Waiting

by Lynn Johnson

The woman with the silver hair is sitting in the café alone at a table with four chairs. She is reading a paperback book and her shaking hand holds it tightly as if she is afraid it might fall, whilst her fingers linger at the edge of the page, waiting to turn slowly to the next. As she reads, her lips move as if she is chewing something, or reading the words to herself. She waits alone, looking at no one. Then she hears me throw my heavy bag onto the table next to her and she moves one of the chairs closer and she smiles at me and says she hopes I have enough room - I say I have plenty of room thank you because there are only two of us. The smile leaves her face and she continues to sit, reading her book, surrounded by empty chairs.

6S

Lynn Johnson has been living in Scotland for nearly three years and has finally found the time to write.