The stairs to the attic were old and rickety, making Katrina flinch at the noise she was making as she climbed to the top as Annie, the housekeeper was in bed with a migraine. This was the last place Katrina wanted to be but it was the only place left which needed packing up before the estate agents took control of the task of selling Grandmother Lily’s house. Armed with empty boxes she slotted them under her arm so that she could get the key into the lock. The huge oak door was stiff in place and Katrina pressed her shoulder onto the door giving it a good shove before it swung open. Trying to get her breath back she threw the boxes inside the room, taking her time to follow them, looking around the room absorbing the dusty, cluttered space before her. Sighing, she pulled up her sleeves and got to work.
It took her an hour to move furniture to one side of the room so she could get to the shelves and boxes at the back of the room by a stunning stain glassed window. It was like a kaleidoscope image with a swarm of colours protruding into one another. Dragging her eyes away from its beauty she got back to the job at hand. With the furniture dealt with Katrina wiped her hands on the back of her jeans and sat down on one of the old carpet rugs that covered the wooden boards in the floor and pulled some boxes towards her. The first was full of beautiful, old baby clothes. “My mother’s?” Katrina wondered to herself as she placed them one by one into a new box and discarded the old one. Pushing the clean, newly filled box aside she selected another and dragged it between her legs which were spread out in front of her like she was stretching in a yoga class. Opening the damp box she found it was full of old diaries, and photo albums. She succeeded in securing the diaries into a cleaner home but she could not resist looking at the photos. Resting the creaking spine of the largest album on her knee Katrina looked through the leather bound book of photos of her grandmother as a child. Katrina smiled in awe at the little girl’s mass of curly blonde locks which spilled down onto her shoulders. Katrina could only ever remember her grandmother having a smart crop of grey hair. Turning the pages Katrina could see Lily grow from a pretty, petite girl into a beautiful, slim, young woman. Oh how she missed the woman who had become her guardian and in time her best friend.
The final picture in the album was a wedding picture of Katrina’s grandmother and grandfather whom Katrina had never met, him having died when her mother was three years old. Smiling at how happy they looked she turned the final page to make sure there was not another picture she had missed. There wasn’t. Instead there was an envelope taped to the inside of the back cover. Seeing it had her name on it she carefully peeled it away from the album and opened it. It was a letter from Lily and inside that was a photograph. Intrigued she looked at that first and found herself staring at a picture of Grandmother Lily, dressed in a black dress and a black veil as she stood over a grave. Intrigued Katrina looked closer at the picture bringing it right up to her face. On the grey headstone at the far end of the mound of earth she saw the inscription. Rest in peace Maisie-Leigh. Confusion overwhelmed her as she turned back to the ivory paper that Lily had written her note on.
Kat
This will make sense I promise but you will have to go on a little journey. Before you go I just want to tell you how proud I am to call you my granddaughter. I love you darling.
Lily xx
Puzzled Katrina suddenly swayed, putting a hand to her head. She grappled for a nearby chair as dizziness swept over her and she expected to succumb to blackness but as she missed the chair and fell to the floor she felt a pain in her ribs as she realised someone was kicking her continuously. Baffled she tried to get a grip on her surroundings when another kick caused her to buckle in agony. Twisting her head she saw a man she vaguely recognised, fury emanating from his face. Disorientation hit her nearly as hard as her attacker’s boot as she realised that she was no longer holding the letter or the photo in her hand nor was she lying on the floor in the attic. Instead she was huddled in the corner of a 1950s style kitchen wearing a floral dress, flat black shoes and a plain white apron. Looking back up she realised that the man kicking her was her grandfather, Geoffrey. The fear in her eyes was fuelling his anger as he shouted at her, “You are bloody useless, you knew I needed my dinner at four today. You know I am meeting Hobbs for a drink. Where is that bloody woman you call a housekeeper? Can’t she follow orders either?” He slapped her hard, striking his wedding ring against her, causing it to cut her freshly moisturised cheek. Her hand flew to her face and her fingers became sticky as they made contact with the broken skin. Geoffrey just sniffed at her. “Why did I ever marry you? You are unable to perform even the simplest of tasks to my bidding and now I’m lumbered with you for the rest of my life,” he finished planting his shoe in her ribs again. Realisation struck as Katrina looked down at herself once more. Putting a hand to her face and then to her hair she understood that all he could see was Lily. Somehow Katrina had become her grandmother and reverted back in time at least fifty five years.
Unable to grasp the logistics of the situation she decided that the only thing that mattered right now was getting away from Geoffrey. Dragging herself up off the floor she managed to dodge more kicks and slaps as she half crawled across the kitchen. As she was finally able to stand she wobbled slightly but managed to remain upright. Trying to get her bearings she noticed a little girl of about three cowering in the doorway. Horrified Katrina forced herself past Lily’s husband, who was trying to prevent her from leaving the room, and grabbed the girl, Maisie-Leigh, close to her just as Geoffrey punched her once more, causing the child to scream. This angered the bully more and he burst between the woman and the child, shoving Maisie-Leigh hard against the wall. As the child slumped to the floor Geoffrey struck her across the head and Katrina screamed also and without thinking lifted the huge pan of hot water off the stove and brought it down on Geoffrey’s head causing him to collapse. It was almost like it had happened in slow motion and the shock at what she had just done coursed through her as the seriousness of what she had just done dawned on her. Katrina could see blood seeping from an already forming bruise but as she pulled herself together Katrina had no other thoughts for the man, instead rushing to Maisie-Leigh’s side. As Katrina felt for a pulse and tried to shake her awake it became all too clear that it was too late. Her tiny physique had been unable to fight the brutality of her father’s outburst and the blow to her head had been fatal. Tears ran down Katrina’s face as she huddled her grandmother’s child into her arms. She could not even begin to understand any of what had just happened. She was inside someone else’s body in which she had no control over. Lily was making her relive this and Katrina was slowly beginning to figure out why.
Annie came out of the shadows and although she was shaking she took charge as Katrina continued to cradle the child. Once Annie had made the call the police arrived quickly, taking no time at all to seal off the crime scene. After an endless amount of questions they were satisfied that events had happened as they had been described and so with the interrogation over Annie grabbed a bottle of brandy, poured some into a glass and made Katrina drink it as finally one of the officers gently prised Maisie-Leigh away from her. The burning of the brandy on her throat shocked her into not screaming but it did not stop the tears from falling as she collapsed into Annie’s arms. As the sobs burst from her she hit out at Annie her fist clenched as Katrina struck her. Annie took a firm grip of her and hugged her tight. As Katrina continued to be controlled by Lily’s actions she realised how deceptive the wedding picture she had been looking at was to anyone who saw it. She also realised that if it hadn’t been for Annie her grandmother would never have gotten through this horrific ordeal.
*
Katrina could feel someone gently tapping her on the face. As she focused she realised she was back in the attic and Annie was helping her to slowly sit up. “Are you ok? It looks like you fainted there for a wee while.” Katrina nodded and then pulled Annie close and held her tight. “Thank you. Thank you for being there for my grandmother when she needed you most.” Annie, confused, said nothing. Katrina tried to stand but nausea caused her to change her mind. As the feeling of sickness took a grip she noticed a transparent figure emerge by her side. It was her grandmother and it seemed like she had just come from within Katrina, who cautiously held out her hand which Lily took as Katrina trembled at the wispy cobweb like sensation. “I’m sorry,” Lily whispered. “I had to let you know the truth. I had to let you know that you were not really mine.” As Lily faded away Katrina tried to keep a hold of her as she said, “That’s not true. You cared for me like I was your own and that’s all that counts. I have had a great life and that is all down to you. Don’t feel guilt. Go in peace and remember I love you Grandmother Lily.” Lily smiled and finally let go as she drifted towards the window convincing Katrina that, now she had shared her burden, she was indeed at peace. Once Lily had disappeared completely Katrina kissed Annie and said, “You weren’t just her housekeeper Annie, you were her best friend too.” With that she turned on her heel, ran down the stairs, grabbed her denim jacket and made the short walk to the cemetery, wanting to be near to her grandmother for a little while longer.
