It was now late afternoon and Eliza never felt safe in the park at dusk. So, she gathered up Julia, who had two new bruises, and they walked back to their apartment. They didn't live far from the park, just about two blocks. With in a good walking distances Eliza always thought. Julia never thought the same way about the walk there though. She would wine and complain the whole way there and then when they had to go back. Going back she was always quieter, she was tired, which actually served to Eliza's advantage. Julia had no energy to run out in front of her and get lost in the crowd.
Today, Julia was so tired she could hardly walk. Her legs felt like rubber and she was panting like a dog. "I hate walking home," she groaned. "I'm tired. I'm thirsty. I'm hungry." She started to stomp her feet as she walked.
"Oh hush Julia," Eliza groaned back. She stopped her daughter and picked her up, just to avoid anymore of her complaining. She would have to endure more of it the next day and the day after that once they began packing and getting ready to leave.
Eliza had to struggle to get the keys to her apartment from her purse. She had carried Julia nearly the whole way home and up the few stairs it took to get inside their apartment complex. Luckily there apartment was on the first floor and she wouldn't have to carry Julia much longer. Julia wasn't as little as she used to be, being that children grow, and her being asleep with her body limp didn't help Eliza much either.
"Why
ello, Ms. Wells!" Eliza could hear a man's voice call out to her.
"Why don't you give me the little tike?" He was already
grabbing for Julia from her arms.
Once he had her in his arms she
grinned to see Bert hushing Julia as she began to stir in his arms.
Eliza was always happy to see Bert. He was the type of man that never
thought to press his advantage and his blood was blue. He was around
her age, early 30's so she figured, and he was usually dirty from
head to toe. He was a chimney sweep at night sometimes and he would
be covered in the soot, his dirtiness never bothered her though. It
was odd to see him so clean and bright as a penny this afternoon.
Eliza fished around for her keys for a long while, to realize she had stuffed them in her pocket. She was a bit embarrassed but she figured it was better that she found them there then no where at all. She unlocked the apartment door and swung it open. She stepped inside to flick the light on before she took Julia back in her arms.
"I'll take her now," Eliza said as she wrapped her arms around her daughter's waist. Julia woke-up and turned to her mother's arms and wrapped her arms around Eliza's neck and closed her eyes again. Eliza smiled at Bert, "we went to the park today, she's all tuckered."
"I can see," Bert grinned, "She's getting so big."
"Yes, I know," Eliza said somberly looking at her daughter and stroking her hair softly. "You want to come in for coffee, tea, or juice?"
"You know I would normally take you up on that," Bert smiled, "but I must be off."
"Oh… yes. I should put her to sleep anyways," Eliza nodded her head towards Julia. She started to turn around into her apartment but she turned around to face him, "before I forget Julia and I are leaving Tuesday morning. I got a job with the von Trapp family." Eliza forced a smile. The cold captain gave her a bit of the shivers; he was so stiff and unyielding.
"It'll be alright," Bert could since her worrying, "he isn't so bad, just think of all the whistles and the children marching." Bert laughed as he said this. He settled down when he saw Eliza's frightened face.
"Goodness, you'll be okay darling," Bert gave her a side hug.
"Do you think she'll be alright there?" Eliza said looking at Julia.
"She'll be alright, but she won't be able to romp around there like she does here."
"How do you know so much about that family anyways?"
"I did all six of their chimneys, they aren't very tidy people."
"Well… I know someone who can fix that. I can make that a snap," Eliza winked at Bert.
"You ought to put her to bed now. I think her mouth has a leek."
Eliza laughed as she said good bye to Bert and walked inside their apartment and placed Julia on the bed. She slipped Julia out of her dress and slithered her into her night gown. Julia moaned once, while Eliza was getting the night gown on over her head, but she soon fell asleep. "I love the park" Eliza thought out loud.
"WAKE-UP!" Julia shouted excitedly to her sleeping mother. "Today's my birthday!" Julia started jumping up and own on the bed, popping Eliza up and down. "Where's my surprise?" Julia asked as she laid flat on her stomach by her mother, breathing in Eliza's face. "And why are all my things in suitcases?"
The apartment room had about five large suitcases two large forest green one's, one medium sized one in a navy blue, a little pink and purple one for Julia's stuff, and Eliza had a carpet bag. The suitcases held all their positions from pots and pans to Julia's dolls. Eliza opened one eye to see a complete view of Julia's blue eye staring at her. She glanced over to the only window in the room, by the kitchenette. The sun was just beginning to rise and the clock on the wall read 7:00 am. She looked back at Julia, her nostrils now flared from her inpatients growing for an answer to her questions.
"I have to take you to your surprise," Eliza yawned. Slowly she sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Go get dressed in your white dress with the blue satin sash," that was Eliza's favorite dress of Julia's. Julia hopped off the bed and went to one of the boxes.
"Where is it?" She continued looking.
"Julia, I hung it up on the chair there," Eliza pointed to the chair that was about ready to fall into pieces. In fact, that's exactly what it did when Julia whipped her dress of the back of it. Julia looked down at the chair and then other to her mother. Eliza, just smiled, "it's okay, just get dressed." Julia continued dressing herself after her mother's reinsurance.
"Is Bert coming with us?" Julia asked excitedly. Whenever Bert was with them her mother always led them to magical places.
"No, not today. We won't be seeing Bert for awhile."
Eliza got up in a yawn. She was tired from packing all last night. She could have lay back down and fallen right back asleep, but she knew she couldn't. She had an hour to get ready, feed Julia and get to the bus station to get to the von Trapp's house.
