1 Mystery At Meadowbank Cottage - Original Audio Drama

Mystery at Meadowbank Cottage An original story written and performed by Stephanie Poppins Music by my brother John Miles Carter Chapter One Tuesday St.

Clair had come to a realisation.

It had taken five solid years and a lot of hard work,

But now she was beginning to realise city living might just be a thing of the past.

Motivated by her desire for a simpler life,

She knew if she was to return to anything more than a shadow of her former self,

She must do something different.

And after the conversation she'd had the day before,

That meant leaving everything behind.

The apartment,

The expensive lifestyle and the live-in leech.

That once all-important desk at the city office was now unfulfilling.

Her biological clock was ticking,

And Robert's chafe was just hanging on for the sake of it.

The last thing he wanted to do was get married.

She realised that now.

In fact,

She doubted he even wanted to be in a relationship.

All he wanted to do was live rent-free while he found himself,

And that would be a while because there was only so much finding you could do looking down the barrel of a gun in an online re-enactment of World War II.

Oh,

It can't be that time already.

She reached for her new flip phone to stop the screen before it stung.

She was already regretting buying that.

Why was it she had to be available 24-7 anyway?

It was just another way for him to keep tabs on her.

Maybe this new millennium technology was not as good as it sounded.

Note to myself,

Change the alarm.

The lump in the bed next to her grumbled.

His words were dry and weak.

Turn that thing off.

Then he tugged at the duvet and Tuesday could not help but wonder if he was talking about the phone or about her.

Oh well,

What did that matter?

This would all soon be over.

She picked up her glasses.

Should I tell him now or leave it to later?

No,

She had other things to do first.

Things must be in order.

She dropped a bombshell when she was fully prepared.

Then,

If all went according to plan,

The sale would go through and she would be free at last from the scourge that was Robert Schafe.

What time is it?

Open your eyes and look.

Ugh.

Everything he said annoyed her now.

This man had been her one chance,

Her one hope for a normal life.

Marriage,

Children,

The works.

But Tuesday Sinclair had backed the wrong horse.

This one preferred to remain in the paddock,

Chewing on his cart and waiting for someone to feed him.

You're getting up.

Why wouldn't I?

She sniped.

Then thinking better of it,

She pulled her legs back in again.

She needed time to think.

What was happening today?

Oh yes,

Justin,

That was it.

She smiled wryly.

If it wasn't for Justin,

Her happy future would be nothing but a pipe dream.

How times have changed,

She thought.

The old me would have jumped in head first.

Maybe it'll work out and maybe it won't,

But it'll be worth the risk,

Won't it?

Oh well,

Small steps and all that.

Actually,

I'm staying at home today,

She said coldly.

I've got a headache and I'm desperate for a cup of tea.

No reply.

Oh well,

It was worth one more try,

If for no other reason than to make one more mark in her little black book.

At least she'd ruined his plans for a quiet day in front of the TV.

How Robert hated it when she was around.

And now he was sulking,

Bless him.

Well,

Never mind.

The threat of it was good enough.

She swung her legs back out again and jumped up with a renewed sense of vigour.

It's time for action.

Slipping her feet into a pair of fluffy slippers,

She shuffled to the bathroom.

Teeth first,

Then tough talk time.

She looked in the mirror.

What are your priorities,

Tuesday,

She whispered.

Do you even know?

Yes,

Get rid of him,

Her best friend yelled back.

Tuesday rubbed the sleep from her eyes and took out her toothbrush.

Why had she let this carry on for so long?

Mum and Dad had brought her up to be strong and she'd always thought she was until now.

Now she just wanted to filter out life and hide from it all.

She checked her perfect smile.

At least she had that.

She might well be a couple of pounds overweight and a couple of inches short of graceful.

She might not have the curls she wanted or the green eyes.

But she had,

She'd been told many times,

A perfect smile.

That was quite rare,

Wasn't it?

With one erratic flick,

She replaced her toothbrush in the pot,

Landing Robert's one bristled down on the cold bathroom floor.

She chuckled,

Then quickly corrected herself.

What are you,

Ten?

Reluctantly,

She picked it up again,

Rinsed it under the tap and replaced it before opening the glass cabinet.

Aspirin,

Gotta have some aspirin.

She rummaged through the many bottles,

Face cream,

TCP,

Skin oil.

What's this?

Tucked away at the back was a familiar bottle.

Not again!

Robert,

Are these yours?

She poked her head back round the door frame,

Rattling the bottle as loudly as she could.

But the duvet refused to budge.

If she'd had any doubts about him before,

Now they were ancient history.

Walking into the hall,

She snatched up the landline to call his sponsor.

Then she thought better of it.

She didn't want to know,

She no longer needed to know.

What did all those false promises matter now?

Robert Shafe could do what he liked.

It was over.

Now,

About my plans for the day.

Tuesday straightened up and wrapped her robe in tight.

One thing was for sure,

If she remained in this rat race she'd still be here in ten years' time,

Listening to his excuses.

Working ten hour days with added overtime at the weekend meant you had no capacity for anything but TV and bed and Tuesday's checklist of goals was only getting bigger.

As long as she remained in this bustling city,

It would never go down.

Making her way to the kitchen,

She switched on the kettle.

But why was she even thinking like this?

She'd make good money from this apartment,

That was certain.

It was one of the Victorian ones with high ceilings and grand stucco work.

Everyone wanted one of these.

But what about my future?

Everything's got to change now.

Ever since the accident,

Change wasn't an option for Tuesday St Clair.

Nowadays,

She needed things to stay the same.

People around her she knew,

Places that were familiar.

But lately,

There was this nagging feeling telling her it was time to move on.

To say goodbye to the fluorescent lights and ridiculous small talk.

And this nagging feeling she could not ignore.

But is it really practical?

How can I earn enough money?

Maybe I can stay here for a while and work part time.

Not this again.

The kettle boiled and Tuesday cursed her intrusive thoughts.

I'm doing this,

She insisted.

Everything's got to be fine.

I'm strong,

I'm powerful.

Then right on cue,

Her new mobile lit up.

Morning,

T.

It was Justin,

Her executive success of a brother.

Morning.

What's up?

You sound tired.

I've got a headache.

Have you taken your aspirin?

Not yet.

Take them,

Get something to eat and let's get going.

I don't know whether I can today.

I'm not sure I'm up to it.

Stop stalling.

You were up for it yesterday.

Tuesday looked out of her first floor window at the same busy streets.

The same busy people.

And the same busy traffic.

Okay,

You've got me.

Five years ago,

She would have gone already.

Five years ago,

She would be in the forest.

Immersing herself in the woodland trails beneath the hidden boughs.

Diving into the tunnels of green and amber.

Why shouldn't I go back to that?

It's what mum and dad would have wanted.

Half an hour,

Okay?

Pressed Justin.

No,

That's not enough time.

Tuesday took out the aspirin and cut a lemon for her hot water.

A bit longer,

Alright?

Then she threw it in the sink and made herself a coffee instead.

Alright,

45 minutes,

But that's it.

We don't want to be late.

Right you are,

She mumbled.

This is your new start,

T,

Remember?

It's not every day a log cabin business in the Leyton Woods goes on the market.

We always said we'd do something together.

This is our time.

Tuesday could feel the sickness returning.

The one she always got when things changed.

Her big brother was trying to do everything he could for her.

But she no longer had the confidence he had.

This was turning out to be a lot tougher than she thought.

Alright then,

I'll see you at 9.

30.

Closing her phone,

She questioned herself for the 15th time that morning.

Can I do this?

Am I really doing this?

Yes,

You can.

It's time.

33 years on this planet is as good a milestone as any,

Isn't it?

She drained her cup and left it on the side.

Not today.

No cleaning for her today.

This day was all about her.

Right,

What's first?

She headed for the bathroom and caught a glimpse of the man still laying in her bed.

As much as she'd grown to despise his lazy ways,

There had been good times in the beginning.

Oh no,

Stop that.

Stop thinking like that,

It's time to let him go.

Loosening her hair band,

She ran her fingers across her sensitive scalp.

Her hair needed a cut and her skin looked pallid.

Oh well.

She checked her roots.

When was the last time I had those done?

I'll have to phone Crazy Cuts this afternoon now.

Get in the shower,

Come on!

Then,

20 minutes later,

A sparkling new Tuesday Sinclair popped in her contact lenses,

Finished her make-up and checked her eyes,

Were still as warm as her brother's.

Right,

Now what to wear?

Jeans should do it.

Maybe those tan boots I've not even worn yet,

I forgot about those.

They'll definitely go with my leather jacket.

She set the blow-dryer to hot,

Dried with one hand and emailed work with the other.

This was going to be a day to remember.

She had her life ahead of her.

Today was the start of something new.