Writing for Fun
March 2018
Mystry The Rabbit - Gerry Miller
The magician’s stomach churned as he parked the car, putting on his red fez and gathering the rest of his equipment he headed round the corner to the Queen’s Jubilee Party. The street had been closed off at both ends and it appeared well decorated, bunting was flying and the tablecloths were blowing gently in the breeze. The organiser had said they would be outside number 25 and he would have a clown’s conical hat on his head. Already Simon could see him as he struggled through the laughing children and bustling adults. Brief introductions were made and he set his magic table to one side ready to set up when his turn came round.
A drink was placed in his hand and he stood to one side and observed the crowd, seeking out the one face he felt deep inside that he would instantly recognise. His mind flashed back to his daughter’s conception, he had gone out with Susan on a few occasions. They had been friends and neighbours all their lives, she was bright intelligent and clever and studying for her degree. It was all meant to be fun and short term and indeed that was what it had been. He had joined the army and was then posted to Afghanistan, Susan showed her true colours finding out she was pregnant she was certainly not about wasting her future on a squaddie nor was she going to struggle as a single parent.
Simon had not returned to his birth place for over four years and returning to his family home he heard Susan had long since moved. She was steadily working her way up the civil service ladder, definitely a very high flyer. He returned to his old haunts, picked up with some of his mates and began life again. It was over time that the mystery rumours came to his attention; Susan had apparently had a baby girl and placed her for adoption. Her parents had pleaded with her to keep it and they would bring up the baby. But she would not listen and the little girl named Eloise Simone was gone.
The visit to Susan in London was hurtful, heartfelt and indeed heart breaking. Susan told him the child was his but she had long decided a relationship with him and/or the child was not for her. When she heard months later that he had been wounded that had completely vindicated her decision. A one legged poor husband and a child had definitely not been in her plans. Her callousness almost overwhelmed him. Simon had been overwhelmed with emotion but understood that Eloise had been there for over five years now and was thriving. But at least Susan had been persuaded to agree to letterbox contact on a yearly basis, she had brought to the office that day the letters and photos.
Susan had met once with the adoptive parents, a GP and his wife who had been unable to have children. Apparently his practice was in the Home Counties and the adoptive parents wrote and sent photos once a year as had been agreed. Simon asked for copies of the photos and Susan told him he could keep them all as she had no need of them. Her heartlessness shocked him rigid and he gratefully took the photos, from these he felt a small glimmer of hope that he would be able to trace the family. The process was long and painful, so many false leads, so many playschools and Infant schools all with the same colour edge of uniform showing in the photos, so many looked the same.
Solving the mystery seemed almost impossible. He knew that the adoptive parents were calling her by her second name Simone, he thanked his lucky stars it was relatively uncommon.
With a start Simon suddenly realised that the organiser was talking to him and he moved his magic table into the centre of the garage forecourt and prepared to work. He donned his magic cloak and his top hat, placing a duplicate child’s set on the table. As he gave his very carefully rehearsed opening he asked for an assistant, many children’s hands shot up. ‘My oh my,’ he said, ‘Now how can we sort this out? I know, we will use the assistant’s magic hat.’ He showed the hat as empty and then with a loud Abracadabra he reached in and pulled out a white rabbit, round its neck was a tiny locket, he opened it with a flourish and said, ‘Mistry the rabbit seems to want Simone, is there any one here with that name?’
His heart beat faster and faster inside him as suddenly there she was a lively six years old shouting ‘Me, Me Me.’ His heart was breaking as he saw his mother’s eyes shining up at him; the brown wavy hair of Susan was held back with an Alice band. The next hour of tricks and treats flew by in an instant; he held her hand and was able to give her the odd hug. Their photo was taken by the local newspaper, so Simon felt that he would be able to get copies.
Simone took him to meet her parents standing on the side-lines, she so desperately wanted to keep the bunny but he had told her that her parents would have to have the final say. He watched the three of them together as she begged and pleaded. He could see that they were putty in her hands and they agreed, ensuring that Simone understood that she would have to be the one caring for Mistry. She was such a bundle of joy, she reached up and as he bent towards her she whispered in his ear, ‘This is the happiest day of my life.’ Then taking hold tightly of Mystery she disappeared with her dad to find the bunny a home.
The magician packed his act and left the family and the street to get on with their jubilee party and their lives, waving good bye he went off to his car. Simon drove to the supermarket he had seen on his way and parked his car in the corner. Then the flood gates opened and his body shook racked with tears. He was happy, sad, and heartbroken but most of all reassured his daughter was happy and appeared to be with the nicest of people. He could ask for no more at least not now. When he returned home he would write to the adoption agency giving clear details of his parenthood and Susan’s acknowledgement of him as the birth father to Eloise Simone, he enclosed details of contacts to enable her to locate him. He put in his request for letterbox contact and sat back to wait. Should his daughter want to find her father in the future then he would indeed make certain that she would find it easy.