Marys' Garden

There should be no need to dig there ever again.

Mary proudly surveyed the newly laid patio, an overwhelming sense of pride building up in her.

The border around the edges held Primroses and Violets, Mary’s favourite flowers.

Bill never liked flowers especially Primroses, in fact Bill would love the patio.

He would probably build a shed on it, along with an area for a barbecue.

Mary shuddered, the thought of such things in her beautiful garden sent a chill down her spine.

“ Mary Mary” Bills voice broke into the silence. Mary sighed and put her book down.

“You can’t plant here that’s where my runner beans are going,” he indicated to the spot Mary had prepared for her flowers

“But Bill that’s the best place for violets” Mary whined

Bill hesitated looking round

“What about that spot there?” he indicated to an area in the corner of the garden.

Mary felt her blood boil, but knew it was pointless argueing. She had been foolish enough to agree to a vegetable plot.

She just hadn’t realised it would take most of the garden to grow Bills bloody vegetables.

“That’ll be fine thank you darling” Mary smiled sweetly the nausea rising in her throat.

Mary returned to the conservatory and picked her book up, she tried reading but found it hard to concentrate.

She went into the kitchen and began to prepare dinner

“Lasagne” she thought “with a pinch of my secret ingredient”

While the lasagne cooked, Mary made a salad, then laid the table.

“Bill, dinners ready”

Mm this looks lovely, aren’t you eating dear”

“No I’m not very hungry I’ll just have some salad, but you enjoy.
Mary smiled while Bill tucked into his food.
The following morning Bill slept late, so Mary cleaned the house.

She hummed while she worked. Something about a man who did nothing.

That made Mary smile. “If only you knew,” she said aloud.

Mary had just settled down with a cup of tea and a piece of cake when Bill appeared in the kitchen.

“Good morning sleepy head” Mary’s voice had a sickly edge to it but Bill didn’t notice.

“I had a bad night, kept having to get up to go to the loo. Bill face had an ashen tinge and he looked hot and sweaty.

“Maybe you should phone Dr Graves and make an appointment dear “

“No I’ll be fine; I’ll have some Alka-Seltzer, my stomach probably a bit dicky”

“Typical Bill” Mary thought, “just brush it under the carpet “.

Later Mary watched from the conservatory as Bill dug up yet another piece of the garden for his beloved vegetables.

Mary sat quietly with her hands in her lap. She knew it was silly to feel resentful, but she did she couldn’t help it.

She had been patient a very long time.

Mary smoothed her skirt down over her knees’, feeling slightly restless.

She wanted to go out into the garden but knew Bill would start a conversation.

Bill was like that incessantly nattering when Mary just wanted to read quietly or do her crossword puzzles.

It was either Bill or some banal T.V presenter prattling on about some inane subject
that spoiled Mary’s peace.

That night after barely touching his dinner, Bill went to bed early.

“I don’t feel very well dear, I probably just need a good nights sleep”.

Mary did something she hadn’t done in years, she kissed Bill gently on the forehead.

“ Goodnight dear sleep well”


The evening was warm so Mary sat in the garden with her book and a glass of wine.

Contentment filled her body and she smiled, not inwardly, but a huge grin that spread across her face.