The birds waited for the woman. They had a special surprise for her today. Impatiently the green finch looked at the blackbird. Where was she? But the blackbird was busy giving the starlings their instructions. When she opened the back door they needed to soar high into the sky and form two arches. The sparrows would then follow and complete the display, forming the bottom of the heart – a heart just for her. They had planned this for days. She’d been so good to them over the past few months. It had been a bitter winter, but every morning she’d been there with the bread, cheese and water. Always enough to keep them going, always enough to keep them alive.
Time passed. The birds waited. One fidgeting starling fell from his branch. The green finch scowled at him. But the door remained closed.
Inside the woman was still looking at the bread. Money was tight. And yesterday he’d been so angry. Her cheek still stung. He had said she was wasting the food. She turned away. “They’ll be okay,” she whispered. “Spring is coming, the ground is soft.” But it was a long day. She kept away from the window.
Outside it grew cold. Some of the birds waited until dusk and then slowly departed with mournful cries. The green finch was the last to go. As he flew off he wondered what was hurting him more – his hollow stomach or his broken heart.
