Wife, Mother, Woman

WENTY-SEVEN DIFFERENT voices bubbled around her, several conversations going on at once. Toddlers waddled into the play room and babies slept in prams.
Tanya stood, gathering everyone’s attention as the waiter came to the table. “I’m shouting your first drink.”
She knew most of them came for the free coffee but she hoped they would make new connections in the process. That was her job as a family liaison officer, to help other military wives make friends. If only she had some friends of her own.
Alice leaned closer. “Thanks for the coffee.”
“No worries. How are you settling in?” Tanya pushed a smile onto her face.
“Really well. I’m still looking for work but the kids are keeping me pretty busy.” Alice sipped her coffee.
“My son moved out last month. They grow up so fast.” Tanya sank back in her chair. Maybe she could coordinate more weekend events to fill those long, empty days.
“Absolutely, though I can’t wait to be done with the toilet training.” They both laughed. “Thanks for organising these social events. I’ve met the nicest bunch of women in the choir group. You ought to come along, too.”
“Oh, I can’t sing.” Tanya shook her head.
“That doesn’t matter. There’s no audition. It’s all for fun. And there’s as much socialising as singing.”
“Actually, it’s not that I don’t want to come, I’m not allowed to because of my job. You ladies are classified as my clients and I’m supposed to maintain professional boundaries.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah. I love my job though. And I love helping you all make friends.”
Tanya popped a single serve of leftover pasta in the microwave, sipping red wine as the bolognaise circled under the yellow light. She ate her meal in silence then poured another glass of wine and turned on the TV. Voices of people she’d never met filled the room. The closest thing she had to friends. Only three more months until her husband came home from deployment and her son promised he’d visit next weekend.

TWENTY-SEVEN DIFFERENT voices bubbled around her, several conversations going on at once. Toddlers waddled into the play room and babies slept in prams.
Tanya stood, gathering everyone’s attention as the waiter came to the table. “I’m shouting your first drink.”
She knew most of them came for the free coffee but she hoped they would make new connections in the process. That was her job as a family liaison officer, to help other military wives make friends. If only she had some friends of her own.
Alice leaned closer. “Thanks for the coffee.”
“No worries. How are you settling in?” Tanya pushed a smile onto her face.
“Really well. I’m still looking for work but the kids are keeping me pretty busy.” Alice sipped her coffee.
“My son moved out last month. They grow up so fast.” Tanya sank back in her chair. Maybe she could coordinate more weekend events to fill those long, empty days.
“Absolutely, though I can’t wait to be done with the toilet training.” They both laughed. “Thanks for organising these social events. I’ve met the nicest bunch of women in the choir group. You ought to come along, too.”
“Oh, I can’t sing.” Tanya shook her head.
“That doesn’t matter. There’s no audition. It’s all for fun. And there’s as much socialising as singing.”
“Actually, it’s not that I don’t want to come, I’m not allowed to because of my job. You ladies are classified as my clients and I’m supposed to maintain professional boundaries.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah. I love my job though. And I love helping you all make friends.”
Tanya popped a single serve of leftover pasta in the microwave, sipping red wine as the bolognaise circled under the yellow light. She ate her meal in silence then poured another glass of wine and turned on the TV. Voices of people she’d never met filled the room. The closest thing she had to friends. Only three more months until her husband came home from deployment and her son promised he’d visit next weekend.

TWENTY-SEVEN DIFFERENT voices bubbled around her, several conversations going on at once. Toddlers waddled into the play room and babies slept in prams.
Tanya stood, gathering everyone’s attention as the waiter came to the table. “I’m shouting your first drink.”
She knew most of them came for the free coffee but she hoped they would make new connections in the process. That was her job as a family liaison officer, to help other military wives make friends. If only she had some friends of her own.
Alice leaned closer. “Thanks for the coffee.”
“No worries. How are you settling in?” Tanya pushed a smile onto her face.
“Really well. I’m still looking for work but the kids are keeping me pretty busy.” Alice sipped her coffee.
“My son moved out last month. They grow up so fast.” Tanya sank back in her chair. Maybe she could coordinate more weekend events to fill those long, empty days.
“Absolutely, though I can’t wait to be done with the toilet training.” They both laughed. “Thanks for organising these social events. I’ve met the nicest bunch of women in the choir group. You ought to come along, too.”
“Oh, I can’t sing.” Tanya shook her head.
“That doesn’t matter. There’s no audition. It’s all for fun. And there’s as much socialising as singing.”
“Actually, it’s not that I don’t want to come, I’m not allowed to because of my job. You ladies are classified as my clients and I’m supposed to maintain professional boundaries.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah. I love my job though. And I love helping you all make friends.”
Tanya popped a single serve of leftover pasta in the microwave, sipping red wine as the bolognaise circled under the yellow light. She ate her meal in silence then poured another glass of wine and turned on the TV. Voices of people she’d never met filled the room. The closest thing she had to friends. Only three more months until her husband came home from deployment and her son promised he’d visit next weekend.