Two lives

Sarah returned home to her family from another day at her job and headed straight to the kitchen to start preparing their tea. She had a good job; she made a lot of money working in investment management by helping her rich clients make even more money. It meant that she led a good life, could afford everything she ever wanted for herself as well as her husband and two children. Each weekend Sarah had two days off which she often spent at play dates or kid’s birthday parties surrounded by yet more children and parents who loved to talk about those children. The other mums seemed so happy and so content spending their days tending to their homes, their weekends at kids parties and their evenings at football games and dance rehearsals. But as much as Sarah loved her life and as much as she was successful doing her job, there was something missing, she always felt like there should be more to her life.

For a while she continued doing the same job each day, cooking the same teas week in, week out, smiling politely at the other parents at every after school activity until one day, whilst tidying up after yet another particularly messy play date, she came upon a switch. It was not a light switch, not a switch for a plug socket, not a mains switch. No, this switch, she was sure, she had never seen before! After hesitating for a moment, she flicked the switch. Nothing happened. She flicked it a few more times, up, down, up, down. Still nothing. With a slight sigh of disappointment, she continued to clean strawberry jelly out of her cream carpets.

The rest of the day continued as usual, her husband came home from work and firmly placed himself on the sofa. Once again Sarah cooked their tea before they watched T.V. then went to bed. The next morning, however, everything had changed. At first, Sarah didn’t realise. She woke up and the bed was empty that was normal though, her husband often got up before her. She lay in bed savouring the few moments she would have before her normal life resumed, before the kids woke up, before her husband needed breakfast or a shirt ironing. After about ten minutes had passed, and no one had disturbed her, she went to explore the house, if no one was making a noise, something had to be wrong! She poked her head into each of the upstairs rooms…nothing. She headed down stairs and checked the kitchen, the dining room, the living room…nothing. Surely they hadn’t left already; no it was far too early. Where was everyone?

Sarah sat down on the couch, puzzled. She looked around the room, as though she would suddenly see her family hiding beside the couch, or under a table. Of course, she didn’t! What she did see though were pictures, pictures that yesterday were family photos but today only held her. She stood up and moved towards the photos. The one from her son’s 5th birthday with balloons and cake was now a picture of her holding a champagne glass. The picture from the baking competition for school, of her wearing an apron covered in batter, was now a picture of her wearing an elegant, long black dress. And the picture from the camping trip with her sister’s family was now a picture of her at a dinner table covered by a pristine, white table cloth and crystal encrusted wine glasses. Sarah stared at them, stunned. She was still staring at them an hour later when she received a phone call, ‘work’, she answered it. After a very confusing phone call, it turns out she is expected to be at the Lord’s Hotel, at 4pm, to oversee the setting up of the Mayoress’s charity banquet. Apparently, it is the biggest event of the year and only the best ‘event organiser’ will suffice.

Later that day, after a few more phone calls from various vendors, Sarah headed to her wardrobe wondering what on Earth she was going to wear she didn’t have ‘posh’clothes, not posh enough for the Lord’s at least. She lived in jeans and t-shirts with juice and jelly stains. To her surprise, her wardrobe was full of dresses: evening dresses, cocktail dresses, ball gowns. What was going on? She grabbed an elegant black dress that fell just below her knees and paired it with a beige jacket, shoes and handbag. Looking in the mirror, she caught herself smiling; this was certainly a change to her normal attire. She fixed her hair and make-up and nervously headed to the Lord’s hotel.

Upon her arrival it was clear that she was well known here, the doorman greeted her by name and the bar manager had a glass of champagne ready for her. She was led to an enormous suite, she looked around, there were at least 20 tables with about 10 chairs around each, there was a low stage at the front and patio doors at the back. Moving towards the doors, she caught a glimpse of the vast gardens that spread out behind the hotel. Inside, there were already people getting to work dressing the tables and chairs, one of the workers approached Sarah and asked her opinion on the table cloth colour. A light amethyst, 100% cotton cloth with matching chair covers and organza bows, it was perfect and matched the gold shimmer wall paper in the room perfectly. Sarah paused for a moment, how did she know this? Normally she couldn’t coordinate her outfits, let alone an entire room.

The rest of the event went by in a blur, the two hundred guests gushed over the room decor and the table centrepieces that Sarah had apparently chosen, and they congratulated her profusely and expressed excitement for the event next week. This one was for the CEO of a huge local company she’d never even heard of, but sure enough she was, once again, in charge of the organisation. In the days that followed, she attended a number of luncheons and evening dinners, she wore nice clothes that actually fit and were clean and conversed with other adults. There wasn’t a child, football or iron in sight. Sarah adapted to this new life quickly, and she loved it.

Weeks had passed since she flicked that switch; she’d stayed in more hotels and ordered more room service that she could count. She’d organised or attended a different event every week with meetings and working lunches in between. She couldn’t remember the last time she had touched a hoover or sponge as her house keeper took care of that for her. She was living an interesting life full of the excitement she’d always craved however as it approached what would have been her daughter’s birthday, her heart began to ache. Where were her husband and children now? Did they remember and miss her? Or did she simply never exist to them? As she sat in her big, empty house she began to crave the warmth of her husband beside her, she began to miss the noise her two children made as they played together, she even missed the dance classes and football matches. She’d craved something more in her life, but now she had it, she wasn’t sure it was enough.

One day, whilst searching for an outfit for yet another event, she came upon a switch. It was not a light switch, not a switch for a plug socket, not a mains switch. No, this switch, she was sure, she had never seen before!