* * * * * * *
Harriet awoke the next day before everyone else as she had a habit of doing, it was still dark outside as she started to run the shower and start her day. As she stepped out of the shower and dried off she felt suddenly somewhat older than she had yesterday, perhaps because the day had arrived for her daughter’s 16th signalling a new independence for Hannah. She looked in the mirror and thought she noticed a few new lines on her face that were not there yesterday along with a number of grey hairs. There was no time to analyse perhaps it was just that she was looking for signs of being older that she noticed these things today.
Next to wake up was Robert, as always he showered and shaved just after her and got ready for work. Harriet felt a strong sense of déjà vu as she greeted him in the kitchen, but once again shrugged it off it was just another ordinary day and routine was part of the working week for the family. She looked at the breakfast table everything was set for the usual morning breakfast some fresh fruit, juice, yoghurt, toast and a pot of freshly brewed coffee. Then she realised she had forgotten her daughter’s present she was about to fetch her bag when Hannah walked into the kitchen still half asleep.
‘Oh, I wish it was my birthday today!’ She exclaimed.
Her mother looked at her puzzled. ‘What on earth do you mean dear?’ She asked.
‘You know? Tomorrow! It’s still only Friday and my birthday is Saturday Mum, like what planet are you on?’ She replied in exasperation.
‘She’s right you know sweetheart.’ Robert joined in the conversation. ‘One more day and she’ll be our little sweet sixteen.’
‘Dad, don’t say that it’s so annoying!’ Hannah retorted.
Harriet just looked at them both in disbelief and then thought to herself of course it’s Friday why else would I be up so early. She wondered if yesterday was a dream.
‘I’d like coffee today instead of juice.’ Hannah demanded.
She found herself about to reply that she had asked for it yesterday and the answer was still the same but caught herself just in time. ‘No Hannah, tomorrow yes but until then the rules stand no coffee until you turn 16 that’s the rule.’
Robert chuckled to himself in his chair as he downed the last mouthful of his own cup of coffee and jumped up to quickly use the bathroom and race off to work. At least there’ll be one less argument in the household tomorrow he thought to himself.
Harriet found everything that morning was playing out just as it had done so the day before, Robert managed to be running a little late in the end for work but so was his train so it was not a problem, Hannah spent an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom getting ready for school the only exception was Harriet. Harriet was wondering if she was going crazy everything seemed exactly the same as it was yesterday except that yesterday was today! She remembered the poem in the little book she read in the bookstore and thought herself silly to believe such a thing could happen. Just to reassure herself she went to her handbag and looked for the gift certificate she had bought her daughter which of course would not be there if she bought it yesterday which was in actual fact today. But there it was a gift certificate and credit card receipt for today.
Puzzled she sat down. At that moment the phone rang it wasn’t a surprise to Harriet anymore, she knew it was her mother ringing to speak to Hannah to see how excited she was that she was almost 16. She answered the phone and repeated yesterday’s conversation with her mother before calling out to Hannah to take the call. She was still as grateful today as she was yesterday for an excuse to get her daughter out of the bathroom.
Once Hannah had left for the school bus Harriet cleared away the breakfast dishes and poured herself a strong cup of coffee. She had done the same yesterday in fact most weekdays after everyone had left the house she sat down for a coffee. As she sipped the hot brew she found her mind wandering to what she had said and done yesterday and wondered whether everything would be repeated exactly the same as yesterday. And indeed it did every last detail remained as yesterday, she found the bookstore she even found herself buying the gift certificate again at the department store even though she had the one in her bag from the day before. She compared date and time with the receipts the exact time, day and store assistant. She was dumbfounded.
The evening went as it had the day before the same meal, the same movie and the same bedtime. And the next morning she looked at herself in the mirror and saw she had aged even more than yesterday with new lines appearing on her face and more grey hairs. She felt a little weary of starting her day wondering if it would be the same one again before she shrugged and guessed it had to be and it was.
But this morning as she sat down for her usual coffee she started to wonder whether she had done the right thing in wishing away her daughter’s birthday. She recalled her mother’s excitement in calling Hannah to see how excited her granddaughter was to be turning 16, if time stayed in this time warp she would never have the opportunity to have grand children like her mother had, she wondered about all the other precious milestones that Hannah would miss out on college, graduation, her 21st birthday, travel, perhaps marriage and children. All these things were what contribute to a family’s joy in their lives, things that keep them connected and she had robbed her family of these. Suddenly she found herself weeping at the kitchen table for the predicament she had put herself and her family in she had interrupted the cycle of life and was uncertain whether or not she could put it right again.
Harriet decided it was no use sobbing like this and wasting the day away so she picked herself up pulled herself together and set off in the hope of putting things right.
It was not an easy task, although she wasn’t expecting it to be things just seemed different today and she wondered whether she needed to go through the repetition of the previous days in order to find herself arriving at that strange shop and the book of spells. Try as she might, she could not find it, she paced up and down the main street looking down all the alleyways and side streets without any luck. Indeed the day had nearly come to an end when she realised she would have to try again tomorrow. Forlorn she wandered to her car, stopped by the department store for her daughter’s gift and went home to see her family and prepare dinner.
The next day Harriet awoke once more feeling and looking older again, the day began the same as the previous days and she took great care to ensure she kept to her schedule and completed all her daily tasks in fear that she would not reach the little book store in order to undo the spell she had cast upon her family.
She headed off into the city and parked her car and to her delight she found herself down that quiet little street and in front of that strange bookstore. She took a deep breath as she opened the door and went inside, she was a little unsure how to proceed once inside whether she should ask for assistance or try to get herself out of the trouble she had gotten herself into without it.
‘Excuse me Madam.’ Came a thin raspy voice, from where she couldn’t quite ascertain.
‘Down here.’ The voice advised as if sensing her uncertainty.
Harriet looked down and saw a tiny little man standing before her he was entirely in proportion except that he couldn’t have been more than two feet tall. He was wearing a white shirt, black bow tie, tweed waistcoat, brown corduroy trousers and shiny black shoes. His face was a little flushed, his eyes were a sparkling blue with enormous overhanging eye brows, his sandy coloured hair was slightly balding and a grey goatee adorned his chin. His demeanour appeared friendly so she decided to ask for assistance even if her story sounded completely ridiculous.
‘Yes, I would like some help if you could assist me at all please.’ She started.
‘Well madam, I am only too happy to help. You have been coming here for a few days now, except yesterday of course. We’re closed Sundays.’ He added as if sensing her confusion. ‘Is there a particular book you are seeking that I can help you with?’
‘Well, I do hope s
o. I came here the day before my daughter’s birthday and, this may sound a little silly but, I found myself reading a spell and now I feel as though I’ve inadvertently stopped time from passing and the same day is being repeated over and over.’
‘Mmmm, yes I think I know what you mean. We have many people wander in here when they are in a quandary about things and you are not the first mother that has wanted to stop her child from aging in the fear of what may or may not happen in her life. But everything has a price now doesn’t it? I notice you look a little older every day since you began coming here. It’s not an observation it’s a fact one price of the spell you have cast is that you age one year for every day of the life you have taken. There is also another price in order for the spell to be broken that you must pay. This is for the book you have used. We can’t have people using the books here and not paying for them now can we? We’d go out of business wouldn’t we?’
‘I suppose you are right, does this mean you can help me?’ Harriet asked earnestly.
‘That depends on how much you are willing to pay for the book and whether it matches the price I have in mind.’ His eyes glowed mischievously.
‘Can I see whether or not you still have the book?’
‘Please, be my guest. You won’t find the spell in it though that reverses the one you have cast.’ He called out to her as she rushed down the book aisles to find it.
Harriet found her legs suddenly moving like lead weights as she approached the book. How was she to reverse the spell if it was not contained in the book she had found it in? And what was the price of such a book?
‘Yes. You have many more questions for me now do you not?’
‘Well, of course if I buy this book what use is it to me if does not contain a reversing spell?’ She asked trying not to sound panicked.
‘Now you’re thinking.’ The little man chuckled. ‘The book is a book of magic and so it contains magic, you had the opportunity to try before you bought the book a spell which spoke to you. The book will not reveal the spell you now need until you have paid the price. Notice how all the pages within it are now blank except for the spell that you cast?’
She opened the book and fumbled through the pages, he was right the rest of the pages were blank. This situation was getting more bizarre by the minute and she felt somehow that the price of the book was not going to be a simple transaction either.
‘So, I see you are very much correct. What would be the price of this unique book?’ Harriet asked in trepidation.
‘Well, today I will give you a very special offer $500 and you walk away with the complete book of spells.’
‘It is rather expensive I don’t think I have that much on me just now.’
‘Well, let me see.’ The funny little man screwed up his eyes and tilted his head towards the ceiling as if brainstorming options for her. ‘There is one possible option but I am not so sure you will fulfil your end of the deal.’
‘Please tell me and at least I can consider it.’
‘Well, you can pay me $100 now and I will release the spells into your care and in return you will bring me a new customer, not just any customer the customer I want is your daughter on the day of her birthday, her 16th birthday. Do you think you could manage this? Be very certain of your answer my dear for if you forfeit on this you will indeed find yourself very old very quickly and that my dear is only the beginning of what will befall you.’
Harriet pursed her lips at the thought of having to bring her daughter to this strange little shop and what she might find there. But she had to undo this spell, she imitated the old man’s earlier actions and looked up to the ceiling in contemplation, she knew she had to agree and take the chance even if she did not intend on returning with her daughter.
‘Alright, I will do as you ask after all there is little choice in the matter I need this spell reversed and you are the only one that can help me.’
‘Very well.’ The man made his way to the cash register with the book in hand and a look of satisfaction.
Harriet looked on impatiently as he performed a funny dance well peculiar more than funny really as she waited for the book and her receipt. Once he handed them over she grabbed them and hurried on her way, she had spent enough time in the shop and was feeling terribly claustrophobic.
Harriet performed every detail of the day down to the last detail until she arrived at her home to await her daughter’s return. Except for one thing, she opened the book of spells to find the one that would reverse the spell she had cast upon her life and family. Initially she panicked the pages were mostly still blank, then she sighed with relief as she found the spell and the reversing spell.
Harriet took a deep breath and spoke the words aloud;
I see you Hannah walking through life.
Unable to protect you from trouble and strife
I know now your life you must experience
I can no longer protect your innocence.
And reverse my curse of penitence.
For this day will never be repeated
A new day will be greeted
The world again awoken
The spell is now broken
On finishing she breathed a sigh of relief and thought to herself she could have worked this out had she remembered the initial words of the spell for the reversal was not so different.
The front door opened and Hannah rushed through, Harriet felt panic within and followed the day to its end just as she had done so every other day, until she went to bed and slept.
Nightmares tormented her throughout the night she saw herself old beyond her years as Hannah went forward in her life, she even saw herself looking older than her mother as they sat together watching her daughter’s graduation.
Finally day broke, so much so was her anxiety Harriet did indeed rise early and decided to make Hannah’s birthday cake. Watching the clock in the kitchen anxiously she felt relieved as the time passed 7:30, 8:00, 9:00 without anyone stirring to go to school or work, it seemed the spell had indeed been broken.
At ten o’clock Hannah came into the kitchen still half asleep but looking very pleased with herself.
‘So, finally you can make me a cup of coffee?’ She said with an air of satisfaction.
‘Happy birthday my gorgeous daughter! One coffee coming right up.’ Harriet put the kettle on and couldn’t believe the feeling of relief flooding over her as she made her daughter her coffee.
‘So, what did you get me?’ Hannah demanded impatiently.
‘Let's wait until your father is up too shall we?’
‘What do you mean wait, I am up?’ Came a voice down the hallway.
‘Happy birthday precious, I hope you’re always going to be Daddy’s little girl?’ He asked giving her a big hug and a kiss.
‘Dad!’ Hannah protested then added. ‘Who else could I be?’ And hugged him again
Harriet watched her daughter with pride, how did she ever think her daughter couldn’t handle another birthday. She went to her handbag and found the envelope containing the card and the voucher and was relieved to find that somehow all the others had disappeared.
‘Here you are darling, from your Dad and I with all our love.’
Hannah grabbed the envelope with excitement. ‘Just what I wanted, can we go to the store today I just have to have some new clothes to go out in tonight!’
‘Of course we can. But after lunch, your Gran is coming since you’re too old now for us to come out with you tonight.’
‘Cool can’t wait!’ She replied screwing up her face as she took another sip of coffee, it seemed despite wanting the adult life there were things she wasn’t quite as ready for as she thought she was.
The morning went quickly Gran arrived and lunch was on the table at midday. Harriet watched proudly on as her daughter enthused to her Gran as to how wonderful it was to finally be sixteen and how much she loved the 60’s retro jewellery she had given her.
&
nbsp; As soon as the last morsel of birthday cake had left her plate Hannah was ready to go to the store and spend her voucher. The city was so busy they had to walk a few blocks from another car park to get there and Harriet watched nervously, anxious that they would find themselves on that strange little street belonging to the bookshop. To her relief, they didn’t.
Hannah seemed to try on nearly a million different pieces of clothing until she found exactly what she was looking for and settled on a new pair of jeans, knee high boots but with a sensible heel, a designer T-shirt, some make-up basics and a pair of sunglasses. She was so pleased with her purchases and she even had a little money left over to spend another day as it turned out many of the items were on sale.
As Hannah was meeting her friends in the city a little later they decided to go for a bit of a walk and window shop past some of the expensive designer stores and then stop at a nice cafe for a real Italian style coffee and a cake. As they were heading to the cafe Harriet felt her legs turn to lead as the strange little street opened up before them and Hannah started to drag her down it.
‘Why are we going down here? There’s nowhere of interest for us at all.’ Harriet asked with all the nonchalance she could find.
‘I don’t know, I just want to. Ooh look at this gorgeous little bookshop, hasn’t it got the coolest window display ever?’ Hannah exclaimed.
‘I’m not sure we really have the time for a bookstore Hannah.’
‘Oh, come on Mum just a few minutes.’ Hannah pleaded.
Harriet sighed, finding this store was the worst thing that had ever happened to her and as much as she wanted to assert herself and refuse to go into the shop she couldn’t refuse her daughter’s wish on her birthday.
‘Alright, but only a few minutes that’s all!’
Hannah smiled and charged inside. Harriet clung to her side hoping to avoid her daughter making the same mistake she had.
The funny little shop owner pounced upon her and forced her to be separated from her daughter.
‘Ah, so nice to see you again, I’m glad you kept your promise. I told you I could be trusted I can see you’ve been birthday shopping.’ He said eying off the shopping bags mischievously.
‘Well yes, but we don’t have much time we have a prior engagement. Hannah, come on time to go!’ She snapped.
‘Coming, I just need to finish reading something.’ Hannah replied.
Harriet felt her heart sinking; surely her daughter hadn’t found anything of interest so quickly in this strange little store.
‘Was there something you wanted to buy?’ Harriet asked as her daughter came into view.
‘Oh, not really, come on lets go I’m dying for that coffee and Christina and Elise will be ready to meet up soon.’
‘Good day sir.’ Harriet offered the strange man.
‘Indeed it already has been, see you again.’ He replied, smirking as he watched a look of panic passing across her face.
They walked down the street and Harriet could not help but enquire as to what her daughter had found so interesting.
’Oh just a little rhyme about mothers and daughters I think it went something like.’
‘No need to repeat it dear.’ Harriet ordered, hoping it was not a spell that was about to be invoked.
But Hannah went on anyway.
Mother and daughter together at last
Neither have a present nor past
Their future starts together
One day is theirs forever
Their age is the same
Just say their name
Harriet and Hannah
Harriet felt the poem dealt a sickening blow and hoped that she had not repeated an incantation they would soon regret.
‘What do you think it means?’ Hannah asked.
‘I’m not sure hopefully we are not going to find out.’ Harriet muttered under her breath as they arrived at the cafe.
The End
‘
The Birthday Page 2
