Beyond The Mirror

Chapter 1

"Mare, hurry, you've got a train to catch." Ron called to her,loading three suitcases into the back of his Land-Rover. Mareth appeared in the porch, a despondent look on her face. She was wearing a white shirt underneath a red jumper, a jean and red trainers. "Don't give me that look," Ron said as he came to her. "We talked about this." "Why can't I stay here with you?" she said. "You know very well how busy I am with work. Staying at uncle Ben and Flora's is the only way for you to continue school. Plus, they just had a baby. You love babies, don't you?" "But..." "No more buts, young lady. You'll be fine,I promise." Then he turned round and bounced down the porch steps in two strides. Uncle Benjamin had arrived Deftford Station few minutes before the first train. He was tall,blessed with a well-built body and a long brown hair. He was wearing jeans and a blue shirt. It had been arranged that he would meet Mareth and drive her back to Orchard House, a journey of some thirty miles. Mareth, coming from Bristol to London, a journey around one hour-forty minutes, would be expected ten minutes later. Distantly, uncle Ben heard the long, plantive whistle of another approaching train. The train whistled again when it came much nearer and Ben saw the diesel train come out of the gloom of the tunnel towards him. With a hiss and a shudder it came to a halt. Few passengers descended, and when Ben saw Mareth descend the train, a big smile escaped the corners of his mouth. He hurried along the platform to help her with her cases. "Here Mare, I'll do that." he said. "Uncle Ben!" Mareth exclaimed and wrapped her arms around his waist. "It's so good to see you." "It's good to see you too kiddie." he smiled. As soon as he lifted Mareth's cases down on to the platform and slammed the door, the train started to move off. Ben took a step back examining her. "Something's changed about you Mare. Are you getting taller?" Mareth smiled, and as she did, he noticed the two hallow places in her cheeks. "Even your dimples had gotten deeper than before." he winked causing Mareth to smile even more. "Now let's get you home." he said and lifted the cases. As they walked towards Ben's pathfinder parked ten feets away, dark clouds rolled in to cover the blue. "I hope we get home on time." he said,loading the cases in the back of the motor. Ben unlocked the doors,lifted the hatch and helped Mareth on to the front seat. Once he had gotten behind the wheel,he buckled his seat belt and, when he turned the key in the ignition, the drizzle suddenly turned into a downpour so intense that the windshield wipers could not keep up, even on their fastest setting. "We're just going to sit right here until the storm lets up a little." Ben said. Mareth stared out of the window at the downpour. After what seemed like eternity, the rain stopped coming down so hard, and Ben put the vehicle in gear and went slowly, carefully on their way. "How's Bristol?" Ben spoke first, breaking the silence. "Good," Mareth nodded. "Anyone you're going to miss?" he asked,with his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "No one in particular." Mareth replied. "Friends?" Mareth shook her head. "You never made friends?" he said and this time he stole a glance. "Let's just say I'm not the social type." There was a momentary silence and Mareth thought perhaps he was considering her words. "Deeply sorry for not showing up at Lillian's funeral."he said without looking at her."Flora was in labour at that time." he explained. Somehow he felt like he should,even though he knew that the child would be aware. He just needed to explain himself. "It's all right, uncle Ben. Dad mentioned."she said, and then tucked her legs up under her and swung round on the seat so that she was resting her hands on the back of it."So tell me, what's my cousin's name?" she asked trying to make Ben feel less guilty of himself. "Cara,"he replied."Named after Flora's grandmother." "Why?" "Her grandmother was all she had when she was little."Ben answered. "What about her parents?" Mareth was not ready to give up. "They died when she was five. That left her with her grandmother who now died four months ago." "How very sad how people die these days leaving their loved ones behind." Ben glanced at his niece,he could see the child was being emotional. "Surgery chemotherapy or radiation are just treatments Mare, not cures."he said still focusing on the road."Even if she survived the third surgery, she could still die." Even as little as the child was she knew that, but it was the fact she did not wanted to admit. The conversation in the van came to an end and Mareth once again stared out of the window at the moving scene.