Free Tears of Endurance (Romantic Drama) Book #1 by D.G. Torrens Page A

feeling a little better. After a 45-minute workout, Arianna headed for the showers. On her way out of the leisure centre, she checked the events board to see what was happening in her area , before bidding goodbye to the receptionist and heading off home to make a quick change before heading over to her mother’s for lunch. Sunday lunch would be hearty and heavy if she knew her mum and she was suddenly rather glad she had had a workout as she knew full well she would not be able to resist her mum’s cooking once it was put in front of her. Just the thought of her mum’s homemade gravy and oversized Yorkshire puddings made her mouth water; her stomach started growling as she headed towards Knowle, a 20-minute drive away.
    The small village of Knowle retained considerable charm despite being on the very edge of the West Midlands conurbation. Arianna had loved growing up in the quaint village and her mother still lived in the same house to this day. After her father died, she vowed never to sell the house or leave the village, as she felt like it would be a betrayal of their happy memories. Arianna fully understood her mother’s feelings and saw no benefit in persuading her otherwise, even though it was a large house and really too much for one person to manage. She just hoped her mother would employ some help as she grew older, a cleaner to help with the house and a part-time gardener perhaps. To date she was adamant she could manage alone and refused to entertain the idea of outside help, always standing firm in her decision.
    Arianna pulled onto her mother ’s driveway and climbed out of her car. She grabbed her handbag off the passenger seat and locked up before walking towards the front door, where her mother was already standing, looking as perfect as ever and ten years younger than her 62 years suggested. “Hey, come here and give your old mum a big hug.” Sofia’s arms were wide open and filled with warmth as she wrapped them around Arianna.
    “ Oh, I really needed that hug, mum, and less of the old. You look fabulous for your age and you know it too. So what’s for dinner then? I’m starving.” They walked into the house and Arianna shut the large oak door behind her.
    “ Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, your favourite, dear.”
    Arianna spent the whole afternoon catching up with her mum and filling her in on the night ’s events at the gallery. They ate dessert in the conservatory several hours later, after their dinner had gone down, and made plans to go shopping together the following week. After several hugs, they said their goodbyes and Arianna headed on home, full to the brim and feeling tired.

Chapter eleven
    Ben was rudely awakened by his rather annoying alarm clock; he placed his hand over the top to turn it off and stumbled out of bed while still trying to adjust his tired eyes to the bright morning light. He made his way to the bathroom, turned on the shower and stood underneath it with his eyes closed for a few moments, allowing the warm water to flow over his sleepy body and slowly wake him up. Ten minutes later, feeling refreshed and ready for the day, Ben felt a rush of excitement flowing through his veins at the thought of seeing Arianna again. An image of her formed in his mind and he smiled at the thought of seeing her today.
    He threw on a navy sweater and a pair of perfectly fitting jeans then he pulled on his chocolate brown Timberland boots and glanced at his image in the full-length mirror. That will do , he thought to himself as he ruffled his hair, smiling as he made his way towards the kitchen, with Charlie following closely behind. “Today is the day, Charlie. What do you think my chances are, buddy? Bark once for yes and once for no.” Charlie spun around in a circle and barked then rolled over on to his back on the tiled floor. “Well. I hope you’re right, Charlie.” Ben filled Charlie’s bowl with his favourite food and popped two rounds of toast into the toaster for