Oh dear late again!
I'm seriously sorry my readers!
School's starting again soon so things are getting busier. I'll let you know if I have to perhaps change my updating day!
Here are my late thank you's!
Burma - Haha! Dark…mwhahahaha. Thanks! Enjoy the update!
Epic One - (Thanks) XD
Sheila Chiaroscura - Both of your reviews made me smile. Thanks for quoting and favoriting!
Maxine the unknowingly admired - Haha! Glad you're satisfied! I'd say I am too!
Sweenylovett101 - Thanks for the chapter 2 review! Hope you catch up soon!
Here you guys go!
Hope you Lovett!
July 2nd 1837
Look at me! It hasn't even been a year since I wrote last! Look at me writing again! Aren't you proud of me love?
Alright…let's get on with it…the usual. What's happened in the last year? What won't you remember, what will you remember? Who's new? Who left? How old are you?
Well…you're six now (and growing up much too fast for my likings!) and you haven't changed much since I last wrote. (see, by making my entries closer together, it gets easier!) You're still always singing, always dancing, and twirling around on the hot beach sand. Since Rory's been gone we've been playing just the two of us together a lot more. Which you seem to fancy a lot! I sure do too…every single moment I get to spend with you is like a little gift from heaven.
Well lately, you've had a new friend to mess around with, actually!
I'll start at the beginning, when she stepped into the shop a few weeks ago.
I was working on a dress in the shop, in case another customer decided to pop in, and you were lying on your stomach behind the counter, drawing a picture while you hummed a happy tune and kicked your legs in the air. Happy in your own little world. Makes me wish I was still your age!
Well, I heard the shop bell ring and I looked up to see a girl. Skinny little thing with nice round cheeks and eyes that seemed a little too big for her head. She was wearing a bright red dress and had a bow in her ginger hair to match it. Her nervous eyes darted around the shop, looking from the tables to the floor to me…
"Yes?" I asked after a few moments had passed without any words from her way.
The breeze blew her bright and shining orange hair into her eyes and she used her slim fingers to push it out of the way before answering, "Uh yes…are you Mrs. Lovett?"
"None other!" I replied with a smile.
A small wave of relief washed over the young teen, as if she was just glad that she had stepped into the right shop!
"Um…my name is Amelia Tarn. And…uh…" she entangled her fingers in each other and pulled away at them nervously. I could tell that she was trying not to let her gaze fall from where it had locked with mine. "I was wondering if you were…well…hiring here. Cause my family's in need of a lil extra money you see…"
"How old are you love?"
"I'm thirteen, almost fourteen, ma'am,"
"Well…" I trailed off…I truly did want to give this girl in need a job…but I just didn't think there was anything around the shop that I couldn't handle myself…
"Who's there, Mummy?" came your tiny voice as you struggled to peak your head over the counter.
Glancing down at you for a second and then back up at Amelia, I noticed something change in her eyes…they sparkled as they settled upon you, probably not unlike my eyes were when you were born. It's a happy twinkle, but tears add much of the effect. Happy tears? Sad tears? I was a bit in wonder as I watched you step out from behind the counter and the girl we had just met slowly walk toward you.
"Aw…" she said, sounding almost breathless? "How old is she?"
"Few months over 6!" I answered. You held up both your hands and studied them intensely, your fingers wiggled and your eyes counted until you had five up on your right hand and one up on your left. You displayed a huge smile in triumph.
I couldn't help but grin back at you as I added, "Ella, this is…Amelia? Yes?"
The orange haired girl nodded as she bent down to your height and smiled at you.
"Say 'ello, eh?"
"'ello, Amila…" you muttered. Never been too shy you have, but never been this kind to complete strangers…
"Oh…you're six, huh?" Amelia mumbled, almost too soft for me too hear "Goodness…she would be six now too…you would have liked to play with her, love. Goodness I miss her…"
Suddenly gathering herself, she stood up and returned her gaze to me, all glimmer-free. "Oh dear…look at myself going on about this. How does that even make any sense? I hardly even knew my little sister…only four months she was when she was taken away…"
Suddenly, something became clear to me, "Oh my goodness! I know where I recognize you from! You were part of that little ginger family that used to play out on the beach right out here, eh?"
She smiled softly, almost embarrassed. Or perhaps just…longing? "Oh yes…it's been years since we played out there. But yeah, I remember. Everyday, on the pier, making little castles and splashing around in the water…" her eyes drifted back down to you and her words followed with it, "The day we lost her was the last day we ever played out there…you know Father blamed me for what happened that day…" I stopped her and pulled her eyes back up before I lost her to her memories anymore!
"Oh deary! You were part of the family who's little girl was taken all those years ago…such a tragic thing!"
"Yeah! It really tis…my mum hired a couple different investigators…they all gave up years ago. And the one who didn't actually disappeared recently but…" she smiled a bitter smile and looked back down at you. I could almost hear the envious thoughts bouncing around in her skull.
You silently watched us as we talked back and forth. Soaking it all in, observing and learning.
"Oh dear…look at me go on about my pitiful problems…I'm sorry to have wasted your time ma'am…please if you ever need help…"
"Amelia?" I stopped her, whipping myself around the counter and to where she stood just about leaving the shop.
"Yes?" she asked, hope rising in her bones.
"Listen…I actually, am starting a partnership with a shop down the lane…so maybe?" her eyes grew big as she couldn't help but let a smile grow on her lips. "You could just watch the shop whilst I'm out running meetings with them?"
"Oh really? !" she jumped up, the adrenalin making her edgy.
"Oh, and also…running the shop here all alone, sometimes, I don't think little Ella here gets the attention she deserves, right deary?" I asked smiling down at you.
"Wot?" was all you asked, confused as ever.
"My little princess deserves more, eh?"
"Yesssss!" you answered with enthusiasm, just hoping that'd be the correct reply to make Mummy happy. I laughed down at you and Amelia smiled too.
"I'll give you a nice shiny penny if you'll watch the little one while I'm working out here. Wot're say?"
"Yes! I'll be happy to!" Amelia relied, and the eagerness in her voice made me know that she was just right for the job. You just seemed to love her so much too!
"Well you can start now!"
"Oh really?"
"Oh yes!" I went back behind the counter and pointed through the door connected to the house. "Go ahead in there, there's some nursery rhymes that Ella just adores. It's almost nap time. Read those to her and she'll be asleep straight away, I guarantee it!"
"Well thank you Mrs. Lovett!"
I smiled at her excited red face as I walked back over to you and bent down, placing my hands on my knees.
"Ella, love? Amelia here is gonna take you back for naptime today, eh? While Mummy works. And I'll be right there besides you when you wake up, sound good?"
"Smashing!" you answered in your lisped little voice and it made both of giggle.
It wasn't long until you two were situated on the sofa in the parlor, giggling and reading together. You loved her right away deary. It was always meant to be like that - you and Amelia, your sitter. Sweet little thing she is. So grateful and mature for her age.
Now here's the bit that I bet you won't remember…
After the morning rush was over and everyone in town had settled down for lunch, I decided to go and check on you guys. I stopped right outside the outside door, and I could just hear Amelia's sad voice.
"And they all lived happily ever after…" I heard the heavy covered book being closed and the soft snoring that you do whenever you nap.
"Aw…love…" I heard Amelia sigh loud. "Goodness Ella…you're eyes look exactly like her's…strange thing to remember about my little sister, huh? Her eyes… but it's true…the same blue… I never really knew her yah know…she was only four months when she was kidnapped…but I loved her so much. I was always so excited for her to grow up. I even remember when my mum told us all she was pregnant…and I was just so thrilled to have a little sister! Cause well…there's always the twins…but Melinda is always playing with Flynn…and I never really had someone to play just with me…I thought this new baby would be perfect!
Hm…silly me…
You know…my father blames me for what happened that day…he says if I hadn't been playing on those rocks like I wasn't suppose to, I would have never fallen and Mummy wouldn't have taken her eyes off of her carriage…he blamed me to the point where he beat me, yah know…"
I heard the young girl's voice crack with tears, but I couldn't interrupt, I just kept listening.
"He's gone now…long gone. After the baby was taken, Mummy threw him out. Cause he kept blaming all of us and threatening to beat all of us…I'm glad he's gone. And now everyday…"
Tears clouded her speech so much now, that I could hardly make out what she was saying. I pressed my ear to the door harder, trying to hear…
"Everyday my mum drinks herself into an oblivion…so she doesn't have to think about what she did that day…taking her eyes off of her beautiful baby girl for two seconds. She's said too many times for comfort, straight to mine and twins' face, 'you're not good enough. You'll never be what that little girl could have become…' Hm…I guess I've grown used to it…that's why I'm so glad that your mum was nice enough to so easily give me this job! Mum's not working, and Father's gone, and Grandma just died last month…we're running low on the funds for food and clothing…it's all terrible really…heart breaking and childhood shattering…"
A pause and I could hear you shift in Amelia's lap.
"Oh dear…Ella…we never spent another day on that beach. We used to go every single day…after my little sister was taken, we never went to play again. And it broke my heart everyday. I used to even go and get all dressed in my bathing dresses, just wanting Mum to take us all…but she never would. And she would yell at me…and father would hit me anytime I ever brought it up. I don't anymore, of course. But I can see out onto this beach from where I sit now and…all I want to do is just go splash in the water with my little sister…that's all I ever want to do. For the past six years, it's been my only wish…"
I found tears rising in my eyes too now…why? Why am I crying? I just couldn't figure why…and it wasn't a pity cry…it was a true, hurting, deeply wounded cry. I still wonder to this day what that was all about.
"Mummy and the twins think she's dead…they think that whoever took her that day killed her soon after…I don't know if I believe that…I feel it…somewhere deep in the inner workings of my heart…she's out there somewhere…I'll never loose hope…"
I took in a deep breath and struggled to wipe away my mystery tears. Before barging in though, I listened to Amelia's talkings a little longer.
"Ella, you are so utterly lucky to have such a loving mum, you are. I don't exactly know anything about your past. I can't even begin to guess what happened to your father, or what troubles you remember or don't remember…all I can say right now…is that I think we fit together well. I think that we'll be good friends, eh? Yes, we will."
Another pause and a sniff.
"Here…get your hair out of your face here. My…your hair reminds me of my fathers…ha…oh, and your eyes…In fact, if my baby sister had grown up, I bet she'd look a whole lot like y…"
"Everything alright in here?" I asked as I finally cracked open the door.
Amelia jumped and gasped as she struggled to keep calm as you slept so lightly on her lap.
"Oh yes…" she whispered, "went to sleep straight away…just like you said!"
"Aw…good!" I whispered back and then helped the girl get up without disturbing you.
"I guess I'll be leaving now…" she mumbled as she tried to hide the dry tears on her cheeks.
"Yes. But please please! Come back tomorrow. Same time, same routine?"
"Brilliant!" she responded, stepping into the shop now.
"And I'll have your pretty penny all ready fer yah tomorrow, sound good?"
She smiled largely, as if I had just given her the biggest gift she could have ever asked for, "Oh yes! Thank you!"
Before stepping out of the shop into the hot June air, she reached out her hand and I shook it, "Thank you so much Mrs. Lovett! I think this will be smashing for the both of us!"
"I second that! And Amelia, please, call me Nellie!"
"Oh, alright…Nellie! See you tomorrow then!" she turned around and began to leave, but before she slipped out the door I grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face me again.
"Amelia…if you'd like to come a little early…Ella loves to splash around in the water outside before naptime…I'll even pay yah a little extra if you keep her entertained!"
The shine in her eyes as I suggested that was all the payment I needed for handing you over to someone else for a little bit, as much as I hated to see you holding the hand of anyone but your mum.
"I would enjoy that very much…"
There was, and still is to this day, something about Amelia that just makes me automatically trust her. Something in the way she acts toward you and me, something about the way you so easily accepted her. Something about the glimmer in her eyes that just reminds me of my own thirteen year old self. Something about the way she splashes in the water with you everyday now…it just makes her perfect for us…
You'll always remember her love, never forget the way she loved you as if you truly were that missing little sister of hers.
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