2. Leaving Poole (Fragment)

“Witney!” she shrieked, grabbing something out of the pile. I felt the biggest part of what she had grabbed.

I also shrieked.

“Witney, dear Witney!” I held my hand out waiting for the small doll to be put into my hand. Lucy put her into my hand, and I hugged the doll tightly. I felt her small, ragged face and her loose head. I felt her ragged hair that I had spent many nights untangling and then braiding string by string until she had soft and fluffy hair in a braid.

I handed her back to Lucy. I picked up the next object.

Lucy flopped onto the bed and was also looking at the little thing I had picked up. I had felt it for a few seconds before I had said, “Lucy, would you mind fetching Laurie? Tell him we have a surprise.”

“Yes, Olivia,” Lucy said as she opened the small door that connected my room with Laurie’s. A few seconds later I heard Lucy and Laurie approach.

“Surprise!” I whispered, so Lottie wouldn’t hear. I took the little object with wheels on it out from behind my back.

I heard Laurie gasping and starting to laugh. I was confused if he was scared or happy. I held out my hand with the little toy. He took it out of my hand and surprisingly whispered,

“I thought I had lost this train years ago! Mum and Dad told us the Memory Bunny took it, remember? Turns out it wasn’t a bunny who liked to keep memories of good little kids, it was Mum and Dad who liked to keep memories!”

He said this with a little giggle, but then we all became sober thinking about our Mother and our rough but loving Father.

“Anyways, look! It’s your hanky!” Laurie said as he dropped something on my lap. I picked it up and felt it around.

It was my hanky!

The one I had sown together piece by piece. The one Mum helped me sow when I was five years old. I hugged it tighter than I had hugged Witney.

I remembered the time Mum put me on her lap and taught me to poke a needle with string. I remember how I poked her over twenty times and she just laughed every time.

It was hard to sew because I was little and blind. I had to learn on my own after Mum died, and because of her death, I learned for her. I started to burst into tears when Lottie came into our room.

“So, Olivia. I packed Elsie up. Go check if Laurie and Lucy are packed, ok—” she stopped mid-sentence.

“My bracelet!” she shrieked. It pierced my ears.