***

  The yellow beetle convertible pulled up at the front of the York residence.

  “Hey, look at this, Jezebel?” smiled Cathy, pointing to the navigator on the dashboard. “Right day, right time. We’re back!”

  They unlocked the front door and headed inside as the grandfather clock struck half past nine. Aunt Cathy began making tea while Jezebel raced upstairs. Shortly, Jezebel raced back downstairs to the kitchen with a look of amazement on her face as Cathy stirred her cup of tea.

  “Cathy, look!” Jezebel held one of her school dresses up to Cathy’s face. “The torn dress. It’s not torn anymore!”

  “Wow!” said Cathy. “Okay… so it worked, I see. Then—wait a minute.”

  Cathy moved to the table, took a sip of her tea, and opened her purse to gaze at a piece of paper.

  “What’s that you’re looking at?” asked Jezebel, sighing with content, still admiring her untorn dress.

  “It’s the ticket. You know—the one Karen filled out and Elvin put in my purse,” replied Cathy.

  Aunt Cathy put her cup down and turned to Jezebel.

  “To tell you the truth, I’ve only been barely managing for the last two years. I got myself into too much debt. Bills, holidays, clothes, bills, rent, and now a new car. That’s why I haven’t been able to come down for many visits in that time. The only reason I got the car is because the banks like the fact that I’ve been working with the same book publishing company for the last five years. I can’t really afford it. Brian is actually paying me to look after you this weekend.”

  “Oh…” said Jezebel, staring at Aunt Cathy. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry.” She wiggled her finger playfully at Jezebel. “Because this ticket is going to change all that. This is my treasure map, and X marks the spot. I’ve been given the map to the buried treasure chest,” announced Aunt Cathy with glee. “Oh god, I hope so,” she frowned.

  She lifted the ticket above her head. Jezebel smiled.

  “Mum and Dad go to the races once every three months with your sister Nicole,” informed Jezebel.

  “That makes sense. Nicole has always been a bit of a gambler. Not me though,” stated Cathy happily.

  “Right,” nodded Jezebel.

  “Karen made me place twenty pounds on that first four. I don’t know much about horse racing, but it’s probably worth at least a few hundred pounds!”

  “Wow, that’s a lot of money,” smiled Jezebel.

  “I can pick up the money right now,” said Cathy.

  Aunt Cathy looked at the ticket but could only wonder.

  “Can you believe it? I’ll be able to go to school on Monday and nobody will make any more remarks about my torn dress. Though I think Fariddion has something in mind for me. But I’m not sure what it is yet,” smiled Jezebel.

  “Sorry?” asked Cathy, only thinking about her ticket.

  Jezebel playfully pointed her finger at Cathy. “Don’t be sorry.”

  “Well, I will be sorry ’cause I won’t be here later. I have to be going home tonight,” revealed Aunt Cathy.

  “No… you can’t go home so soon,” said Jezebel.

  Jezebel went and took hold of Aunt Cathy’s hand.

  “Can you stay for one more night, Aunt Cathy, please?” begged Jezebel.

  “Well, that’s up to your mum and dad. And my boss too. But now I’m not so sure about that. He owes me months of holiday time.”

  “Please. We’re having such a good time together,” said Jezebel.

  “If it’s alright with Pamela and Brian, I can stay one, or possibly two more nights?”

  “Terrific,” smiled Jezebel.

  “All the same, maybe I’ll buy them a little present for all the help they’ve given me over the last two years,” decided Cathy.

  “That’s awfully nice of you. What kind of present?” asked Jezebel.

  “What does your mum like—perfume?”

  “She’s got loads of perfume,” informed Jezebel, pulling a face.

  “Shoes?”

  “Way too many pairs,” insisted Jezebel dramatically.

  “Clothes?”

  “She’s always saying she’s got too many to choose from,” informed Jezebel, sipping her tea.

  “I can’t think of anything. Would it be okay if I think about it for now?”

  “Sure,” smiled Jezebel.

  “Are you ready to go?” smiled Aunt Cathy, standing up from the table.

  “I suppose so,” said Jezebel, looking about for Tibbar.

  While they washed their teacups in the sink, they both watched Tibbar through the kitchen window, sitting on the roof of the yellow beetle.

  “I couldn’t find you before,” said Jezebel, bringing Tibbar down from the roof and carrying him into the passenger seat.

  “Raise the anchor! Unfold the sails,” smiled Aunt Cathy enthusiastically.

  “Aye aye!” celebrated Jezebel.

  The sun shone gently onto the light yellow interior of Cathy’s special car. It was a happy journey for them. They passed people riding horses and bikes, or just out for a walk on such a lovely day. Aunt Cathy liked listening to an artist called Llewellyn on the way.

  They drove on towards the village and soon found a park a little way down from where the betting shop was. Suddenly, Aunt Cathy felt nervous again. She wondered if maybe she wouldn’t get the money because of some reason she wasn’t expecting.

  Jezebel carried Tibbar along the damp sunlit street. It amazed her that not a living soul knew of Fariddion. Her toy Tibbar looked so lifeless. He was amazing to Jezebel. Jezebel looked at the image of a beautiful female bunny being chased by a hungry pack of greyhound dogs on a poster on the front window of the betting shop as she carried him up the stairs.

  “Well, as long as I get my twenty pounds back,” smiled Cathy, holding the door open for Jezebel. “It won’t be a total loss.”

  Jezebel didn’t know and just followed Cathy around the room.

  “I feel like a fool,” whispered Cathy.

  “Why?” asked Jezebel, tugging at her jacket.

  “Because… it’s just not possible. Is it?” asked Cathy, looking sad. Again she fiddled with her jacket buttons.

  “Here,” said Jezebel.

  She took the ticket from Cathy’s purse and handed it to her.

  “You’ve got to calm down. Whatever will be will be. Just don’t start gambling if you do win. Promise?”

  “That’s an easy promise. I promise,” nodded Cathy, taking a deep breath. “Whatever will be will be. Okay…”

  Aunt Cathy waited until it was quiet at the counter before approaching the young male attendant while Jezebel still carried Tibbar.

  “Good morning,” smiled Aunt Cathy. “I think I might have won on this.”

  “Just place it into the slot there on the front of the machine,” explained the assistant, not looking up from today’s paper.

  Cathy held her breath and placed the ticket into the machine. The machine grabbed and pulled the ticket in to a sudden stop. Cathy waited in agony. The machine began to play a tune that notified Aunt Cathy, the assistant, and the ten other customers in the shop that it was, in fact, a winning ticket.

  The assistant looked more closely at the screen in front of him and let out a muffled expression of surprise. He took a big breath and expelled it.

  “I’ll have to call the governor about this,” said the assistant in a totally new demeanor. He quickly put his paper down and pushed a number on his phone.

  “Is there something wrong?” asked Cathy, ashamed.

  “Only if the machine’s broken, Miss… John, I’ve got a hot ticket… Yeah, six figures. Yep, three weeks ago. That’s right, John—yeah, Cup Sunday… Send her through? Righto, will do.”

  The assistant placed the phone down and opened the door for Cathy to come through behind the counter.

  “Straight down there. First door on the left. Thanks, Miss,” commanded the assistant politely.

  Cathy, Jezebel and Tibbar walked the short distance to the open door. Cathy knocked.

  “Come in!” shouted a man’s voice.

  They went inside the small office crammed with boxes, posters, files, trays, folders, and betting slips stacked to the ceiling. The manager sat with cheque in hand.

  “Hi, won’t take a second,” said the manager.

  They stood waiting for a minute in silence.

  “Your name, please?” He didn’t look at Cathy and waited to write.

  “Catherine Carrington,” smiled Cathy excitedly.

  “I’ve been waiting on Catherine Carrington for three weeks to claim this cheque. You won the most money in the whole of the UK that day. What a fluke. And twenty pounds on four noses. Incredible.”

  The manager filled in Cathy’s name with another shake of the head and handed her the cheque.

  “The most in the UK?” gasped Cathy.

  “I don’t fib about money with customers, Miss Carrington. I know it’s yours too because if you look at that television screen—hold on…” He pushed play on a video player under some paperwork. “There we go.”

  Aunt Cathy watched a short video of herself paying the attendant beside Karen and Elvin.

  “And in goes the ticket… Though you do look very faint on the screen for some reason. Day and time match to the second. Back of the net! Boom!” He took a sip of coffee. “That’s you alright. And your daughter with the bunny. It’s the biggest payout I’ve made from this branch,” he grinned and leaned back into his chair. “Nice bunny…” he smiled at Jezebel. “You can feed him lots of carrots now.”

  “He likes sweet potato,” said Jezebel quietly.

  “Order a truckload,” he smiled.

  Cathy looked at the cheque in her hand and was speechless. She read the winning amount again. It was an astronomical amount of money—way, way more than she’d imagined it could be. She held her heart with excitement and relief. Was it real?

  “You can go. You’re not going to faint, are you?”

  “Ah… no,” smiled Cathy, coming around and focusing a little.

  “Don’t spend it all at once,” he laughed.

  “Thanks so much. I’ll try not to,” said Cathy.

  “Righto,” he laughed. “Or you could bet it on the next favourite and double your money,” he smiled. “I’ve got a dead cert for the fifth at Ascot.”

  “No thanks,” smiled Cathy, looking at Jezebel.

  Cathy turned about and led Jezebel back to the counter where the assistant opened and closed the door for them.

  “Thank you,” smiled Cathy vacantly.

  They walked past a man placing betting slips into machines and exited the building.

  Outside, Aunt Cathy was speechless. She half collapsed onto a seat at a bus stop nearby.

  “Wow! This is crazy, Jezebel,” shook Cathy.

  “Did it win as much as you thought?” asked Jezebel hopefully.

  Cathy sat still a few seconds, holding tightly to the bus stop timetable pole, contemplating what this meant for the next few years of her life. She knew she would now be able to get her life in order before the money ran out.

  “I feel a bit guilty, actually,” admitted Cathy.

  Cathy burst into tears and sobbed. Jezebel hurried forward and rubbed her back.

  “Cathy?” asked Jezebel. “Has it been that hard?”

  “Yes, sometimes. These days everyone is asking too much money for everything. Big companies do not care about the stress and hurt they cause throughout the community, making everything so expensive. Especially for young people. It’s quite ludicrous, really. I wish it would stop. The amount of times I’ve wanted to purchase just some new lipstick, or shoes, clothes, or toiletries, and I couldn’t afford them. Is that right?”

  “Well, that’s over for you now,” nodded Jezebel.

  Cathy wiped away her tears and looked at her cheque.

  “I never thought it would be so much,” said Aunt Cathy. “Right… well… now that I’ve bawled that out of my system,” she half smiled, cleaning her face with her handkerchief, “I’d better put this in my account before I lose it. I’ve already lost it in public. Sorry, Jezebel. I didn’t realise I was going to react like that. I’m so sorry. Sorry.”

  “Don’t apologise,” said Jezebel.

  Cathy used her handkerchief one more time, then took Jezebel by the hand and headed for her bank.

  "Okay.” Cathy stopped and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and stood still as several people walked around her.

  “It’s a full chest of gold,” beamed Cathy. “Come on, I’ve got to put this into my account. Thank you, Karen! Thank you, Elvin!” She looked up at the sky. “We’ll cross up there!” declared Aunt Cathy, pointing to a bank on the other side of the road where she held her account.

  They walked up the street towards the crossing. Several motorbikes rumbled past.

  “You’re out of sweet potato at home. Would you buy me some?” asked Tibbar.

  “Of course she will,” smiled Jezebel.

  “Of course she will what?” asked Cathy.

  “Tibbar wants some more sweet potato,” explained Jezebel.

  “Oh. I didn’t hear that. A big bag will be coming your way,” said Cathy.

  They crossed the road, dodged around some workers doing maintenance, then headed into the bank.

  After depositing her cheque, Cathy withdrew some money from the automatic money machine beside the entrance. She studied the receipt with amazement, then tucked it into her purse.

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Done. Let’s have some fun,” smiled Aunt Cathy, setting off down the street.

  “What kind of fun?” inquired Jezebel.

  “God, where do I start? Hmm… here’s a place!” She led Jezebel by the hand. “I want to buy you a new dress… I want to buy me a new dress.”

  “Cool,” smiled Jezebel, looking at all the shapes and colours of the dresses in the display window. They walked into the shop.

  Jezebel tried on several dresses until she found what she really liked. It wasn’t a dress, but that didn’t matter to Jezebel. She liked the way it looked on her in the mirror, and so too did Aunt Cathy. A light blue suede jacket with black buttons and matching pants.

  “Can I wear it now?” inquired Jezebel, looking between Cathy and the sales assistant.

  Cathy said it was no problem. The sales assistant removed the tags and on it went.

  “Do you like this hat on me?” asked Cathy, pulling a cute face for Jezebel to see.

  “I like it,” she laughed encouragingly.

  “Could you please take a photograph of us?” asked Cathy, handing the sales assistant her phone from her handbag.

  “Just press that button,” instructed Aunt Cathy.

  “Lift your bunny a little higher, Jezebel,” asked the friendly sales assistant. Snap! She smiled happily and accepted Aunt Cathy’s card to pay for the hat and the outfit.

  Next they walked into a produce store.

  “Would you like something to eat?” asked Aunt Cathy, paying for a bag of sweet potatoes.

  “I’d like a drink of orange juice and a packet of chips, please,” replied Jezebel gently.

  They left and stopped again only a few doors down.

  “Sure you don’t want to have lunch? It’s nearly twelve,” informed Aunt Cathy.

  “Hmm… in there?” asked Jezebel, unsure. “Mum always takes me there.”

  “Yes, your mother says the service here is very good.”

  Jezebel shook her head and pointed across the road to a Bumberry’s fast?food outlet.

  Aunt Cathy grimaced at first, then gave a little laugh.

  “Sure, Jez. Anything you want. But guess what?”

  “What?” smiled Jezebel, holding Tibbar safely in her new blue corduroy outfit.

  “I’ve thought of a gift for your mum and dad.”

  “Okay,” smiled Jezebel.

  “Do you want to have a ride in that while I just pop inside here for a minute?” suggested Aunt Cathy, pointing to a miniature fairy?tale carriage ride.

  “I haven’t been in that since I was a child,” quipped Jezebel.

  “You don’t have to,” shrugged Cathy, thinking how only two days ago she saw Jezebel as a child.

  “No, it’s alright. I’ve wanted to but never said,” explained Jezebel.

  “In you go then,” smiled Aunt Cathy.

  Aunt Cathy dropped a pound coin into the box. With a jolt, the red, white and golden carriage began to rock while playing Für Elise. Cathy smiled and went inside.

  Jezebel giggled as Tibbar came to life and sat swaying beside her.

  Just then, two boys walked past, and the thinner boy noticed a rabbit sitting in the carriage with the little girl.

  “Hey, Tony, look at this! It’s one of those rabbits I told you I saw at the crossing!”

  Tony began to walk back towards the carriage as the thin boy placed his hand inside to pick up Tibbar.

  “Hey! It nipped me!” complained the thin boy, moving away from the carriage.

  Tony looked inside and saw a girl holding a toy rabbit.

  “Sorry about that,” said Tony.

  “That’s okay,” replied Jezebel innocently.

  “Will you stop fooling around?” complained Tony, continuing down the street. “I’m starting to worry about you.”

  “But it nipped me!” protested the thin boy, catching up.

  Soon Aunt Cathy came outside and watched Jezebel and Tibbar lovingly for a while longer before the ride stopped.

  “Wow, the ride went for ten minutes?” asked Cathy.

  “No. Tibbar started it again. We were having fun,” laughed Jezebel, looking smart as she climbed out.

  “Shall we go and eat?” suggested Aunt Cathy, looking at her reflection in the mirror and adjusting her hat.

  They walked along and came to a man standing on the footpath arguing with a bus driver.

  “I don’t have the full fare. Blimey… are you happy now!” He opened his wallet. The bus driver closed the door. Aunt Cathy tapped on the door. It snapped back open.

  “Sorry, didn’t see you there, Ms,” said the driver.

  “Where does he want to go?” asked Cathy.

  “London. Ten pounds from here, Ms. His card’s out of credit,” said the driver.

  Cathy handed the man a twenty?pound note.

  “Get on!” smiled Cathy.

  “Really? Thanks,” smiled the man.

  The driver handed him some change as the doors closed and the bus moved him away. He took a seat and thought himself lucky. Later that day he would save somebody’s life, because Cathy had helped him.

  “Well, that was nice of you,” said Jezebel.

  “Thanks.” Cathy pointed. “I’ve wanted to do that kind of thing for a while now… Look, a phone store! Time for a new phone. My boss has been pestering me for ages.”

  They went inside, paid for one, set up the new phone, and left hungry for lunch.

  “Are we ever going to make it to Bumberry’s?” complained Jezebel jokingly.

  “Sorry. I’m being difficult, aren’t I?”

  Jezebel and Aunt Cathy sat on stools looking out at the busy street, eating hamburgers with vinegar and chips. Cars and people passed by as Cathy squirted more vinegar onto her chips. Jezebel held out some sweet potato to Tibbar, who began to nibble noisily on it.

  “You can’t have pets in the store,” said a very large teenage girl wearing a black Bumberry’s cap over short pink hair. “It’s company policy.”

  “But he’s only a toy,” said Jezebel innocently.

  The girl looked surprised when Jezebel picked up the rabbit and showed him to her.

  “Oh,” said the shop assistant unapologetically.

  “Only a toy,” teased Aunt Cathy.

  “Then are you making the mess?” she glared at Jezebel.

  Cathy wanted to say something, but she knew Tibbar had really been making a mess.

  Jezebel looked down to see the mess was gone. And now so too did the shop assistant and Cathy.

  The girl decided to run her dirty cloth right where they were eating, but it ended up sparkling clean.

  “Thanks,” giggled Cathy. “Now get back to work,” she jested.

  The pink?haired girl bumped Cathy’s shoulder very firmly as she walked away.

  “Sorry,” she giggled in a taunting fashion. “What are you looking at?” she said to Cathy as she marched away, still watching her closely.

  An almighty kerfuffle disturbed the peace of the fast?food shop as a customer was sent crashing to the floor with a Bumberry’s Big Boys burger, chips, sauce and a large Bumberry’s cherry cola going up and down all over him.

  “Why the hell didn’t you watch where you were going?” snarled the pink?haired girl at the customer, now sprawled out on the floor like a table covered in a mess.

  The manager rushed out to see what was happening and hurried to the customer’s aid.

  “I’m so sorry, sir,” said the small black girl with a big smile. “Whatever happened?” asked the manager.

  Cathy and Jezebel looked on, speechless.

  “This git didn’t watch where he was going,” said the pink?haired girl. “I’ve lost one of my nose rings now!” She then swore.

  “Nancy?” scolded Tulsi, the manager. “Apologise now!”

  “Not likely,” she retorted. “What’s he want, some white privilege?”

  Tulsi helped the man to his feet and froze with embarrassment at the mess all over his body.

  It was at this moment, as Tulsi was trying her best to tidy up the man’s shirt with her cloth, that she saw he had a name badge on. Once she wiped the mayonnaise aside, she saw it read John Bumberry.

  “You’re not… are you?” grimaced Tulsi.

  John Bumberry nodded with his mouth tightly shut. He stood up and watched as Nancy walked away and started cleaning tables in a lazy fashion.

  “Thank you, Tulsi, for trying to help. I have heard good things about you. And it’s true. However, I must insist that Nancy over there… is… immediately… let go.”

  Jezebel sat happily swinging her legs under the bench, looking at the different types of people in the street, as a sobbing Nancy left the shop after being dismissed. Though Jezebel was mainly looking at children her own age. Aunt Cathy was also happy and swung her legs under the bench too. She couldn’t wait to get home and start hunting for her very own apartment, which would cut down her bills considerably.

  They finished eating and left Bumberry’s. They had the door opened for them by a now?clean John Bumberry in a pair of oversized Bumberry pants and shirt, who deeply apologised for all the commotion.

  “I would have sacked her too,” smiled Cathy, to the delight of Mr. Bumberry.

  Jezebel held her aunt’s hand as they crossed the road to collect the presents. This time Jezebel went inside as well. It was a tiny store filled with clocks, ceramics, dolls, silver and gold, paintings, jewelry, flowers and other assorted high?end knick?knacks. Aunt Cathy swiped her card to pay the shop attendant and received a creatively decorated floral bag in return. Jezebel held onto Tibbar firmly as she was pulled quickly out of the shop with Aunt Cathy in full flight.

  “I guess we should go home now,” said Aunt Cathy, whistling a happy tune. “Unless there’s anything else you’d like to do?” she continued whistling.

  “What time are Mum and Dad coming back again?”

  “Early this evening, probably,” said Cathy, feeling at ease. Though she did have a headache.

  “Can I hold Tibbar for a while?” asked Cathy.

  Jezebel handed the toy rabbit over.

  Aunt Cathy cuddled him to her chest as they came up to the yellow beetle.

  “Should we take the roof off?” smiled Cathy.

  “I’ve never been for a ride in a car with no roof,” said Jezebel, enjoying the anticipation.

  “Well, we can correct that right now,” said Cathy.

  Aunt Cathy put her sunglasses on.

  “And away we go,” said Aunt Cathy, pulling out onto the road and heading down the shop?lined street.

  Jezebel looked up at the blue cloudy sky, then turned around to look at Tibbar. He was standing up in the back seat with his head resting against the top of the creamy leather door trim. At the end of the street were the two boys and the pink?haired girl. The thin boy was looking at the yellow beetle as it passed by. He saw the rabbit’s ears toss in the breeze. Then, to his amazement, the rabbit looked as if it had blown him a kiss.

  “Did you see that, Tony? Nancy?” asked the thin boy with disbelief.

  “What?” snarled Nancy.

  “That rabbit in the car waved at me and blew me a kiss!”

  Tony frowned and shook his head.

  “Enough with the rabbits already. You’ve gone rabbit’s!” he complained.

  Aunt Cathy and Jezebel sat without talking. Music played. Jezebel sat back and looked up at the sky. The clouds turned and disappeared close to the edge of the sun, causing a brilliant silver lining. A slight sun?shower began to fall over the car.

  “Don’t worry,” announced Cathy loudly. “It’s just a few drops.”

  The full prismatic colours of a rainbow arched over the road ahead. Cathy counted many butterflies crossing the road as they rose or came just short of the yellow beetle.

  They also enjoyed seeing several flocks of sheep munching in formation, herds of cows, and horses that ran together tossing their heads about playfully in one field.

  Aunt Cathy took the long way home. She was in no rush to end this perfect drive. Everything was so wonderful right now. Aunt Cathy was the youngest of her sisters, aged twenty?two, and she felt it as she giggled like a girl. She looked at Jezebel and thought how she would like to have a daughter like her one day. She knew her sister Pamela was a very lucky mum. Though she didn’t know how much work was involved in bringing up a child. Or if she would ever have a daughter.

  Aunt Cathy slowed down and turned into the driveway of Jezebel York’s home. The breeze picked up and blew several leaves into the car as she pulled on the brake, then turned off the engine.

  “What is it?” asked Jezebel.

  Cathy sat perfectly still, just listening to the birds. She breathed deeply, then exhaled. Several frogs were chirping in the pond beyond the garage.

  “I’m just enjoying the feeling,” said Cathy, watching the weeping willow move in the unseen wind.

  “One thing Astar told me in Fariddion is, there is no money used there,” said Jezebel.

  “They are lucky, aren’t they?” said Cathy. “And that’s where Elvin and Karen come from, right? Fariddion?”

  “Yeah,” nodded Jezebel.

  “I think I would like Fariddion." Cathy pondered.