BUTTERFLIES FLY AWAY Read Free Page B

from everyone.  His
job as the sales director gave opportunities to travel and they shared this
interest.  Carries Aunts job in hospitality had given the Reynolds family
plenty of travel opportunities too throughout the years.  After dating a
few weeks she introduced him to her family.  A bit wary of her Dad’s
reaction to the age difference but she couldn’t have been more wrong.  He
was welcomed into the Reynolds brood and a mutual love of rugby sealed the
deal.
    He told everyone at their wedding that he fell in
love with her smile and that wasn’t artificial. Those gleaming white teeth were
the product of hours of brushing and flossing having a dentist for a
father.  No cavities were acceptable in the Reynolds household. 
Marriage matured her in her behaviour as she cut back on the girly partying and
focussed on trying to be her version of the perfect wife.  Her mum took
her aside and taught her a few basics as her cooking efforts weren’t quite up
to scratch. 
    “Rob loves to cook but sometimes I want to make
something other than the ‘ping’ noise from the microwave or a meal for two from
the supermarket when it’s my turn”
    Cooking disaster number 1 - Mum’s Shepherd’s Pie
    “I followed the recipe to the letter but it doesn’t
look right”
    The phone in the crook of her neck whilst she tried
to rescue dinner and spoke with her Mum.  Pots and pans cluttering every
kitchen surface.  Flour streaks on her face and hair.  She quickly
put the phone onto hands free.
    “It’s sinking Mum … the potatoes are sinking!” panic
rising in her voice.
    Later that night, Rob good naturedly shuffled dinner
around the plate.
    “So what’s this called Luv?”
    “It’s my Shepherd’s Pie  ... Can’t you tell?”
    “That’s what I thought it was”
    But home baking was a different story.  As a
child she had stood side by side with her Mum baking fairy cakes and making
lots of messy time’s memories.  It was the best of fun.  She had a
love of baking and a surprizing light touch when it came to making birthday
cakes or cupcakes.  She had been known to even bake bread.  Although
sometimes the kitchen would look worse for wear after her baking chaos; the
results more than made up for that.   Every birthday for her sister
she made her red velvet cupcakes, Claire’s favourite.  It was their
tradition.  
    It wasn’t difficult working for the same
company.  With Rob’s job he travelled frequently and day to day in the
workplace their paths rarely crossed.  They had discussed it when their
relationship was getting serious but she still wanted to stay in her job not
change companies.  If things got awkward between her colleagues then she
would look for another position.  But for the moment things remained the
same.  She could still go out with her work colleagues and just be Carrie;
not Rob from sales wife.  Her customers loved her, she had built a rapport
with them and they knew she was married to one of the directors but could never
quite believe that it wasn’t some sort of joke because she was one of
them.  No airs and graces as a directors wife; she was just Carrie.
    They hadn’t been living in the house for more than
two months eating their breakfast and talking about their plans for the day.
“We have the McMasters Dance tonight.  The tickets have been on the board
for the last month.”  It was a company do and was more or less compulsory
for all the execs to go to with their partners or plus 1’s. ”But I can’t go...
I’ve not got my fake bake done!  I am as pale as a ghost.” she panicked.
    He glared at her in response.  “Bloody hell
Carrie, I think you can go to this without looking like you fell out of a tin
of Ronseal”
    Without time to go to the salon Carrie opened the home
tanning products that she had used with ease hundreds of times in the
past.  But this time it was with disastrous results.  She had picked
up the wrong bottle and had selected the tan for