Read Online Thursday's Child by Clare Revell - Free Book Online

them. The grass was neat and tidy.
    The kettle whistled, and Niamh returned to the kitchen. She made the tea and somehow managed to put the cup on the table without spilling it. She slowly lowered herself into the chair and rested the crutches next to her. Picking up the cup, she sipped the hot liquid. Today’s paper sat on the side and she opened it, glancing down at the news. The date on the front page seemed to bear out Jared and Liam’s story about her having lost ten years.
    “Why?” she whispered.
    The one thing she was sure about was her faith. That hadn’t changed, and as sure as she was that God had a reason for this, she just had no idea what it was. Perhaps it was temporary thing. Was Jared really the man she loved, or could it be this other man she saw in her dreams?
    She finished the tea, and made her way into the lounge. She sat on the sofa and carefully put her leg up. Then she grabbed the remote, and put the TV on. She let out a deep breath. This other bloke…there were definite feelings associated with him, she just wasn’t sure what. And she had no idea why her ‘husband’ didn’t elicit the same response.
     
    ****
     
    Peeping through the windows, Niamh saw the snow lying thick and pristine across the dark garden. She smiled and slid on her coat, hat, gloves, and boots and went outside. She made slow, deep tracks all around the garden, and then built the tallest snowman she could manage. She gave it twigs for arms, stones for eyes and buttons and another twig for a mouth. She ran indoors and picked up a carrot for a nose and Jared’s spare cap for a hat. Surveying her handiwork, she smiled.
    A tapping on the window made her look up. Jared stood silhouetted against the window. He shook his head at her.
    She waved him to come down and join her, but he shook his head and mimed it being too cold. She pulled a face and turned away lowering her shoulders to make it look as if she were sad.
    Less than a minute later the back door opened and Jared came out. “You are one crazy mad woman,” he told her moving over to her. “Have you any idea what time it is?”
    Niamh spun around and tossed a handful of snow at him and grinned. “Snowball time.”
    Jared yelped quietly as her shot hit right on target. He scooped up some snow and tossed it back, hitting her hard. “Oh really? And there I was thinking it was getting on for five forty-five in the morning. When all sensible people are still tucked up in bed.”
    Niamh threw another snowball at him. “That’s why you’re not then.”
    “No, because some crazy mad woman woke me up by traipsing around out here in the snow.” He tossed three snowballs in quick succession. “What would the judge say if he could see you now, Mrs. Senior Prosecutor?”
    She dodged and sent several snowballs flying towards him watching them miss as he moved fast. “He'd want to join in. We're not staid and boring all the time, you know.”
    His next several hit right on target. “So what’s the snowman called?” He moved over to look at it.
    Niamh ran up behind him and dumped a whole load of snow over him, making sure it went down the inside of his coat. “Jarrie Jace,” she giggled.
    Gasping with shock, he turned and grabbed her. “You brat!”
    She laughed softly. “And what are you going to do about it?”
    “This.” Jared swiftly kicked her feet out from under her, laying her down in the snow. Holding her with one hand, he grabbed a handful of snow and shoved it down her neck, kissing her to stop her crying out. “Now you’re a snow woman,” he grinned.
    She looked at him and winked. “I’m also wet.” She tugged him to the snow beside her and grinned. “Snow angel time as we’re both wet anyway.”
    He laughed and they both made snow angels. Then he reached over and kissed her again before pulling her to her feet. “Then we’d better go change before we have to leave for work.” He looked at the snowman. “Think we’ll call it H’main.”
    She