Greenbriar Manor

Fern Fronds and Freedom

Fern woke up dizzy under the treehouse clutching a doll in her hand. The thick linen white tablecloths were rumpled around her like a blanket. Grass stains and mud were all over them. She panicked they would lose their jobs. The Greene's had a way about them even the new ones. This place had an heir of excellence their family had trusted her mother to furnish all their dinners and parties for years. What had she done? She searched for the lunch bag and her things but could not find them. Where was her new friend Mari? She tried to say hello but all she heard was rustling at the edge of the tree line. Out of the thicket came a mangy-looking brown and white dog with three legs. It came up to her and sniffed. It licked her hands and her face several times and high-tailed it down the hill as if pleased or spooked by something. She did not know which. She tried to remember which room belonged to the little boy who lived there. But they all looked so foreboding under twilight. 

It had grown dark out and the landscape had changed from homey to something else. There were lights on in the foyer, but the rest of the house was dark. How long had she been there? What was going on with her mother she was going to be in so much trouble.  She looked at the doll that was next to her. It was much older than the one Mari had shown her all pristine white with purple dress of silk. This one was green-eyed and dark-haired, and its face was given to age cracked almost clean through on one side but still able to retain its shape. It frightened her a little. She buried it beneath the leaf debris under the tree and got up slowly. She might need a doctor she still felt sluggish as she made her way to the house. No signs of the dog or Mari or anyone. Just cold air and balmy steam coming from the washroom service entrance.

Miss Fran would know her. She walked to the service entrance and knocked on the door. Noone came. She grabbed the doorknob it was cold and slippery, and she couldn't get a good grip on it. She needed to call her mother she needed help at home. This had been an accident. Noone came to the door, and she was so tired. She saw the little dog again. He grabbed her shirt tail in his mouth and walked her down the thicket and over a hill. The tiny brick house lay beyond all the lights were on and a warm familiar smell came wafting toward her. Stew or something like it drew them down to it. A woman with stringy brown hair and soft brown eyes that reminded her of buckeyes smiled down at her as the door opened. "Come child. come and eat. It has been so long since Mari and I have had a visitor. She told me about your Ma and I phoned over to tell her you were here. She said it is okay for you to stay overnight the lady of the house is looking in on her for us. My son went with her to check on her."  She brushed her hair with her long thin fingers. She thought of her mom being taken care of by Miss Fran just like all the Greene's always had for their family. She had finally made a friend and her mama had known about it. A friend with a nice home and a kind mother. She giggled and sat down to eat. 

Over the hill Fran woke with a start. The curtain and window were open and in front of the porch was a linen covered in muddy footprints and leaves. She saw light and steam rising where the house was beyond the trees in the direction Brooklyn went toward home every night. She thought she saw a tiny girl skipping at the tree line that she had seen before. Brooklyn's mother must be well tonight, she smiled at the thought and made a point to call the linen company tomorrow something must have happened after delivery. She wasn't going to make a big deal about it the boys probably did not know what the linens were for anyway she would send them away to be cleaned. She was just happy the boys were friends, and they had a home no matter what the secrets of this place might have held long ago.