Letters From Laura

17

Dear Journal,

Thanks to the Black Norwood book and employee files, Victoria and I have found evidence that Mr. Ridley is my grandfather. The time line of my mother's birth and his child's is the same.

"What about his wife, then?" I asked. We had been going through the files but since only my grandfather was employed, we had virtually no information about my grandmother.

"I didn't even know he had a wife so she must have, erm, you know, relocated or something before I was born." Victoria said somewhat awkwardly.

We were sat in Victoria's room trying to figure out what to do next.

"What we need to know is why she changed her name. We need to ask someone who knew her." I said while picking at the shockingly pink rug.

"Not daddy, he won't want to upset mum." Victoria frowned.

"What do you think about Merwin?" I asked

"That old witch?" she laughed "She wouldn't talk to us in a million years, would she?"

"I suppose not. She wouldn't talk to... us." But perhaps she would talk to someone else.

"Now I told ya, didn't I? I said I wasn't wantin' anyfing to do with any mission, I did." Nancy was in the laundry room preparing to do a load of towels.

"Actually, you said not to let Ms. Merwin know about the mission. You never said you didn't want to be a part of it." I pointed out as Nancy poured the last bit of laundry soap into the machine.

"Please, Nancy! This is very important. We need information from Ms. Merwin and she would never talk to us." Victoria begged and widened her eyes to look like a puppy dog.

"I don' want ta be in anyone's business." She shook her head at us "An' you can quit with those ga ga eyes, I've got three li'l brothers. It's cute bu' it won' work on me. Where did those silk supper napkins go?" She rummaged around trying to find them.

Victoria frowned as I jumped in to plead with Nancy. "Nancy, you never knew my mother but she was wonderful." I said while stepping in front of the washer to pause her work. "She was my best friend. I loved her but now she's dead. So now that I'm finding out these things, I'm all mixed up and I need to know why. "

"Low-ruh-"

"I need to know why my mum died, but I can't. I need to know why the other car was driving on the wrong side of the road, but I can't. I need to know why my mum wasn't wearing her seat belt but I can't." I started to tear up so I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"I need to know why my mum changed her name, and that's possible. But I need your help, Nancy. Please."

When I opened my eyes, Victoria was looking at the floor and I swear I saw a tear rolling down her cheek. Nancy was standing in front of me but she looked much more solemn.

"Alrigh'." She said. "Wha' do ya wan' me ta ask?"

And in her eyes, I saw pity.

-L