Broken Mirror

Chapter Two: Luxurious Crossing

After our family talk, I had made it back upstairs to my room and was now looking out my large, floor to ceiling window from my desk, watching as the curtains blew far out into the middle of my room. I had some ink, a quill, paper, envelopes, and stamps all laid out in front of me. I had decided to write to my friends about where I was going and how long I was going to be gone. I just couldn't form words to write on the paper however and growing frustrated at my writer's block, a first for me, I got up and went to check on Maggie.

I knocked lightly on Maggie's, bedroom door,

"It's me Bella," I called out to the wood in front of me.

"Come in," drifted out from the bottom of the door and sobs followed.

I lightly turned the door knob and entered the room to see Maggie, still in her dirt stained dress sitting on the middle of her bed crying. I closed the door behind me, went over and sat down on the bed beside Maggie, and gently wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into a hug.

"It's going to be alright, Maggie, I promise," I half whispered to her.

I only got a sob in reply and I brought Maggie's head out from against my chest.

"No matter what happens you will still have me here for you," I said to her.

Maggie looked up at me with parts of her shoulder length, brown hair clinging to her damp face, her dark eyes red and puffy from crying.

"You promise?" she sniffled.

"I promise," I replied.

Maggie then practically flung herself back into my arms.

"You're the best big sister ever," she stated with more happiness returning to her voice.

I smiled and kissed the top of her head as I held her close.

"I won't let anything happen to you," I promised her in my mind.

The rest of the night was a blur as was the next day. That night we sat in a hushed silence in the dining room, the only sounds came from knives and forks on the plates.

* * *

The next day was busy. We were packing our trunks and luggage for the year long trip.

Macy, my own personal maid, (Momma insisted that we each had our own, especially Maggie and I), was helping me choose what to bring.

Macy whirled around my room as she hummed a happy tune, seeming happier about the trip than me, as she was also coming along. She was a rather short, plump, elderly woman who had a sweet smile, charming voice, and a grandmotherly personality.

"How many formal dresses do you need, my dear?" she asked me with a sweet voice.

"I'm not sure," I replied honestly, "I suppose one for each night on the ship. They can be washed and Momma said we can always go shopping for what we can't bring."

"Oh yes of course that make sense dear," Macy responded in a singing voice, "Now the first trunk is packed and off I go downstairs with it. Do you need anything, Bella?" she asked with a smile.

"No thank you, I'm fine," I replied back with a smile.

Macy left with just the first trunk and I sighed as I sat down at my desk. This packing process was taking a while and I imagined how Maggie probably felt right now, causing me to slightly laugh to myself. She was probably running around the room trying to pack all kinds of unnecessary things while her maid, Cynthia was probably rolling her eyes and trying to pack Maggie's trunk with clothes.