Wyatt's Magical Wardrobe || ONC 2024

[Nine]

We sit waiting for Becks to scoff down my breakfast-coffee included. I'm dying to know all about her little overnight adventure in the nineteenth century.

"You're in trouble, by the way," she says, pointing to Matt, who is holding out half of his butty for me. What a sweetie.

"And why may I ask, am I in trouble?" he asks.

"With your mum, she knows all about your little escapade," she says between sips.

Matt's face visibly pales. He told her he was visiting friends in Derbyshire. Not sure why he didn't tell her the truth. After all, she knows about the wardrobe.

"Is she coming here?" He asks.

"Not yet. She said she needs time to process it all. She has been stuck there for over thirty years with no say in the matter, so she's-preparing herself, I guess."

He just nods and the room goes quiet as we take in this new piece of information, the only noises, my chewing and becks's slurping.

"I didn't want her to know just yet. I wanted to find out about her family first, so she wouldn't be blindsided if they were no longer with us." He takes a long sip of his coffee and stares at the rug.

Crap, that's right. His grandparents were absolutely devastated by losing their daughter. Her dad's gone, but her mum-

"We need to find your grandmother," I blurt out.

Matt looks up at me with a sad smile. "I've already found her."

"We read in the papers that she was put in an old folks' home. Is she-is she still alive?" Becks asks.

He nods. "I goggled her this morning while I was waiting for Wyatt. I read the whole sad tale and found where she now lives."

Becks raises an eyebrow at me regarding his mispronunciation of google. Which makes me smile slightly. I quickly stop, though. I don't want Matt thinking I'm an insensitive jerk.

"Is she nearby?" I ask.

"Yes, she is at Ipswich community retirement village. I want to go visit and see for myself how she fairs. Only then will I go to my mother with the information I've found." He looks up at Becks. "Was she furious?" He asks.

"Not so much angry, more disappointed you kept the truth from her."

He runs his hands down his face. "Oh god, that's worse."

While Matt wallows in self pity, I wonder what happened to Becks and how on earth she got stuck there?

"I'm sure she'll understand once you explain," I say, trying to reassure Matt. "But Becks, I'd really love to know how you got stuck there for the night?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Frank's wife was on her way and he was telling me how fond of tea she is, so I thought I'd get some ready for when she arrived. And of course your tea selection is absolute crap-"

"Steady on, I haven't had time to order any from Fancy Teas R Us yet," I say in defence.

"Is that really what the shop is called?" Matt asks, looking relieved at the subject change.

"Yep, some silly twat thought, It'd be a great name for a tea shop. Anyway, back to my story. So I thought maybe they had some proper organic stuff in eighteen twenty-four and decided it couldn't hurt to have a quick look. Well, the jokes on me, ain't it?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "You are such a numpty."

"So I made sure the coast was clear and then when I got to the kitchen there were dozens of jars, none labelled-for obvious reasons. I smelt them one by one looking for something remotely resembling tea, and let me tell you, there was some nasty smelling stuff there."

I look at Matt, and he's trying so hard to suppress a smile.

"Then I heard horse's hooves, and I panicked. I ran up to your room and went to come back through that stupid dumbass wardrobe, but I couldn't find the leaver. It's like it had completely vanished. So of course I started swearing and kicking at the door and that's when I met your mum, Matt. Boy, did she get a fright when she saw me."

"Who wouldn't?" I say, smiling up at her.

"Shut it, ya smarmy tart," Becks replies and makes herself at home on my bed.

"She obviously knew I wasn't from around there, so she asked me what was going on? We went downstairs to the parlour, where I told her what I know."

"And she didn't ask about her family?" Matt asked.

"No, I think the shock of the doorway opening up, only to close again, was all she could focus on. She was quiet for a long time. All the while, I'm freaking out that I'm stuck there with her. I declined her offer to stay up at Summerfield house and camped out by the wardrobe all night, checking it every hour. And it was so bloody cold."

Poor Becks, what would she do if she did get stuck there? I mean, to me, she's beautiful and awesome. But in eighteen twenty-four, she'd stick out like a sore thumb with her manly haircut and body covered in tattoos.

I guess she could wear a wig and cover herself in whatever they use for foundation for the rest of her life. I giggle to myself, picturing a confused husband on their wedding night. She would, of course, marry a rich, old codger. I wonder if Matt's dad has a brother?

"I'm glad you find this so amusing, you annoying cow, but can we please pay attention to the problem at hand? Why did the doorway close, only to open again a few hours later?" Becks says, narrowing her eyes at me and my daydreams about her life in the nineteenth century.

Maybe she could've joined a pirate ship crew as an undercover man, only to fall for the handsome, grey bearded captain?

Becks clicks her fingers at me. "Focus Wyatt."

"Okay, okay, the doorway?"

What changed overnight? What was different the first time it opened and now? I look about the room, curtains open with rays of sunlight streaming in, the bottom of the wardrobe illuminated. Great Scott, it's the alignment!

"That's it. When it's not properly lined up, it doesn't work," I say.

They both look at me and then at the wardrobe.

"You reckon?" Asks Becks.

"Think about it, when we got here it was off centre. I pushed it back into place and Matt came through-"

"Oh, Matt, now is it?" Becks asks, looking between us.

"I like it. It makes me feel like I fit in here," he says, coming to my defence.

To be honest, I hadn't realised I'd started doing it. "With his modern look, I think Matt suits him more."

Becks sits up and nods. "I noticed the new threads and haircut. Looking good, Mr Summerfield. Not usually my type, but I'd make an exception," she says, then winks at him.

Stay in your lane, you cheeky tart. I narrow my eyes at her. She returns my stare and after a few minutes of quiet, Matt clears his throat.

"I definitely think that is a distinct possibility," he says, bringing us back to the topic at hand. "We should test it."

Matt moves over to the wardrobe and checks the doorway inside. We see it work as he holds it open. He shuts it and pushes the curvy beast to the left slightly, grunting in the process. I don't blame him. It's bloody heavy.

This time when he checks, the leaver is definitely missing. Damn, that's crazy! He pushes it back into place, eliciting more grunts and sure enough; the leaver is back, and it opens again.

"So that's it. That's how your mum got stuck in the past for over thirty years," Becks says.

We look back and forth at each other. We all have the same question lurking in our minds. Who moved it? Was it intentional? And most importantly, were they in my house yesterday?

Word count: 13,834