Skeletons and Demons by Carol Naylor part 1
" I still don't know why I had to come!" Those were the only audible words uttered by Jane's youngest daughter during that tedious three-hour journey from London. Trying to ignore this eleven year old sullen child was not the easiest thing in the world. Surviving in the jungle without food might have been easier thought Jane.
Steph continued to glare at Jane expecting some kind of retaliation. She tensed her body with one of her usual calculating mannerisms before muttering through clenched teeth like a wild animal ready to explode:
"Daddy isn't here! Why can't I go home and stay with daddy? I want to go home!"
This child was extremely stubborn when she set her mind to anything and insensitive to other people's feelings. Her physical as well as her emotional resemblance to her father was so uncanny, not just one but two temperamental individuals who could both be exasperatingly unmanageable free spirits, impossible to live with at the same time!
Jane, remaining unusually calm, turned to Jo, her eldest daughter who had been glancing through the window in between spurts of attempting to read her novel. She was accustomed to her sibling's outbursts, her desire for attention; she smiled at her mother in sympathy before turning sharply to Steph and reprimanding her:
"There's no need to speak to mum like that! Dad will be here tomorrow and we'll be going home on Sunday. Your friends will be waiting for you when you get home!"
Jane turned away from her irate daughter and smiled furtively at her reflection in the opposite window. How mature Jo was! The train had been running late since leaving King's Cross and so it pulled into York station later than expected. Steph continued to squirm, the hue on her cheeks reddened, feeling incensed at the audacity of her sister. What right did she have to scold her? Jo and her mother grabbed their bags simultaneously, in synchronised mode and hurriedly leapt off the train, leaving Steph feeling frustrated and dejected. Unsurprisingly, Steph was the last to leave the train, reluctantly dragging her bags as well as her feet, still muttering under her breath, showing every sign of boredom disguised through her anger. Just typical pre-adolescent behaviour perhaps?
Temperatures had plummeted as the icy wind gushed and howled down Platform 5 as the throng retreated, abandoning the dreary station for a more comfortable and warmer abode. Jane felt less unnerved by her daughter's tantrums when she glanced at the beautiful Christmas tree guarding the entrance to the station.
It was adorned with miniature glitter balls, swaying gently, illuminating the dark shadows with a colourful array of vibrant shades of scarlet, gold and violet.
"Wow, that's really beautiful," exclaimed Jo.
Even Steph, who had managed to draw level with both of them, turned round and was momentarily taken aback by the spendour of it all. She bit her lip to stop herself from smiling. It wasn't cool to show those kind of feelings when you were eleven. It didn't suit the image of the sullen pre-adolescent one bit!
Jane winked at Jo before battling through the taxi-ranks, across the road to the York Quality Hotel to be greeted by a robust but welcoming porter and a welcome flow of warm air.
The hotel seemed surprisingly quiet for this time of the year so checking-in was simple, quick and straight-forward for a relieved Jane. It wasn't necessary to blurt out to the young
Japanese receptionist,
"My husband will be joining us some time tomorrow," and after a suitable pause, resume with,
"Got caught up with some business matter...You know how it is!"
She felt stupid and turned to see Steph cringe at her. A barely audible but reciprocal murmur of yes resounded as Jane picked up her keys, turned and gesticulated in the direction of the lift to her weary daughters.
"Excuse me Mrs Russell, I have a letter for you," as she waved a white envelope in front of her eyes. Jane asked Jo to collect it and waved to show her appreciation to the receptionist who was muttering some apology about almost forgetting to pass it on to her. Jane nodded then as she turned to the lift.
All three of them were overcome by fatigue as they crawled out of the lift to the two adjacent rooms, 212 and 213 which overlooked the Museum Gardens and the River Ouse. She smiled inwardly and felt calm. She felt at home after a long absence, a temporary respite before life became complicated once more perhaps? She dreaded it.
end of part 1 to be continued
COPYRIGHT 2012. Permission to use this story must be obtained from the author.
Steph continued to glare at Jane expecting some kind of retaliation. She tensed her body with one of her usual calculating mannerisms before muttering through clenched teeth like a wild animal ready to explode:
"Daddy isn't here! Why can't I go home and stay with daddy? I want to go home!"
This child was extremely stubborn when she set her mind to anything and insensitive to other people's feelings. Her physical as well as her emotional resemblance to her father was so uncanny, not just one but two temperamental individuals who could both be exasperatingly unmanageable free spirits, impossible to live with at the same time!
Jane, remaining unusually calm, turned to Jo, her eldest daughter who had been glancing through the window in between spurts of attempting to read her novel. She was accustomed to her sibling's outbursts, her desire for attention; she smiled at her mother in sympathy before turning sharply to Steph and reprimanding her:
"There's no need to speak to mum like that! Dad will be here tomorrow and we'll be going home on Sunday. Your friends will be waiting for you when you get home!"
Jane turned away from her irate daughter and smiled furtively at her reflection in the opposite window. How mature Jo was! The train had been running late since leaving King's Cross and so it pulled into York station later than expected. Steph continued to squirm, the hue on her cheeks reddened, feeling incensed at the audacity of her sister. What right did she have to scold her? Jo and her mother grabbed their bags simultaneously, in synchronised mode and hurriedly leapt off the train, leaving Steph feeling frustrated and dejected. Unsurprisingly, Steph was the last to leave the train, reluctantly dragging her bags as well as her feet, still muttering under her breath, showing every sign of boredom disguised through her anger. Just typical pre-adolescent behaviour perhaps?
Temperatures had plummeted as the icy wind gushed and howled down Platform 5 as the throng retreated, abandoning the dreary station for a more comfortable and warmer abode. Jane felt less unnerved by her daughter's tantrums when she glanced at the beautiful Christmas tree guarding the entrance to the station.
It was adorned with miniature glitter balls, swaying gently, illuminating the dark shadows with a colourful array of vibrant shades of scarlet, gold and violet.
"Wow, that's really beautiful," exclaimed Jo.
Even Steph, who had managed to draw level with both of them, turned round and was momentarily taken aback by the spendour of it all. She bit her lip to stop herself from smiling. It wasn't cool to show those kind of feelings when you were eleven. It didn't suit the image of the sullen pre-adolescent one bit!
Jane winked at Jo before battling through the taxi-ranks, across the road to the York Quality Hotel to be greeted by a robust but welcoming porter and a welcome flow of warm air.
The hotel seemed surprisingly quiet for this time of the year so checking-in was simple, quick and straight-forward for a relieved Jane. It wasn't necessary to blurt out to the young
Japanese receptionist,
"My husband will be joining us some time tomorrow," and after a suitable pause, resume with,
"Got caught up with some business matter...You know how it is!"
She felt stupid and turned to see Steph cringe at her. A barely audible but reciprocal murmur of yes resounded as Jane picked up her keys, turned and gesticulated in the direction of the lift to her weary daughters.
"Excuse me Mrs Russell, I have a letter for you," as she waved a white envelope in front of her eyes. Jane asked Jo to collect it and waved to show her appreciation to the receptionist who was muttering some apology about almost forgetting to pass it on to her. Jane nodded then as she turned to the lift.
All three of them were overcome by fatigue as they crawled out of the lift to the two adjacent rooms, 212 and 213 which overlooked the Museum Gardens and the River Ouse. She smiled inwardly and felt calm. She felt at home after a long absence, a temporary respite before life became complicated once more perhaps? She dreaded it.
end of part 1 to be continued
COPYRIGHT 2012. Permission to use this story must be obtained from the author.
Interesting!
ReplyDeleteUpdate soon, please! :D
Yes of course. this week.
DeleteThis is currently being serialised in TV Choice (ES). Part 1 appeared this week, March 2014.
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