Chapter Twenty-Seven
Hester Green House, May 1st 2006
The leady canopy of Winston's green house shaded Max as he played. Winston glanced up every now and then from the bed of small plants; his rough hands turned the earth with care, kind eyes watching his great nephew play.
Winston loved having Max over, so when Sonia asked if he could look after him the night of their anniversary he readily accepted.
Max put down his toy train (a gift from his Auntie Amara) and got up, walking over to his uncle. He sat down on the ground and watched Winston's hands turn the earth and gently place a seedling into tiny holes, then pat it down.
"Uncle Winston?"
"Yeah Maxxie?" Winston gave him a brief smile, picking up a little seedling.
"How long have Mamma and Daddy been married?" he asked, settling his chin in his hands, leaning on his knees.
"Eight years."
"I'm almost eight." Said Max, his dark eyes narrowing.
"You are." Agreed Winston.
"Did Mamma and Daddy marry because of me?"
Winston set aside his trowel and sat back on his knees. "Why do you ask Max?"
"Did they?" Max gave Winston that big brown-eyed curious look he could never turn down.
"Yes they did." He admitted. "Well, sort of. They would have gotten married anyway." That was a little lie. Winston knew Sonia had never wanted to get married. He had no doubt she and Charlie would still be together, but married? Unlikely.
Max stared hard at the ground, silent. "Uncle Winston?"
"Yeah Max?"
"Why is Mamma so unhappy sometimes?"
Winston sighed and sat heavily on the stone. "Your Nana was better at this sort of stuff, always had a knack with kids." He said "She would know how to explain this to you in a way that would make you understand it perfectly, and never doubt yourself. Me on the other hand, Maxxie - well, I was the quiet one, but I'll try."
"When your Mum was growing up all she wanted was to travel." Began Winston. "She had over a hundred books on the world, maps tacked up everywhere - she couldn't wait to go and explore."
"She tells me stories," Max piped up. "About China and India and Europe."
"Exactly! The same stories that made her want to go so badly. But she never got to go."
"Why?"
"There was a war." Winston saw the confusion on Max's face.
"What's a war?"
Winston couldn't imagine not knowing what war was. To be so innocent, untainted by years - a lifetime - of darkness and destruction. A lifetime of fear.
"Your Daddy calls it before, right?"
"Yeah. Before Max!" he giggles.
"A war is when there is fighting between two groups of people, and it can go on for a very long time and hurt many people."
"Like Nana?"
"Yes." Winston took a deep breath. "Mamma and Uncle Andrew's Mamma, my sister. This war made it very hard for your Mamma to travel, and Nana didn't want her to - and this made Mamma very angry." Winston felt as if he was doing a very bad job of explaining this. "Just before the war ended Mamma and Daddy got a surprise."
"Me!"
"You!" Winston smiled. "Your Mamma was planning on leaving as soon as the war ended, but because you were coming so quickly she couldn't. This makes her very sad, and eight years tomorrow..." closing his eyes, Winston brought Hazel's face up in his minds eye. "Your Nana died."
He heard as he Max shuffled forward. "Do you miss her?"
"I miss her very much." He whispered, eyes still closed; a tiny soft hand slipped into his dirty ones. "There was never enough time, from the moment she walked into my life to the second she left. She never said goodbye, not really."
"I miss Mamma and Daddy." Said Max. "But I think your miss hurts a lot more." He got up and hugged his Uncle tightly, red curls tickling his nose.
"If I went and lived with Uncle Andrew and Auntie Amara would Mamma be happy? She could go travelling with Daddy, and I'd be okay."
Winston shook his head and pressed a gentle kiss to Max's forehead. "No Maxxie, that wouldn't make your Mamma happy. She loves you, I see it in her eyes -and she tells you every night, yes?"
Max nodded. "Every night with a story."
"She will travel one day Max, maybe even with you. I think she sees that this is where she belongs, at least for now." Standing up, he offered Max his hand. "Let's go make some lunch, Rochelle will be here soon, yeah?"
Max jumped up and took his uncles hand. "Uncle Winston?"
"Yeah Maxxie?"
"I'm sorry you lost your sister."
"It's okay," he said softly. "She's at peace now."
Max was asleep when Winston crept into his office, opening the bottom drawer with a tap of his wand. He could see Max curled up on his bed through the door, happy to have a green house sleepover.
A letter sat between faded photographs, handkerchiefs and handmade birthday cards from the twins. Sitting on his bed, Winston opened the letter for what could have been the millionth time. Hazel's words still sounded like her voice in his mind, the paper smelled like lavender.
Winston read it over, tears spilling over his blue eyes.
My dear brother,
I have left this letter in case I don't return home from Hogwarts tonight. I don't think I will, and I am sorry to leave you like this. You have given me so much over the years, and though we will never get back the years we lost as children I will treasure the walks and conversations we have shared. You saved my life, Winston.
I am sorry to ask more of you after all you have given me, but I must ask. Please take care of Andrew and Sonia, watch over them - tell them I am sorry. I am sorry that I will never meet Sonia's child, or see Andrew marry. It breaks my heart that I will never get to tell Sonia how much I treasured the days when she was little and we went on adventures - that I will never wave goodbye to her as she leaves on her first.
I hope she names her baby Max. That was the character in her favourite book, Maxine - she went on adventures all around the world. She always loved that book. I hope Andrew gets the life he alwasy wanted - this is all I have ever wished for them. This is what I have been waiting for.
Tell them I love them, that I am sorry.
I'm so sorry, Winston.
Love, Hazel
"I will Hazel." He whispered, looking over to where Max slept. "I will."
A/N: I do love Winston.
Max IS observant isn't he?
Rose<3