Author: Rose Strickman

Melita was just finishing her last cup of tea for the day when she heard the unexpected footsteps outside.

She paused, cup suspended halfway to her lips. It was too late in the day for representatives from the chemical plant, and anyway she hadn’t gotten any signs of an impending visit…She stood up as the footsteps grew louder, crunching over the gravel path and then up the porch steps.

There was a loud rapping from the knocker. ‘Mother?’ came a muffled voice outside. ‘Are you in?’