Fairchild's 7 Daughters-The 12: Book One

10. The Departed

"Astrid bring me the jewelry box."

Astrid picked up the old box and carried it over to her eldest sister. The lid was held on my one hinge and the velvet decoration had peeled in places.

Miriam pushed back the ribbon of her Pamela hat and took the box from her sister. Setting it on the bed she removed the little bit of jewelry and dumped it into a bag.

"What will you do with it?" Astrid asked as Miriam pulled the strings of the bag to shut it.

"In case we run out of money," Miriam said simply. "Hannah, I told you you can't take those dolls with you."

Hannah was sitting on the floor trying to get her dolls to fit in her luggage bag with her clothes. "But why?" she demanded. "I can make room."

"You are to only take clothes," Miriam said. "There won't be any room for toys where you are going."

Hannah picked up one of her dolls and looked at it. "But who will keep them safe while I'm gone? Who will play with them and brush their hair?"

"There are more important things to worry about," Miriam stressed. She was not in the mood for Hannah's whining.

Astrid crossed the room and bent over her little sister. "There may be room in my bag for just one," she whispered then held her finger to her lips.

Hannah grinned and selected a blonde doll in a crushed velvet dress and matching hat. "She's the oldest in the bunch so she should go."

Astrid smiled and took the doll from her sister. She then quickly slipped it in beneath her clothes before Miriam could see. When Hannah giggled Astrid winked and warned her to be quiet. The younger girl then pulled out the bottom drawer in the dresser and put her remaining dolls inside for safe keeping. Before she had the first one in her eyes fell on a spinning top.

"Who's is this?" she asked holding up the small toy.

When Miriam saw the top she rushed over and took it from Hannah. "You leave that alone! Don't ever touch it!" She watched her sister's face sink but didn't have time to apologize before Hannah left the room.

When the girls were packed Miriam stood at the door counting their bags. Heloise sat on her bag starring at the drawing of Fairchild Place. It was nothing but a memory now. Outside Selene sat on the steps next to Alifair as she watched her dove flutter around in its cage.

"It's time to go," Miriam said as she came out the house with the rest of her sisters.

Alifair and Selene stood making the bird flutter around loudly. Selene placed one hand on her shoulder and nodded. "It's time," she said.

Alifair held the cage in both hands and looked down at the gray bird.

"Just think, he's all better now because of you," Selene said and smiled.

Alifair then took the cage by the handle at the top and opened the door. It didn't take long for the bird to realize the door that brought him food was open and with two wing beats he was out the cage and climbing into the sky.

"Good bye birdy," Hannah waved. "Goodbye."

Loyal Travis offered to drive them to the station in Angel Veil in his mule cart. He talked the whole ride there that he would miss having them around. Miriam wished he would be quiet but minded her manners. She knew Travis carried a torch for her but she never entertained it.