Late Summer 1942:
With a thump, the last box is put on the porch and my dad wipes his glistening forehead with the back of this hand. I make my way to his side and rub the back of my aching neck, letting out a pained hiss as my fingers desperately try to unwind the fresh knots. We both stand in silence as we try to regain our own level of homeostasis: my father eventually plopping down on a porch step and me clumsily settling beside him. The wind chimes of a nearby house rattles softly in the cool European breeze and I watch as the long grass of our new yard sways along gently in small, visible tides. He sighs as he gazes up to our new home.
"Huh," he huffs, placing his hands lightly on his knees. "The place is better than your mother let on." He nods with satisfaction. "Could use a new coat of paint though."
I raise my eyebrows and look at my dad. "And what exactly did mom tell you?"
The step underneath the two of us vibrates as the burly body of my father shakes with laughter. "You know how your mother is! She just said the house was okay. Just okay!"
I smile. "Mrs. Pevensie said her neighboring house was vacant and that it was a nice."
"Vacant and house were the only words that got through to your mother."
"Well," I protest jokingly. "If Mrs. Pevensie didn't tell us about this house, we'd still be moving into that small apartment in the busy city your friend recommended! That would've been terrible!" My dad ruffles my hair and he begins to howl with laughter again.
The comfortable silence returns between us and I attempt to take in everything. Arriving at the dock in England some days ago had already been crazy enough. The weather was so much more different than that of America; the air somehow cleaner, more crisp. It's always raining. The busyness of the city was the same as it had been in New York but there was just some sort of charming vibe I couldn't help but notice the minute I stepped off the ship. My new home was simply enchanting.
"We're really staying here," I voice thoughtfully. "We're not going back to Brooklyn, are we, dad?"
We both turn our heads and my father gives me a look of compassion. "We're not."
I nod. Inside, I can feel a light in me dim and blow out. The life I previously knew the sparks, bright then dazing as they spiral down, losing all trace of illumination before the chance of even reaching the ground.
"Lynn, James!" My mom walks across the green lawn and smiles towards us. "Mrs. Pevensie invited us to her house for some lemonade, doesn't that sound wonderful?"
"Lynn can go," my dad mumbles as he gets to his feet. He looks back and gives me a knowing wink. "I have to put all these boxes inside. Lily, why don't you help me out?"
"I think all this would be good exercise for you, dear." She pats my father on his gut and his cheeks tint pink. My mom gives me an expectant look and I turn towards Susan's house. "I'll be back to unpack my things!" I call behind me as I tread down the sidewalk.
I knock on the front door and wait patiently. There's audible scurrying inside the house and heavy footsteps. A blonde-haired boy a little older than me answers the door and puts on a smile that reaches his eyes blue eyes.
"You must be Evalynn. I'm Peter, Susan's older brother. Please, come in." He opens the door more to let me in and quickly closes it behind me. "It's nice to finally meet you! Susan's talked a lot about a new friend." Peter leads me to their living room where a dark-haired boy and young, petite girl sit on the couch. They get up once they see me and I wave.
The small girl stands before me and curtsies. "Hello! I'm Queen Lucy the Valiant!" My eyes widen at just how adorable she is and the dark-haired boy grabs her by the crook of her elbow.
"My apologies!" he spouts. "My sister loves playing make-believe. Her favorite this week is being queen. 'Names Edmund by the way." I shake his hand and crouch down to Lucy's level.
"It's very nice to meet you, your majesty! My name is Evalynn. I just moved in next door." I stand up again and am met with strange gazes from the boys. "Your sister mentioned you all like to make up stories. I'd love to hear them some time."
The three exchange a look among themselves and I shrink inside myself.
"Evalynn!" I look up and see Susan descending from the stairs. "I see you've met the rest of my family."
"I told you to call me Lynn," I add. She raises an eyebrow and gives me a half grin, I do the same. Her siblings laugh in the background and she breaks our stare-down.
"Edmund" Susan snaps. He immediately stops laughing and looks at Susan with a confused expression. "Mum told me to tell you to go get some chairs from downstairs; the Keynes are coming over for dinner tonight."
"We are?" I ask. Susan rolls her eyes.
Edmund heaves a long sigh. "Make Peter do it! I don't want to!"
"Why me, you little brute?"
"'Cause it's dark down there." I suppress the urge to burst out laughing but the others do it anyways.
"That's why we have flashlights!"
"Yes, but I forgot my torch in Narnia, remember?"
Susan automatically wipes the smile off her face and looks at me. "C'mon, Lynn. Let's go up to my room." She takes my hand and guides me up the stairs. I look over the railing and see her siblings watch us leave. I give them a quick smile and shrug.
Christmas Eve 1942:
"Girls."
I look up from the magazine in my hand to find Aunt Helen poking her head through Susan's bedroom door. "It's almost midnight. Go call the others so you can start unwrapping your presents."
Susan turns down the radio and weakly replies, "Yes, mum." With an approving nod, Aunt Helen closes the door. Susan sits herself up beside me on the bed and rubs her eyes. "I'm going to the bathroom to go touch up my makeup. Go fetch my siblings, would you? They should be in Lucy's room."
"Oh!" I squeal without looking up at her. "What a fantastic idea! Or you could go get them on your way to the bathroom!"
Susan hits me with a pillow and giggles. "You lazy bum! You just want to stay here and listen to the radio!"
I feign wounded, placing a hand over my heart. "You know me too well! I just want to sit here and listen to my husband serenade me!" This gets an enormous laugh from Susan.
"Frank Sinatra is not your husband. He doesn't even know you exist!"
"Oh, please! He loves me, he just doesn't know it yet."
Chuckling, Susan gets up and makes her way to the bathroom. With every ounce of energy I have left, I get up and set the magazine down on the bed. I straighten my violet dress and run my fingers through my dark, wavy hair. I shuffle down the hall to find Lucy's room, not even bothering to turn on the lights to guide me. The last door in the hall is left ajar and a dainty glow escapes from the room. Right before my knuckles rap against the door, I hear my name whispered.
"Yes," I hear a deep voice mumble-Peter. "I've noticed that too."
"And that ever since Miss America moved next door, she's been noticeably happier." Edmund says.
"Very much! "A high, feminine voice chirps.
Letting my curiosity get the better over me, I decide to listen in. My right eye peers through the crack and I find the rest of the Pevensie children gathered around Lucy's bed. Edmund's sprawled on his stomach, a pillow under his head, Lucy with her back leaning against the headboard of the bed. Peter has pulled up a chair to the side, feet resting on the bed next to Lucy's.
Edmund sighs and rubs his temples. "I haven't seen her this happy since we beat Miraz." The other two nod in agreement and Edmund sits up.
"I'm just relieved she has a friend her own age she's actually fond of," Lucy pipes. "I think Lynn's a good influence on her. Whenever I see Su around school now, she has friends surrounding her. She talks more." I smile at Lucy's view of things; I've always liked the young girl.
"So she's becoming more like she was in Narnia?" Edmund asks.
Lucy thinks for a moment then slowly nods, looking at her hands resting in her lap. "Yes, but back in Narnia, she was a caring gentle. Here, she's sort of a..." Lucy breaks off.
...Narnia...What is Narnia?
"A what?" Peter hesitantly asks, repositioning himself.
"A fragile kind of gentle..."
"Evalynn!"
I jump five feet in the air and spin around, only to find Susan giving me a questioning stare. The voices in the room behind cease and I tense up a little.
"Susan!" I say in a surprised tone. "Your eyelashes look so long! What do you use?"
She smirks and shakes her head. "You should know, you let me borrow it!" She stares over my shoulder and shouts, "Edmund, Lucy, Peter! Time to open presents!" Susan walks back into her room, turning on the hallway light on her way. Edmund exits Lucy's room and acknowledges me with a small smile. I mouth 'hello' and he quietly snakes around and makes his way towards the stairs. The other two say hello and Lucy takes her older brother's hand and pulls him along.
"I wonder what mum and dad got us." Lucy remarks.
Peter looks at her happily and crouches down a little to whisper something in her ear. I can't hear it clearly but it happen to catch "Father Christmas" and a … "gordial?"
"What's a 'gordial?'" I shriek in my head, following them down the stairs.
Thoughts?
