Page 205 of Storm of Bells
Tearing open the paper, I revealed a neat,white carton package, and inside…
‘Oh!’ I smiled, unable to keep my facestraight. ‘Flora, how…original!’
‘You like it?’ Flora piped excitedly, pickingthe flower vase, decorated with colourful flowers, out of thecarton and holding it up. ‘I picked it out myself!’
‘You don’t say.’
Taking the vase out of her hand, I carried itover to the table in the very centre of the hall. Pushing aside thedecorative arrangements of flowers in the middle, I placed theflowered vase here and, lifting the most beautiful flowers from thetable, arranged them in the vase. When I turned back, I saw all myfriends standing there, beaming at me.
‘Mine next! Mine next!’ Eve was hopping upand down like a deranged bunny. Suitable, considering the packageshe was holding was decorated in large, friendly, smilinglong-ears. Pulling it open, I almost expected a, cute, live littlerabbit inside. Instead…
My eyes went wide.
Cautiously, I reached inside and pulled outthe humongous knife with the wickedly sharp blade. There were tensimilar instruments in the package, all looking sharp enough toslice an ear off.
I blinked up at Eve.
She shrugged. ‘Since you’re forsaking thestruggle for women’s equality and are all set on becoming ahousewife, I thought you might need knives. You know, forcooking.’
‘Or for stabbing my husband if hemisbehaves?’ I enquired, cautiously probing the biggest knife’sblade. ‘Ouch!’ Quickly, I stuck my finger into my mouth.
Eve’s eyes danced. ‘They’re multi-purposeknives. The advertisement said so.’
‘How wonderful.’
Patsy elbowed Eve aside. ‘My turn!’
I took a precautionary step backward. Shethrust forward the package in her hand that was decorated with…
Nothing?
‘Let me guess. You couldn’t find wrappingpaper with ‘votes for women’ on it?’
Patsy grinned from ear to ear. ‘You know meso well.’
Taking the package, I held it up and shookit. From inside came an ominous rattling. Dubiously, I glanced atPatsy, who was still standing there, grinning from ear to ear.
‘What is it?’ I enquired. ‘A shotgun? Agarrotte?’
‘If only.’ Patsy gave a sigh.
‘Come on!’ the others egged me on. ‘Open it!Open it!’
Cautiously, I lifted the lid and…
‘Oh, Patsy!’ Eyes brimming with tears, Igazed down at the framed photograph of four girls under a bannerextolling a very familiar motto. ‘You…you are just…!’
I threw my arms around her and hugged hertightly. ‘Don’t lose touch! Not ever!’
‘Of course not, silly.’ Still grinning, Patsywhispered into my ears. ‘Just you wait until I start badgering youto spend your husband’s money for the feminist cause.’
I raised an eyebrow. ‘Who says you’ll have tobadger me?’
Patsy’s eyes went wide. ‘Don’t tell me youplan to…’
‘Psst!’ Raising a finger to my lips, Iwinked. ‘Don’t talk too loudly. I haven’t managed to marry himyet.’
Delirious with happy dreams of futureprojects, Patsy danced off.
