Martha

Martha stepped out of the front door, coat buttoned up against the elements ready to face what ever the day ahead threw at her. Dan was also leaving to go to work and he closed the door after them. The air was fresh and the sky was blue and as she walked her breath formed small moist clouds in front of her.

As they made her way down the leafy lane that ran parallel to their house, they were greeted as always by the small groups of children that passed  this time of day on their way to school. Their endless chatter, punctuated by shrieks and giggles always made them happy and buoyed them up for the day.

Martha and Dan got on the bus . It was on time and as usual they had to stand, however Martha didn’t mind that today as she had made eye contact with a little boy sitting on his mother’s lap. They pulled funny faces to each other and the little boy chuckled and gurgled with delight while the bus pushed its way through the morning rush hour traffic.

Arriving at work there was the usual crowd in the kitchen. Kettles were being boiled, toast was being buttered and papers were being read. The morning passed quickly and, as Martha didn’t have to go out, she ate her lunch in the kitchen in the company of Dan, her friends and colleagues.

All too soon it was time to go home and they were back on on the bus. This time there was no little boy to smile at but no matter. Martha was really tired and all she really wanted to do was have some supper and sleep.

Arriving home with Dan, Martha relaxed in front of the fire that Sally had lit earlier, then ate her tea with her friends, listening as they chatted about the day’s events.

Sitting down beside Martha, Dan ruffled her hair.

‘You alright girl?’ it was more of a statement than a question.

Martha looked at Dan, her eyes smiling.

“Be bedtime soon, old thing. Early start tomorrow I’m afraid as the centre are having the annual fund raising day and we need to be there bright and early to set it up.”

Dan stood up and, while Sally put the guard around the dying embers of the fire, making sure it was safe, Dan hugged Martha tightly and kissed the top of her head. Taking Sally’s hand they went upstairs.

Martha stretched out on the rug and closed her eyes. She heard Dan and Sally moving around above her getting ready for bed and her tail gently thumped on the floor in recognition. Annual fund raising days were always great fun as lots of her friends from other blind centres came and she loved getting together with them and their owners but for now tomorrow was another day and she just wanted to sleep.