Chapter 2
Christmas 1975
Gwen collapsed onto her old bed, burrowing under the covers. Her face was wet with ugly tears, but she couldn't stop crying. There was just the angry emptiness in her chest.
The bedroom door creaked open.
"Go away." Gwen sniffed, but even to her own ears, it sounded weak and pathetic.
The person came over and put a hand on her shoulder. "Get up."
Mum, then. "Why?"
"Because it's Christmas. Because we're here for you."
"Then go away! That's what I want right now."
"You're still a mother. Marie is inconsolable because she's convinced you didn't like her gift."
The lump of ice in her chest cut like knives. "Oh."
"You need to talk to her."
Gwen pulled back the blankets. "But what am I supposed to say?"
"Oh, honey, I don't know. But she still needs you just as much as you need her."
"I know," Gwen admitted. "But I'm not much good at it right now."
"No one should have to be." Tina kissed Gwen's forehead. "I'll tell her to come on in."
A few minutes later, Marie showed up. She stood hesitantly at the doorway. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... I'm sorry, I really am."
"Oh, Marie."
"I asked for help with the pictures, but I glued them all down myself. I wanted to make them talk, but I couldn't!"
"That's an advanced spell. Even I can't do that."
"Why are you crying? Did I make a mistake?"
"No. It's beautiful." Gwen took the rolled paper from the side table. It was covered in family photographs, each moving and smiling, "It just...made me miss them." She motioned for Marie to sit next to her on the bed.
"I miss them too. That's why I wanted to make them talk. I wanted to hear their voices again."
"Me too," Gwen hugged Marie tightly. "Me too."