Julia

A light-hearted piece, again written for the Get Writing course at City College Peterborough. It was written to answer three questions: Whose house is Julia leaving?; Why was she there?; Where is she going now?

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It had, as usual, been a very relaxing day. Julia was one of those 'ladies who lunch' and her needs were taken care of very nicely, thank you very much, by a staff of three.

Julia left her house as darkness was falling. She had spent ages getting ready and now felt she looked perfect. Her outfit was immaculate; her nails clean and delicately pointed; her teeth pearly white when she smiled. Not a hair out of place, she thought, contentedly.

The night was cold but not viciously so. Julia settled her coat more comfortably around her shoulders. She ignored the car in the driveway and set out on the short walk to her favourite restaurant. Streetlights and headlights glistened from the wet roads. Traffic rumbled by, sending up walls of water from roadside puddles.

Her restaurant, she always thought of places as 'hers', was quiet at this time of night. Julia was the sort who was used to getting what she wanted. Sometimes she had to be very forceful, even loud; these times did not suit her temperament - ladies should not have to raise their voices. Other times required infinite patience, an approach she much preferred. She wondered which of these qualities would be needed tonight.

She sat at her favourite table in a quiet, almost secluded, spot near the back of the restaurant. From here she could see all manner of people passing by. It was interesting to be so anonymous, she reflected, almost ignored by the hoi-polloi. Yes, there were whispers and murmurs around her, some of which were almost certainly about her, but Julia rose above such gossip and calmly regarded the other patrons with her usual disdain.

Service tonight was excellent. Her meal came along quickly and was served with a rich claret. Delicious! Julia was not the sort to bolt her food and she savoured every bite. Neither was she a glutton and she knew when to stop to preserve her svelte figure. It would be a waste, however, to let such a fine meal go unappreciated. Julia collected the leftovers. Perhaps the staff's dog would like a bite? she thought.

Carrying her 'doggy snack', Julia set off for home. She walked back by the same route she had taken on the way to the restaurant. Familiarity was important to Julia as it gave her the sense that she was the 'lady of all she surveyed'.

She let herself into the house and deposited the 'doggy snack' on the kitchen table. Then she went through the usual routine of the staff going absolutely berserk. She watched as they ran around the kitchen, fetching cloths, rubber gloves and cleaning sprays. The shorter staff member was in the corner, alternately giggling and suppressing the urge to vomit.

She sat impassively and weathered the tirade. This was such a matter of routine for her now that Julia did little more than blink at her outraged employees. Her patience, normally her greatest virtue, was wearing thin. Without a word, she rose and left the kitchen, the sounds of scrubbing, wiping and cleaning receding behind her. Some people could be so ungrateful, she thought.

It's not as if I've done anything wrong! she railed inwardly. Years ago, they would have been grateful for what I've brought back. People could be so fickle!

It was in her nature to do what she did and Julia revelled in that nature. If her staff couldn't handle her leaving dead bodies in the kitchen, maybe it was time for her to find new staff.

She purred happily and flicked her tail, then sauntered into her living room.

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A fun little piece that kept some readers guessing until the last couple of paragraphs. If you'd like to read more of my work, please visit my website at colinabrett.me.uk . Thanks for reading!

Colin