Magpie Tales#42 The Cup

She knew it was a mistake as soon as Veronica opened the door, but being the soft hearted person she was, she entered and hugged the tall woman.
‘I have the kettle on, would you like a biscuit or are you still trying to lose weight. I can’t see that you have lost any.’ she said.
‘A biscuit would be nice, thank you, I rushed out of the house as soon as I got your phone call. What is it, is there some thing wrong? asked Hannah.
‘No nothing wrong I just wanted to show you my latest cup. I was presented with it at the tennis club on Friday for being the best player of the year. Veronica smirked as she spoke and looked proudly at the new cup with its ribbons tied to the handles.

‘That’s wonderful,’ said Hannah quietly, thinking how slim Veronica looked.
There’s to be a dinner in my honour next week, would you like to be my guest, you are my best friend after all.’
‘I’ll check with Jim but I think that will be all right.’

Hannah nibbled at the rich shortcake biscuit, thinking that of course Veronica didn’t need to buy the dry tasteless ones she did. All that sport over the years had kept her slim and trim, while, she was still carrying her baby weight after Sam, who was now a year old.

The latest cup had been given pride of place on the mantle shelf, which was bowed with the weight of all ten cups that Veronica had won over the years.
‘Do you think you will ever rejoin the tennis club?’ asked Veronica standing in front of Hannah and looking down at her friend nervously nibbling the biscuit. Hannah looked uncomfortable and thought how the other members of the tennis club would look at her fat figure with distain.

It had never been Hannah’s idea to join the club and she didn’t enjoy the fierce competition nor the out of the fashion books looks, that the other women had. Veronica loved the whole atmosphere and played hard and to win as all her cups showed.

‘So you think you’ll be ok for Friday?’

‘I don’t see why not, but wouldn’t you like one of the single men at the club to be your partner?’

‘Not likely, too chav for me, didn’t you see that Dave in that track suit the other day, it must have been last years M&S style.’ Veronica chortled as she spoke and her narrow face soured as she just thought of Dave.
‘I’ll see you Friday at 6:30 sharp,’ said Veronica as she waved Hannah off.

Hannah let herself in her own house. ‘Hello my love, and how was the sporty Veronica, what was the emergency?’ Jim smiled as he hugged Hannah and took her coat.

‘She wanted to show off her latest trophy, a huge cup with handles and streaming with ribbons. I felt my usual dumpy self next to her. Honestly I think she does it deliberately just to make me feel small and fat.’ Tears rolled down Hannah’s face as she spoke. 'And I am sure she has only asked me to go so people will look at her and pity me.’ And she sobbed even more.

‘That’s it then I won’t have you upset any more by that so called friend Veronica, I ‘ll phone and say Friday is not convenient.’

‘No please don’t, she’ll be telling everyone that you decide what I can or not do, if I don’t go I ‘ll tell her myself. Replied Hannah and changing the subject she said, ‘How ‘s Sam did he go off to sleep all right?’

‘Sleeping like a baby,’ laughed Jim ‘Come lets go and look at our little boy, he’s our trophy and much better than any old cup!’