The Pain of LoveAdaptation and abridgment by Iain Williams from Poen wrth garu by Kate RobertsMair slipped down like a feather on to the pavement, not feeling her feet under it. Shehad had her first kiss ever from a boy and the thrill of that kiss remained. She had walkedout with Glyn before and that evening had been the preamble when she listened withinterest and in pity her love had already begun- as he told her of his home that was dirtyand untidy. She admired the lad who struggled to rise above his family situation. Buttonight there was no need to mention this. She had taken him into her heart and shewalked fearless towards her home. Last time she had been like a dog coming home afterbeing on a wicked mission. But tonight her step was light and she slipped into flight like abird and opened her wings as she made for the gate. Then she let them stand still. Hermother was on the doorstep with a fallen face.-Where have you been?She could not give an answer-I want to know where you have beenJust walkingWho with? That boy who belongs to that slut then, Sally Slut. Get into the houseJane Huws wasnt a woman to talk of things like that on the doorstep. She turned herback on her daughter and went straight to the fire and sat on her chair. Mair saw a pieceof haddock that had been boiled and was being kept warm on an iron stove. The butterhad melted and was running into the fish like seaspray on a beach. She saw this clearly.She hardly noticed her father sitting on another chair. He had his head down.Her mother went on-Do you know how much trouble you cause your mam?It was Mair who turned her back now and she went to the lobby and made her wayupstairs. She counted each step as she found her feet on them and noticed each flowerin the centre of the carpets pattern, something she had not noticed that well before. Sheswitched on the light upstairs and turned her chair to look out at the window. Gentledarkness like velvet lay over the garden and the light from her room was casting a bladeof light over it. Mair tried to silence the beat of her heart by sitting still but that wasuseless since her mother's image came to her unwilled. Yet she couldnt imagine how her motherhad come to know about Glyn without she herself having said anything to her in broachingthe subject of him. She had imagined how she would speak in Glyns favour , forge a wayforward and work on her mothers compassion by telling her of his circumstances at homeand his attempts to overcome them. Disappointing, almost fearful it was to see hermothers point of view. She knew her mother loved her and because of that she supposed (naively) that her mother would love those she herself loved.She turned her chair to look on the room.The love between her parents had been stamped on every little thing there, even in the small easy chair she was sitting on. In place of the double bed that had once filled the tiny room was a single one that made the room look bigger. The curtains were blue with pink flowers on them and the walls had been painted in a creamy colour.In the kitchen Jane and Bob Huws were talking in the heat of argument.You were wrong to speak to the girl like that. How can I do other when I see her chasing some neer do well like that?Glyn isnt a neer do well.What else? No difference between the dog and his tail. You cant say that. A dogs tail is different to the rest of him.You cant separate anyone from their familythe boy needs someone to look after him.Why choose our Mair?If Mair marries Glyn, shell have a good lad. Heres a lad who is starting at the bottom but is sure of climbing to the top. He s not good enough for Mair! He is a good lad. He looks after the children when the mam and dad are off gallivanting.Who told you this? Mairs mother asked.Bob Owen who works on the next line and he knows whats what. He said that Glyn came to work with a clean shirt, oddly enough, on a Monday morning a little while back. He had washed it and ironed it himself. Everyone thought the world of him for that, bar one. Sam Ellis made fun of himHe would, the sod.And Jane Huws began to weep. She got up and went to the bottom of the stairs to callMair. When she received no answer she went upstairs and found her daughter sleeping.She prodded her lightly and said with pityMair come and get your supper. Ill boil another piece of haddock for you.Mair got up and followed her mother down, her spirits lifted.---