Regenesis

Abigail's departure from Miss Anderson (some time previously)

Abigail had come home from school one afternoon as usual, chatting away amiably to Miss Anderson. She had noticed that Miss Anderson had seemed a little preoccupied during the short walk home, acknowledging the petty incidents which marked Abigail's day at school, with a non-comital "I see" or "really?" Abigail enjoyed a close relationship with her guardian since she had come to live with her some 5 months previously, settling in quickly and enjoying the added privileges she had missed during her time in Nursery. She was ranked as one of the senior girls in Miss Willoughby's class and had earned the right to wear proper knickers in her daily life at home and at school. Like all the other girls in her school, she still wore the ugly braces on her teeth, but had grown accustomed to the effects they had on her speech and behaviour, choosing to remain quiet when in the company of adults. Miss Anderson would miss Abigail, and perhaps that was why she had to move on. It wouldn't do for a guardian to become too close to her charge, and, besides, it was certainly time for her to progress. When they arrived home that afternoon, Miss Anderson helped her off with her blazer and outside shoes, but, instead of taking her into the kitchen for her customary after-school snack, she took her by the hand once more and guided up the stairs to her bedroom, where she helped her ward out of her blazer. Normally she would remain in her school uniform until bath-time. Abigail, already wary of the change in routine, looked around her room and noticed a number of changes. She saw that the few possessions she had accumulated during her stay with Miss Anderson which she kept on her bedside table and on top of the chest of drawers were not there any longer, leaving the surfaces looking bare and unlived-in. On her bed neatly lay a weekend dress and a white cardigan, together with a pair of clean knickers, socks and two fresh hankies. Also on the bed was a small suitcase sitting ominously open with the few missing possessions in it. Realising what was happening, Abigail looked up at her guardian plaintively. Miss Anderson smiled back in a way that could only mean one thing: Abigail was leaving. Tears welled in her eyes and Abigail bit her lip.

"It's time, Poppet" Abigail started to shake her head. She had never even contemplated that it might happen, let alone so soon and that she would have no warning, but then again, that was not the way with the Programme. The girls were always the last to know. Of course Abigail had no idea that even Miss Anderson wasn't aware until the night before that this change was coming, and she felt the sadness too. Although not strictly permitted, Miss Anderson held out her arms and Abigail flew into them, and buried her beribboned head in her guardian's breast, eeking out whatever time they had left. Abigail squeezed her body, only now able to show the level of affection she felt for her landlady and guardian. Miss Anderson, for her part, was deeply affected by this show of emotion and strained to keep her eyes dry, thankfully out of sight of her ward, whose face was turned to get a better hug. After an embarrassing pause and sensing that it was time to pull away, Abigail loosened her grip and took a step back, looking up pitifully at Miss Anderson, her own cheeks streaked with tears. Miss Anderson put her hands on her ward's shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You have learned so much since you have been with me, but it is time for you to move on. This afternoon I will take you to meet Miss Minsk who will be your guardian from now on." Abigail's eyes dropped in sadness, not because she recognised the name, but purely because she was to be taken away from this house she had begun to think of as home, and especially from its mistress, Miss Anderson. Abigail scrunched up her eyes, gathered her strength and again looked up into her guardian's eyes. She saw the tears brimming in her guardian's eyes and instinctively extended her right hand, palm down, in the manner she had been taught when offering her "spare" handkerchief to someone who might need it. It was sitting under the cuff of her cardigan, where Miss Anderson had herself placed it that same morning, its corners just peeking out. Miss Anderson smiled at the thoughtfulness of this gesture and plucked it from the proffered arm, before dabbing at her own eyes. As if in a parting sign of affection, Miss Anderson, in turn, held out her own right hand for Abigail, fingers drooped as if awaiting a gallant kiss from a gentleman caller. The corners of white linen showed just enough of a hint of delicate white embroidery to show the refinement of its owner The look on Abigail's face was pure joy. This surely was a sign of a shared affection, a bonding moment which broke down the barriers of authority between them. Abigail tentatively lifted her hand towards Miss Anderson, looking up to her face for confirmation that she had read the signals correctly, and received a kindly nod in reply. Abigail took one corner between thumb and forefinger and gently pulled. As the beautifully ironed handkerchief emerged from her guardian's cuff, it naturally unfolded, and the faint scent of her perfume wafted towards her. She dabbed it against her eyes and cheeks, realising that this was the first time she had been permitted to hold one herself since she had come to this town, let alone one that wasn't her own. Her sadness at her impending departure was lifted by this sense of closeness to this beautiful lady whose house she had shared for the past few months. Abigail spent a moment looking up into her guardian's face before Miss Anderson decided to change the mood.