A passage in the life of Mandy. |
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Mandy looked at the empty bed, and her mind could see that Mummy was sick and she was always there when she came into this room, 'Where are you Mummy? ' And then she remembered Daddy said she had gone to heaven. ' But why would she leave me and go to heaven,?' 'Auntie Margaret when is mummy coming home from heaven?' Auntie Margaret took her by the hand. 'We are all finished here let's go and have a nice cup of tea.' 'Will mummy be having tea with us?' 'No, but your Daddy will be here soon and that will be nice.' and taking her three year old niece by the hand she led her down stairs. Danny was visiting his daughter, and he had just buried her mother. He was a patient In the sanatorium, and was terminally ill with TB and was allowed out for the day.He took Mandy to the orphanage. There was no other solution to his problem, nobody was willing to take Mandy, and he knew he would never return to his home. At the door he gave Mandy a hug and a kiss before handing her over to the Nun. 'Daddy where are you going? She screamed! as he walked away, but he couldn't look back all he could hear was Mandy's cry 'When will I see you again?' Tommy, Mandy's brother, was already in the home came running and hugged his little sister, The head nun Mother Teresa, handed Mandy over to the care worker, and she took her to the bed and showed her how to make it. ' You will have to polish round your bed on a Friday.' ' I can't make beds.' said Mandy breaking down began to sob. Tommy again hugged his sister to comfort her. ' She's only three.' he shouted at the carer, and received a slap. ' You go and mind your business .' Tommy left the room and waited outside for Mandy. Next morning Mandy was sent to wash and dress, and she was to return to the dormitory all the children stood around a wet bed, and the carer had a boy by the shoulders, and to Mandy's horror discovered the boy was Tommy. The carer pushed him on to the bed face down and removed his pyjamas and began spanking Tommy with a slipper, and Mandy ran into a corner of the room and covered her ears so she didn't hear Tommy cry. when the day ended and it was bed time, Tommy was taken to the bathroom and he was locked in from the outside, and the shadows from trees were reflecting on the window gave a scary picture, and he was petrified and began to cry. Mandy went to the door and unlocked it. ' Go to bed, ' and he climbed into his comfortable bed and fell fast asleep. next morning the carers punished both, and placed Tommy and Mandy in a room with a wooden floor and had to kneel with their hands on there head for a half hour and then let them go outside to play. A few months went by and one morning the nun on duty came and wakened the Tommy and Mandy and ushered them into the bathroom, and Informed them they were going to live with their Granny, and they travelled to grannies home on the bus, with auntie Jean and auntie Lily to have a new life with Granny. |