The Queen's Dilemma: A Narnia Story

Chapter 6: Time Flies

I'm in another electric box. Eustace and Jill are trying to cheer me up by taking me sightseeing, but Finchley has so much strange technology that I can't wrap my head around. People gather around little boxes that play music (radios) for fun. It's interesting, but I don't get it.

"Is there anything else you wanted to see?" Jill asks, "We could go back to my house for dinner."

"I want to see the Pevensies," I say quietly.

"Pevensies?" Jill looks at Eustace, "Aren't they your cousins?"

"They are," Eustace says, "God, how could I forget? You and Lucy were best friends, and Edmund was your boyfriend, right?" He nudges me, managing to make me smile.

"I guess so," I say, "They still live here, right?"

"Of course," Eustace says, "You've caught us at the perfect time, too. Susan is visiting from America. Peter was there last time I saw you, but he hated it. He's trying to find somewhere to live on his own."

Susan. I haven't seen her since I was sixteen. "How old are all of them now?" I ask.

"Let me think," Eustace says, "Lucy is eighteen, Edmund is twenty, Susan is twenty-one, and Peter is twenty-two."

My jaw drops. 'Lucy' and 'eighteen' don't sound right in the same sentence. I feel like she was thirteen yesterday.

"I can see if they're around," Eustace says, "I'm sure they'd be more than happy to see you."

"If it's not too much trouble," I say eagerly.

Jill smiles. "This will be great! I've got to get home, though. My mum wants me to be back before dinner."

***

"You want to see your cousins?" Mrs. Scrubb laughs, "I thought you hated them!"

"That was years ago," Eustace shakes his head, "Plus Melanie might be more comfortable talking to someone her own age."

Mrs. Scrubb looks at me with sad eyes. "I know how hard it must be to have lost your aunt, dear," she says, "You can stay with us as long as you need to." She turns back to her son. "I'll call Auntie Helen and see if they're around for dinner."

There's a light knock on the door. "That must be Jill with my suitcase," I say, "I'll go get it."

My stomach has infinite butterflies swarming around in it. What if they don't remember me? One of my biggest fears is being forgotten by everyone, and who knows what's going on in Narnia right now?

I unlatch the door with some difficulty (again with the technology) and swing it open to see Jill standing on the front steps.

"I'm back!" she beams, "I've got all your things here, I hope I hid your sword well enough so the Scrubbs don't-" She squints at me. "What's wrong? You look worried."

"It's nothing, I'm just nervous," I say, taking my bag, "Thank you for all the help."

"No, it isn't nothing," Jill crosses her arms, "I'm not leaving until you tell me why you're nervous."

"I don't know what they'll think of me," I say, "I look a bit different in these clothes."

"So what? You're still Melanie," she says, "They'll remember you for sure. Especially if Edmund was your boyfriend."

I laugh. "He wasn't. I don't know what he was, actually."

"Either way," she shrugs, "There's no way he forgot who you are."

She's sort-of right, but how can I be so sure? Susan refuses to believe Narnia even exists, and Peter hasn't seen me in years. All I can do is hope.