1895 - sean & kaycee

thirteen

The next few days were stressful for them both, dealing with a baby is hard enough and Kaycee had promised her sister that she and Sean would be the ones looking after and not a nanny. She slept through the nights, which they were far beyond thankful for, but they had to keep her entertained and cared for for long hours through the day and it wasn't as easy as it sounds.

"You have a baby?" the young girl asked, pulling gently at Kaycee sleeve to get a better look.

"No Ellie. This is my sisters baby." Kaycee said, tears quickly forming in her eyes.

"Then why is she here? I've never seen her before." Eloane said, confused. Kaycee had an overwhelming sense of emotion suddenly and desperately needed to cry.

"She's staying here for a while."

"But why?"

"She just has to, alright."

"What's her name? She's a bit noisy, you know." Eloane said innocently, too captivated by the little toddler to notice Kaycee's sadness.

Thankfully Sean returned from the privy just as it got too much for her. He noticed her glossy eyes and quickly walked up to her. Before he could even ask if she was alright, she passed Lily into his arms and ran out of the room

"I'm sorry Mr Charles. I didn't mean to." Eloane said, now also tearing up herself.

"No, Ellie it wasn't your fault." he sat on the couch and placed Lily in his lap, sitting up.

"But I made her cry."

"No, no, you didn't. She's crying because she's sad," he said, sadly smiling at her

"Why is she sad."

"Because her sister is sick."

"Oh. How sick?"

"Very sick," he frowned sadly "That why we have her baby."

"Sick like my sisters were?"

"Sorry, Ellie. What do you mean?"

"I had two other sisters. They were littler than me I think one was her size and the other was even smaller. I was four- I think I was four. And then they got all sick and they had to sleep next to the fire all day long. Mama fed then a lot but they always got sick and made a mess, it was gross. Then this one day I went out and got all the food in with my older brothers and sisters. but when we came back mama and papa were crying and my little sister were gone. And mama said they were with the angels."

Sean's was shocked as the girls spoke of her sister deaths as if were nothing. Maybe she didn't understand it still.

"Mama also said that lots of people end up with the angels. And the angels watch us and make sure we're happy. But they weren't watching Mama because she was all sad all the time. And then the people who she worked for before she came and yelled at her lots and then she didn't go away to their house anymore. Papa tried to make Mama happy and sometimes they worked but not all the time. Then sometimes we didn't get to eat because Papa didn't have enough money. But then the angels started watching Mama again because we came here. And we get to eat every night now and on Christmas, we had this bird called a tur- was it a Turkey? That sound silly. And now we're happy again so it's alright."

The girl smiled her way thought the story, proud of herself for remember each little bit as she did. Sean sat still. He had never thought to ask the young girl of her sibling before, and for this to be the first he had learnt about them was not something he was proud of. He couldn't imagine what it was like for her parents or her older siblings. Losing a loved one like that.