LIGHT IN  DARKNESS 


By Tessa Harvey


BILL:
    Time to get up so I leapt out of bed - and stumbled. Ah, well, youth lingers on the inside. Pity about the slow outside! Shower, shave, Gladys.
    But when I came into the lounge-kitchen, there was no smell of cooking, only a funny sort of odour in the air and Glad reaching for the phone.
    Just then there was a rap on the door. Glad leapt as though a snake had passed over her foot. Puzzled, I opened the door to a box of groceries Lifting the box, the contents so startled me I nearly dropped it again. Tiny baby diapers, sanitary products, infant formula... I rested the box on the kitchen table, puzzled.
    "Don't worry, Bill. There's chicken in there, too! Let's get you fed. Put the jug on love, and then I need a hug."
    Great! I loved hugs.

LACEY:
    It was late when I woke up. Hope needed a nappy change. We went to see the lady, Glad. It was wonderful to have my baby back. I was in pain, but I could manage. In the kitchen was the man who had helped me last night. He told me he was Bill Hughes.
    Glad gave me a careful hug and said she would look after Hope while Bill made me a drink and chicken sandwich.
    "Do you eat meat?" He looked at me and I nodded and smiled. He was so polite and thoughtful. I didn't know men could be like that.
    Soon we were sitting together like a real family. "We need to call the police."


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