Storm WARNING

It was an important day and Jane had prayed for nice weather - but were those dark clouds an omen?

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Jane had been dreading today. She had slept fitfully last night, partly because of the oppressive heat but also because she was apprehensive about how her news would be received later.

When her bedside alarm had gone off, she had already been downstairs for an hour, made a pot of tea, and fed the cat, who was weaving himself hopefully around her ankles.

She carried the tray outside and sat on the bench under the kitchen window to enjoy some fresh air before the sun broke through.

The garden was parched. So far, August had been stifling, and after the 10 o’clock news last night, which featured forest fires and dried-up reservoirs, the forecaster had said that gardeners could smile again because things were about to change.

Smile? Thunderstorms over the Atlantic were heading her way.

Much as the rain was needed, Jane hoped the storm would be diverted or at least delayed until the evening. She had prayed for this particular day to be nice. The garden was looking beautiful and she so wanted to show it off… for Frank’s sake.

However, the weather presenter seemed to have taken delight in describing the horrors to come – hail and the very real possibility of flash-flooding.

Last night, Jane had lain awake in bed, going over the arrangements for today – rehearsing what she needed to say and imagining the consequences she may face.