Border Secured (A Scenario) Section 3 - Part 4

Charmaine placed her hand on her chest, her heart was beating rapidly, she was afraid that she had upset her Grandfather. Stanley Wharbucks came back from his room holding a small box in his right hand. He handed the box to Charmaine. Charmaine opened the box, inside it was a gold locket necklace. The locket had a lion defeating a dragon etched on it. “Oh Grandpa Stanley this is beautiful!” exclaimed Charmaine. She placed it around her neck and asked him to help her to fasten the clasp. “This necklace belonged to your Great-Grandmother Stacia and the last person to wear it was your mother Charlotte, I had planned to wait until your eighteenth birthday to give it to you but I believe that the time is right to give it to you now,”  he said. “Did you know that the dress and slippers

Border Secured (A Scenario) Section 3 - Part 3

I smiled as I resumed my reading of Charmaine's diary knowing that it would take my mind off the events of the day. Charmaine said she felt so much better after taking the two spoonfuls of the bizzy and rum concoction and she was ready for her birthday celebrations. She opened the bag that Florence had left on the bed and took out the dress that Florence had made for her birthday. She threw the dress back on the bed in disgust,

Border Secured (A Scenario) Section 3 - Part 2

I could not believe my eyes! Nor my ears! Maud and the ‘migrants’ were coming through my gate like the proverbial gypsy caravan! Maud must have sprouted wings in her absence because before I could reach outside she was at my bedroom door. “Please Miss Cissy! Please! Hear me out before you say anything!” I opened my eyes wide at her, she knew I did not like being called ‘Cissy’! “I am sorry Miss Cecilia, please, just let me speak.” I was about to say something but then I saw the tears in her eyes. Maud was a tough cookie who never cries, no matter what. I sat down on the bed with my arms crossed and waited for the explanation of why the ‘migrants’ were once again across my border! Maud began by apologizing for not calling me on the telephone to let me know what was happening but she just wanted to get away from the churchyard as quickly as possible. Reverend Julian’s wife was back from Canada even though she was not expected back for at least another three weeks. A male cousin of hers had been deported from Canada and he had nowhere to stay and she had promised her Aunt Joyce, the cousin's mother, that she would put him up in the Caretaker’s quarters. She made this promise without first discussing it with the Reverend because she knew that the Caretaker was no longer living there. When

Border Secured (A Scenario) Section 3 - Part 1

The ringing of the telephone woke me. It was one of my co-workers, Mrs. Pinnock, telling me that she was coming to pick up her Christmas cake. I laughed because it was now the New Year! She laughed too and apologised for not picking up the cake before Christmas. She said she had some relatives who were visiting for the holidays and if she had picked up the cake before God bless how much of it she would have gotten to eat. “Dem craven and dem love cake!” she said laughingly. I told her she had to pay extra for the cake because I had to keep ‘wetting’ it with white rum to keep it moist. She laughed and said that was exactly the way she liked it. I asked her what time she was planning to come for the cake only for her to say that she was actually outside my gate. “What! I exclaimed, “You know I don’t like early

Border Secured (A Scenario) - Section 2 - Part 14

Charmaine bombarded Florence with a lot of questions. She wanted to know why what was happening to her was not happening to boys too? Why did she have to wear that uncomfortable wad of cloth? Would people know that it was that ‘time of the month’ just by looking at her? Did all women have this 'experience' at the same time every month? The questions kept coming and Florence tried her best to answer them but Charmaine was not satisfied. Suddenly,