Sing Me To Sleep (formerly From Maggie May to Penny Lane)

Chapter 1 - Welcome to London

From Maggie May to Penny Lane,

As long as I can remember, our letters always started like this.  No 'Dear Penny,' or 'Dear Maggie', not once.  We always did these letters from when we were little.  Even if we were only one room away.

I hope you are well and that Gammy & Happy are taking care of you.  I'm sure Gammy is deploring how thin you are and feeding you second and third helpings of everything.

Gammy is our grandmother, on our father's side – our poor father who just passed away – and Happy our grandfather.  They're real names Joyce and William Scott.  This past week they lost their only son, only child, to cancer.  My doting, music mad Dad, Andrew Scott, who named Penny and I after his two favourite songs.

My Dad and I lost my Mum almost eighteen years ago due to a hit and run accident.  He remarried Penny's mother and lost her due to a major loss of blood when giving birth to Penny.

I'll be in London very soon.  I just have some last minute things to do here in Edinburgh.  I have a flight booked for the day before Dad's funeral.  I've been looking for flats in London so you can still go to your own school.  I found a nice one in Bayswater, I'll take you to see it after the funeral and everything.  If you want to.

I'll miss Edinburgh but I don't want to uproot you from all your friends, not now anyway.  If you need to talk, don't hesitate to write or call.

All my love, Maggie May xxx

I looked around my little bungalow, at the empty shelves and cardboard boxes.  I'd lived in Edinburgh for just over ten years when I went to university here.  I felt lost and alone when I first came here and now I don't want to leave.  Penny's reply letter arrived about half an hour before I was due to leave for the airport, the morning before my father's funeral.

From Penny Lane To Maggie May,

Save me please, if I keep eating Gammy's portions of food I'm not going to fit the dress I bought for tomorrow.

My school trousers are already starting to pinch a little.  How soon can we move into the flat you've seen?  Don't get me wrong, I love Gammy to bits and Happy always helps with homework, but I'm looking forward to 'our place'.

Even though the circumstances aren't the best, I'm looking forward to having you back in London.  I'll see you at the airport!

Lots of Love, Penny Lane xxx

Through the open window I heard the screech as the taxi pulled up outside my gate.  I locked up everything, double checking that I wasn't forgetting anything before I picked up my luggage, coat and handbag.  My friends' husband had arranged to bring down the last of my boxes on his business trip next week.

I didn't want to let go of the place, didn't want to lose it forever so I settled for renting it out to a couple of university students instead of selling it.  May be one day I'd be able to return or I'd be forced to give it up for good.

"Are you Miss May?" the driver asks.

"Yes.  I need to get to the airport."

"Of course, let me put your cases in the back."

It isn't long at all before he's pulling up at the drop off area and helping me get my luggage out.  I give him about £20 and thank him before running off for the terminal, my flat pumps slapping loudly against my heels.  After that was a brief, if not slightly rocky, flight to Luton Airport.