Anna Gray had experienced nothing but trauma since she was stolen from a family she had long forgotten. In the fleeting peace of her adolescent years, the fearful girl found comfort in the protection of her brother, and the beauty of her flowers.
B...
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Anna sat comfortably in the backseat as Michael drove Polly's car to her house in Sutton. He rolled to a stop smoothly, and the girl grinned at the first flowers she had seen since arriving littering the front garden.
"That was great. Well done." Polly praised her son's driving, swinging the door open. "Out we get then."
Michael didn't respond, offering his sister a hand getting out of the car. Anna rolled her eyes slightly, knowing she could easily do it herself, but her brother was raised a gentleman.
"This house is mine." Polly stated proudly, checking her children's reactions. "I've taken on a maid. She's made up the two big rooms for you both. Come on, let's have a look."
Anna followed the woman eagerly up the path, stopping to inspect the simple, white flowers.
"Pretty roses." She noted, earning a grin from her mother.
"The garden could use some more colour. You'll have to come and pick me out some new flowers." Polly suggested, causing the girl to shoot an excited grin towards her brother.
Michael chuckled at her eagerness, following Polly into the house. "Don't prick your fingers on those, Annie."
"I'm not stupid, Michael." She murmured under her breath, trailing into the house. It was homely, Anna thought, taking in her surroundings.
"I thought we could spend the week here. You know, get to know each other... again." Polly commented as the siblings sat on the stylish sofa. Michael nodded simply.
"I've got ham. Do you like ham?" Polly seemed nervous, her tone wavering and her need to fill the silence clear to Anna.
The girl was good at reading people. Her mother was awkward and skittish, she cared what her children thought of her, although Anna could see this wasn't typical. Her mother was usually confident, commanding the room, holding an aura of power and leadership, second only to Tommy in the ranks, she noted.
"We like ham, yes." Michael responded for the both of them, as Anna was deep in her analytical findings.
Polly placed her gloves on the small table, moving to leave the room before halting. "I've got a maid."
"Yes, you said." Michael reminded quickly, confusing Anna with his uncharacteristic bluntness.
"She's upstairs. She could give us some tea." Polly mentioned, fiddling with her hands, another sign of anxiety, that Anna was not foreign to. Polly reached towards the bell on the table. "Look. I ring this bell. Watch."
