Hey there people of the world. New chapter here as always and I hope you are ready to read it. There is a lack of our Beatles this chapter, so sorry for that, but we are introduced to a new and wild character I hope you will like. Umm… I'm kind of scared I let you guys down with the last chapter… The traffic tells me there were lots of readers, but, one reviewer… Can I demand you give me reviews this time? I was trying to be nice! But I'll get mean if I must!
Oh one more thing! I've recently changed Sandra's last name (from Braun to Baxter) after I found out Braun is a German surname, and yeah, Sandra isn't German sooo… And as a little side note, I've been pronouncing Sandra's name Sahn-dra, and not SAN-dra (if that makes sense.) I'm sure you can say it however you like though.
So as always, have a happy time reading!~
Chapter Four:
If I Needed Someone
Hissing to a stop, the train pulled into the London station a long while later. The amount of people compared to any place Sandra had ever been before was completely overwhelming. Part of her felt like it was possible to fill a whole town with all of the people it held. Whether they were passengers or workers, everyone there was in a hustle. They pushed around carts and pulled their luggage behind them. Some people stood by the tracks and waved to their loved ones as the train pulled away.
Sandra was trying to take in all of these things. She simply stood near the window and stared out into the abundance of people for the while that she could. Though when the ruckus of feet and the clatter of talking began to make itself known from down the walkways, then the girl knew it was near time to leave.
She pulled her trunks down from above her on the rack, zipped one open, and stuck her book inside. She had gotten to read quite a few more chapters in the time of waiting for her stop, once she had found her place that is. She also pulled off her glasses, folded them up, and put them in the pocket of her sweater. After letting her eyes adjust back for a slit second Sandra grabbed her things, which she was sure were much heavier than before. She carefully opened the door and was instantly crammed into the tight space that was packed with many other passengers who were wishing to get off. She glanced at many of them, finding most to be men in bowler hats who looked all business and no nonsense. She remained quite because honestly they intimidated her.
Inch by inch she made her way through the queue that formed while trying to avoid letting any of her trunks hitting another person. She would instantly apologize if they happened to bump into her. Luckily, that wouldn't happen that too often.
When she finally made her exit, she looked over the train one more time. She mentally said her adieus until next time to the lovely grey engine. She turned away from the tracks and began to look over the heads of the people for a way to make her leave. This was a bit hard for her. Compared to majority of people there were men who were a fair amount taller than her. She was an average height for a woman, at least she thought. Maybe only a bit shorter she hoped.
Weaving in and out of the crowd she found her way out at the other side of the station. The wind hit her at cool, brisk temperatures. She pulled her coat around herself tightly and thanked God that she had brought her heavier one along to wear. It would be winter very soon and then the cold weather would be constant for nearly four long months.
Sandra didn't like the cold weather in the slightest. The snow that came with it made everyday that much harder. People would have to trudge through the inches of thick cotton, getting their clothes wet and becoming ill so easily. It would require salting the ground, shoveling the pavements, and even the power outages if the weather was bad enough. She didn't mind the rain though. A bit of things being damp didn't bother her at all. It was just the cold part she had a hard time handling.
Glancing along the streets, which were now oddly empty of people but full of vehicles, she didn't see any car similar to her cousin's. Marian was meant to be there to pick Sandra up as soon as she got word the train was arriving. Standing in her place for a few minutes, getting colder by the second, Sandra decided she would have to walk. She once more thought of how lucky she must have been today, for it was only around a fifteen minute walk through the city to get there.
The girl was a bit afraid, who knew what kind of people would be here in the big city right outside of a train station? And walking that long in the cold would be an extremely difficult challenge. She had no other choice right now, Sandra thought, she had to do this before it got any worse. She mustered up her strength and courage and walked forward on the pavement. This was the right direction, she could remember from whenever they would come on to visit her aunt, uncle, and cousins on weekend trips. She knew this was the same old and chipped brick path they would always follow, but she didn't recognize the buildings.
Many of the stores and restaurants were replaced with newer models. They had fancier signs, brighter lights, were much larger in size. But by being larger it also meant they were cramped in between each other, with the walls nearly touching. Some of the pubs for families were now bars and club. Sandra found it easy to say that her cousin did not live on the best end of town. These same trends in businesses went on for a while but eventually faded into various flats and houses with trees here and there along the road.
Sandra's entire body was now shivering. Her legs were tired from walking and her arms soar from carrying the trunks along with her. She wondered if it was just her who was feeling this. Any other person who walked by her seemed perfectly content with the temperature, but she had came out of the stuffy, hot station just a few minutes ago, she didn't have anytime to adjust in the slightest. She set her things down for a sort break and leaned on the Gothic styled picket fence behind her. She noticed she was breathing harder than she thought; now vowing to get outside more when the weather warmed up.
She turned to face the fence now and draped her arms over it. The house was small and very quaint but had a large garden and uneven stone walkway to the front door directly in the center of it. She new the names of some of the plants in it. There was ivy that grew up the sides of the home, marigolds on the right as you would enter the yard, bluebells a little farther in, and small pots of pansies near the door. She found it to be a wonderful scene that she would paint, if she had any skills painting after all. Many of the flowers were beginning to shrivel now and there were hedges drying up and turning brown. She hoped they would all come back in spring for her to see again.
Picking up her things, Sandra knew she couldn't stop and sight see any longer. Her new home awaited, and hopefully some sort of heat within it.
It was soon that walking upon the brick-lain sidewalk Sandra had finally made it to her cousin's house. She checked the numbers of each house as she went, trying to match them with the number on the paper of directions she had made, to make sure she had the correct one for sure. It was a small building, like many of the others, that was made also of bricks that matched the walkway. There were many shades of red and brown among them, along with a white windows, shutters, and door. The house was cramped between many others in this neighborhood, and the house came right off of the sidewalk. There was no room for a yard, front or back, but Sandra wouldn't complain. She was being let to stay her for nearly free, and was completely thankful for what she could get.
She could see her cousin's car sitting on the side of the road with no intention of moving anytime soon. The girl set the trunk down out of her right hand and lightly knocked on the door. While waiting, she quickly then used it to rub her other arm and face to try and warm herself, and then used it to pull her hair out of her jacket, fix the curls on the bottom, and straighten out her bangs. In the few seconds after that she began to knock harder, she was becoming impatient with this. She bit at her lip nervously, and she could feel the sting of it becoming chapped. She knew Marian was home, why was she not answering?
But within the second of asking that, the door swung open. A woman stood in the doorway, pulling Sandra in in an instant. This woman was wearing a bathrobe on top of a short green dress. Her hair was nearly black as night but her eyes were a golden brown. She had a mass of makeup applied to her face, mainly on her nose and cheeks to cover some freckles that poked through. She wore an expression of shock and joy all in one, but was completely unprepared for anything Sandra could tell. Her hair was still damp and she held a towel tight around her neck.
"Hurry up," she said, rushing Sandra inside. Marian shook from the wisp of wind that blew into the house. "We don't need to have to rush you to the damn hospital the second you get here because you're diein' of hypothermia."
"Why weren't you there to pick me up?" Sandra spoke up, taking off her shoes and setting her trunks down on the tiled floor with a thunk. She could feel a chill on her feet through her socks until she moved onto the rug. She rubbed her hands together quickly hoping some of the friction would do her well. She closed the front door shut using her hip and noted how much her nose felt like it was going to fall clean off. After a few moments she hung her coat up on the hook left of the door, revealing her now wrinkled white blouse and tan skirt.
"Getting ready for work; they called me in early," Marian put simply. She shrugged her shoulders and gestured for Sandra to follow her through the house. She also told her to leave her things, they would get them later. "I got this new job, waitress at some club or another. I know it's not as great as my gigs dancing an' all, but it'll give me some extra cash to throw around."
Marian was a loud girl, and nearly the polar opposite of Sandra. She loved talking, being social, and all around anything she found to be fun. Sandra thought honestly to herself about how being a "dancer" was probably the perfect job for her cousin. She in no way meant it negatively, only as the truth.
A positive, Sandra figured, that there were many times than Marian could bring out her own wild side. Her spirit was one that could easily rub off on her cousin, as well as other people.
Time meant nothing to Marian. If she ever knew she was going to be late for something she would slow down even more, and use the time "wisely." Things didn't matter to her unless she was going to have a ball while doing them.
Having a fulfilling and successful life was not on her list. Any money Marian earned was spent on material things she would enjoy. They only lasted so long until she got bored of them and wanted something bigger and better. So much went into buying her car and her little trinkets that she would just barley be able to make payments on the house, gas, and electricity bills. She had taken up more jobs than a normal person could handle to try and make enough to make due. But it was simple to say she would quit them all at the drop of a hat if she could.
"The people I've met are pretty nice there, got invited to a few parties," Marian carried on, "They've got some cute lads every now and again. Well, that doesn't really matter much anymore, but it doesn't hurt to look. Can't get over how many sweet little lads like to show up at a place like that. Do you have one of your own yet Sandra?"
Marian was rattling on and on, her cockney voice seemed to echo through the house. The two had made their way into Marian's room, where she was sitting in front of her vanity, applying more makeup. Sandra thought on how she might as well have dressed like a rodeo clown for that much on her face. Her intent staring made her already forget she been asked a question.
"Guess I'll take the silence as a no," said Marian. She didn't bother to look up and only glanced from her refection in the mirror to whatever powder she was currently holding in her hand. "It's about time you got yourself a man. You can't live here forever, you know. Hell, I'm not going to be living here forever either. I want to get out of here! Well, you should understand that too, but I'm all grown up, you're still getting there. Enjoy it while you can, but just be ready when it hits you." Marian was six years older than Sandra, but had been living on her own or with boyfriends since she was eighteen. The second she could be out on her own, she was.
When she was finally finished with her makeup and her face was relatively pinker and her eyes made to look a few shades darker, Marian stood up. She took the bathrobe off, readjusted her dress, put on her uniform's apron, and twirled around for her cousin to see.
"Notice anything new?" she asked with a smirk on her cherry red lips.
There were so many things Sandra could consider new about her. She almost didn't even recognize her cousin when she entered the house. Marian had looked taller in her high heels, seemed more grown up with makeup and short hair that had light layers cut in it, and even appeared more outgoing with the low-cut top. Taking in almost everything she could, she finally spotted out what it must have been.
"Who gave you that?" Sandra asked in a higher and excited voice. She rushed over and pulled Marian's right hand up in front of her eyes. Around her fourth finger was a solid gold ring. It shinned stunningly, and reflected the light from above. When Marian turned it over there was a trail of beautiful diamonds. Sandra was in complete awe and overwhelmed with happiness, which also shone bright on her cousin's face. "When did this happen? How did he afford it?"
"His name is Lawrence Gilroy," said Marian, practically swooning from just talking about him. "He's Scottish, he's rich, he's beautiful, and I love him. Right now I love him more than anything else in the world, and nothing else matters." She put it as simply as that, out in black and white. But Sandra caught her saying how he was rich above anything else, and that stuck with her. The Marian she used to know would have gone right past that. She would have talked of how he cared and how he had been faithful for so many years.
"How long have you known him?" Sandra asked her, still observing the ring.
Marian hesitated. "Well, around eight months," Sandra's widened at this, but her cousin swiftly added in, "and I you don't approve of that at all, but we were practically made for each other and I love him more than anything in this world." She seemed so serious about the matter to where there wasn't a hint of lying in her voice.
"You can't marry someone that soon! I have friends from primary school that I still don't know everything about," Sandra tried to argue her view on the situation. It was a completely bad idea waiting to happen. You couldn't want to marry someone that soon, could you? "How can you commit your whole life to someone that soon? What happen if you or-"
"I love him, okay?" Marian argued back, as if it was the most simply line in the world. "By that, I know it will work out, and I don't need anything else except for him."
Sandra sighed, if it was being in love she knew she couldn't completely grasp it. But Marian was going to promise to be with this man, Lawrence, for all of her life. Whether they were ill, poor, healthy, rich, or any other obstacle that came in their way, they would be bound legally and spiritual together. If they couldn't follow all of that, it would lead to heart break. Sandra thought about how she must have had a pessimistic outlook on relationships compared to most people.
"Well then," said Sandra, excepting her defeat in the argument for the moment, "when is it going to be, and where?" If her cousin was going through with this wedding she was going to have to make herself part of it. What if they had children; would she be an aunt? No, only a second cousin.
"Actually," Marian said, uncertainty hidden behind her voice, "he's taking me to Spain, in April. Just the two of us and a minister are going to be there. We're planning on living there for a while too. You just have to promise you will not tell anyone in the family! My mother didn't approve of this at all when she found out, so know one else, got it?"
"Oh, yeah sure," Sandra trailed off. There was good reason for this. Generally their entire family would be outraged if they found this out. It would remain a secret, without a doubt.
"Hey think about it this way," Marian said, "in April I'll have been going with him for more than a year. And not to mention we were friends before that." This reassured Sandra. They weren't completely running into it, she told herself. Marian was now eyeing the ticking clock on the wall and appeared to be getting a bit jittery.
"Alright, got ta' go now," she told Sandra, in a rush. She pulled on her coat, grabbed they keys off the table, and put her hand on the doorknob. "Your room is one down from mine, but on the left. It might be a little stuffy so open some windows or something. It's usually a guest room, but I don't have guests that often." She laughed. "Be back late so don't have any parties while I'm gone, unless you invite me." She laughed again at herself this time and then went on her way.
"Hang on, what about-" Sandra was too late. She wasn't sure what in particular she was going to ask either; maybe about the neighbors, what to eat, how long 'late' was, or anything else about the house she could think of.
She was now alone in the house. The house that was in an unfamiliar side of town, that she didn't know what kind of people they were.
The sun was nearly set, with the darkening sky and some clouds rolling in to cover the appearing moon. She would fix herself a bit of food to hold her over until morning, and then send herself to bed.
Sandra entered her new room with her cup of tea and a few cookies she found in the cupboard. Looking inside the room, it did look like a normal guest room. A trundle bed sat in the corner with a night stand with an old styled lamp sitting on it. She walked over to turn it on and set the food down and found it was covered in a layer of dust. When the light flashed on she could see the small specks floating in the air above it, and around the rest of the room. It smelled noisome enough that she could almost taste it. Everything was wrapped in a musky veil.
She blew air onto the end table and wiped some of the other furniture. There was also I little writing desk in the far corner, and shelf that was full of old papers, and wardrobe on the back wall. She dust flew up and went into her lungs. Sandra coughed a bit and left the room once more to drag her suitcases into the room. She would fill the wardrobe in the morning, she decided. Changing into her nightgown, she drank the rest of her tea and ate the last cookie. Breakfast could wait for in the morning for some substantial food.
Sandra got under the covers of her timeworn bed. It was thin and springy, the opposite of her one back at home. Home, she thought, No! Absolutely no turning back and thinking about it now! She leaned over and turned the light off. She only had waiting left, to see what the next morning would bring her.
Alright everyone! There is another chapter come and gone, so reviews if you please! They would make me so happy!
Fare thee well~
