The Mysteries of Brambly Hollow

the side of her head, with matching Rupert Bear red wellies on her feet, wearing a mint green jacket, which overall, gave an impression of a sweet wrapper.
    Meli shook her head. Pulling the front door closed behind her, and giving the handle a sharp tug for good measure to make doubly sure it was secure, she hurried across to her car. As she settled in the front seat she took a moment to check her face in the mirror. Her green eyes looked bright and clear now, she couldn’t detect any evidence of her earlier tears. How had Elsa known? Realising that she still had the card in her hand, she dropped it onto the seat beside her, automatically rubbing her fingers down her jeans, before starting the engine and setting off on the journey to the school.
    Her encounter with Elsa made her a little late, and she was forced to park some distance from the school gates. Slipping out of the car she stood beside it and waited for sight of her two sons. Bolting from the exit like two leggy greyhounds, they paused, swung their gazes up and down the road, and then spotting her they raced along the narrow path, shoving at each other in their haste to reach the car first and claim the coveted front seat, causing other small children to scatter. Muttering some embarrassed apologies to the other mums as they glared at her reproachfully, she quickly opened the doors and ushered them inside.
    “ You really are the limit,” she scolded gently. “You mustn’t push passed other children like that. You could cause an accident.”
    “ But it was his fault,” blabbed David, as he hurled a gloating smirk at his brother from the front seat, “he said he’d race me.”
    “ But that doesn’t mean you have to,” she rebuked him as she made herself comfortable in her own seat. “You wouldn’t leap off a cliff just because George suggested it, now would you?”
    “ I might,” came the smart retort. “What’s this?” David was staring down into the well of the car. Lifting up his foot he peeled away something that was glued to the sole of his scuffed black shoes.
    “ That’s for me,” she told him, recognising the envelop, “just leave it alone.”
    George squeezed the top half of his body between the two front seats to inspect his brother’s find. They exchanged glances. “But it’s not for you,” they announced together, tittering. “It says it’s for Elsa.”
    Puzzled, Meli glanced down at it. It was true. Just beneath a trampled blob of pink bubble gum, Elsa ’s name and address were clearly visible. Intrigued, she retrieved it from her son and opening it she pulled out a card with a picture of a cuddly teddy bear on it holding out two peacock blue flowers and with the words Happy Birthday Mummy, written across the top. Opening it she snorted with laughter, then held it out for the twins to read. The words ‘Have a happy birthday mum’ were crossed through, and underneath it was written happy birthday from Elsa. No one could accuse their neighbour of being a spend thrift! Still it was the thought that counted. Careful to avoid any contact with the tacky confectionary, she slipped the card back into the envelop, then pinching the corner with two fingers, she handed it back to David.
    Face sobering she told him, “Don’t get any gum on your clothes, and make sure there is none left on your shoe.” Then addressing both boys she commanded, “Seat belts.” As soon as they were all safely buckled in, Meli turned the key in the ignition and pulled out onto the road. Whoever sent the card must have been very young at the time, as there was only a large X on the page for a signature, written in a thick black wax crayon. She hadn’t realised that Elsa had children. She had certainly never seen any sign of any, but then they would be grown up by now. Braking as she approached a T junction, Meli was trying to imagine what kind of mother Elsa might be. No matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn’t imagine her cradling anything as fragile as a new born babe in her arms without dropping it on its head, and the image of an identical but tiny sweet wrapper, in a pair of miniature matching wellies and bobble hat was almost too much to comprehend.
    As soon as the wheels stopped on the drive, the doors were hurled open and the two boys erupted from the vehicle like Starsky and Hutch. “Get out of your school gear,” Meli yelled after them, knowing that she probably wouldn’t see them again until dinner time. Reaching the