𝐌𝐘 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

𝟎𝟏, funeral

I.
1921 | Birmingham

    "Woah, you don't look too good." Finn chuckled at her cousin. She glared back at him. He was right, she didn't look good. The shadows under her eyes and her hair that was tangled proved it.

"Shut up, Finn." She hissed, slouching down in the chair beside Finn. She had had a horrible night with Carissa, she was screaming at her the whole night. Carissa was a lovely girl, and was always running and giggling 'til she couldn't anymore, just like her nan. Always smiling and making other laugh at the worst of times. But she was a completely different girl at night.

She was never a good sleeper. She used to scream and sob until her lungs gave out and then she'd just let out silent cries. She'd have dreams, bad ones, she saw things too. She'd be so scared to go to sleep. She used to say, 'the ghost lady' was watching her, in the corner of her room at night, always whispering and warning her, 'don't stop running, or he'll get you.' She said she'd dream of 'the man in the shadows' , as little Cara would call him, she'd said, he would always follow her in her dreams.

She was like her grandmother, the great Polly Gray, she was very in-touch with her gypsy side. At first she thought it was just Carissa's imagine until she told her own mother.

It broke Maggie's heart, watching her young daughter like this, scared to close her eyes and fall into a deep slumber. She had asked her mother about it and she tried to help with some herbs to relax her little girl, and it was working, but Mags was prepared for the day they'd just stop working.

The worst was in the past and it was way better than before. She'd have more mild  dreams and, yes, she still dreamt of the man in the shadows and sometimes the ghost lady visited her, but only sometimes.

The two cousins sat there, hearing Cara's scuttling feet rushing around on the ceiling. It was a sad day for the family, more for Ada, as it was her husband's funeral. Finn and Mags were waiting for Cara and Polly. She was happy for her mum to dress little Car, while she poured some whiskey.

"She'll be okay." Maggie muttered to herself, not loud enough for Finn to hear, before she sipped the copper liquid that used to string her throat. She knew Ada's love for Freddie was unmatched but her love for Karl was stronger, and she knew Ada wouldn't let him see his mother cry.

"D'hear from Ada? Like she alright?" Finn questioned, looking at her.

She shook her head, "No and I'm guessing not, but today she will be strong for Karl so we have to be strong for her." She told her younger cousin.

"Carissa!" They heard Polly shout from upstairs, then there was silence. Margaret and Finn shared a look. They had both been on the receiving end of one of Polly's punishments at some time growing up. They soon heard the two pairs of feet coming down the stairs, one calm and soft, the other like a thunder storm.

Little Carissa came running into the kitchen, leaping on to her mother's lap, causing Mags to let out a shriek as her little boney knees pressed into her leg. She twisted round, until she was sat on her mother's lap properly, facing her Uncle Finn (or whatever he was to her). She leaned her head against her mother shoulder.

Polly strutted in, and took one look at her daughter and sighed, "Christ, brush your hair Maggie."

—

    "Amen." It was a day that was not meant to come, not this soon. It was a shock to everyone, it came and went.

Her cousin stepped forward, not sure if he was ready to say goodbye to his old friend, but he had to do it for Freddie, for Ada, for himself, "I promised my friend, Freddie Throne," Tom cleared his throat, "that I'd say a few words over his grave, if he should pass before me. I made this promise before he became me brother-in-law, when we were in France, fighting for the King"