REFLECTIONS
It was a beautiful spring day in 1907. Mouse London was hustling & bustling, much like it was during the Month Of Change over a decade ago.
I wasn't outside in the hustle & bustle, however—I was too busy reading my mail that my husband Basil had given me.
Sorting through the mail, I tossed away various pieces of junk mail. Soon, however, I found a letter addressed to me—from Buckingham Palace.
It was from my sister!
With joy swelling in my heart, I gently tore open the letter, & put on my reading glasses as I began to read it. It said:
Dear Victoria,
I am having a tea party at the palace, & I'd like you to join me. It would be a good opportunity to catch up on old times. I do hope to see you there this afternoon at 3:00.
Your dear sister,
Mousie
A tea party with my sister! Oh, God, how I wanted to go! I haven't had a decent tea party with her since my early childhood!
I looked at our grandfather clock, on the other side of the living room. It was almost 3!
I hurried to get to the palace in time & not be late. Adjusting my coat, cravat, & crown (I often liked to dress like my regal sister), I bustled to the door & shouted, "Basil, children, everyone, I'm going out to visit my sister! I'll be back in time for dinner!"
After my family said "goodbye", I shut the front door closed, & hopped on the next hansom cab that would lead me to Buckingham Palace...
My old home was just like it was during my girlhood days! Not a thing had changed!
The garden was as beautiful as it was during the old days, too. Butterflies were flying around, the sunlight glistened & gleaned, & the bluebirds were chirping as bees went to drink nectar from the brightly-colored flowers.
After walking around the garden in splendor, I made my way to the visitors' entrance.
The hallways of the palace were just like they were during my girlhood. There were still the portraits & statues of our royal relatives, including the Romano family from Russia.
I stopped to look at a portrait from 1831. Mousetoria & I—both 9 years old at the time—were trying not to smile (though in vain) as we posed with our parents, Queen Mother Catherine & King Edward, for our Easter picture.
I had to let out a giggle when I saw Father & Mother's stern looks crashing with our happy faces in the portrait. It was such fun to take pictures then...Mousie & I couldn't stop smiling for the camera!
Warm memories began to flood back, as I made my way to my sister's chambers...
Mousetoria now lived in our late parents' old bedroom. The canopy bed, with its fuschia curtains & pink sheets, was still there, untouched. (Or at least made up.) Mother's old piano was in the corner of the room.
I remember, every December, the whole royal family would gather, & we would all sing Christmas carols...the palace halls echoed with the beautiful sound of Mousetoria & me singing!
Oh, if only Anya & Madame Ratburn invented a time machine for the new technology so I could go back & relive all those happy times again...
The last of my blissful thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps entering the room.
I turned around...& saw my sister smiling at me.
"Oh, Victoria," Mousetoria sighed merrily, "It's so good to see you again!" She went over to hug me. As she embraced me, she added, "And after all these years..."
"Mousetoria," I chuckled, "it hasn't been that long since you saw me at our wedding!"
"Oh, of course!" Mousetoria noted. "I completely forgot about your marriage to The Great Mouse Detective...over 9 years ago!"
Mousetoria & I both began to laugh, much like we did when we were youngsters.
When our laughter subsided, Mousetoria gestured to her table, & asked politely, "Well, then, shall we commence our tea party?"
As mentioned before, I had not had another tea party with my sister since my father exiled me out of the palace.
I don't know why Father did it, really. Maybe he didn't like me. Or maybe he considered me a threat to the throne, after an incident involving a game I had played with Mousetoria on the day of her coronation...
No, strike that—it was the rehearsal dinner, just a few days before the real thing.
Mousetoria & I often loved to play mimicking games with each other, all part of good, harmless fun.
My father did not think it was so harmless, however, when I pledged after Mousetoria that I would accept the responsibilities & become Queen Of All Mousedom—which, I thought, was part of the mimicking game.
It was then that my Father banished me from the palace, despite the protests of Mousetoria, Mother, & the servants.
But all that was in the past. Now I could relive my childhood & old memories with Mousetoria, now that Father wasn't there anymore to stop me.
As she took a sip of her tea, Mousetoria asked, "So, Victoria, how's the family?"
"Doing quite fine," I replied, helping myself to some cheese crumpets. "Considering we've been through a lot in the past few years..."
"Really?" Mousetoria asked. "How so?"
I cleared my throat, & began: "Well, it's like this. We've been on many adventures lately. Quite a few dangerous journeys, too!"
"Really?" Mousetoria asked, her eyes widening with interest.
"Yes, indeed!" I commented. "We've saved Amazon villages from sleeping sickness, explored the whole world, & gone inside a video game...oh, God, there's so much I have to tell you, Mousie..."
And I began to tell her about all the things that had happened to my family in the past decade...
(A note to whoever is reading this: my husband Basil has described our adventures in explicit detail in his newly-published novel "The Baker Street Family Chronicles", as well as many other volumes you might find here penned by the one they call "The Mouse Avenger".)
We had talked for over 4 hours, Mousetoria & I. It was now 7:00...& time for me to head on home.
As I adjusted my coat & gathered my purse, I kissed Mousetoria "goodbye" on the cheek.
"Oh, Vicky," Mousetoria breathed wistfully, "you will see me again, won't you?"
"Of course, dear sister!" I said as I waved "goodbye" to Mousetoria, & took the next hansom cab to Baker Street.
THE END