Four in the Attic, One in the Kitchen

Travel and New Beginnings

When the crisp, clean envelope arrived in the mail that I fetched, I thought little of it. We'd received lots of letters. There were bills, letters of condolences, offers on the home. However, when I saw the tears come to our mother's eyes, I knew there was much larger work at hand. The three short pages were ones even I was forbidden to read, but according to Momma, we were to live with our grandparents in Virginia. She said that they had plenty of money and a large mansion in the mountains that we could enjoy, plus we could pay off our growing debts.

The word debt left a sour taste in my mouth. Carrie and Cory were left unawares, but I could tell that my other two siblings could decipher some meaning. We were going to lose everything. The house. The furniture. Everything but the clothes on our backs and a few other things were going to be swooped out from under our noses. When we were told this, I gave Momma a long look. She gave a short one back.

"Momma." I said softly, once the others had gone. "You lived in luxury for years and years, and then you did something to get that taken away. Why?"

She gave me doe eyes. "Your father and I made some bad decisions... All I can say is that my father was very very cross with me. He disinherited me, but I want to regain his favor."

I nodded. "And how will you?"

"Well, any way you'd try and please me when you've made me angry." She responded sweetly, finally wiping at the smudged mascara that ran down her cheeks in rivulets. "Gifts. Being the sweetest daughter one can imagine; obedient, kind, and truthful. I aim to tell your siblings later, but you ought to know now..."

She drifted off a little, but sat up straight again. "The bank is going to come and take anything they think is valuable. You can keep your clothes, they said, and the bare necessities. I can keep my wedding band, and I'm hiding my engagement diamond. Camilla, because you are my eldest, I'd like you to keep one, small thing if you'd like. However, you need to tell me by morning. They're coming at noon."

The information was so much, I could hardly bear it. Everything really was going. However, I pushed the fears down and excused myself to me and Cathy's room. I sat down, looking around. She lay fast asleep on her bed, and I slowly pat her curls. She didn't stir. I didn't make a sound. What to save? Even if we weren't particularly well off, we were always given plenty by our parents. It was like choosing a memory. It took some deliberation, but I finally chose something - a silver necklace with a beautiful opal inlaid. It may have not been overwhelmingly expensive, but it was from Father. That's all that mattered to me.

We left in a taxi at twilight, saying goodbye to each memory we had fostered. Goodbye, bedroom where I had laid my head to sleep each night from my newborn days. Au revoir, backyard, kitchen, living room where hours of imagination took hold and my childhood could grow. Sayonara, everything I've ever known. Even school. I was pulled out with little notice, and few ripples went through the town. Of course my friends were sad. I knew they'd forget anyway.

From taxi to train, we arrived at the station in the dead of night under the name Patterson. I could barely keep my eyes open, let alone carry two suitcases. I knew the situation, though, and obediently held them as we watched the train leave. It was strange when a lavish car didn't pull up, and it was even stranger when Momma hushed every question we asked as we walked. She'd been disinherited fifteen years ago... I subtly wondered if my conception was the sin that made her go. However, the thought was snapped from my mind when the twins began to cry and scream. They didn't like the woods, they didn't like the dark. Wordlessly, I handed a suitcase off to Chris and picked up Carrie. She struggled just a little, and then relaxed in my arms, exhausted. Cathy picked up Cory, who did the same.