Visiting Home

Breakfast

Sybbie made her way through the hall and into the breakfast room. Her grandfather and Aunt Edith sat at the table. Sybbie sat beside Edith, glancing at Robert, hoping for a good morning. Unfortunately, Robert stayed hidden behind his tangle of newspaper. Sybbie turned to Edith, unsure how to start conversation.

"How did you sleep last night?" Edith asked, pouring cream into her morning tea.

"It was alright," Sybbie admitted, "I'm not quite used to my surroundings yet."

Edith smiled kindly at her.

"Well, it should all be familiar soon enough."

Sybbie nodded happily. She was proud for holding a conversation with someone, even if it was rather short. She wasn't sure about her family yet, and didn't know how to speak to them.

She turned to her plate where an elaborate plating of toast, scrambled egg and a scone had appeared. She reached for the marmalade and carefully spread it on her toast. Robert watched from the corner of his eye, observing her ways. Sybbie sensed he was watching her and quickly set the knife back on the platter. She buttered her scone and ate a bite of her egg. Carson set a saucer of steaming black liquid in front of her. Sybbie burrowed her eyebrows, confused. No one in their right mind drank coffee at her age!

"Have you never had coffee?" Edith asked.

"No," she answered, shaking her head, "I don't drink it."

"Really?" Edith asked, eyes widening.

Sybbie felt like laughing. Her aunt was acting like a child!

"I drink tea." Sybbie answered thoughtfully.

"Well, why don't you try it? You can add cream and sugar if you'd like." Edith spoke.

Sybbie looked at the black liquid hesitantly. She wasn't sure about it, and surely her father wouldn't approve. But her father wasn't down for breakfast yet, and a sip wouldn't harm her.

"Okay," she said hesitantly, "But I don't think I'll like it."

Sybbie sipped the coffee and instantly made a face as the vile hot liquid entered her mouth. She definitely did not like it. Edith laughed at the child's reaction and handed her some tea instead. Robert chuckled softly behind his paper at the funny face she was making.

"I don't think I like that very much." Sybbie sputtered.

"You don't have to drink anymore, have some tea instead." Edith smiled fondly.

Sybbie poured some honey into her tea when a girl, not much younger than herself came bouncing into the room. Sybbie remembered she hadn't met the whole family yet; she's only arrived last night, when most were asleep. The girl stopped in the doorway and stared at Sybbie, making her uncomfortable.

"Marigold, come sit with mummy. This is your cousin, Sybbie." Edith explained.

So that was Marigold, she thought.

"Hello." Sybbie said shyly.

"Hi." Marigold said back, just as shyly.

"I like your dress." Sybbie said quietly to her cousin after a moment of awkward silence.

Marigold looked up from her egg. She was squishing it with her fork.

"Thank you." She said quietly. "Do you want to play in the gardens after breakfast?"

A smile spread across Sybbie's face. She nodded eagerly as Marigold smiled shyly and went back to her egg. Sybbie turned to her breakfast just as a blond haired boy came sprinting into the room.

"George, must you run everywhere?" Robert asked from behind his paper.

"It gets me places faster." He answered sitting beside him.

He began scarfing his food down, not even noticing Sybbie.

"Sybbie, you'll find that George is clueless to everything around him." Marigold said sarcastically.

Sybbie smiled and giggled softly.

"I am not Marigold! Hey, who's that?" George exclaimed.

Sybbie and Marigold burst out laughing.

"I told you Sybbie!"

Sybbie laughed along with everyone else at George's expression. She was starting to feel like a part of the family again.