P.T. Barnum's Oddities

Chapter 15: Anne and W.D.

"Happy birthday, Anne!" Her family chorused.
Over the last five years, Anne had blossomed into a beautiful young woman, as well as W.D. into a handsome young man.
Anne had learned to cook, clean, and look after baby Maude, who wasn't much of a baby anymore.
But along with that, she learned how to fix carriages, make shoes and dresses, and work with wood.
Her newfound family had shown their support for the duo's love for trapeze by hanging Anne's hoop outside of their little shack, as well as building them more equipment.
"I made you this!" Nellie handed her a tiny box.
Inside was a small necklace. The charm in the middle showed a small girl sitting in the middle of a hoop, one leg scrunched up to her chest, the other outstretched toward the ground.
"Oh thank you, Nellie!" Anne said, squeezing the young girl.
A small cough was heard from one of the bedrooms. Everyone scrambled inside.
"Grandmaw?" Margaret addressed the small old woman. "Are you okay?"
Their precious Grandmaw hadn't been doing so well these days. She had fallen ill from an unknown sickness. With that and her impressively old age, they knew she was going to pass on soon, but no one had the guts to really admit it.
"I'm fine." She croaked. "I'll be okay.."
Though no one thought she would be okay, they exchanged worried glances and went on their way.
That next morning, Anne and W.D. woke up to complete silence. The house was usually filled with excitement and laughter.
They walked pause their Grandmaw's bedroom door. Though it was closed and locked, you could here soft sobs from a single person.
"No, no, no!" Anne whispered softly under her breath, as they entered the living room to see everyone with tears staining their faces.
"What's wrong?" Anne asked, though the answer was quite obvious.
"Oh dear lord! Maw's gone!" Maude wailed and clung on to Anne's leg. "Mama's sayin' goodbye..."
Her words trailed off as Bertha stepped out of the bedroom sniffling. Everyone watched in a peaceful silence as she took a candle, lit it, and placed it outside of the door.
"Grandmaw's gone." Bertha officially announced.
The whole room erupted in chaos.
Maude was howling again, Margaret had managed to squeeze herself into a tight ball, Nellie and Bettie clung onto each other, horror written all over their faces. Fred was still trying to process the whole situation, and Eddie, Walter, and Robert paced around in frantic circles. Even Anne and W.D. themselves let a few tears loose. Grandmaw had become a grandmother to them over the past years, and though she could barely remember things and was unable to get up and move around, she was still a wonderful person.
"Another person gone." Anne checked that one off of her family members.
"Anne, W.D., may I speak to you in private?" Bertha gestured to the nearest bedroom.
Anne and W.D. obeyed her orders and followed her into the next room.
"As much as I hate to say this, I'm afraid the time has come when you need to leave. You two have become children to me as well as the others. W.D. I've packed some money in your trunks but I think you're old enough to find a job." She bowed her head to W.D. slightly, then over to Anne. A tear rolled down her cheek. "Now I know you two will be able to handle the world as you did before."
Anne shot her a look that read, "Why can't we stay?"
"It took them long enough to recover when they're grandfather passed. You two came along just in time." She said, tears glossing over her eyes. "Goodbye, my children."
Without a word, Anne and W.D. picked up the heavy trunks and made their way out the door.
The last thing Anne remembered of their old home was the sign that Maude painted.
"Bertha's Home for Misfits."