Image by Sergey Nemo from Pixabay
Late one Saturday afternoon, Shaz and Sarah were alone in the house together. The younger sister was doing something in her room and the elder decided she was going to explore Mummy and Daddy's bedroom.
Sarah tiptoed down the stairs from her room in the loft extension and along the passage past Shaz's room. She opened the door, snuck inside, and closed the door without a creak or a click.
Their bed was the first piece of furniture in the room. Mummy chose a broidery Anglaise white cotton duvet cover with matching pillowcases. Next to and against the wall stood Mummy's white Formica vanity table. A velour covered cushioned stool in a rich burgundy complemented the matching carpet.
All her Polish crystal bowls and dishes, arranged and filled with gold jewellery sat on lace doilies. The clear and burnt orange crystal ashtray was clean, of course. Mummy cleans everything, all the time.
She even cleans when Sarah has already done it after cooking Sunday lunch. Mummy's twelve hour shifts are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. Her work at a disabled people's residential home as a housekeeper means she sleeps most of the day.
Sarah glances at the wardrobe in the corner of the room. Yet she's drawn to the white Formica sideboard on the side of the room that has a view of the street.
The eight-year-old opens the top drawer and rummages through the contents. Discovers a fountain pen and a pad of paper. Sarah adores pens. Her daddy gave her a fountain pen with an Italic nib for her birthday. She decided to experiment with this one.
When she tried to write something, the ink didn't come out. She unscrewed the pen and found there plenty of ink in the cartridge. She shook it. The navy blue ink left the nib and splashed onto the striped cream, gold, and burgundy curtains!
She put the pen back together and then returned it to the drawer with the pad of paper as she had found it. Then she rushed long the passage and flew up the stairs to her room. Collapsed on her bed, hands clenched on her knees.
A while later, Sarah heard Mummy and Daddy coming up the stairs from the living room. She grabbed a book and pretended to read. She heard them go into their bedroom and then come out again. They went past Sharon's room and came up the stairs.
"Sarah?" Dad said as he opened my door.
"Yes, Dad," I replied and put my book down on the bed.
"What happened here while we were out?"
“Nothing, Dad."
"Come downstairs with me."
Sarah stood up and followed him out of her bedroom back down the stairs and along the passage. Her tummy roiled.
The young girl walked over to where Mummy stood looking at the curtains.
"Did you do this, Sarah?" Dad asked.
"No, how did that get there?" Her voice sounded squeaky.
"That's what we want you to tell us."
"Oh, I was in my room reading."
"You didn't do this?"
"No, I didn't."
"Go back to your room while we speak to your sister."
She trudged back up the stairs. She heard Dad go to get Shaz and ask her the same questions.
Shaz yelled and screamed that it wasn't her until Dad told her to go back to her room. Sarah heard her sobbing and banging her head against the wall. Heard Dad go in and stop her.
Dad came up to see Sarah later. He told her to do all the dusting, cleaning, and vacuuming from the top of the house to the bottom every Thursday. All the chores had to be done after school and before homework.
Two Little Girls' Daddy Marries the Au Pair
The Au Pair Is Pregnant, Will Her Employer Reject Her When She Tells Him?