A New Broom

Dearest Emily,

Well, we welcome your little sister Annabel at last! Best get this last chapter drafted for your perusal then- so we can get on with her book!

'But the rose was awake all night for your sake,

    Knowing your promise to me'

Tennyson- Maud

AT THIS PRECISE MOMENT, GiGi sensed that somehow everything had turned back into the way it was before (surely?) She was outside the house again, and could hear the bickering Trusty's at the Bored meeting, and she was just wondering if she had been dreaming all this time, when she was all at once interrupted by the sound of laughter- the chuckling of a baby girl, accompanied by the chortling husky laughter of a woman- who then spoke...

"Her besum broom went snicker-snack,

Through hall and parlour, and out to the far-door,

Sweeping house from the front to the back!

Well go-on! 

What's stopping you Dear?"

GiGi looked around her for her broom, which she must have left somewhere along the way. She looked up to the sky where the voice and the laughter had come from- but all was dark, except for the faint outline of a smiling black cat.

"Now, no excuses please- here take these!"

 A new broom then appeared hurtling down from the night sky accompanied by a pair of goose wings. They landed on the grass in front of her. "The wings are Alice's" said the voice- she puts them on as a prop- try them- they can only do good! Now, it is high time you went back in and did your cleaning for me."

GiGi decided to do as bidden, and looked at the shop-door which was closed fast shut- with no light on inside. She put on her wings, and went round to the front of the house to the main door, where through the stained glass she could make out a light inside and to the left the voices of the Trusty's in the Tearoom. She knocked, rather hopelessly as the Trusty's din drowned out the possibility of the Warden hearing anything from the back of the house.

A young man appeared on the step beside her, dressed in jeans, hoodie and top hat, carrying a walking cane. He wore Wellington Boots that were several sizes too big for him.

"What do you want, and what is your Business here?" he asked.

"I want to be let in." said GiGi, "I'm late for a Bored meeting, for which I am a Trusty, and also I need to clean the house first."

"Well you won't get an answer knocking like that." he said "You need to rap, harder, and with a cane, like THIS!" He approached the door, twirled his cane, and rapped three times. 

The door swung open, and there on the doormat, was the cat.

Concerning which, dear Em, we shall hear more next week. For now my little one- enjoy your new baby sister. Soon she will grow bigger and then you can play together. In the mean-time, be helpful to Mummy, give Daddy a hard-time, and I shall make you some goose-wings of your own for when you come at Christmas!

Your ever-loving Grand-mother, GiGi xxxxx