Adventures of Moira

Adventures of Moira

“We have plenty of time, Moira.” Jack Litheson said with a glance at the girl next to him. She was about ten years old, she had black hair that resembled molten ore, and her eyes shined of purest black. She wore an old, tattered dress that was a hand-me-down from her orphanage.

“We're never going to make it on time.” Moira complained as she sunk lower into the seat. “We’re already late, and Auntie Kate -must I really call her that?- is already waiting for us to arrive. If we started earlier, like I said, we would’ve gotten there on time.”

“I know, I know.” He said patiently. He was used to her pessimism, and had lots of practice soothing the morbid girl. “Yes, you must call her that- but you were right. I’m sorry. By now, I should’ve learned to trust your judgment. But on the bright side, we’re only an hour away!”

Jack has brown hair and blue eyes, he was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, and had recently got out of college. He was the nephew of Mrs. Lafont, the orphanage’s head mistress.

As of now, he was driving Moira to another victim who unknowingly offered to take the little sourpuss in the shape of a ten year old girl.

“Now, I want you to be nice and charming- no matter what she looks like. And I don’t want to hear you call her a fat crony even if she is! Mrs. Toulle is still angry that you called her that, and is spreading the word that you’re a horrid girl.”

“In my defense, Mrs. Toulle was a fat crony, but I didn’t call her all the other names I was thinking of.”

“Moira! That is enough of that!”

“Oh, poo! You aren’t my keeper.”

“Then where is he? Still at the mental hospital?”

At this, Moira had to laugh, but this was a rare thing, unless she was with Jack.

“Am I going to like her?” She whispered, suddenly solemn.

“Well, I don’t know. I’ve never met Kate Jacobsan, but I have heard nice things about her.” And suddenly, as he did most often, he changed the subject. “Are you hungry? I certainly am. Here’s a diner-- it’s heaven sent! Let’s go!”

He made a turn that almost flipped the old vehicle that contained the personages in question, but by some means, how, I will never know, they found themselves in a parking lot.

“Um, Jack? Maybe after you drop me off at Kate—I mean Auntie Kate’s house you can take a refresher course in driving?”

“Ha ha, Smarty. C’mon let’s go inside.”

 After exiting the rickety car, which made Moira sigh in relief to have been able to live through another ride, they went inside. They were able to get the choicest seat because, well, let’s just say it wasn’t packed.

“Two hamburgers and two root beer floats, please.” Jack said to the man who came to get their order.

“Mhm.” The waiter muttered. “Any sauces?”

“No, thanks.”

The waiter staggered away muttering something as to how weird these people were to not want any sauces.

About fifteen minutes later, he came back with the desired food, or maybe should I just say food. He plopped the plates and cups down and walked away. On these plates, were two pieces of sandwich bread, a thin slice of beef, a pinch of grated cheese, a leaf of lettuce, and a pickle on the side. The root beer was in a can and a scoop of ice cream sat on top.

Of course, when in the company of a pessimist, one tries to be optimistic. But at this time, the old optimist, Jack, was at a failure of hearty words. So, instead, he called the waiter over again.

“Can we get two cups please?”

“Why?” The waiter asked suspiciously.

“For the root beer floats.”

“You have two perfectly good cans there.”

“Yes, it seems like we do. But still, can I get two glasses, please?”

“Fine. Whatever.”

When he came back, he brought the aforesaid cups and saucily inquired if they wanted any other article to change what he had brought them.

“Yeah, what we ordered.” Moira retorted.

"Hey there, missy. Watch your tongue.”

“I can’t. It’s almost physically impossible.”

At this little remark, the waiter growled.

“One more peep out of you and I’ll throw you out of my diner!”

“Ok! We have to leave, sorry to rush off! Here’s your money, good sir. Goodbye!” Jack voiced in, thrust the money into the waiter’s pocket, grabbed Moira by the arm and started to walk out of the diner.

“You didn’t eat the victuals I made for ya!”

“Sorry, got to dash!”

Moira looked mischievous and as they were about to cross the threshold she flung over her shoulder a defiant ‘Peep’.

The waiter started to run, furious at this little girl. Jack pushed her in to the car, hopped in the driver’s seat and raced out of the parking lot.

“You irrepressible little demon!” He cried out.

“He deserved it- yelling at a poor, helpless orphan!”

“You are not poor, and the last thing you are is helpless! You and I both know you can run at break-neck speeds and scream like a maniac and you could beat a pro-wrestler at hand wrestling! And—As Shakespeare said: You, minion, are too saucy! ”

Moira inwardly giggled at this, but gave a solemn vow to never let him see; thusly she almost suffocated herself in her handkerchief.

“Ok, so I’m not helpless. But that waiter scared the- the—I don’t know what out of me!”

Jack chuckled. “He scared me, too!”

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About an hour later, they pulled in the driveway to Mrs. Jacobsan.

“Ok, Jack, last chance. We can pull out of here and go back to the orphanage. I really don’t mind it there and all I can think of as Mrs.—I mean Auntie Kate being like is an out-of-shape curmudgeon that eats BBQ chips while watching the pickle ball tournament. And you know I despise pickle ball.”

At Moira’s despair, Jack laughed outright. “No turning back now.” He smiled at her.

Moira slowly got out of the car, as if one who was going to their death.

A slim woman greeted them at the door. “You must be Jack! And this must be Moira! I’ve heard oh, so much about you!” She tactfully didn't mention their tardiness.

“Well, forget all you’ve heard. This is the angelic Moira.” Jack smiled in return.

Moira snorted with inward laughter, but said nothing but: “Nice to meet you, Auntie Kate.”

After legal things, Jack left Kate with Moira, praying that Moira was either staying silent or being the angel he advertised.

“So, Moira, would you like a tour of the house?”

Despite her personality, she nodded her head enthusiastically.

There were twenty four rooms, six bedrooms; a library, a kitchen, a living room, a parlor, a playroom/schoolroom, a laundry room, a foyer, a sewing room, sitting rooms, countless bathrooms and closets, and the rest were turrets and servant quarters.

“Oh, my! I am sure I’ll feel like a queen here!” Moira danced around the room.

“Yes, dear, you will. I certainly do.” agreed Auntie Kate.

“Which one is my room?” She cried with utter joy.

“Why, whichever one you want!”

“Really? Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She ran to Auntie Kate and hugged her so hard the victim of this hug gasped for breath.

Moira ran to a room decorated in blush and white and came straight to the bed. With one great leap she flopped face first on it. She turned on her back with great shouts of mirth.

“Auntie Kate!” Moira cried to the woman who came in. “This house—it makes me feel so different! Mightn’t I have a ball gown to wear?”

“I suppose so, but I wouldn’t know how you would get it.” She said smiling and pointing with her head to a maid that came in with a giant box.

"Oh, Auntie Kate!” She shouted and ran to the box, clawing through the ribbons. Inside lay a beautiful baby blue ball gown. ‘Oh, Auntie Kate!’ was seemingly all that Moira could utter.

From that day on, Moira was a different girl. Rarely did she utter and rude retort or sarcasm. Now, you may be wondering ‘why?’ or ‘how?’ even if you’re not thinking these, let me tell you.

Moira was rarely happy at the orphanage. She had been to countless houses and always returned with scorn. Here at Auntie Kate’s, she felt happy, and she was made welcome. This made her want to give something back, not in the way where she gives as many remarks about the personage that would suffice, but in a way of joy, and to make her environment as joyful as possible.

About a month after Moira settled in, Jack came by to check in. Not very hopefully, might I mention, for he thought he would have to take her back. He knocked on the door and Moira threw it open, almost off the hinges.

“Jack! I’m glad you survived the drive over here!” She cried and threw her small frame on his huge one and enwrapped him in a bear hug.

“Why, where is that little sourpuss I thrust upon a lovely woman soon to go insane from a demon who took the form of a ‘helpless’ girl?”

“Well, I don’t know about the demon part, but I am the girl you bestowed upon Auntie Kate.”

“Really? I would have never guessed!”

“Come in, Jackie!”

“Jack! How lovely to see you! If you came to take my darling Moira away, I am afraid must send you away alone.” Kate greeted him.

“If you still want her, you can keep her! Things at the orphanage are much quieter and stuff but we miss Moira something fierce!”

“I’m sure you do. I love Moira so much, though; I do believe that nothing could keep her away from me. So don’t try.” She smiled at Jack.

“I don’t believe I have met your husband. May I see him?”

“I am afraid not. He passed at the age of twenty—two years after I married him and three years ago. We were so young, though. I was only seventeen when we eloped.”

Moira tactfully left the room so the adults could talk. She loved to go to the library and read the fairy tales. The library was in a turret and had a huge, curved, bay window and a window seat. She curled up on the seat with her favorite book, knowing that when she was wanted, she would be called.

After that, Jack came over many times. Moira got a little suspicious if it was to see how Moira was, or to see Auntie Kate.

It was not surprising when Auntie Kate and Jack declared that they were getting married.

The wedding was so beautiful, and Moira wore her pretty blue ball gown. The color theme was pastels, and the bride wore a lovely blush dress. Moira’s last name had been changed so many times, and now her name was her best friend’s last name. She was now Moira Litheson.

When her new parents came home from their honeymoon, they were ecstatic to see Moira again.

"It is exciting to have a new mother and a new father.” Moira said to her parents one evening.

“It sure is exciting having a daughter!” Jack exclaimed. “I can’t believe it has already been a few months since the wedding.”

“It certainly is nice to have a family again.” Mother Kate, as she was now dubbed by Moira, sighed a happy sigh. “I can’t wait to see the baby.”

“Baby?” Jack and Moira screamed, jumping up.

“Yes! A baby!” Kate laughed.

When this child was born, a whole new chapter opened up in their lives. No sleep, tired days, endless visitors, and all of those amazing thing conjured up by an infant, asleep, or maybe crying, in his cradle.

At night, when the baby was fast asleep, Moira, Jack, and Kate got together in the sitting room to chat. Tonight, Mother Kate had a question to ask.

"I know this was many months ago, a year actually, but this question is still bugging me. Why were you two so late when you delivered Moira to me?

"It's a long story." began Jack.

"It felt like" Moira chimed in. "We were never going to make it."

THE END