Agent Ez

Chapter 5 - Meet the family

The train journey is like any other journey; tedious and taking longer than expected. I just want this mission to start, get the ball rolling. Prove to everyone I, Esmeralda Adams have most definitely not lost her touch. 

I stare down at my luggage, hoping that I’ve not forgotten anything too important. I’ve bought the bare essentials; clothes, toiletries, laptop, phone, and a few other bits of junk. 

I kick back against the seat, turn up the volume and attempt to memorise the lyrics to the set list the dinner ladies gave me. I’ve not even heard of half of them before.  Hopefully, this should keep the nerves away. 

By the time the I’m at my stop I’ve managed to learn one song – pitch perfect off by heart. I can’t really tell if it’s completely pitch perfect as I’m on a train and in no way willing to start singing loudly in a public place.

I lug my mini suitcase and side bag off the platform and into the small town. Taking stock of my surroundings I note the cobbled streets, a few cars littered across the road. I take out the map I’ve printed of this place in order to help me find my way. I’m a five-minute walk away from Molly’s house.

I take my time, slowly sauntering across the pavement dragging my baggage behind me. There are a few more streets, with cottage like terraced houses some with small potted plants on the windowsill. I walk past the high school which looks out of place in this here with its tall sleek walls made of glass. I turn another corner and find Orwell Road.

I come to a stop in the middle of road, facing another cottage like terraced house with a red door.  Number 15. So, this was it.  My latest mission.

I sweep imaginary dust off my skinny jeans and take in my outfit; a blue unstructured cardigan, with a plain black tank top, skinny jeans and my black scruffy Converse.

Tentatively I knock on the door a sudden rush of nervous bursting through me. Before I can dwell on them however the door open and a girl with shoulder length brown hair, hazel eyes and a few freckles opens the door. I give her my best smile, ‘you must be Molly? I’m Ez.’

She looks my up and down, sizing me up. I ensure to stand tall and refuse to be fazed by her stare. Finally, after she’s sized me up she opens the door wider and leads me inside.

Inside, is one big room with recliner leather sofas, a 50” TV hanging off the wall opposite. Two boys, one blonde the other black haired sit leisurely watching what looks like MTV cribs.

‘This is the lounge and that,’ she points at the blonde boy, ‘Is Drake and he,’ pointing at the black haired boy, ‘is Kyle.’ They turn towards me as she introduces them and I mutter a quick Hi, before she leads me out of the room and into the kitchen.  Her demeanour showed she did not want to meet me, get to know me or even talk to me.

Great, just what I need.

There are only two rooms in the bottom floor and a small garden. She leads me up the stairs while pointing out the bathroom, her room and finally my room.  My room is the typical guest room, non descript furnishings with a colour scheme of creams and off whites. It’s quite small although not small enough to be classified into the box room territory. A single bed is placed alongside the window, a small bedside table and opposite to the bed a closet.

I dump my bags on the floor and crash on the bed, wondering how on earth I can start to get to know them. This is always the hardest part; integration.  I know nothing of what makes these people tick. What their thoughts, ideas and beliefs are.

I pull my hair into a messy bun and get to work, sorting out my clothes and toiletries and putting them into the closet.  I’m half way through doing this when someone knocks on the door.