Sadie's Story

This was her next big chance, if only she could get close enough to discover the truth...

- Christine Anne Pinfold

The young, blonde woman on the escalator spoke loudly into her mobile phone, utterly oblivious to the audience she had managed to captivate.

‘No, I won’t marry you! How many times do I have to say it?’

And with that, she clicked off her phone. Sadie, who was standing in front of her, turned slightly to get a view of the woman who had just made this profound statement.

She stood sort of sideways on the escalator, trying not to make it obvious that she was indeed staring at the woman. She felt a rush of adrenaline zip through her veins – this poor creature was the perfect choice for something that Sadie was seeking. She almost felt guilty. She pulled at the neck of her jacket, uncomfortably warm as the heating in the store began to get to her. She knew now it had been a mistake wearing it on a day like today.

Sadie had never been one to listen to weather forecasts in advance and it had been quite cold when she had left the house that morning, after quickly pulling on black and white striped trousers, which her daughter said were far too young for her, a bright yellow T-shirt and the yellow satin jacket. Her purple mohair bag completed the look. And Sadie knew, even at sixtysomething she could definitely carry off the striped trousers.

On reaching the top of the escalator, the woman’s phone rang once more.

‘Not again!’ she hissed, ‘You know I can’t marry you after what happened,’ then her voice softened slightly as she added, ‘please don’t call again.’ For the second time, she abruptly hung up. Was she having second thoughts? Sadie wondered curiously.