money could have been added to her savings. She’d wasted it, absolutely thrown it away.
Back at her flat she hurled her handbag on the couch, dumped her shopping in the kitchen and sank into her favourite chair. She’d found the wooden rocking chair in a junk shop. Some idiot had painted it a hideous shade of green. Thanks to Grandpop's training, she had recognised its potential, stripped off the gunk and waxed the chair until it gleamed. The wood was now a glossy honey colour, the carved back fitted the curves of her spine exactly and she usually found sitting in it soothing. But not today. Today, nothing seemed to soothe her.
She wasn't worried about the exam. She knew she’d passed and probably done quite well, too. But she felt empty, not elated. Was that because she’d reached one of her main goals in life and what she really wanted now was to use her new skills?
Well, she couldn’t, had to continue number crunching and that was that.
She wished . . . oh, she didn’t know what she wished! That was the trouble.
* * * *
Meriel spent Saturday working on a painting. She was designing a series of greeting cards based on Australian flora and fauna, and was rather pleased with the results so far. As usual she lost herself in her work and it was lunchtime before she knew it.
While she was eating she flipped through a magazine. One of the male models looked a bit like Ben Elless and . . . She got annoyed with herself for thinking about him again. Anyway, the man in the magazine wasn’t nearly as good looking and . . . she tossed it on to the low coffee table.
On the Sunday she slipped out to get some fresh air and buy a newspaper, enjoying the spring sunshine. Only when she opened her handbag did she remember that she’d bought a Lotto coupon. She scowled at it. Might as well throw it away. But of course, she didn’t. She would have worried that she might have won ten dollars or whatever tiny amount you did occasionally win on these things.
When she got back home she dumped the newspaper on the kitchen surface, made herself a cup of coffee then settled down to read.
Only later as she was putting her bag away did she remember to take out the Lotto coupon and check the numbers in the newspaper. It was hardly worth bothering, but still . . . Shrugging, she picked up a pencil. She might just, if she were very lucky, recoup her money.
A minute later she stared in startled disbelief at the line of circled figures. Six numbers, all in one row. Her heart began thumping so loudly she had to press her hands against her chest to calm herself.
‘I won!’ she said aloud, her voice hoarse and scratchy with shock. It was impossible odds, but she’d won! She stood up and walked round the room, feeling jerky and uncoordinated, then flopped down on the couch and said, ‘I won!’ several times more. She thumped a cushion to emphasise her words, before picking it up and tossing it in the air.
Then she shook her head. ‘I must have made a mistake.’
She checked the numbers again, not realising she was holding her breath until she had to let it out in a whoosh. There was no mistake. Six numbers. All in one row.
She sat staring
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