Did You Get What You Deserve?

~*Georgina’s Point of View*~

Dear Diary,

I can’t believe it. Mel’s getting married, and I’m going to be a bridesmaid. Or a flower girl. I can’t remember which, the whole conversation happened so fast.

He’s really nice. The man Melanie’s marrying, I mean. His name is Alec. His sister is called Alec too. That’s a bit odd, but I suppose there’s a reason. I’m so excited. The girl Alec, she’s really cool. And her brother is marrying my sister, so we’ll be sort of sisters too.

It’s kind of odd though... I asked Melanie what her surname was going to be when she married Alec, and she said it would be Marshall. But Alec’s sister’s surname is Iero. So maybe he’s adopted, or maybe they’re not siblings at all, maybe they just like to pretend they are. This is confusing.

“Georgina!”

I closed my diary and put it back in my bag, then picked the bag up and dragged it down the stairs. Melanie was standing at the foot of the stairs.

“Come on, honey, we have to go.”

I nodded and slipped my shoes on.

“Say goodbye to the house,” said Melanie, “this is the last time you’ll see it.”

I smiled, nodded again, and looked around at the kitchen. There were a lot of memories in this house. I’d lived here almost all my life, just me, Mel and Lachie. And Carlton of course.

I tugged on Melanie’s sleeve.

“Mel,” I said, “how will Daddy know where to find us when he comes home?”

“Don’t worry,” she said, “I’ve written him a letter telling him our new address. He’ll find us.”

I smiled. I love Melanie, she always makes me feel better whenever I get sad about Mummy or Daddy. Daddy’s a soldier; he’s stationed overseas, so we never see him. But he writes all the time, and he always remembers our birthdays. Last year he sent me a whole box of things he got at a market. And sometimes he writes a special note just for me, with my name on it, and no-one else is allowed to read it.

I don’t remember Mummy. She died when I was born, so Lachlan and I were too young to remember her. We have lots of videos of her playing with Lachie and Mel though. There’s only one photo of her with me. It was taken in the hospital just after I was born. I was less than a day old. And Mummy died two days after that.

“Finished looking? We have to go.”

Melanie grabbed my hand and we walked outside into the sunshine. Alec was leaning on the car, holding Carlton by the hands as he jumped up and down.

“Ready to go?”

He picked Carlton up and strapped him into his car seat. Lachlan and I got into the back seat on either side of him, and Melanie and Alec got into the front.

“I spy,” said Lachlan.

I clapped my hands and nodded.

“I spy with my little eye, something beginning with B,” he said, “and it’s inside the car.”

I looked around the car.

“Baby,” I said, pointing at Carlton.

“Damn,” said Lachlan, “I thought you’d take ages to get that one.”

I thought for a moment.

“S,” I said, “outside the car.”

~*Melanie’s Point of View*~

I smiled at Alec. It had been his idea, a few weeks ago, for the kids to play I Spy in the car. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it earlier. It’s one of the only ways we can get Georgina to talk. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with her, she just doesn’t like to talk. When she does talk, she talks fine. She doesn’t have a speech impediment or anything, and she’s plenty intelligent. She’s just a quiet kid. Last time I took her to the doctor, he said it might become a problem, and I should encourage her to talk more. But she doesn’t want to. So games like I Spy are helpful.

“We’re here!” said Alec, pulling into the driveway of our new house. Lachlan cheered, and Georgina clapped her hands. They jumped out of the car and waited by the door until Alec unlocked it. Then they were inside the house before I had even gotten Carlton out of the backseat.

“Let me take him for you,” laughed Alec, taking Carlton out of my hands. He flashed me a smile, and my heart melted. This is why I love the man. I know he’s going to be a great father for Carlton, he’s so sweet and perfect in every way.

I kissed him as we walked through the door into our new house.

“I love you,” I whispered.

He grinned.

“I love you too.”