My Second Chance

Chapter Two

The Sussex countryside sped past my window as I leant my head against the cool glass of the train we were seated on. Elliot's head shifted in my lap but he didn't wake up. He had been asleep ever since we left London. This was so hard on him and on me too. Yes, it was fantastic that we had family who wanted us, but it was hard for us to leave everything dear and familiar behind in London. We had been on a day trip to Sussex before and, normally, I would have my head sticking out of the train window, feeling the fresh air sweep back my hair and smelling all of the country smells and seeing all of the wonderful sights. I remember we had gone to a little shop in a small village and there was a nice man with his daughter there who served us. But, now that Dad was gone, everything seemed different. Food had lost its taste, colours seemed dull and things that used to matter no longer seemed to. I sighed as I stared aimlessly out of the window, looking as if I had nothing more in the world. As we pulled into the station and slowed down, I saw a sweet family of a wife and two small daughters running up the platform to greet their father. I sighed as I watched them. I expected myself to burst into tears again but my whole body was tired of the whole situation and the only thing I could feel was loneliness and emptiness inside. The social workers had said countless times that the countryside would clear up my depression and help my anxiety, but it felt as if nothing could cure my pain.

Our stop was a quick one, and we were herded off onto the platform along with the rest of the passengers, before the train left. Now we really had no choice but to stay here.

I didn't know what our aunt looked like but as we walked up the platform, I saw a jolly looking lady holding a sign which said 'Amy and Elliot'. We approached her slowly and when she saw us, she smiled.

"Are you Amy and Elliot?" she asked.

"Yes," I said, shaking her hand," Are you Mrs Maxwell?"

"That's me," she smiled," But you can call me Elizabeth. Now, come with me. I have a good lunch waiting for you at home. You look like you could eat."

I nodded and we followed her silently off the platform and into the neighbouring car park. She led us towards a rusty looking Land Drover, helping us load both ourselves and our suitcases in, before we sped off to the house.

The house was a very beautiful one, with massive climbing rose plants crawling slowly up the front of it. It was exactly as I had imagined it, with deep red bricks and a black roof. The door was a great big oak one with an enormous handle on it. Elizabeth pushed it open and we entered the landing where about a million pairs of boots were propped up next to the walls. There were beautiful paintings on the walls and a soft rug on the floor. Elizabeth led us through the the living room where a young boy, maybe a year or so older than Elliot, was laying on the sofa, reading a book.

"Children, this is my son, Archie," Elizabeth said," Archie, these are your cousins, Amy and Elliot."

As soon as Archie heard his name, he sat up and stared at us. He was quite tall, with floppy blonde hair and bright sky blue eyes. He smiled kindly at us.

Elizabeth looked around, before a frown fell across her face and she asked her son," Where is your sister?"

Archie smiled slyly and said nothing. Elizabeth gave him a hard stare which would have made me talk in any given situation but Archie's lips stayed firmly closed. Elizabeth sighed and shook her head. "Come on you two. Lunch is waiting for you. Have you eaten, Archie?"

"I had a sandwich when you left," came the reply.

As we sat down, I began to wonder who my mysterious older cousin was, but I was distracted by the magnificent feast that Elizabeth had laid out for us. There were hot buttery potatoes, salad and a great big ham big enough for a whole army. The look of the wonderful food made me feel a little bit better and when it sank my teeth into the ham, flavours exploded in my mouth and my appetite came back. I ate heartily, for it was the first decent meal I had had since Dad had died.

I stuffed my face, feeling incredibly sick once I'd finished, although it was totally worth it. I leant back in my chair, sighing deeply, almost feeling happy.

"Archie, can you show your cousins their rooms," Elizabeth said, noticing quite quickly that we had finished.

"Yes Mother," came the sarcastic voice from the other room.

I watched as he dragged himself up from the sofa and grabbed our suitcases.

"Come on then, you're both upstairs," he said.

Elliot and I quickly got up and followed him up the long flight of stairs to where all of the bedrooms were hidden. We walked past several open doors, and you could tell which ones belonged to who; Archie's was certainly the one with the giant rugby poster hanging up on the wall.

Just like back at the flat, Elliot and I had our own rooms, although these ones were twice the size. It was your average guest bedroom, I suppose; it's not like they would have been able to decorate them for us, and as I looked around my room, although it didn't show in the slightest, I was very grateful to my aunt for taking me and my little brother in.

"If you need anything, Mum will be downstairs," Archie smiled as he placed my suitcase in the middle of the room.

I nodded without saying a word, and he left me in peace. Not even a few minutes later, Elliot flocked into my room, jumping on the bed and hugging one of the pillows.

"I think I like it here," he said, almost happily.

"Yeah, you would say that," I grumbled under my breath.

He seemed to be getting over this so quickly. Why should he? Shouldn't he been sad, like me? I was already fed up with him, and he hadn't even done anything as I pushed him off the bed and out of my room.

I wasn't sure if I liked it here yet. Of course, everyone had been so kind and supportive, we had a roof over our heads, and food in our bellies. But I wanted my old life back, with my old friends, and my old house, and my old bed. As tragic as my old life was, I wanted it all back.