𝕊𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕖

Miri's House

After finishing our ice cream we hopped back into mom's car and drove a few kilometres to Bruners Lake. The small swampy lake was where my family had lived for the past fifty years, the home where my Mom and Miri had grown up. As we pulled into the driveway, hardly anything had changed since my last visit. Vines were still wound around the entrance and the window shutters were still painted a deep green. Through a small stained glass window I could see Miri, her white hair peeking through the rose glass. I parked beside Miri's convertible, careful to leave a lot of room to prevent the twins from scratching the shit out of her and mom's car doors.

Lu and Henry quickly hop out of the car, walking towards Miri. I reluctantly unbuckle my seatbelt and hop out from the drivers seat, following the twins. "Hi!" Lu exclaims at Miri. "Nice to meet you." Henry says quietly extending his hand. Miri shakes his hand smiling at the twins. "It's been awhile Miri." I greet placing my hands on Lu and Henry's shoulders. "It has. It's nice to see you." She smiles, her eyes analyzing my face. She takes in my appearance, likely realizing how similar my Mom and I look. The same bright red hair, dark brown eyes and freckled skin. After a few moments of silence she guides us inside.

The house is similar to how I remember it. Impeccably tidy, yet artistic all the same. Bright colours and flowers covering every wooden table. Something Miri always had in her house was flowers. She owned the only flower boutique in Bruners Bay and was an avid gardener. Behind the ivy covered house was a sprawling garden and greenhouse, filled with roses, petunias and her signature flower- tiger lilies.

After a quick walk through of the bottom floor, Miri guides us upstairs. "I set up the rooms with some of your Mom's things and furniture that Mr Lindley sells at his store." Miri mutters opening two doors. The first room, the Twins was painted a soft yellow. Paintings I instantly recognized as Mom's were framed on the walls. One of a soft yellow sunset. The other, a painting of Bruners Lake covered in lily pads. Two beds were set up along the wall, one with a blue knit blanket the other green.  "Thank you!" Henry smiles taking in the room. "I love blue!" Lu exclaims climbing onto the blue themed bed. Henry followed suit jumping onto his as well. Miri and I watch as Lu an Henry jump around on their beds. "I gave you your mother's room, just down the hall." She whispers, watching the twins with a smile. I walk down the hall, to the other room with an opened door. As soon as I walked in, it smelled of lavender. The walls were blue and there were beads and chimes hanging in the windows. Glass and charms no doubt strung together by mom.

After sitting in my room for what felt like years, taking in my Mom's childhood room- Miri called me downstairs for tea. Sprawled on Miri's couch were the twins, passed out cold. "Must have tired themselves out jumping around upstairs" I say, grabbing my cup of tea from the coffee table. "They sure are energetic." Miri says between sips of tea. "It's really is nice to have you all here, even though I know it's not what your Mother would've wanted." Miri says pouting more tea into her cup. "She probably would've hated it, but it is nice." I say softly, looking around the colourful living room. Even though the majority of time my mom spent here, she wished to be anywhere else. I like that at one point she was here, that she rode her bike, painted by the lake and sat here with Miri just like me.

"What time is it?" Lu asked groggily, sitting up from the sofa. "Almost five." Miri responded glimpsing at her watch. "Could we go see the garden?" Lu asked, she'd been excited ever since I told her about it on the way up. Lu loved bugs, and was determined to find as many as possible in Miri's garden. "I'd love to show you!" Miri exclaims beginning to stand from her seat. She seemed excited that Lu wanted to see the flowers and plants, boy was she in for a rude awakening. "Henry! Wake up!" Lu says into Henry's ear. "We're going bug hunting!" She whispers excitedly. "Fine." Henry grumbles, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The twins and Miri head towards the door leading to the sprawling garden. "Miri, I might drive into town to pick up some stuff. Do you need anything?" I ask, following behind them. "Oh yes." Miri says, reaching into her pocket. She pulls out a embroidered wallet, and grabs a few twenty's and a folded piece of paper. "Could you buy this for dinner?" Miri says. "Sure." I say with a nod. Waving goodbye to the twins, I head towards the car, eager to finally have some time alone.