Twinkle in my eye

A Story by Trinity Essex

Part of an autobiography of mine

I was 9 yrs old when my sister had a sister in law who had 2 children and asked if I would like to stay over there house for a week,I asked Dad he didn’t like it at all,as he thought that he wondered why Gwen would be so nice to arrange that,

The reason he thought this was when she was 8 yrs old when I was a baby she stole money from his wallet and disappeared and dad couldn’t find her she wasn’t at school and he called the police.

But after looking most of the day she was found by police in late afternoon coming out of a cinema,she had bought sweets as well,they brought her home to dad and he was told she had to be put into care and protection, dad said its okay she was upset, but they said she had to be made an example of ,in other words they contacted social workers and Gwen was put into a home, dad had no choice even though he tried to get her home he had nothing to help him, or nowhere to turn,

Gwen always blamed dad, but he couldn’t do anything. Dad told me all this and he had no reason to lie.

I said please it would be nice to stay somewhere different and the parents said I could go to school from there house which was at Gascoigne estate and they was up the road from my school Ripple road Junior School ,I went with my little travel case after school on the Friday round to where Gwen lived with her new husband at her mother in laws in Meadow road, so that we could go to her sister in laws house, it was a lovely week and it was fun sharing a house with Doreen the sister in law and her husband and the two children who was about my age ,we played but I missed dad and couldn’t wait to see him again, the day I went to school the Friday after I went to stay with them, I got up as usual and said thankyou for having me stay and they said you are welcome, off we went to school and the afternoon when I was suppose to go home to dad after school this woman came up to me, I was waiting for my other sister who was to collect me outside,she said are you Marguerite and she said after I said yes that she was told to collect me and I was to go with her for a ride first,I said dad will be worried and she said that he knows all about it and I said really and so I thought she was telling the truth,I went with her in a car and she drove a long way with me sitting in front,then pulled up outside this big white house in this long road,I found out some years later it was in Brentwood and it was a childrens home,apparently,

She said for us to get out of the car and I said why because there is someone I want you to see,she said, I didn’t feel comfortable but done as she said,I thought the quicker I do it the quicker I would get home to dad,we walked to the door which was high with light brown wood and on the door it had big door knockers it looked posh, she said for me to ring the bell on the side of door and someone will come and she started to walk away, I said where are you going she said stay there you have to go in and before I knew it a hand pulled me inside,I was crying and they asked if I had any money I said yes what my dad gave me for spending money 10 s (50p) which dad had gave me when I stayed at Gwens sister in law Doreen)

I had that money as I never needed to spend it and they took it and said I would get it back when I needed it,I wanted to give dad it back as he would be pleased I never needed it and it would help him..so I thought.

They took me into a room and looked in my travel case, I had some dresses what Doreen had given me from her children when I stayed, they then shut my case and I said I want to go home and they ignored me and took me into a room on the second floor we went up two flights of stairs it was a big house which I imagined was where rich people had once lived, I was shown into a room with 3 beds and said unpack and put your clothes into the drawers and hang any up in that wardrobe. we have spares clothes or blankets if you need any for the bed, I said why am I here my dad will be worrying where I am, they said he has been told. this woman then went to the door and as she was shutting it behind her said that to be downstairs at 6 o clock for tea.