LIFE BEFORE MARS

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE
~ When Mary Met Mars ~

"Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?"
I hear my grandad sing while standing by the stove. He's placing chopped leaks into a big pot for homemade soup.

I'm sitting on my favourite stool, watching him with a smile. It's while my dad and Uncle Steven move a few pavement slabs around in Grandad's front garden. He wanted a driveway set up for his car, so he asked them to help. Mum's at home with my big sisters, Stacey and Dawn. We take turns in visiting because all of us together gets too much for my grandparents. We can get pretty loud. Mum said she needs to invest in noise-cancelling headphones when we're playing. "But I do love it." She said. "Hearing you girls play is what lifts my soul." Dad would then tease us and say we sound like a pack of hyenas.

"Granda, peeze tan I get a chocwate now?" I asked, making Grandad look down at me with a "what do you think" look on his face. I know that look too because he's already told me twice I have to wait until after dinner.

"Mary, I promise as soon as your dinner's settled, you can have a treat."
I huff and nodded, but my stomach wanted a treat now. Yet I did as I was asked and patiently waited.

While waiting for the soup to come together, I followed Grandad into the living room. But not before taking a quick peek inside the treat box. It's where they keep all of their chocolates and biscuits. Oh boy, there's a ton, but one in particular stands out.

"Ooo, my favourite," I whispered the words so nobody could hear me. Yet just as I'm about to reach in and take it, I hear my grandad.

"Mary, stop rooting in that box!"
The second I hear him, I jump and quickly slam the lid back down and rush towards the living room.

I want to ask if I could watch a cartoon, but he's already turned the tv on to channel four. It's his usual horse racing. He then grabbed his betting slip and newspaper and sat with his glasses on the end of his nose. I had no idea what he was doing, but it's his favourite thing to watch. If it's not horses, it's snooker and if it wasn't that, it was something else. Mostly sports he could bet on. No idea if he's won any yet, but the fact he's the only one in our family with a car says a lot about his earnings. Sure, he works, but again, I've no idea what that is either. I've seen pictures of him sitting at a desk with a white coat on. Granny works there too. I know this because there's a similar picture of her dressed the same. Dad said they're in the RAF, but I've no idea what that is either. Mum said I'm too young to understand, before telling me to go play. So that's what I did. I guess I'll ask my grandad again when I'm a bit older.

So while he did his thing, I grabbed his hairbrush to brush his hair. He didn't have much of it, but I found it so relaxing. He didn't mind it either. I think he liked it because he'd just sit there without complaint.

"Granda, tan we still go to the Park next time?"
Grandad smiled and nods.
"Sure we can. As long as the rain stays off." He said while looking between his papers and the tv.
"Do you fink we could feed the ducks adain?"
He grinned.
"I don't see why not. I'll pop in at the shops and get some feed."
With an excitable squeal and jump, I thank him. I almost choke him when I move in and hug him too.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. I'm gonna miss the race." He chuckled.
"Granda..." I wait and he sighed. "What is it now, Mary?" He asked.
"Tan we take some flowers to the grave too?"
He paused and with a small smile, he cleared his throat.
"Sure," was all he said before moving his attention back to the race.
With a nod from me, I carried on brushing his hair.

It's his parent's grave. He'd taken me a few weeks ago to place some flowers down for their anniversary. I loved it there because it was so peaceful. Then I felt bad when he looked so sad, so I hugged him after he placed their flowers down. After he pulled back, he told me about great Granny Levine and how she told my mummy about the king and queen's story.
He also said his mummy was a lot of fun. "Always up to something she was," he'd say. "You're a lot like her, Mary." It's true. My daddy said I need a chain tied to my wrist so he knows where I am at all times. I'm always up to something I shouldn't be doing.
   As for the kings and queens story, that was passed down from granny's mum, and hers before her.
My Granny Edna's upstairs, grabbing a quick shower. She thought it was a good idea to try and help outside, but ended up falling into a muddy puddle. It's been raining a lot lately, so it's like a mud pool out there.

After a while of brushing Grandad's hair, I left him to it to check on my dad and Uncle Steven. As I open the front door, I see it's starting to rain again. Then I hear Granny call down, telling them to get inside.

"It's pointless getting ill over a few slabs. Get inside and clean up for dinner."
They were about to walk inside, but Granny held her hand up while standing at the bottom of the stairs.
"Boots off!" She exclaimed before they could step over the threshold.
Both men looked down at their feet, which made me look too. Oh boy, that's a lot of mud, but it looked fun. I imagine myself with my wellingtons on, stomping around in the mud pools.

Once they took their boots off, they step inside. I'm still standing there, looking outside at the muddy puddles as Dad ruffled my hair on the way in. Seconds later, I'm jumping a little when I hear my granny.

"Don't even think about it missy. Close the door and walk away from the mud." She exclaimed.
When I turn my head, she's looking down at me with a pointed look. She knows exactly what I'm thinking. So with a huff, I close the door, "Spoilsport," was what I whispered under my breath.

"What was that?" She asked, and I began skipping through the passageway and into the living room.
"Nothing, granny." I sang.
"Mmm," she said, "I believe you, but millions wouldn't."

As she followed me into the living room, she spoke again.
"Mary, you can help set the table now. Go get the tablecloth and placemats. I'll get your stool and cutlery. Steven, Henry, go wash up. You're not getting fed at my table with mud all over you." She finished in a stern voice.

Both my grandparents are from Yorkshire, so their accents are amazing. They moved to the northeast back in the early sixties, which I'm sad about. Sure, I love that they live close, but I would've loved to go to Yorkshire to visit. We don't do any "visiting" here, apart from coming here to see them, but it doesn't count. We never go on holiday or anything. The closest we get to a holiday is a trip to the beach. That's our special treat if my parents saved enough money. I love the beach though. It's one of my favourite places to go. I'd get so excited that my swimsuit and towel are already packed and ready to go the day before. It made my parents laugh every time they'd see it sitting at the bottom of my bed. I'd always make sure I have my beach towel, flip-flops, and armbands. Mum said I don't need them since I don't go that far into the eater, but Dad says it's always best to be prepared. Not sure what for, but I wasn't going to argue.

Anyway, while I grabbed the tablecloth and placemats, Granny grabbed my favourite stool. It's not really a stool. It's more of a two-step ladder, but the last step had a cushioned seat, one perfect for my little butt. That's what my granny says anyway.

Granny placed my stool in my spot at the table and then helped me with the tablecloth. Once it's set, I place the mats around the table, and then the spoons.
Dad came in with a plate, one filled with his favourite stottie bread covered in butter.
I just placed down the last spoon when Uncle Steven ruffled my hair.

"Looks good, Mary," he then leaned in, making me jump with what he said next. "You best hide that chocolate bar though. If granny sees it, you'll be in trouble."

Drat!
When I look down, I see my hidden chocolate bar peeking out from my dress pocket. So I quickly pushed it back inside before anybody else could see it. When I looked up at my Uncle Steven, my face heats up. He chuckled and winked.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." He whispered.

Yes, I was quick at grabbing a chocolate bar before closing the treat box lit. I've done this a few times, but it's the first time I've been caught out.

Granny called out to Grandad, telling him the soup's ready to go. He nods and tells me to grab a few bowels. I go to it, but again, I'm caught out when that chocolate bar falls out of my pocket.
I hear him sigh, and when I look up, he's looking down at me with a disappointed stare. He didn't say anything, he just points at the treat box, signalling for me to return the chocolate bar.
I do as I'm told and then grab the bowls from my grandad to dish out the soup. I hear him mumble something that sounded like "Bloody Mars bars, every time."
   I can't help it, they're just so delicious.

"Okay Mars, eat up."
When my grandad said this, they all laughed and I tilt my head. Why did he call me Mars? Their laughter kind of upset me, just because I didn't know why. I asked, but he just shook his head and said, "It's short for Mary. Now come on, eat before it gets cold."

Oh, I like that. It's so much better than Mary. Luckily from that day on, it stuck with me too.