𝐌𝐘 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

𝟎𝟓, prove to me

V.
1921

Maggie stared at the house across the street. She saw the silhouettes of her family in the window. Her daughter would be somewhere in the house. The young Gray woman had been sitting outside in her car for the past twenty minutes.

She saw kids playing in their front yards. It was different from Birmingham. The kids were dressed neatly and the mothers who gardened around them. They were happy. The lovely houses were surrounded with expensive cars. Nothing like home.

Maybe Polly could fit in with the people in the neighbourhood and since Micheal had grow up in a friendly, harmless area, he'd fit in quickly too. Carissa was still young, she would adjust here easily. But Maggie felt out of place.

They were moving up in the world. They didn't just have one family car. They had a proper offices for everyone in the den, plus Thomas had his own office elsewhere in the city. The kids were growing up with shoes on their feet. They no longer worried about money or food.

But Maggie couldn't catch up. Everything around her was changing but she was still sat in the old family car, unmoving, wishing that time would stop. Too much was happening to quickly. It only felt like yesterday the boys came home. Only felt like last week she was holding Carissa for the very first time. It didn't seem like that long ago she lost her best friend.

She wanted it all to stop, to pause. Just for moment.

But it didn't.

Inside the house, her mum and brother were catching her, and her little girl was growing up. Nobody and nothing was going to stop for her. She had to be there to get to know her brother again and watch her daughter live.

But she couldn't move.

Not until the thin curtain was pulled to the side and her brother appeared. She saw a smalls smile appear on his blank face. He knew she was here.

She sighed heavily before opening her door. She stepped out, looking up and down the street. It was a charming little street, well taken care of. Leaving her flask in the car, knowing if her mum saw it she would scoff and scold her, she slammed the door harshly behind her.

Ending up at the end of the path, she faced the door, knocking lightly. They knew she was hear by now. Carissa was here so they'd be expecting her anyway.

Micheal answered, his kind smile greeted her, calming her a little, "Hi Maggie."

"It's good to see you again Micky," she smiled back, not moving in yet.

He stood to the side, giving her space to step in, "You can come in, y'know," he spoke.

She nodded, "I know," walking through the threshold, she rubbed her shoulder as she passed him. The door closed behind her and she stopped.

"How is she? Carissa?" She asked, looking up the stairs.

"Er Tommy came by, dropped her off, spoke to Pol-" he paused, looking at his sister but she had no reaction to the name, "I don't know what they said but she said to keep Carissa happy." Maggie nodded.

"How's... how's mum?"

"She's good, tried to hide her anger when I spotted you outside," Micheal said cautiously.