𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃, ⁱˢⁱᵃʰ ʲᵉˢᵘˢ

3

"Wake up" Micheal shook his sister as the train came to a stop. She opened her eyes, squinting. "Come one" he whispered, helping her up. "We're in Birmingham, Florence"

She was slightly take aback by the name he'd called her but realised she'd have to get used to it soon.

Florence picked up her bag, carefully stepping off the train.

"Do you know where we are going?" she asked him. "Not at all, but it's okay we can ask people" he shrugged, walking away from the station.

They asked multiple people along the way, some were clueless, some helped.

"Excuse me" Micheal stopped a young girl. "Do you have any idea how we can get to Watery Lane?" he read the card once more.

The girl smiled. "Yes, if you go up toward that row of houses and turn right, go straight past the pub and you'll be there" she said softly.

"Right, thank you" he nodded, placing a hand on Florence's shoulder and walking.

They eventually found the house and placed their bags down.

Florence knocked on the door. No response. "Do you think it's the right house?" she questioned. He double checked the address and nodded.

"Maybe she's not home?" he suggested.

Florence sat on top of her suitcase, sighing.

They had waited around thirty minutes before they saw a woman stumbling across the road. Florence stood straight.

She dug through her pockets and stopped when she saw the two.

"Excuse me?" Micheal spoke. "I'm looking for someone called Elizabeth Gray. I was told she lived here at number 17." he removed his hat.

"There was nobody here when we came, so we waited" Florence said.

The woman stopped. "What do you want with Elizabeth Gray?"

Micheal grew nervous. "I think she may be our mother" The woman dropped her keys, staring at the two.

That's when Micheal realised that was their mother. He sighed, picking up the keys from the floor and using them to unlock the door.

-

Polly had excused herself for a moment to clean herself up, leaving them both a sandwich.

Florence looked around the room, admiring the decoration. Micheal sat nervously, his hat in hand.

Polly returned and placed a cup of tea in front of them. "How was it?" she asked, referring to the food,

"I was starving, i'd have eaten anything" Micheal spoke. "But really it was super" she smiled at the boys words. "Super" she repeated.

She looked over at the quiet girl.

"So are you a cook?" Her brother asked. "I'm not a cook, no"

She sat beside them.

"The man who came to the house, he was driving a posh car, he looks rich. What does he do?"

"He works with horses"

"I love horses" Florence said excitedly, getting embarrassed at her sudden outburst. Polly smiled at her. "We have a bay mare," Micheal said, "we ride it all the time"

"Then its in the blood" Polly sipped her tea. "I've got about a million questions" Micheal said. "So do i"

"I've had different pictures in my head"

"Well, here i am." She nervously lit a cigarette. "It's all right that it's me, isn't it?"

"We don't have any choice" Micheal smiled. "I mean, you are who you are, aren't you? You don't choose and that's it"