RAINY DAY

Thirty years had passed Compton on Sea by without the little town seeming to have noticed.

Maggie strolled down the quiet road of identical bungalows, distinguished only by their slightly differing gardens and knocked on the door of Number 22.

As the door opened, Margaret seemed to be looking at her own reflection. The only difference being the immaculate styling of Janet's long, dark hair. Margaret, having recently returned from Australia, sported a far more shaggy look. The twins smiled and hugged each other and Janet linked arms with her sister and dragged her through the house to the sunny back garden, where a small table was laid out for afternoon tea. 

Over the next few hours, the conversation flowed swiftly between them, as caught up on all the news. Janet and Margaret at the early age of twenty had married brothers, Michael and David Shaw in a double wedding. Four years after the wedding, Margaret and David, now an architect, had emigrated to Australia, and after the death of their parents in a horrific car crash, Janet and Michael had moved into this, the family home.

During the quieter moments of their afternoon, Margaret tried to comfort her sister on her recent divorce from Michael, who had since, met and married some floozy from the office.

Secretly she would have wished the same fate on herself, rather than have had to watch her beloved David die suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 56, earlier this year. She had spoken to Janet on the phone and decided to return home, not wanting to face her retirement alone in Sydney.

They discussed at great length what to do about the bungalow, in which they both had an equal share, and finally came to the conclusion that it would solve the problem if Margaret were to move back home now that they were both alone. They would discuss the subject more fully when Margaret visited again the following Saturday.

Late afternoon arrived before they realized it, and Margaret left to stroll slowly through the village for old times sake before catching the train home. Beside the village green, stood the imposing Norman church of St Peter's. Strolling through the graveyard she found her parents gravestones and stood for a long while reflecting on the happy childhood they had given them. 

Dad, to her, appeared to be a giant bear of a man, with a funny, gruff voice, who perpetually wore an old tweed jacket at home, which smelled of pipe tobacco. She remembered his strong arms throwing her into the air and that momentary sensation of flying.

Mum had been much quieter. She remembered sitting on her knee as she played and sang nursery rhymes at the piano. 

Margaret saw her dressed to go to some Charity Ball with Dad once and thought she looked like the princess from her storybook. 

She touched both headstones gently and promised to visit more regularly now that she was home again.

Opposite the church were the few village shops she remembered, but the old baker's shop was now a Charity Shop, At that very moment, it started to rain and she ran the last few steps to it for shelter.

In a far corner, of the shop, she found a bright raincoat, decorated with summer flowers. A bargain, she thought as she handed over her two pounds.

By the time she had finished browsing, the rain had stopped. She smiled a little ruefully but realized she would probably have plenty of use for the coat during the coming English summer.

She arrived home tired, but happy a few hours later. Making herself some supper, she watched a little TV before heading off to bed.

A week later, wouldn't you know it? it was raining as she was about to leave for Compton on Sea. She gratefully reached for the raincoat on the stand. As she felt in the pockets, she was surprised by the feel of metal which she withdrew. 

It was a gold locket and chain.

Margaret was astounded, recognizing it as Janet's, a 21st birthday gift from their parents, identical to the one they had given her. So this must have been Janet's raincoat which she had donated to the shop. 

Wow, what were the odds against that, she wondered? She grinned broadly, at the thought of the look of surprise and happiness she would shortly see on Janet's face when she returned it.

She took a minute to open the locket and saw the young and beautiful face of her sister on the left. Expecting to see a photo of Michael on the right she let out a horrified gasp when she looked into the smiling young eyes of her husband, David.

@Grace Galton