Five Go Back to Kirrin
Georgina Kirrin tapped her pen on the surface of the large desk top and sighed. She looked down at the sheaf of paper on the desk top and tapped her pen harder against the wooden top.
The old science equipment that her father had once had in the study was gone. Quentin Kirrin had finished with his groundbreaking experiments long ago and was now enjoying his time with wife Fanny around Kirrin, while his only daughter George had taken on the role of breadwinner in the family after a lengthy discussion on the subject first. Although her Father's breakthroughs had left them with enough money to live on for a long time.
At the moment though, George was trying to write a story, something she had been trying for a while. They story of her adventures with her three cousins over her teenage life. If she closed her eyes she could see the adventure unfolding in her mind.
A little while later, she gathered all the papers together and placed them in a folder. She put her pen away and walked out of the study and into the bright light of the summers afternoon.
She whistled softly hoping to hear the welcoming bark of Timmy, but stopped half way through her whistle, as the grim realisation dawned on her again. It was writing that book that caused this problem. She wanted to believe that Timmy, dear faithful, loving, Timmy was still with her.
'I really must see if I can get another dog,' George thought as she walked through Kirrin, her feet not taking her anywhere in particular; 'Although no other dog will replace Dear Old Tim!'
Old Age had finally caught up with Timmy, some years after George had left school. He had, had to be put down. It had been the kindest thing to do. He had been in so much pain.
George had cried that day, and for about a month afterwards. For once it didn't feel silly to do so. Her cousins had joined her. Well Anne at least. The ever so staid Julian had bowed his head and said very little, while Dick stood in the background quietly.
They had buried Timmy on Kirrin Island. George sometimes like to think he was having fun chasing all the rabbits on the island when she wasn't looking.
When she opened the door after her walk, George bumped straight into her mother who had been standing in the hall, on the telephone.
"That was Dick, George," Fanny said as she put down the telephone, as George shook off her shoes, "He and the others are coming down this weekend."
"Why?" George asked surprised.
"He didn't say," Fanny said smiling a little, "They'll explain when they get here I expect."
George nodded and returned to her study.
The story seemed to flow when she sat back down. The walk had cleared her head. A few of the finer details seemed to have skipped her memory, but she made a note to ask the others when she saw them this weekend.
She looked down at her page, and sighed. Yes it was interesting but did it make sense to anyone except her and her cousins? She deduced that she would have to try the story out on either some of the village children or her cousins eldest children at least.
George often wondered now, later in life, if she would ever get married and have children of her own, but she had found little in common with any man. They were either total slackers or work-a-holics. She found it easier to be by herself anyway. Being an only child had prepared her for that.
If George had been a romantic she would have kept telling herself that someday she'd find someone to settle down with and Love. The truth was though, that she had only really loved Timmy.