Today you get an unedited extract from the WIP - Tuesday's Child. In this scene Niamh and her husband Jared enjoy the snow.
Four thirty am. Niamh got out of bed and crept to the window. Peeping past the thick curtains, she saw the snow lying thick and pristine across the dark garden. Smiling she slid on her coat and gloves and boots and went outside. She slowly made tracks all round the garden then busied herself building a snowman. She gave it twigs for arms, stones for eyes and buttons and another twig for a mouth. Going indoors she got a carrot for a nose and Jared’s spare cap for a hat. Setting it on the snowmanm, she stood back, surveying her handiwork and smiled.
A tapping on the window made her look up. Jared stood silhouetted against the window shaking his head at her. She waved him to come down and join her but he shook his head harder and mimed it being too cold. She pulled a face and turned away lowering her shoulders to make it look as if she were sad.
Less than a minute later the backdoor opened and Jared came out. “You are one crazy, mad, woman,” he told her moving over to her. “Have you any idea what time it is? I'm on duty at the fire station at nine.”
Niamh spun round and tossed a handful of snow at him and grinned. “Snowball time.”
Jared yelped quietly as her shot hit right on target. He scooped up some snow and tossed it back, hitting her hard. “Oh really? And there I was thinking it was getting on for five forty-five. When all sensible people, not on duty, are still tucked up in bed.”
Niamh threw another snowball at him. “That’s why you’re not then.”
“No, because some crazy, mad, woman woke me up by traipsing around out here in the snow.” He tossed three snowballs in quick succession using his right hand. “What would the Judge say if he could see you now, Mrs. Senior Prosecutor?”
She dodged and sent several flying towards him watching them miss as he moved fast. “He'd want to join in. We're not staid and boring all the time, you know.”
His next several hit right on target. “So what’s the snow man called?” he asked moving over to look at it.
Niamh ran up behind him and dumped a whole load of snow over him, making sure it went down the inside of his coat. “Jarrie Jace,” she giggled.
Gasping with shock, he turned and grabbed her. “You brat!” he said.
She laughed softly. “And what are you going to do about it?”
“This,” Jared said. He swiftly kicked her feet out from under her, laying her down in the snow. Holding her with one hand he grabbed a handful of snow and shoved it down her neck, kissing her to stop her crying out. “Now you’re a snow woman,” he grinned.
She looked at him. “I’m also wet.”
He kissed her again and pulled her to her feet. “Then we’d better go change before we have to leave for work.” He looked at the snowman. “Think we’ll call it H’main.”
She shook her head. “Deraj sounds better.”
Jared laughed, leading her back inside. “Then Deraj it is.” He looked at her. “Rematch tonight?”
Niamh nodded. “Followed by snow angels and cocoa. Got to do all the traditions at once you know.”
Four thirty am. Niamh got out of bed and crept to the window. Peeping past the thick curtains, she saw the snow lying thick and pristine across the dark garden. Smiling she slid on her coat and gloves and boots and went outside. She slowly made tracks all round the garden then busied herself building a snowman. She gave it twigs for arms, stones for eyes and buttons and another twig for a mouth. Going indoors she got a carrot for a nose and Jared’s spare cap for a hat. Setting it on the snowmanm, she stood back, surveying her handiwork and smiled.
A tapping on the window made her look up. Jared stood silhouetted against the window shaking his head at her. She waved him to come down and join her but he shook his head harder and mimed it being too cold. She pulled a face and turned away lowering her shoulders to make it look as if she were sad.
Less than a minute later the backdoor opened and Jared came out. “You are one crazy, mad, woman,” he told her moving over to her. “Have you any idea what time it is? I'm on duty at the fire station at nine.”
Niamh spun round and tossed a handful of snow at him and grinned. “Snowball time.”
Jared yelped quietly as her shot hit right on target. He scooped up some snow and tossed it back, hitting her hard. “Oh really? And there I was thinking it was getting on for five forty-five. When all sensible people, not on duty, are still tucked up in bed.”
Niamh threw another snowball at him. “That’s why you’re not then.”
“No, because some crazy, mad, woman woke me up by traipsing around out here in the snow.” He tossed three snowballs in quick succession using his right hand. “What would the Judge say if he could see you now, Mrs. Senior Prosecutor?”
She dodged and sent several flying towards him watching them miss as he moved fast. “He'd want to join in. We're not staid and boring all the time, you know.”
His next several hit right on target. “So what’s the snow man called?” he asked moving over to look at it.
Niamh ran up behind him and dumped a whole load of snow over him, making sure it went down the inside of his coat. “Jarrie Jace,” she giggled.
Gasping with shock, he turned and grabbed her. “You brat!” he said.
She laughed softly. “And what are you going to do about it?”
“This,” Jared said. He swiftly kicked her feet out from under her, laying her down in the snow. Holding her with one hand he grabbed a handful of snow and shoved it down her neck, kissing her to stop her crying out. “Now you’re a snow woman,” he grinned.
She looked at him. “I’m also wet.”
He kissed her again and pulled her to her feet. “Then we’d better go change before we have to leave for work.” He looked at the snowman. “Think we’ll call it H’main.”
She shook her head. “Deraj sounds better.”
Jared laughed, leading her back inside. “Then Deraj it is.” He looked at her. “Rematch tonight?”
Niamh nodded. “Followed by snow angels and cocoa. Got to do all the traditions at once you know.”
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