My Daughter, Audrey [ON HOLD]

To the Orphanage Again

It was a sad evening for the Holmes as they agreed to let Helen have custody over Audrey until they gathered the funds.  

               “I’ll meet you both at the orphanage in Bristol,” Helen said as she boarded her slick vehicle with a smug look of conquest on her face.  She waved a hand to the hapless couple and then speed away in a smoky trail of Liverpool dust.

               “I can’t stand that woman,” Jennie growled before climbing into the cab.

               “I know, dear, let’s jest try and look cheery for Audrey.”   He got in beside Jennie and watched in sickness as Helen’s luxury car pulled out in front of them—leading them triumphantly to “rescue” the poor, underprivileged child.   

               The trip was long, exhausting, and all around miserable.  Nothing exciting happened from the time they all boarded the train to the time they entered Bristol.

               When they arrived, Helen strutted out and up the winding, pebbled path to the front of the boarding house.  Jennie and Peter followed behind her, constantly being suspected by the two police men who traveled importantly alongside Helen.   The path seemed longer this time to the Holmes, or perhaps they wanted to prolong their journey by taking walking slower than normal.   The iron gate was already open at that hour because of the weekly field trip.    

               “This may become a shock,” Jennie whispered, wiping her nose and tucking her hankie into her dress’s pocket.  “I don’t really want to see the girl.”

               “I know wot ya mean.  If I see ya, it kind of means the end of it all.”  Peter hugged her tighter and gave her a soft peck on the crown of her blonde head.  “If I ‘ear that Helen is miss treatin’ her, I’ll bring her right back, okay?”

               Jennie nodded her head and gave Peter a strained smile.  “I hope she doesn’t hurt her.  I can’t believe we’re letting her do this.  You think she’s bluffing?  What does she want with the likes of us?”

               “I think she’s angry at me, and wants Audrey for money.  She’s a horrid woman—corrupted, that’s wot.”

               The doors to the orphanage were opened for them by the same man who had greeted Peter and Jennie before.  He stared at them gravely with his twitching mustache.  “Ah, the whole circus is here today.  What will it be?  You here to visit Audrey?”

               The visitors nodded their heads simultaneously, looking at one another to see if the others were agreeing.  

               “Oh, she’s doing splendidly here, quite a wonderful addition!  We are very pleased; she’s social, adorable, charming, just like her pare--,”

               “That’s enough, buddy, I’m here to take her.  I’m her mother,” Helen interposed as she pushed past the man and into the hall.  She stood with one hipped dropped and her hand fiddling the arms of sunglasses impatiently. 

               “Well, right this way,” the greeter stuttered, furrowing his eyebrows at Helen’s brusque remarks.  He led them down the wooden hall, the paintings still smiling at the onlookers with their finger-painted designs, and down the other hall where Peter and Jennie had last seen Audrey.   The man stopped in front of room and knocked on the closed door.  “Miss Lilly, is Audrey awake?”

               “Yes, sir, she is!” came a bubbly sounding young lady.  The clicking of her heels was heard for a moment and then the creaking of the door took over.  The girl, with her raven black hair, pert nose, and large expressive eyes, peeked through.  She was probably twenty years old, if not a year or two older.   She had a dainty, pleasing face; the one that caught Peter’s attention for a moment.  But he had no further interest in her after their one moment glaze.  “She’s drawing; she loves to do so, I’ve noticed.  She likes playing the piano downstairs, and she’s a very good listener.   Talented, child.”

               “I know,” Helen said, barging past the young girl and into Audrey’s room. 

               Audrey, having already noticed the company, had taken a seat on the bed with her hands folded in her lap.   She was wearing the dress Peter had made for her, and her hair was twisted into two, tight braids.  Her face was calm and serene, but it looked as she had just cried.  Peter entered the room first, stepping in front of Helen, who was busy trying to untwist her necklace from her large buttons in her dress.  

               “Hey, Ace,” Peter said, smiling. 

               Audrey burst from her proper position and jumped into her father’s arms, giggling and giving him sweet kisses on the cheek.  She squeezed with all her might and only parted to say ‘hello, Daddy.’  Peter did not let her go, he just rocked her slowly, smoothing her hair and allowing tears to fall freely from his eyes.  Jennie came a moment later and knelt down beside the two.  She wrapped her arms around them both and shed joyful tears, as well.  Everything felt complete and all of their hearts were warm in the happiness of being reunited.