Straight On Till Morning

one

Emily and her twin sister Wendy stood tall as they told their brothers the story of Cinderella.

“Cinderella flew through the air far from all things ugly and ordinary. When she landed at the ball, she found herself most impertinently surrounded by pirates.” Wendy said as she began to lean over John and Micheal.

“There was Alf Mason, so ugly his mother sold him for a bottle of muscat.” Emily continued, “Bill Jukes, every inch of him tattooed.”

“And cruelest of them all, Hook, with blue as forget-me-nots, save when he claws your belly with the iron hook he has instead of a right hand, at which time his eyes turn red.” John and Micheal backed away from their sisters with wide eyes before John reached into the toy chest and pulled out a toy sword.

“‘Girlie,’ said Hook.” John says as he points the sword at Wendy. “‘we have come for ye glass slippers.’”

“Who be you to order me about and call me girlie?” Wendy sneered, “Take that!”

“Commoner!” John shouted.

Wendy and John began their sword fight while Emily and Micheal sat on the side cheering them on. Nana, their dog and nurse, barked as her form of cheering before she went silent. 

“Hook came at her.” John let out a battle cry.

None of the children noticed Nana’s silence. Emily and Micheal watched as Wendy ducked while John ran his sword into the bookcase knocking a few books off the shelf.

“What happened then? What happened then?” Micheal questioned, excitedly.

“The brave Cinderella settled the matter once and for all with her revolver.” Wendy narrated. 

“Her revolver?” The boys repeated.

Nana began to bark as she looked out the window, finally catching the attention of the children. The four ran forward and opened their bedroom window and looked around for whatever had caught Nana’s attention but found nothing. They even looked up at the sky but still found nothing, there was no bird or any other flying object that could’ve caused her to bark.

They were all startled when the cuckoo clock went off and they could hear the front door open. Their Aunt Millicent was visiting and they could already hear the woman from all the way in the nursery. Emily turned to her youngest brother with a wicked smile.

“It’s bath time, Micheal.” 

“No!” He shouted before he ran off with Emily and Nana chasing him. Emily looked in a few rooms for Micheal before she heard him shouting and running down the hall.

She peered her head out of the doorway and watched as Nana chased him while he wore nothing but his underwear and a Native headdress. She laughed as she watched Nana throw Micheal over her back and into the bathtub.

“Not fair.” The boy cried out, Nana began to lick his face affectionately. “No. No, I will not forgive you.”

“Once you’re finished and dressed, come say hello to Aunt Millicent.” Emily ordered before she made her way downstairs with Wendy and John. Wendy had taken off her armor and instead wore a pink robe with a white bow in her hair.

Soon, all of the Darling children sat on the sofa as they listened to their mother play piano and their father sing, while singing along themselves. Emily watched her mother send them a smile and caught a glimpse of her secret kiss on the right-hand corner of her mouth that none of them could ever get. John grabbed Wendy’s hand, who in turn grabbed Emily’s, and the four children began to dance around their aunt.