Chapter Text
17th December 2007:
Lily was finishing decorating Aunt Sal’s present, last thing she’d put on was an origami S with a white background with a floral red pattern S.
Lily was wearing a pink and black horizontal striped Polo Dress, which flared out. And she put on the pink trainers that Aunt Sal had bought her, and sent her, for her 9th birthday.
She had her hair down, with occasional braids and clips of hair colours.
She walked into the living room, where all the Mitchells were, Honey, Billy, Janet and William, Ronnie and Roxy, Phil and Ben and Peggy and the birthday girl Aunt Sal.
“Happy Birthday Aunt Sal!” Lily sung.
“How is my favourite niece?” Aunt Sal asked.
“Not too bad, how’s my favourite Aunt?”
Sal smiled, “Good. Is that my present?”
Lily nodded.
Aunt Sal accepted it, “That is a beautiful S.”
Lily smiled, “I saw the paper and it reminded me of you.”
“You sweetheart.” Aunt Sal smiled holding her hand.
“Open the present.”
“Oh it’s so pretty.”
Lily proudly smiled.
Aunt Sal unwrapped it, and the present was a sliver and light green guilloché enamel art deco cigarette case.
“This is expensive.” Aunt Sal said.
“I found it in a box of things in a charity shop.”
“You little magpie!” Aunt Sal brightly smiled hugging Lily close.
“So you’ll use it?” Lily asked.
“I will, and when I die, I’ll leave it to you, so you can make a mint of it.”
Lily chuckled, “But that won’t be for ages.”
Aunt Sal hugged Lily close, “Thank you.”
Lily smiled leaning her head on Aunt Sal’s shoulder.
“How did you find that?” Ronnie asked.
“When I went shopping with Roxy she wanted to haggle over some clothes I went into a charity shop, see if there was anything I could get for presents. And I have.”
“Ah, that’s why you’re so smug.” Roxy said.
Lily nodded.
Aunt Sal Suggested that they play Tinker Tailor. When they were going over past rejoices, Lily muttered Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, Doctor, baker, fine shoe-maker, Wise man, madman, taxman, please, as she sat down, Billy started to explain the game,
“You get as many as you can in one hand,” Billy said grabbing the nuts, “You drop them on the table and you say,” Billy started to place each nut down saying the Rhyme, “Christmas Fairy bring be luck, show me what I’ll be when I’m all grown up. Then you go, Tinker,” Nut down, “Tailor,” Nut down, “Soldier,” Nut down, “Sailor,” Nut down, “Rich man,” Nut down, “Poor man,” Nut down, “Beggar man,” Nut down.
Then Peggy yelled, “Thief! Because that’s exactly what you are!”
“Oh stop it Peggy you’re ruining the game,” Aunt Sal said.
“Shut up Sal!” Peggy snapped, “This ain’t a game.”
The room all shared looks of confusion.
“We’ve all been wondering what kind of lowlife could steal money from poor disadvantaged children at Christmas.”
There was an awkward silence and everyone was side eyeing Billy
“Yesterday I found out.” Peggy announced. “Billy Mitchell!”
Lily and Ben shared looks, “Hey Ben do you wanna have a look at my Haul?”
“Yep.” Ben nodded, and the two of them rushed out the living room into Lily’s room.
They shared a look and giggled.
24th December 2007:
Lily and Ben got into watching musicals together during the Christmas holidays, even taking Albert for walks, and Roxy was happy to see that Lily and Ben were connecting.
They were sat watching Royal Wedding (1951) as they were going through Fred Astaire’s catalogue.
Lily watched Ben’s wonder as they watched Fred Astaire dancing around on the walls and ceiling in You’re All The World To Me.
“He’s amazing.” Ben said in wonder.
“Yeah, he is.” Lily said, “You could be like him.”
“Nah.” Ben said.
Lily nodded, “You could.”
25th December 2007:
Lily was wearing a a red tartan dress, with had black fur trim at the bottom of her skirt. Which was bought for her by Aunt Sal. Her hair was in pigtails. She really liked her outfit, Aunt Sal had much better taste then her gran, and she complimented her in the dress.
Most of the morning was filled with drunk relatives being pretty sexual, Ben and Lily were sharing smirks and playing their PSP games together.
After lunch Phil, via Jack was showing off a picture of Louise.
When the adults went downstairs to work or drink.
Lily was looking at Louise’s picture, she was pretty, with brown hair. She looked more like she could be Ben’s sister, then Lily did. She and Ben only had round faces and blue eyes.
Ben took the photo from Lily and put it on the side, “We don’t need her. It’s just us against the world.”
“She’s our sister.”
“Not really, she’s dad’s kid that we don’t know.”
Lily bit her lip and nodded.
“I mean it Lil,” Ben said, “We’re good, we don’t need others.”
Lily nodded and then hugged Ben.