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Phoebe kicked her legs back and forth as she waited in the school hallway for an uncle to show.
Who was coming would be a surprise depending who finished their tasks quickest. Usually, it was Jamie, but Roy's been keeping it up.
Ms. Bowen was around the corner, humming a tune of a song Phoebe wasn't too familiar with. It sounded like a nice song if Bowen knew how to keep a rhythm.
The humming got closer until Bowen came into view, turning at the corner, holding lanyards of colourful rings connected to one another.
”Phoebe, still waiting?” Bowen asked but was more of a statement than anything.
Phoebe just nodded and tried to whistle the tune Jamie always hummed at home because it was better than whatever Ms. Bowen was humming.
Bowen laughed, taking a seat next to her, admiring how Phoebe grew up over the last two years.
The young girl was still short and had Roy's temper! Bowen could sometimes hear her potty mouth down the hall when she was teaching, always trying to hold in a laugh.
“Who do you think is coming to get you now?” Bowen asked.
Phoebe whistled on it. Yesterday was Jamie and the day before was Roy. And then the day before that day was Roy again.
“Hmmm, Uncle Jamie usually picks me up but sometimes Uncle Roy shows up when I think it’s Uncle Jamie. I don’t know Ms. Bowen,” Phoebe said truthfully.
Phoebe wished they both picked her up, her other hand always feeling cold and empty.
Bowen nodded, handing Phoebe a part of the colourful paper links she held. “Well, as we wait, would you like to help me set this up?”
Phoebe quickly nodded her head. She loved helping Ms. Bowen decorate her classroom despite she wasn't in her class anymore; the two were close regardless.
“Alrighty then, I got more that need to be linked too!”
~//////~
Phoebe fumbled a bit with linking the rings together without having sticky fingers.
Bowen was just as bad, getting glitter somehow on her hands and on the chains when they didn’t have any glitter on site.
“Phoebe, that’s a good chain you have going there,” Bowen said, though it was lopsided and uneven, it was perfect in Bowen’s eyes.
”Thanks, Ms. Bowen!” Phoebe said happily.
As they worked in silence, Bowen humming, Phoebe spoke up.
”I made them a drawing… Took me all week. I can't wait to show my uncles. I hope they take me for ice cream after dinner.”
Phoebe thought of the banana boat she had last week with Jamie, how both of them got brain freeze, and Roy just laughed at them after they ignored his warning.
“I bet they would. Say, Phoebe, when did Uncle Jamie become your uncle, officially, I mean?” Bowen had been dying to know.
Roy never said anything and Jamie was always out the door before Bowen could get a word at him. Once the new year started and Phoebe was in a different class, Bowen barely saw the men.
It only been a month since it reached Bowen’s eyes when she saw the new pickup list for Phoebe when she took over their class one day, Jamie Tartt going to Jamie fucking Kent.
Nothing on the news about it. Wasn't sure when it happened. Bowen had to know.
The majority of the staff assumed they were very good roommates. They never cared much in the first place, barely read the registry themselves, and let anyone state a name and take a kid.
That was a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Now, her opportunity for the truth lay in the little girl before her. Bowen had been dying to gossip about it.
”Oh, it’s a funny story, really,” Phoebe giggled but gasped when she accidentally spilled some glue on the table.
“Is it? How so?” Bowen asked, scrapping up the white glue with construction paper, her hands now of glitter and glue.
“Well, they told me not to gossip about it,” Phoebe said with a smile, knowing exactly what Bowen was doing.
Bowen put her hands up in defeat. “You got me, I was being nosy, sorry.”
”It’s okay, do you really want to know?”
Bowen bit her lip. “Look, Phoebe, if they don’t want to say anything… Best to keep it to yourself,” Bowen said, cursing her moral compass for she knew it would haunt her.
Phoebe shook her head. “They don't really mind! It's my story anyway, too. They just don't like gossip. I actually used to hate my Uncle Jamie!”
“Oh?” that caught Bowen off guard. Phoebe seemed to adore Jamie so much that Bowen suspected he was the favourite uncle.
“Well, not hate, it just took some time. Want to know the story, Ms. Bowen? My therapist and uncles say it's good to talk about it to people I trust and I trust you.”
Any guilt Bowen had disappeared though she knew she was in for a ride that she might come to regret.
“Yes, I would love to know Phoebe. And only if you're comfortable telling me. I am always here, even if you're not in my class anymore.”
Both gave each other a smile. Phoebe scooted her chair closer to Bowen and cleared her throat.
“Well, it all started when my Mummy died.“
~//////~
I just turned 6 when it happened.
It was a drunk driver. Still refuse to look up the man's name.
My mum was there at the wrong place and time. Both didn’t make it. She was on her way to pick me up from school too, finally having time to do so.
Then I saw Jamie instead. He showed up all sad. Never seen his eyes so red! Uncle Roy was at the hospital, couldn't get me.
You know why.
I knew it was going to be bad days ahead. It was much worse than that when Jamie told me Mummy was at the– Sorry, it's hard to talk about that day.
My Uncle Roy wasn’t the same and I took it the worst, of course. I never knew pain like that can exist, do you, Ms. Bowen?
Yes, it's terrible. I am sorry about your parents--
Jamie was there to help. At the time, I just thought he was Uncle Roy's best friend who wanted to be there for us.
It was terrible the first week. I screamed and cried a lot. My poor uncles at the time were overwhelmed, mainly my Uncle Roy!
Uncle Jamie was really good at calming me down though. Still is.
~
”I WANT MY MUMMY!”
“Pheebs, I know—“ Jamie had his hands up, arms littered in scratches and bites.
”MUMMY! MUMMY! MUMMY!” Phoebe screamed at him til her face went blue and stomped the floors then flopped down, kicking and punching the air.
Roy had to walk away from her, crying himself, unable to handle the situation without screaming back.
Jamie let her hit him and bite him and kick him. He never complained once.
"Pheebs, please," Jamie pleaded, scooping her up, arms around hers so she couldn't move them and sat on the couch because he was so tired--
"LET ME FUCKING GO," Phoebe screamed, kicking her legs at Jamie but the man just took it.
"Shhhh, you're okay, Phoebe, you're okay..." Jamie whispered and started to hum, rocking her in his arms as he did.
Phoebe screaned and screamed until she started to feel warm inside the longer she listened, the rocking holding her steady.
Mummy used to hum to Phoebe when she got upset and make her favourite; pasta with her favourite sauce that came with the green stuff so Mummy used to pick it out for her.
“Phoebe… Mummy might be gone but she's still here. Don't you feel her, in yer heart? Mummies never leave their babies, never. Forever in yer hearts. Yer Mummy's love follows you everywhere and I love you too, Phoebe..." Jamie said, rocking and humming til she fell asleep in his arms.
~
The funeral came and went. I don’t remember what happened unfortunately.
My therapist told me I ‘dissociated’. I didn't know what it truly meant at the time. Have you ever done something and forgot what you were doing because your mind was somewhere else, Ms. Bowen?
Ms. Bowen! We weren't that bad, haha!
I do remember one thing! I remember I was holding onto Uncle Roy and Jamie’s hand the whole day. I never let go until we got home.
Keeley was very nice to drive us and she even stayed for a few days with us.
Jamie stayed at the house even when Keeley was gone. He stayed over a lot, lived there at that point.
Uncle Roy’s house wasn’t as big as Keeley’s but they shared a bed and I always thought that’s what friends do when they have sleepovers.
It's silly now! I never questioned when they hugged, made silly jokes about bedtime, or got close when they thought I wasn't looking.
As a kid, it went over my head, Ms. Bowen. I'm 8 now, turning 9 soon and I still learn something new each day about them. It's been about two years, three next month!
Well, to little Phoebe at the time, they were the best of mates! Don’t laugh, Ms. Bowen!
Now, the day I found out was when I had a nightmare and walked in on them kissing in the living room.
“I didn't know best friends could kiss one another?”
You should have seen their faces! They were so pale that I thought they were ghosts! Ms. Bowen, you're laughing so hard, are you okay?
Anyway, they sat me down at the kitchen table and gave me a talk about what they were and another version of the birds and bees.
It was quite funny to see Uncle Roy so flustered!
~
“Phoebe, it's normal for men to kiss one another when they like each other,” Jamie said, hand on Roy's who sat across from him, Phoebe sitting in the middle.
“Does that mean you like each other like a mummy and daddy do?”
Roy and Jamie looked at one another, both smiling and red.
“Yes, we do,” Roy answered. “We only kept it a secret from you because we weren't sure if you were ready for... another change in your life.”
“But now we are, we know you're ready,” Jamie said.
They then went to give the talk about the birds and bees and it was the second hardest conversation Roy had to go through while it was a breeze for Jamie.
“Don't be a fuckin' baby, she's 6! Rachel's probably told her everything anyway,” Jamie said with a roll of his eyes when Roy couldn't stutter out the words.
Phoebe already had the talk with Mummy but never about two men. It sounded the same to her anyway and she listened with open ears.
"Jamie and I are bisexual, do you know that word, Phoebe?" Roy asked without stuttering, his hands balled into tight fists. Jamie held back a laugh at how ridiculous Roy was being.
Phoebe nodded, vaguely familiar with some of the terms but she was 6, she didn't care for labels.
Roy looked at Jamie, his eyes begging. Jamie sighed and took over--
“Men can't have children like women can. They can adopt or ask a mummy for help. Our parts are very different. Men do it differently because they don't have–” Jamie explained, Roy fully tapped out with his face redder than the fruit bowl on the table.
“Do you have any questions, Phoebe?” Roy asked after Jamie finished, something Roy was truly forever grateful for.
“Does that make me your niece or daughter since Mummy's dead?”
Phoebe asked because she just didn't know what she was now to Uncle Roy after he signed papers getting guardianship.
“Phoebe, yer Uncle Roy is still yer uncle but will feel like yer daddy. The process he went through was just so can be yer legal guardian.Yer mummy put that in the will because she knew Uncle Roy would take good care of you,” Jamie tried to explain.
“Did Mummy know she was going to die then if she planned Uncle Roy to take care of me? Does that mean if Uncle Roy dies… I'm alone?”
They both shook their heads quickly
“No, Phoebe. You won't be alone because Jamie would look after you, I made sure of it in my own will,” Roy said and Phoebe lit up for a moment before it fizzled completely.
“Jamie?” Phoebe asked, unsure.
“That's right, Pheebs, you have me if anything happens to Uncle Roy but it won't come to that. He's not going anywhere anytime soon. Not on my watch, at least!” Jamie said, fingers intertwined with Roy’s and both shared a quick kiss.
Phoebe nodded, understanding that love was love and her Uncle Roy liked his best friend who happened to be a man. That was okay.
Uncle Roy was like a father figure to her. He would show up to all the fatherly events at school and they celebrated Father's day together even.
If her Uncle Roy was like a father to her, did that mean Jamie was another daddy or… mummy?
That wasn't okay.
~
I was scared Jamie was going to replace Mummy. I didn't understand why at the moment but I do now.
One person gone and one person in right after, it seemed like Mummy died so Jamie can be part of the family… It might sound stupid but that's how I used to think.
No, you don't think it's stupid? Thank you, Ms. Bowen. My therapist told me the same thing but it's hard to see the reasoning when you go through bad things!
All three of us moved out after the game season ended. The house was bigger and had a lot of room for all our things!
I missed my old room at Mummy's house and had told Jamie. I refused to call him uncle! I was such a brat then but a justified brat.
I told him my parents painted the room a very specific pink that Mummy loved before I was born.
Jamie then spent the majority of the week painting it that exact colour! He had photos of the old room and they mixed it to the closest shade.
He also made sure to set it up like my old setup and got me so many new toys!
Uncle Jamie was and still is the best but it was still hard to accept him.
~
“Wow, this is like my old room! Look at these toys, WOW!” Phoebe was bouncing around the room, touching everything new with sticky fingers as Jamie and Roy watched on
“Like it?” Jamie was wiping his paint stained hands on his overalls.
“Yes, thank you!” Phoebe had gone up to Roy and hugged him, peeking up at Jamie.
“Jamie was the one who did all this, should thank him, not me,” Roy encouraged, gently pushing her towards him.
Phoebe had hugged him for a long time because Jamie had the best hugs but she couldn't tell him that, and ran off to play with her new toys.
~
A full year passed after Mummy died and I left your classroom when I went up a grade. Missed you a lot, you know. Glad we still chat sometimes, like now!
The therapy helped but it could only do so much at the time. I could not accept Mummy was dead and I could not accept Jamie was going to be a part of the family.
I truly thought he was going to replace her… I know now, Ms. Bowen, don't worry. He was just trying his best!
Months had gone by and we all fell into a routine.
I would pretend to be happy around them and I lie to my therapist because I didn't want to move on from Mummy, like them.
Didn't want to forget her like everyone but that wasn’t what they were doing…
The house had pictures of us but none of Mummy. I grew distant from Uncle Jamie because of it. Seeing his smiling face really got my gears!
When he made food that tasted just like Mummy's! I would refuse sometimes and Uncle Roy would force me to stay at the table for hours until I ate.
“You are not to leave this fucking table til your plates licked clean!”
Jamie would put as little food on my plate because he hated seeing me so sad!
Worse of all was his humming, Bowen. I would hear it around the house and think it's Mummy and run to see it was just Uncle Jamie.
After we visited Mummy's grave, a few weeks after that, they called me to the table to tell me some big news.
I was hoping for a dog but I got something better, though… At that time it was the worst news of little Phoebe’s life and the worst fight we ever had.
I still feel bad about it til the day, Ms. Bowen but Uncle Jamie never held it against me…
~
“Phoebe, we have some very exciting news for you,” Jamie said, twirling something around his finger.
Phoebe looked on, waiting for whatever they had to tell her. She wasn't in the mood at the moment, having visited Mummy's grave weeks prior with flowers and the heaviness coming back.
“Phoebe, I asked Jamie in hand and he said yes. He is going to be a part of the family forever, are you excited to have another uncle?” Roy said with what Phoebe thought was the happiest her Uncle Roy had been since Mummy died.
Something snapped in Phoebe.
It came from the darkest part of her mind, something she locked away, shoved down a tube that could only hold so much–
How fucking dare he.
Phoebe saw red and lost it–
Phoebe just screamed at them about how Mummy was dead and they can't just add anyone to the family when they haven't even asked Phoebe first if it was okay to ask for Jamie's hand!
Phoebe was mad, no, LIVID.
Livid because Mummy was gone forever and everyone seemed to forget that Phoebe was still stuck at the school the day FUCKING Jamie told her the news.
Livid that FUCKING Jamie tried to be her new Mummy with ‘Daddy’ Uncle Roy.
Livid that Uncle Roy was happy without Mummy and happier with FUCKING Jamie.
Livid that Uncle Roy didn't cry anymore but laughed with FUCKING Jamie while all Phoebe did was cry and go to therapy.
Livid how there weren't any pictures of Mummy around but for the one in her room, just FUCKING JAMIE EVERYWHERE–
“Pheebs!” Jamie said in shock, eyes wide like a deer in headlights. Roy was confused, scared even, amd tried to talk to her but Phoebe was fed up with everything.
She was so tired, so sad, so fucking ANGRY.
As Roy kept yapping at her, Phoebe took the red fruit bowl that was on the table and hurled it towards the men with every ounce of strength she had.
It hit Jamie, hard, on the shoulder, bowl breaking when it made contact, fruit hitting surfaces and bouncing bruised. Jamie didn't even say a word–
“Phoebe, fucking hell!
CALM down, your Mummy would want us to be happy, yea?
Don't you like Jamie–
PHOEBE!
DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE THROW SHIT AT HIM FUCKING HELL THAT WAS FUCKING GLASS PHOEBE MY FUCKING GOD FOR FUCKING SAKES YOU HURT HIM–”
Roy stood up screaming so red and loud that there wasn't a hint of skin on his face, almost knocking the chair and table back.
Jamie had to hold him down screaming over everyone to calm down, bleeding at the shoulder; he was so scared Roy would raise a hand at that moment.
Phoebe exploded back because that's all she knew; her anger was done being locked up and it surfaced with such force that she was shaking.
“I like Jamie as your friend, not as an uncle!
I don't want— I DON'T WANT ANOTHER FUCKING WANKER OF AN UNCLE WHO PRETENDS TO BE MUMMY I WANT MY MUMMY!
I FUCKING HATE YOU AND HATE JAMIE THE MOST AND THIS FUCKING HOUSE I WANT MY FUCKING MUM!
I WANT MY OLD ROOM!
I FUCKING HATE JAMIE I HATE YOU JAMIE I HATE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH!
WHERE IS MY REAL MUMMY?
I WANT MUMMY I WANT MY MUMMY NOW!!!
WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN JAMIE INSTEAD OF MUMMY—!”
“TO YOUR FUCKING ROOM NOW, PHOEBE! GO FUCKING NOW OR I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD-" Uncle Roy screamed so loud, so hoarse, that it shook and rattled the house. His hand was up, Jamie grabbed it down--
"ROY, ENOUGH," Jamie yelled over him, his voice cracking. "WE AGREED, FUCKING NEVER, remember?" And forced Roy down on the chair who compiled.
"Phoebe, go... Go to your room, please," Jamie said, his voice wobbly. Roy just stared at his shaking hands, unable to look up.
Phoebe stormed off screaming in tears, leaving the two men to discuss what to do.
-
Phoebe felt terrible.
When she calmed down from the anger, she felt empty.
Phoebe didn't mean her words but she wanted to hurt them because she was hurt. It worked, but at whar cost?
When she heard Jamie crying loudly downstairs from her room, even with the door closed, she cried too. The anger wasn't worth what she felt at this moment.
Jamie cried that ugly sob people make when you feel everything won't get better, and have no choice but to cry about all the bad things crashing down on you.
After it got quiet, Phoebe hoping they come tuck her in, she instead heard the door open and close, and a car leaving out her window.
Uncle Roy was the one to tuck in. Didn't saying anything, his face still red and eyes puffy, and went to bed alone that night.
The house seemed too cold, too big now.
Phoebe couldn't sleep for days and only slept when Jamie came back, pretending nothing happened after.
The guilt ate at her.
~
I ignored them for days, skipped dinner, skipped school. You remember that, Ms. Bowen?
Yes! I remember I punched some kid, and broke his nose good! HA!
He said something bad about my Mummy being dead and my uncles. It was worth the week's suspension. HA!
It was the same week Uncle Roy had to go out of town and only Jamie could stay to watch me.
He had to take off work for a week for me. I remember he bought me bags of candy, played my favourite movie every night even though he was sick of it and I wasn't, took me out for ice cream everyday…
I still wasn't talking to him!
Jamie did so much for me back in the day. Children do take things for granted! Oh, come on, Ms. Bowen! I'm mature now! 8 is a big age.
Technically, 9 next month!
~
“Just you and me, Pheebs,” Jamie said as they waved bye to Uncle Roy. It had been a few weeks after the fight and Phoebe was still ashamed.
Phoebe ran away to her room when Jamie closed the front door. Jamie left her alone that might expect to deliver a sandwich and tuck her in.
The following days he tried to talk to her, take her out, do all the things she would love to do.
She would follow without trying to show how much fun she was having. Jamie could tell but kept it to himself.
It was the second last night before Roy came home and Jamie called her down for dinner. She would have ignored him if the scent of her favourite food didn't beckon her.
“I tried to make it as best I can, mighty proud of myself!” Jamie said, placing a plate down for her. It was pasta with her favourite sauce, all green things picked out.
Phoebe didn't touch her food, eyeing the ring on Jamie's finger. Jamie caught her staring and coughed.
“Phoebe? Can I ask you something?”
Phoebe just nodded and waited.
“Do you not want me as yer uncle? Because… I understand. I talked to yer Uncle Roy… We can postpone our engagement until yer ready, yea?”
Phoebe shrugged.
Jamie did things that Mummy did like hum little songs around the house, braid her hair before school, make the foods taste exactly like how Mummy made them even if he knew it or not.
Like now, he made her pasta like Mummy did when she was upset.
Even took out all the green stuff out from her favourite sauce because it had basil in it. Phoebe hated seeing green on her plate. Why she didn't pick other sauces without the green stuff, only Mummy understood.
And now Jamie, who also understood.
Maybe, it was time for Phoebe to ask him the question she wanted to ask; her turn to sit him down and talk.
Time for her to stop being selfish and finally talk about her feelings. Her therapist told her so and she had disagreed at the time because who would listen to her?
She was just a kid…But, she had feelings that needed a voice. She loved her Uncle Roy but she was tired of the anger she held on like he did.
“Can I ask you something?” Phoebe asked quietly, poking at the food.
“Of course, shoot,” Jamie said with his famous smiles.
"Are you trying to replace my Mummy?”
Jamie had coughed so hard pasta flew out his nose and Phoebe had a small giggle, the first time she laughed in a long time.
“Phoebe, I could never replace Rachel, yer mummy! Ever! She will always be yer mummy and I want to be yer uncle, if you have me.
I love you and yer uncle so fucking much, moon and back. I'm sorry if I made it seem I was replacing her. Is that why yer distant?”
Phoebe slowly nodded. She had one more question that nagged ar her for months on end; better ask it now or never.
“Why aren't there pictures of Mummy around if you say you loved her?”
“Oh, Pheebs… Yer Uncle Roy still has a hard time seeing anything of her. He might act happy but everyone has their ways of dealing with grief...
Hell, I get teary eyed looking at you. You have her eyes, you know. I loved her so much, Pheebs, still do.
We should have talked to you more about it... You know how yer Uncle Roy is. Yer not wrong to feel the anger you do.
I just want you to know, no matter what, and I tell yer uncle this too because man has a temper worse than a fuckin’ sailor–
I am always here to listen with nothing but love, Pheebs.”
Phoebe nodded again and remembered her Mummy telling her how happy Uncle Roy had been to be with Jamie on uncle’s day, how a great idea it was for Phoebe to invite him, and how Jamie was very special to Uncle Roy.
How Mummy said she loved Jamie; How Jamie made Uncle Roy better.
Phoebe then remembered Jamie hugging her after she bit him and telling her about mummies love, how much he loved her too.
Mummy always made her feel warm and safe and at that moment, she felt the same warmth and safety with Jamie when he held her, rocking her into a slumber as he hummed.
Phoebe could have all that if she let go of the anger and accept...
Accept that her Mummy was dead.
Accept that she had two people in her life that were there for her now and better to spend it merrily than waste it because anything can happen.
Happened to Mummy, could happen to any of them.
And finally, accept Jamie and his love for her without forgetting her Mummy's because Mummies love always stayed forever in their babies heart.
No one can't replace her Mummy but they can help patch the hole up and that's what Jamie's love was doing.
“I'm sorry I said all those bad things…” Phoebe said nervously.
Jamie just laughed and patted her hand.
“It’s okay. You should see yer Uncle Roy when he's maxed out! The whole room goes up in flames! He promised to get help for it and when he gets home, we'll have a talk with him about the pictures.
Now, let's eat!”
Phoebe laughed and ate all the pasta and asked for seconds. They both joked about Uncle Roy being silly, stories about Mummy, what movie they were going to watch tonight, and getting ice cream tomorrow when Uncle Roy got home.
-
“Can I have a bedtime story?”
“Of course,” Jamie said as he tucked her into bed when they finished dinner and cleaned up.
Jamie spun a tale of a peasant and a princess, Phoebe adding a dragon after. The story ended with the peasant becoming a knight, many more adventures awaiting him.
Jamie then kissed her forehead and before he left, she called out to him, face poking out from under the sheets.
“Goodnight, Uncle Jamie,” she said quietly and he just stood at the door, with the biggest smile on his face.
“Goodnight, Pheebs,” and Jamie left.
Phoebe could hear him howl, “YAHOO! YES!”, downstairs and she laughed before falling asleep, a blanket of weight lifting off as she dreamed of knights, and princesses, and dragons, and a queen who watched over them all.
~
After that night, I started calling him Uncle Jamie, no problem! It took time but the closer the wedding got, the easier it became.
They got my blessing when Uncle Roy came back. Uncle Roy said he wasn't ready to put up pictures of Mummy but I understood thanks to Uncle Jamie's talk.
They took off another week of work just for me so we can hang out and plan for the wedding! It was so much fun!
Yes, Ms. Bowen, I got to pick the colours of their wedding! That's why if you ever come over and see the wedding pictures, there's lots of pink and yellows.
I wanted to be the ring bearer! Demanded it even. Uncle Roy was against it because I was a very clumsy girl–
Still?! No! I am not– Opps, sorry Ms. Bowen. I spilled more glue–
Well, anyways, Uncle Jamie had defended my honour. It's quite funny how Uncle Roy can't say no to us!
~
“Bloody fucking hell, you're gonna lose the damn rings!”
“Nu uh! I never lose anything!” Phoebe protested, though the missing toy posters she put up on the fridge would say otherwise.
Phoebe would bite a finger off if she was the flower girl.
“Yea, Roy, she hadn't lost a single toy the last two days!" Uncle Jamie said in her defense and Uncle Roy just groaned and cursed before saying yes and they all jumped on him for a hug.
~
When the wedding came, only the closest of their circle were invited.
Everyone knew me but I only knew a few. Keeley was there as Uncle Jamie’s maid of honor and Miss. Welton was a bridesmaid, and a few other women I didn't recognize. His mum walked him down the aisle!
Uncle Roy had asked Ted to be his best man and he came all the way down to do it! Then the coaches were groomsmen and a few from the team. Isaac? Not sure on the names!
Yes, the team came and wore their best shoes. I didn't know who was who really... but they we're all nice.
They made Nathan's niece... oh, I forgot her name, as flower girl.
It was small and simple in Amsterdam, specifically at De Ri… Ri… Yes! It was at the De Riekermolen! In front of a windmill too!
Yup, had to be that specific windmill! The Netherlands is very nice, Ms. Bowen!
Whut? You thought it was a big one at a fancy place? Like a banquet hall?
No, no. There is a reason they picked that windmill for their wedding. I can't tell you because that's their story to share with others, sorry Ms. Bowen!
Though, it's quite romantic. Hehe.
The wedding was very lovely! Uncle Jamie wore a light pink suit and Uncle Roy wore a white one.
Funny enough, I wore yellow, not my favourite colour, pink! Why? Yellow is Uncle Jamie's favourite colour so of course I picked that!
Uncle Jamie was sworn in our family and took the Kent name and left Tartt as a middle. He was officially my uncle!
You should have seen me. I danced down the walkway with the rings and people kept cheering me on. We have a video of it, maybe one day I will show you.
We danced and ate cake and opened gifts. I even got some!
A photographer took photos and we put a big one in the hallway by the front door with all of us at the wedding with the windmill in the back.
It's my favourite picture of Ms. Bowen. It makes me happy to see it when I pass it everyday before school..
After the wedding, I got to help put some photos of Mummy up around the house too! Put one right by the wedding photos. She was there too, you know.
Uncle Jamie says she was the wind that blew us that day. Felt her that day too. Probably calling them fucking wankers– Sorry! I forgot I was still at school.
I wish it was all four of us but I am very happy to have my uncles, just the three of us is enough for me.
I still miss my Mummy a lot and even cry sometimes but my uncles are there to hold my hand through tough times.
Well Ms. Bowen, that's the end of the story! Oh, goodness, are you crying?!
~//////~
Bowen wiped her eyes. She remembered the day like it was yesterday where they got the news about Rachel and how Phoebe just screamed and Jamie had to carry her out because Phoebe didn't want to leave, had to wait for her mum.
Bowen had forgotten how Phoebe used to lash out and skip classes; such a difficult time that no longer seemed to matter now.
Phoebe was growing up to be a fine woman, Bowen could see that. Though, she had to work on that temper!
“I am okay, Phoebe. Thank you for sharing that story with me,” Bowen said with a sniffle, putting a reminder aside in her head to send some flowers to the family.
Phoebe nodded, finishing her side of the chain link. “ALL DONE!” Phoebe said, holding it up.
Bowen barely made a dent on her end. How could she with a story so heartbreaking and sweet. Before Bowen could mention it, a voice popped out of nowhere.
“Pheebs?” A voice called out from the hall that made Phoebe drop everything and run towards the classroom door.
“Here, Uncle Jamie!” Phoebe shouted excitedly, knowing that voice exactly.
It was Roy who came into view through the door though.
“Uncle Roy?” Phoebe swore she heard Uncle Jamie–
Jamie came from behind, giving a small wave into the classroom. Phoebe screeched and ran up to hug them both.
“You both came!” She said, now hanging off Jamie's waist who lifted her up, throwing her up in the air.
“Yea, that’s right. We both finished work. This gaffer here took forever though–”
“Phoebe, he's lying. Roy took too long on the shitter–”
“Fucking hell! I was just on my fucking phone and didn't realize the time–”
Phoebe giggled between the bickering men, Bowen getting up and clearing her throat.
All three stared at her, "Glad to see you two here at the same time. I must say, Phoebe is an excellent story teller,” Bowen said with a wink at Phoebe who winked back.
“I bet she is. Never shuts up at home with this one,” Roy said, Jamie sticking his tongue out and putting Phoebe down who went to grab her things.
As Phoebe packed up, Bowen continued to talk to the two gentlemen, asking about the weather, how life was, and about the house.
“Nice matching rings you got there,” Bowen pointed out, dipping her toes into their married life.
Jamie laughed, flashing his hand with the ring at her. “Yea, we tied the knot a while back, kept it small–” the chatter continued, Jamie yapping on because he'd been dying to brag about the wedding with people outside their circle, and Roy was stingy; didn't want the paparazzi to make a deal of it.
Phoebe took out the drawing she made. She stared at it, unsure because she could see the little flaws she made.
Swallowing down her nervousness, Phoebe ran up to them.
“Look! I made this in art class, and finished it today! Took me a week… Can we please put it on the fridge?”
Jamie took the drawing and held it out for both him and Roy to see. While Phoebe was only 8, her talent shone through the details she put in the drawing.
It was the three of them in front of what was supposed to be their home and a little windmill in the back, Jamie in pink and Roy in white, and Phoebe in yellow.
She drew tulips decorating the edges and a sun in the corner with clouds. Trees decorated the empty spaces.
Beside the sun was a beautifully drawn woman, smiling, spouting wings and a halo, and holding out her hand out towards them.
There was also a dog by their feet. That was definitely going to be a conversation for tonight.
“Oh my word, Pheebs! This needs to be framed and go up on the wall, not fridge,” Jamie said, admiring the drawing before him. He was trying to hold back tears, the thing was a fucking masterpiece.
“Bloody fucking fantastic, Phoebe. Better than the shit I've seen at art museums,” Roy said, thumb gently brushing at where the woman was drawn.
Phoebe beamed at them. “I worked really hard on it! I'm glad you like it!”
“Like it?” Jamie scoffed, “I fucking love it! We need to go get a frame, like, right fucking now,” Jame said, holding out his free hand to her.
“And ice cream is in order!” Roy said, looking down at Phoebe with a wink, holding out his hand as well.
Phoebe jumped with joy as she took her uncle's hands, clasped by two people she loved dearly.
“BYE MS. BOWEN!!” Phoebe shouted and dragged the two men away with all her might, not wanting to waste another minute.
“Goodbye, you three!” Bowen said as she watched the happiest people walk out, hearing their chatter of joy echo down the hallway.
“Fucking hell…” Bowen cursed under her breath when she saw she still had glitter and dry glue all over hands.
Then she saw the mess she and Phoebe made still needed to be cleaned up and the chain links hanging off the desk limply. So much for setting up.
Sighing, Bowen began to clear the table, smiling to herself as she hummed the tune Phoebe had whistled earlier, thinking what the next day would bring.