The Trouble with Polly Brown (96 page)

“Me too, Polly. But just knowing I have a real sister and friend like you really helps me face my tomorrows. I love you loads and feel proud to have you in my life. I can't say any more at present,” she croaked as a lone tear slowly trickled down her forlorn face.

“Yes, we are sisters forever,” Polly quipped. “Anyway, Lucy, are you going to eat that last bit of cake or what?” Polly chipped in, eager to quickly change the subject, as she did not feel it would be helpful for Lucy to dwell on such things. “Because if you don't wolf it down right now, I will,” she threatened, quickly moving forward toward the plate with her spoon. Both girls then playfully fought off each other as they made a final, desperate grab for the very last spoonful of Aunt Bessie's hot chocolate fudge cake.

“I win,” Lucy yelled, her mouth full of cake, as she cheekily waved her now empty spoon in the air. She then impishly licked her lips of all residual cake crumbs. “Here, Polly. As the loser you can lick the plate clean,” she cried.

A few nights later found them sitting at the table enjoying one of Aunt Bessie's most delicious dinners when Lady Butterkist, back from her travels, burst through the kitchen door before hurriedly making her way toward both girls, who were seated at a dining table.

“Lucinda! Polly! Never, ever underestimate me!” she cheerfully cried. “For Lucinda, you, my dear, are not going back to the hospital after all! Yes, you, dearest, are finally going home!”

“Oh, Lady B., you're a real brick. Truly you are!” Polly cried as she jumped up from her seat and raced over to give her an overwhelmingly gigantic hug in the style to which increasingly she was becoming accustomed, at least when the bearer of the hug was young Polly.

“I'll do this far more often if this is the response I get,” Lady Butter-kist laughed.

Both girls then hugged each other, shrieking loudly as they began to dance for joy, as due to the sudden, most welcome onset of irrepressible happiness they were unwilling to contain their excitable emotions a moment longer.

All too soon everyone present had abandoned their supper plates as they joined the girls dancing around the kitchen as well as—dare I say it?—lots of dancing on the tables. Aunt Bessie chose to turn a blind eye to this very excessive outburst, preferring, of course, to join in.

“Well, if you can't beat them, you might as well join them, I say,” she said as she threw off her shoes and began to dance around the kitchen.

“Oh, I think this calls for extra chocolate cake and hot cocoa,” Aunt Bessie roared loudly as she then danced into the center of the room with a large, thickly covered chocolate cake balanced on her outstretched hand, the other hand hitching up her long apron as though it were a skirt as she continued prancing around the kitchen in the manner of a deliriously happy cook having just received notice of a substantial pay increase!

The party was in full swing until very late, when rather reluctantly, both girls were forced by their elders to call it a day.

“'Tis more than time to hit the sack, girls, for tomorrow morn' you'll be up at dawn and then down in orchards for most of day,” Aunt Bessie took it upon herself to remind. “So say your brief good nights, and then please head up them stairs to your beds,” she insisted.

“Yes, Aunt Bessie,” they happily replied.

“Oh, Aunt Bessie, I have written a letter to a good friend of mine who lives in Africa, and I need a stamp and some help getting it posted. If I give it to you tomorrow, will you be able to help?” Polly asked.

“Of course, me darlin', just leave it with me, and I'll see to it that it gets posted. Oh and girls, may I also remind you both not to forget to properly brush your little toothy pegs,” she gently coaxed.

“Yes, Aunt Bessie. We'll brush our teeth till they sparkle. That's a promise. Good night, everybody,” they cried out as they gave a final wave before heading up the stairs to head toward their bedroom.

Both girls immediately obeyed, and once they were changed into their pajamas, they flopped like limp, over-mollycoddled rag dolls into their beds to fall into a deeply satisfying slumber.

There came a time when all in the house were forced to acknowledge that this particular party was well and truly over. Sadly for all, it was time for Polly and Lucy to leave and head for home. Both girls spent ages swapping addresses and saying their good-byes to staff, as well as all others left behind. There were tears and long hugs, and then more long hugs followed closely by yet further tears as both girls struggled to terminate this most glorious holiday that had brought much ease and healing to their young and tender souls.

They then stood silently and somberly by the car, a small suitcase by each girl's side as they anxiously waited for Giles and Lady Butterkist to appear.

Eventually the door of the thatched cottage opened, and both Aunt Bessie and Lady Butterkist could be seen sprightly making their way down the steps as, deep in conversation, they headed toward the parked car.

“Ahh, there you are, girls. Oh, dear. I see Giles is not yet with us. Really, there are times when that dear man appears as slow as a semi-conscious constipated tortoise nearing the end of a month-long marathon,” she huffed. “I hear from Aunt Bessie and I see by your sorrowfully glum faces that you've said all your good-byes, so let's place your suitcases by the boot of the car, and then we can get in the car and make ourselves comfortable while we wait for that little slow-coach of a chauffeur to abandon his precious cup of tea to come and drive us home. Ah, here he comes. Giles, please place their suitcases in the boot, for we must be on our way.”

“Very well, madam.”

Both Polly and Lucy turned to simultaneously give Aunt Bessie a ridiculously long and lengthy hug. “Oh, Aunt Bessie, tell us now, why do we have to leave here?” they both cried out.

“Well, me little darlins, it's because life has to go on. You both are extraordinary young girls, and you have your whole lives before you. Livin' here may seem like heaven, but it's only a fore-taster of the real thing, truly it is.”

“Oh, please let us stay. I promise to do all the washing up till my hands wrinkle up for good and I've lost as many teeth as you, Aunt Bess, for I don't ever want to leave here,” Lucy cried as she clung tightly to Aunt Bessie's ample waist.

“It's not fair,” Polly cried.

“That's right, Polly dear. Life is not fair, and the bad news is, however hard you try, you don't get to make it out alive,” she said tongue in cheek as she sought to bring a smile to their tearstained faces.

“Now then, Lucy, wipe your eyes, and then listen to me! Both you girls must go climb your own mountains and dig your own paths. But woe betide either of you if you so much as dare err off the straight and narrow road, for you can bet your sorry little lives that I'll be right behind you with me rolling pin,” she choked, as she tried hard and lost the fight to hold back the tears.

“Now you girls have got me all misty eyed, and I daresay if I allow you to hug me much longer, then in no time at all you'll have me blubbering and squalling like a newborn baby,” she said, her voice choked with emotion as she lifted the hem of her apron to wipe away tears that were now threatening to cascade down her cheeks.

“Please, Aunt Bess, will you say good-bye to Mrs. Pickletree and tell her that not only will we miss all her wonderful lessons, but we will truly miss her too? We looked all over the house for her this morning, and we were left feeling very distressed, for sadly for us she was nowhere to be found,” Polly cried.

“Well, me luvies, that's because she had a most pressing errand to run this morning.”

“Then promise us that you will tell her that we will make her proud. Yes, tell her we are going back to school, and we won't ever stop learning until we become winners,” a teary-eyed Polly begged.

“You can be sure I will,” Aunt Bessie assured the girls.

“Tell her also that one day in the future she will switch on the television and be surprised to see us receiving many awards for all our outstanding achievements.”

“Oh, I can tell you now with full authority that she won't be the least surprised if such a thing were to happen, for she firmly believes you girls can achieve anything and everything you put your hearts and minds too. But I promise to pass on your message of great kindness,” Aunt Bessie replied as she held both girls to her ample bosom for one long and final bear hug.

“Giles has just informed me that both your suitcases are now safely loaded into the boot, so it's high time you girls let go of me to clamber into the back of this car. I tell you now that Lady B. has many other errands to do before the day draws to a close, and look, Giles is about to start up the engine,” she said as she gave both girls one final, tender kiss on the forehead.

“Now take these sweet mince pies to nibble on, on your journey,” she insisted as she gave each girl some pies wrapped in a brown paper bag. “And here, take a bottle of our homemade lemonade, and mind you, don't guzzle it down too fast or else you'll have a bad case of the hiccups,” she warned. “And girls, please remember, when things seem bad, don't look down; look up.”

The girls leaned out of the window as they furiously waved goodbye to Aunt Bessie and all her wonderful staff, who had all come out on the lawn to wave them off.

“Oh, Lucy. I really want to cry and never stop, really I do, for I do so hate good-byes, as they make me truly melancholic,” Polly admitted as she sat back in the car and shut her eyes to prevent further unabated tears.

“Me too, Polly. No other holiday could ever begin to match this one,” Lucy deeply sighed. “Lady B., please, may I have a tissue? Otherwise you'll be left with one almighty puddle on the floor if you don't pass me one, and quick.”

Her ladyship quickly obliged. Both girls then knelt on the backseat and waved out of the back window until the staff on the lawn were nothing more than tiny dots on the horizon. They then turned 'round to blow into large bundles of tissues, as they were both overcome and overwhelmed with strong feelings at leaving the manor house that had been a wonderful refuge to both girls.

Lady B. then broke their mournful silence. “Here, girls, you can look after my little pooch for me,” she said as she passed over the pup to Polly in the back of the car. Moments later found Tiddles fast asleep with her paws over her eyes as she lay stretched out on Polly's lap making quiet whimpering noises.

“It's as though Tiddles doesn't want to leave either,” Lucy loudly commented.

“Girls, I know you're in no mood to hear it, but all good-byes are to be considered hard. You two must now look forward to your futures. I know for sure that you face extraordinary difficulties, but I also know that both you girls have the strength of character to persevere and come through the other side,” she gently counseled.

Both girls independently chose to close their eyes and rest from all ongoing discourse as they tried hard to immediately empty their minds and imaginations of all potentially bad premonitions that had come back to harass and haunt them concerning the future. But it was hard to do, if not downright impossible.

“Girls, it's feeling very much like an abandoned graveyard in here, so tell you what? Let's play I Spy, and I'll start,” Lady B. very brightly suggested. “Yes, I spy with my little eye something beginning with
L
.”

Finally, the car pulled up outside Lucy's house.

“Right. Lucinda, sadly this is it. You must quickly say your good-byes to Polly and come with me. I will escort you to the front door, and Giles will follow on behind with your suitcase in hand.”

Lucy immediately grabbed hold of Polly's neck and cried, “Goodbye, Polly. I trust I'll see you again.”

“Polly I know in your kindness you gave me Langdon for keeps, but that was back then when we all thought I was going to be left alone in the hospital. Now I must give him back, for he truly belongs with you,” Lucy very matter-of-factly stated.

“Oh, Lucy, are you really sure?”

“Yes, Polly. I now have my family to cling to; therefore I no longer have any need of him,” she whispered as she bravely handed over the elephant. “I now believe that you really need him much more than I do,” Lucy gently said as she gave Polly a long, final hug.

Polly thought Lady Butterkist looked quite as wretched as they did watching on as the two friends were forced to part company once more.

“Come on, Lucy, to linger longer will just add to your pain. Polly, please stay in the car. I assure you I won't be too long,” Lady Butterkist insisted.

“Can't I also come to the door?” Polly pleaded.

“Sadly, on this occasion I don't think it would be a good idea, so I respectfully request that you do as I ask and stay put while I see Lucinda to the door. I promise I won't be long.”

Polly watched like a hawk as Lady Butterkist took Lucy gently by the hand to lead her up the garden path. Giles followed in their footsteps, as he dutifully carried her small suitcase in one hand. The door opened, and Polly got a small glimpse of both parents as they stood at the door, their kind but fragile faces masking great strain. Both parents took it in turn to shake Lady Butterkist's hand, and minutes later their faces lit up as they listened enthusiastically to all her ladyship had to say. Lucinda's father then looked so lovingly at his daughter before taking the suitcase from Giles, and her mother immediately bent down to give Lucy a long and very warm and loving embrace.