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,

there was no way she was going to wear that dress! It was ugly and more befitting a nine year old! How could Florence think that she would like a dress like that she asked herself. She looked around her bedroom in despair. At the far side of the room, under the window, was a trunk. It had been there ever since Grandpa Wharbucks told her that the room was now hers. The trunk was padlocked and Charmaine had always wondered what was inside it but was too scared to ask her Grandfather. She decided to try and open it to see what was inside. The padlock was rusty and when she touched it, it came apart in her hands. She lifted the cover of the trunk and peered inside and gasped. Inside the trunk, covered with dried rose petals, was a beautiful white silk dress. She took it out of the trunk and shook off the rose petals and held it against her body. She went and looked into the mirror and smiled. This was the dress that she saw in her dreams a week ago! The bodice of the dress had hundreds of tiny embroidered gold hearts and the skirt was flared like a ballroom gown. Charmaine hurriedly took off her clothes and tried on the dress. It fitted perfectly! A little longer than what she would normally wear but it was okay. She went back to the trunk and felt under the rose petals to see if there was anything else there. She pulled out a pair of gold slippers and tried them on. They fitted like a glove! Charmaine said that’s when she pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t in a dream because she was beginning to feel like Cinderella. She took the dress that Florence made and placed it in the trunk and closed it. She would be wearing the white dress and those pretty gold slippers at her birthday party! It was early so Charmaine decided to wash her hair. She had just finished unplaiting her hair when she heard a knocking on the door. It was Florence. Charmaine hurriedly hid the dress and slippers under the bed before telling Florence she could come in. When Florence saw her with her hair loosened she asked Charmaine if she wanted her to comb it. When Charmaine told her that she wanted it washed first, Florence said no no, it cannot be washed until her menstruation cycle was over. “What! But my scalp is itching me!”, exclaimed Charmaine. “Washing your hair will make your cramps worse.” said Florence, let me just brush it with some aloe vera, that will ease the itching.” According to Charmaine, the aloe vera worked wonders and her scalp stopped itching. Florence also rubbed her hair with castor oil, which gave it a lovely sheen, she brushed Charmaine’s hair into the bun that she desired and tied her head with one of Stanley Wharbucks large handkerchiefs. This she said would keep her hair in place for the birthday party. Afterwards Florence left to go and cook the food for the birthday party. As soon as she left the room, Charmaine retrieved the dress and slippers from beneath the bed. She placed the dress on a hanger and hung it at the window so that the sunlight could penetrate it to get rid of some of the scent from the rose petals. She had not eaten any breakfast and she still did not feel like eating so she decided to also forego lunch. She could hardly keep still! She wanted to get ready for her party right away just so that she could put on that beautiful dress! The birthday party was scheduled for 4 o'clock so she spent the time reading until about 2pm when she began to get ready. At 3:30 pm she walked out of her room and came face to face with Stanley Wharbucks who gasped when he saw her. “Where did you get that dress!?” he demanded. “I-I found it in the trunk by the window,” stuttered Charmaine. “Who told you that you could wear it?” he asked. “No one.” said Charmaine. Stanley Wharbucks turned on his heels and went back to his room. Charmaine got scared, wondering if she had gone too far this time.