The Happily Ever After

Mary Jane was washing pots in her master's house when she first heard the distant blow. She looked around in her master's empty dwelling wondering where they had gone so early in the morning with the gates unlocked and wide open. After finishing her chores she set out for home. She would have to walk for miles to reach her little shack. As she gazed about in the opulent neighbourhood, the emptiness seemed queer and perplexing to her. She remembered only yesterday when she was taking the same route home, she had met kids playing in their front yards, ladies gossiping around from over the fences, old men sitting in their verandas, chewing tobacco. On reaching home, she started setting the table for her kids and husband. As she looked into the cupboard, she noticed that they only had rations left for about a week. She would have to find work for her daughters, as the family could no longer be supported by just her and her husband’s meagre income. Wistfully, she set a small breakfast of black tea and a single slice of bread with a thin scrape of marmalade, as they could not afford butter, for everyone. “Bathilda! Reed! Come on dears, it's time for breakfast", she called out. Bathilda was 14 and was the elder of the two sisters. She had a circular face and plump body, and looked like the picture of health, though she was not. She was envious of many of her classmates at school, she stared dejectedly at their silk and cotton frocks, specially done and exquisite jewels. Reed was just 9, oblivious to her sister's envy. She had a thin and bony body with deep red curls and big blue eyes which were complete opposite to her sister's silky and straight blonde hair and brown eyes. She had no friends, frequently bunked school and was seen often near the river, sitting under the oak tree with a book in hand. Reed, in her high-spirited self, came thundering down the stairs in her in her overalls. She leaped onto her chair and started helping herself to the tea and bread without complaint. Bathilda majestically glided down the stairs in a cream tee and light pink skirt. As she saw the contents scattered around the table her face contorted in disgust and she timidly sat in the disbalanced wooden chair. Their father, Mr. Steiner, came into the room and with him came an air of happiness mingled with excitement. “I know it is not much and not enough to fulfil proper nourishment but we should all join our hands and thank God for whatever we have.” Mr. Steiner had a way with words. He always knew what to say and when to say it. He always knew the solution for every problem and with him the Steiner household worked smoothly. After breakfast, Mr. Steiner went to work in a small, dingy factory called “Mr. and Mrs. Brent's”. The girls spied on him until their father was just a black speck in the distance. As Mary settled down on the huge armchair Bathilda and Reed crept into the room and sat in front of her. The girls intently listened as their mother read out from her childhood favourites that had soon become their favourites too. Halfway into the chapter, they heard somebody knocking on the front door. Mary looked out the window and saw the mailman, with his petite attire and rusty bike, staring impatiently at the door, as if willing it to open just by the intensity of his stare. Tears were glistening in the mailman's eyes as he handed out the letter to Mary. " I am s-sorry.” He stammered as he quickly treaded towards his bike. The letter was addressed to Mr Steiner. Mary curiously looked at the letter and gasped out in panic after seeing the return address on it. She hastily put the letter in the top drawer of her dresser and locked it. She took a deep breath and stumbled towards the coat hanger. She mumbled something incoherently while putting on her coat and went out the door. The last thing the girls saw was tears pooling in her eyes and her lips pale white. The sun was already set and their mother still had not come home. Bathilda and Reed had dropped all their work and were searching for their mother all over the town. By afternoon they had returned home, dejected, hungry and worried for their mother. Long past their bedtime came a knock at the door. There bundled up in two coats and holding on tightly to Mr. Steiner was none other than Mary. The girls launched themselves onto their parents and all of them cried together when they heard about the horrendous news.