HOT ! The Paris Review Summer 2023

The Other Side Of The Wardrobe, 7

Peg finally had to release Thomas, and watched him go glumly away thru the kitchen, boots clumping across the scuffed tiles. She sighed and looked out at the estate, still shrouded in mist. She had very few options for spending her day. It made no sense to do any of her regular chores, as they would simply be undone once the children returned, and the only thing more boring and annoying than dusting the Emeritus' books was doing it TWICE.

But with Thomas occupied how was she to spend the time until the children were done in that other land? Who knew how long she even had? She began walking up the stairs herself, following Thomas' path. It could be minutes, or hours, or days. The longest she'd ever been aware of was two days, two glorious days with Thomas, not just lovemaking but picnics and strolls under the trees along the brook and reading poems to each other...she shook her head out of its reverie, and listened to the carriage pulling away.