6. Growin Up (1/2)

spring 1910

it was unknown of the exact date of caroline's birth, during this time days weren't always that important. they only knew that it was a warm day in spring, and of the horrid experience of childbirth with minimal medical interference. because of this, abigail and john had given her a date. april 26th, they decided one year, her given birthday. it was a sunday, and before the week was over there would be a catastrophe within the marston family.

jack entered the kitchen where his mother was preparing the birthday dinner for the young girl. he took a seat next to caroline at the table, giving her a light shove like a

other to a sister. he rolled his eyes at the young girl as she stuck her tongue out at him,

"hey ma, what's for dinner?"

"roast leg of lamb, caviar, and other luxuries from the far corners of the earth."

"stew?"

"as always."

caroline played with one of her black

aids, twirling it between her fingers. suddenly her face lit up with joy, an idea or more of an remem

ance had entered her head. frantically, she began tugging on jack's sleeve and yelling into his ear,

"hey jack! guess what!"

"what caroline…"

"guess how old i am today!" trying not to offend his sister with his obvious lack of caring, he amused her with a response,

"how old?"

"ten! do you remember what ya said you'd do when i was ten?" his gaze went blank as he stared at the wall, lifting his head from his palm. caroline, eagerly clasped onto his shirt, couldn't contain herself any longer before blurting out the answer,

"you said you'd teach me to read! you remember now dontcha? the constellations!"

"oh right,… ah i don't know caroline, you could ask pa…"

"no, you said you would! you can't

eak a promise." the girl complained,

"that was a long time ago."

"jack!" she whimpered, loosening her grip. the 14 year old boy groaned, he was nearing adulthood, and caroline was still a child. inside he almost felt a duty to his much younger sister, so he complied,

"fine, we'll start tomorrow…" a grin instantly was painted across her face as she thanked him time and time over and over again for minutes. such innocence, jack looked at his sister.

today she would be ten, and she probably wouldn't be this way for long. it had been a few years since their parents had

ought them out from under the influence of the gang. when they had left, she was always morose, quiet, filled with resentment for her father. nothing like the way a person so filled with youth and imagination should be subject to. it was as if she had reverted back to an earlier childhood recently. he smiled at her, glad for the first time in what seemed like forever to a child.

as abigail finally finished the cooking of her 'poison', she called john in from the other room. minutes later, the family were settled with their meal. if you'd call it that. jack laughed at the face caroline made when asked how their food was, pointing to her open mouth when their mother wasn't looking.

"grow up, jack." john shot him a look from across the table. jack frowned, excusing himself from the room in a huff. caroline's eyes looked up to him, her head still bobbing to the ground. without much thought, other than the obvious discontent with her father, she went back to twirling her fingers in her hands.

"so darlin, have you finished 'thinking about it' yet?"

"i don't want that man around my children, john." abigail protested to the long continued argument. john had been