I
was so upset to see the ‘momma migrant’ traipsing in and out of my house but it
was Christmas Day, and the Reverend was still on the premises. Maud kept looking in
my direction, she knew me too well! However, I kept my cool, smiling and
nodding at the incessant chatter of the children. Soon all the leftovers were
put away and the carport was restored to its former glory. It was now time for
the ‘migrants’ to go, at least to Maud’s quarters, until the next day. The
Reverend handed over Cuba to his mother, Maud took the hands of the two little boys
and they all left for Maud’s quarters with the Reverend carrying the bassinet.
I left the verandah and went inside to the den to wait on Reverend Julian and
Maud. I was so eager to hear the rest of the story about Charles and Charmaine.
I waited impatiently and it seems as if I dozed off for a while because I was awaken by the sound of their footsteps returning to the house. I looked at the clock and realized that thirty minutes had passed. When they entered the den the Reverend had a large box in his hands and Maud had her
handbag in her hands as if she
was going somewhere. I looked at them puzzlingly. Reverend Julian placed the box
on the table and began to take out what seemed to be books. I was curious so I
went closer. He handed one of the books to me and I opened it. It was a diary.
The Reverend said that the books, a total of ten, were diaries that had belonged
to my Grandmother Charmaine. I was dumbfounded. He also handed me six thick
ledgers. These ledgers, he said, had belonged to Charlotte’s Nanny Florence. The Reverend
said my Grandmother Charmaine told him that Florence had given her the ledgers on her
twelfth birthday. They held the account of her life from the day her father Charles
left her up to that day. Florence encouraged Charmaine to begin
keeping a diary and had actually given Charmaine her first one. The Reverend said that my
Grandmother had given the diaries and ledgers to him with the instruction that he was to
give them to me when I became inquisitive about her past. The Reverend seemed upset and as I was about to ask him what was wrong he turned to leave
the room. I asked him if he was leaving? He said yes, and he would be taking
Cassie and the children with him. I opened my eyes wide. He said Maud told him
that I had said that Cassie and the children had to leave the next day and since they had nowhere to go he had decided to put them up at the Church in the Caretaker’s quarters. I asked him what about the Caretaker? Reverend
Julian smiled and said that the Caretaker and Sister Molly had gotten married on
Christmas Eve and he had moved in with Sister Molly. What will
your wife say about them staying there? I asked. Reverend Julian said his wife
had decided to stay in Canada for two months instead of the two weeks she had
originally planned and hopefully Cassie and the children would find somewhere else to stay by then.
I turned to Maud who said she would be going with them to help with their
settling in. All the time I was talking to the Reverend Maud was fidgeting and
would not look at me. Well now I knew why, she had turned into a first class
traitor against me! I turned my back on the both of them, not even turning
around as they left the room. I heard
them going through the gate and as I looked out the window little Conroy turned around and shouted out ‘bye-bye
Miss Cee Cee!’ but I did not respond. When the Reverend drove off I went outside to calm the dogs who were howling as if they missed the 'migrants', I could not believe what was happening! I also checked to see if Maud had padlocked the gate. The gate was padlocked which meant that she would not be returning that night. I felt betrayed. I went inside the house and went back into the den. For the first time in years I felt like crying but I refused to give in to that emotion. I walked over to the table and replaced the
diaries and the ledgers inside the box. As eager as I was to know more of the story I decided
to wait until the following day. I knew that if I ever started reading these diaries tonight I
would not stop until I had finished reading them all and I was
beginning to feel the tiredness from all that preparation for the Christmas
dinner. I got ready for bed with a smile on my face and a song in my heart.
Yippee! The ‘migrants’ were gone! My border was secured once again! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
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