Sara took a
deep breath then pulled down the ladders leading to the attic. It was a cold rainy Saturday in May and she
needed some old baby pictures for an assignment she was doing for school. She had the house to herself and thought it
would be fun to dig out all her old things.
Her parents had
had the attic floored a few years ago therefore she was able to walk around
without fear of falling through the rafters she looked around then spotted it
the old box she’d kept her toys in when she was younger she laughed as she
recalled playing house with Morven both would meet in the park pushing their
prams it was ironic in their game Morven always named her daughter Megan which
was the very name Paul had chosen she frowned as she thought of him but then
smiled as memories flooded her mind the countless times he’d been kept inside
at break time or the amount of punishment exercises he’d been given she laughed
out loud as she recalled the day he’s managed to get himself suspended for
letting a banger of in class “Oh Paul you were quite mad” she said out loud and
wondered if Morven would ever get over losing him “I know you’re somewhere
watching over them Paul” she found herself having a conversation with him which
was pretty odd since she hardly spoke to him when he’d been alive ‘That’s
funny she could have sworn she’d heard him say he was watching over them.
Shivering she opened the next box taking out an old biscuit tin “Wow I’ve never
seen this before” she muttered as she opened the lid
She carefully removed the official looking papers.
The sound of
the door closing and her mother’s voice call from the hall had Sara quickly
pushing the papers back into the tin and fleeing the attic “I’m just coming”
she said as she dusted herself down though why she just didn’t tell her mother
she’d been in the attic she didn’t know.
She smiled as
she descended the staircase “You’re home early” her mother let out a deep sigh
“I have a headache” Sara continued downstairs and into the kitchen “D’you want
a cup of tea?” she offered “No not just now sweetheart…I think I’ll go and have
a lie down” Sara smiled as she watched her mother pass by.
That evening
she met Chris and they went ten pin bowling “So how was work?” Chris rolled his
eyes “Crap” she laughed she couldn’t understand why on earth he’d taken the
Saturday job working in the old folks home “So you not going back next week?”
he stared at her then grinned
“Sure some of the old geezer’s are really cool…there’s this
one old man who showed me all his war medals”
“Wow how interesting” Sara ridiculed
“It was actually…he was in France when they had to
evacuate…you know Dunkirk and all that?”
“Dun…what?”
“Never mind history’s obviously wasted on you”
“Well granted it’s not my strong point now English well
that’s a whole different kettle of fish” he kissed her impulsively before
taking his shot.
“Well hello you two” greeted Liz
“Hi”
“Hello Chris?” Chris smiled in Liz’s direction but never
really entered into any sort of conversation, he only had eyes for Sara.
Morven laughed
when she’d told her of Chris’s new job next day “I’m sorry Saz but I just can’t
see him in an old folks home…I bet he doesn’t last a month” Sara was inclined
to agree “That’s mean…I bet he’s good with the old folk” defended Amy “Yeah
good with the old folk he may be but well will he be good at emptying a
commode?” said Sara “He’d probably tell them to empty it themselves” laughed
Morven Sara agreed “Have you seen Mark?” she changed the subject Morven nodded
“I take Megz round to see him…I sit with him most days while his family are at
work on the days where I’m at the salon one of his brothers are usually off”
Amy slipped quietly from the room “Is he getting any better?” asked Sara
“Physically he gets stronger everyday but it’s the mental scars…his mum said he
has nightmares nearly every night” Sara pouted “Poor Mark his life really has
been shattered” Morven agreed “We think once the trial is out of the way then
maybe he’ll be able to move on” Sara took Meghan in her arms “Is he still
refusing to go to counselling?” Morven nodded “I’ve tried talking to him about
it but he refuses point blank to even consider it” Sara kissed Meghan’s hot
little cheek “There’s only so much you can do” she said truthfully.
That wild
Sunday evening Sara returned once again to the attic, ever since she’d found
that old tin she’d thought of little else and as her mother was round at a
friends and Kimberly gone out with her boyfriend this was the perfect
opportunity quickly she searched through the papers sitting back on her heels
as she blew the dust from them “Wow…someone’s birth certificate” she muttered
to herself as she unfolded it and read the contents. Child’s Name Sarah
Anne Landers
She smiled to herself her name was Sarah not Sara she read
on Mother’s Name Isobel
Landers a breath caught in her throat “Isobel” she said aloud
blinking away tears she continued to read Father’s Name Unknown “What?” she sniffed as she read the
documents “Adoption” she said her hands now shaking. So this was what Kim said she had a right to know “Kim knows all
about this?” she asked as she emptied the entire box.
Tears flowed
freely as she made her way down from the attic the tin under her arm a head
full of accusations she wanted to know had to know everything! How could they have kept this from her? Did they think she’d never find out? She would have as soon as she needed her
birth certificate for anything she stared at the clock willing either her
sister or her mother to come home either would do.
Kimberly
arrived home just before 1am and was surprised to see Sara still sitting on the
sofa chin resting on her knees “Hey shouldn’t you be in bed?” she asked Sara
stared at her “You knew!” she accused Kimberly’s face paled “Knew what?”
“This!” she threw the tin at her
“Oh God! Where the
hell did you get that?”
“Where do you think I got it…in the attic”
Kimberley placed her hand on the back of her neck and rubbed
it apprehensively.
“Why didn’t you tell me Kim?"
“I couldn’t it wasn’t my place to tell you”
“How long have you known?”
“What?”
“How long have you known that I was adopted Kim?”
“I don’t know…a while”
“A While?”
“About two years…mum told me when you were sixteen”
“Great pity she didn’t tell me!”
“She did it for the best”
“What? I had a right
to know”
Kimberly sat down beside her “I’ll call mum and tell her to
come home okay?” Sara nodded absently.
Irene Landers
arrived home minutes later and went straight to her daughter “Sara” she said as
she placed her arms around her Sara immediately shrugged her off “I’ll make
tea” suggested Kimberley feeling useless “I didn’t mean for you to find out
like this darling” said a tearful Irene Sara pouted “What’s she like?” Irene
glanced down to where the old tin laid “Whom?” she played for time.
“MY MOTHER! ISOBEL
OR WHATEVER HER NAME IS!”
“Her name is Isobel she’s my sister…Sara please believe me
when I say I love you that’s why I didn’t want to tell you”
“This Isobel has she ever asked about me?” Sara had never
heard of this person “No!” Sara swallowed “Was she young like Morven when she
got knocked up?” Irene Landers took a deep breath as Kimberley placed two mugs
of tea onto the table in front of them “Not exactly…Are you sure you want to
know?” Sara nodded eagerly “Yes I want to know everything?”
“Everything?”
“Everything!”