Audrey Smiles

The sound of laughter reverberated around the house causing a smile to find its way onto Fiona’s face. Audrey’s cousin Mary was staying the night and the two girls where watching some old film they liked. Fiona had asked Audrey if she wanted Joss to join them but her daughter had stiffened at the suggestion and declared that she wanted an evening with her cousin. The sound of running feet in the hall announced Audrey’s arrival into the kitchen.

“How’s the film love?”

Audrey picked up the kettle and carried it over to the tap. “It’s great,” she said over the noise of the running tap. “Just needed some supplies, Audrey plugged the kettle back in and started raiding the cupboards for snacks.

“There are some biscuits in the cupboard over the dishwasher,” Fiona said picking up her cup of tea. “I think there are some crisps as well,” she kissed her daughters cheek as she walked past towards the door. “I’m going to bed so try and keep the noise down.”

Audrey nodded, she had a wide smile plastered on her face and Fiona noted it was the happiest she had looked since she returned from school. “Sure thing, night Mum,” she returned her mother’s kiss noting how her mother’s cheek was warm and her skin soft.

Fiona’s room was chilly as normal, their house was aging and the cracks were starting to show. She placed her tea on the bedside table and went to her wardrobe to get another blanket. As she pulled out the thick wool blanket a red photo album fell out with it. Fiona rolled her eyes, like her daughter she was a truly disorganised person she must have thrown the album into the wardrobe in a strange fit of tidiness. She carried the blanket and red leather bound book over to the bed and got under the covers. When she was as warm as possible she opened the album and was greeted by her daughter’s five year old smile. Audrey’s young face was lit by the warm glow of the summer sun and her hair was mussed by the wind sticking out around her face like a lion’s mane. Her furiously freckled face was scrunched up in a grin her green eyes shining in the light. Fiona stroked her fingertips across the photo. Audrey had never been a sad child, she was the child who laughed constantly and never seemed to sulk. Lost in her own little world Audrey was contented, some days Fiona almost wished that she had left well enough alone, not tried so hard to drag her daughter out of her dream world. That night Fiona fell asleep with tears in her eyes and pictures of her daughter pressed to her chest like paper teddy bears.