The Wishing Well

II- The Bad Coin

"What are you doing here, Lisa?" I emphasised "here", referring to the candy shop where Elizabeth was standing, looking at the chocolates in the display. I knew we couldn't afford to buy them, so what's the point in standing there? "Do you think we can buy a few of these for a penny?" Lisa turned around to face me. My heart sank when I saw her face. Her eyes were shining by a mere thought of buying chocolates. "I'm sorry Lizzy, but no. It's a very expensive shop." I knew what was coming, so I said instantly, "but don't worry. Maybe we can buy them some other time. You see we always find those pennies in the streets. Now don't be sad" I pulled her into a hug "Let's eat lunch. C'mon, I have apples. You love them, right?"

I was thinking about Lisa when we ate lunch. She was only 11 and had to kill her wishes like that everyday. It's not that I'm too old, but at least I'm two years older than her and understood the world better. Another difference between us was that she always had someone to look after her, first her parents and now me. My case was a little different. I was kind of "self-made" child 'cause I didn't have anybody to care for me. I don't remember my parents but I heard that they were respected citizens (for which I was thankful) of the country and we were a happy little family until 16th December. That's when they died in a car accident. Aunt Mary once told me that they were coming back from a business trip when their car slipped and hit a tree nearby. I was fortunate enough (or not so fortunate) to survive the accident, but they died on the spot. She said I was only 3 when I was brought to her because I had no relatives (my mom and dad were the only children of my grandparents who died before my birth), and her husband Uncle Gordon was the closest friend of my dad who accepted me without hesitation.

My foster family was not bad, but they had their own problems to deal with. Uncle Gordon was neither rich nor a poor guy, but he certainly had a very large family to support in a limited income, so you can say that they lived hand to mouth. He had five children of his own and they all were little (but older than me of course) with the expenses of food, education, clothing, and everything. So it is part of my upbringing to cut off my expenses as much as I can. That's why I felt bad for Lisa. She was different from me, so much different, and I wanted to give her everything in the world that she wanted but I couldn't. It hurts so much when I can't do anything about it.

"Oh Annie look!" I was brought back into the present by Elizabeth's crying. I looked at her to see what happened. She was looking at her coin with teary eyes. Lisa was a beautiful little girl with blonde hair pulled in two short ponies. She had honey coloured eyes and a little button nose which was red whenever she cried. I went to sit close to her and saw a bad coin. Oh! It can't buy anything. "It's okay Lisa, why are you so concerned about this coin anyways? It's not the last one we have found." I tried to console her which was impossible at the moment, I know it." No Annie, it is not the last but it is my first. I wanted it to be special, but look what happened." She was so depressed. I can understand her, she was so excited yesterday night when she found it. She couldn't see it because it was dark in the alley. So it was a natural reaction. Huh! I have to listen to her now, all day and all night. OK Annabelle Smith, say goodbye to your sleep! She was crying and I was just looking at her, not knowing what to do.