Greenbriar Manor

Where is Home?

Fern had spent the morning washing and folding the linens since her mother only seemed to care about spending time with Mari's mom since she had arrived. In truth, Fern missed the apartment. She did not expect them to move here when she set out to find a friend. The seasons had changed suddenly, and cold weather burned her cheeks bright red. She wished that she had brought her warmer jacket. She seemed to feel cold more of the time lately. Mari had been acting strangely since that horse and old man arrived. Always studying and then leaving to sneak peeks of him through the barn hatch. She wished that there was someone for her to spend time with she was alone now more than ever. She decided she better get to work and fix this issue of the dirty linens before Fran decided she didn't want them to help anymore. Then, where would they go? Come to think of it she realized she had not seen anyone take rent from Brooklyn's mom. How could that be? She hoped that somehow Mr. Lunde their landlord would have taken the money she left him for rent last month early for their home. Maybe her mother would be willing to return home for a time. Right now, all she wanted was to be far away from this manor and these people. She would try to go to the apartment today and get some things. She would ask Brooklyn to walk with her like he had before after school.   All her life she had wanted a home and friends and even a horse but now all she wanted to do was return to her room and help her mother sew. She had wondered if Fran had been wondering what had become of her mother. She was starting to wonder what had become of them all. Nothing felt the same. She would meet with him and leave for home this evening with or without her mother. 

Meanwhile: 

Mari petted the black stallion's nose. It huffed warm air onto her face, and she giggled. She had never seen such a magnificent animal. Brooklyn would be great at helping the boys ride this horse and maybe even her once. The horse moved his weight from side to side and whinnied nervously like he always did. She didn't know why animals always reacted that way to her. The older man asked if she wanted to feed him an apple slice and she nodded. She took the gummy fruit in her hands and put it to the horse's lip. He chomped it delightfully. She smiled at the man and felt like she had dreamed this once before long ago. The stable hand laughed at the Seamstress' youngest daughter she reminded him so much of that niece he had lost in Vermont all those years ago. Of the daughter he wished he had met that he never knew. He gently fingered the worn paper in his pocket. An article that mentioned treehouses and storms unlike anything this state had ever seen. Nightmares from which he could not awake. But he knew he must be here for this horse. For this new little boy would be his last rider and he would be grand. She giggled at something he said and left to go find Fern. When she went to the house, she could not find her. Her mother and her friend were sitting in the sun enjoying the rest. She gave them a nod and told her mother she was going to the house today to get the rest of their things. Her mothers face brightened and nodded but Mari's mother's eyes iced over with something akin to fear or rage. She stepped back abruptly. She ran out of the house and searched for Brooklyn. He was standing at the edge of the yard; He told her that he was going to meet her in the library after he played a game of catch with the boys. 

Brooklyn met Ingrim and Mack at the bus stop and walked with them to the stable. His father sat at the corner of the stable sharing an apple with the horse. A custom he remembered from years ago. A piece for each of them until it was gone. He felt in his pocket for the tiny pocketknife. No one would have this but him. His father had returned but he would leave again. The parents never stayed long. Fran was being kinder to him now that the boys had grown but he noticed she was getting tired. He could see her lights on in the room in the middle of the night.  The Greene's only hired the best and he knew Fran was different. She would make them proud she just had too. Why had Mari started with her scheming? He had buried the doll again in the night. Mari deserved happiness and friends. But Fern, she was becoming weary here. He needed to take her home. The longer her mother stayed the less likely things would go as planned. He planned to meet with her and walk her home. 

She took the linens into the house and put them away. Fran saw Fern unload a tray of linens folded and much better smelling than the last shipment. She smiled as she brought them in and set them out. She was proud of her work and her mothers. Fran knew that her mom was in poor health. She had been kind to her before and would be again. They always rectified their error. She asked how her mother was, and Fern smiled things were going well but she still wanted to go home. She asked Fran if there was anything else she could do but she walked down to the basement stairs and out of sight. She wondered if Mari would even care if she left the house. The library was drafty, and she got even colder waiting for him. He appeared a half hour later covered in red mud. She laughed as he apologized for being late. He asked her questions about her house and if he could go with her to keep her safe. She smiled and they headed toward the edge of the property. 

As they boarded the bus and got off on the street her apartment was on she felt relief and then something else. She was confused as she bounded up the stairs and unlocked the door. Stale air hit her in the face. Brooklyn stood at the threshold surveying her home. One he would not be able to enter again. She grabbed three dresses, her coat, a blanket and two stuffed yellow bears her mother had given her as gifts as a child. Maybe Mari and Mack would like them. As she went  into the kitchen she noticed something at the edge of the sink. Thick green icing hardened like clay. A sweet almond smell clung to her finger after she touched it. She went to get her brush from the bathroom. She stood looking at herself for a moment in the mirror. She wasn't sure what it was exactly but for a moment she saw her features thinner and gaunt, her skin reddish and her eyes had lost some of their luster. She knew work and her mother had often made her sad but she  that this place also had become somewhere she had used to stay. Home was the Manor. Brooklyn's hat seemed to shift in the light of the doorway. Sliding off to one side. His hair looked long and unkempt. His face more drawn than hers and his eyes full of the same fury she had seen in his mother only hours before. He reached for the dresses and the bear and she handed them to him. As his hand drifted into the apartment it filled with smoke for a moment. She got dizzy. He slammed the apartment door closed and locked it. She felt herself hit the floor but then she woke up beneath the tree under the bright stars  with the bear in her arms covered in that same thick red mud. Brooklyn's dog licking her awake. Mari was in the treehouse and there was music coming from Fran's window something about "You can't go home again..." what a strange dream she had that afternoon when they came home on the bus. She hoped it would not happen again.