Carlotta Brown (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fiery_ring) wrote2010-10-29 11:07 pm
fiery_ring) wrote2010-10-29 11:07 pm
(no subject)
Carlotta had only popped up to her room to put something in her box of 'things she can't take home'.
She was therefore quite surprised to see a ghostly teenage figure holding up her jeans. The girl looks about seventeen. And although they only met once, long ago, Carlotta knows immediately who she is.
"Mum?"
The ghost turns around. And peers at her. Then Maria Brown laughs.
"Is that really my little Lotta, all grown up?"
Carlotta stares at her for a moment, then reaches forward. But her hand passes through the ghost.
She's seen pictures of her mother before. But now, she can't get over the fact that the dead woman standing here looks so much younger than her.
"Don't poke me, silly." Maria says, then looking down at Carlotta's hand. She reaches forward and touches the ring.
"I hope that's a nice circus boy you've got yourself." she says, lighting up a ghostly cigarette.
"Well, he works with horses." Carlotta says. "And we're going back to the circus."
"Back?" Maria frowns. "Lotta... I sacrificed everything to get you back into the circus. Where are you now?"
"School." Carlotta says quietly. "Father sent me. But it's all right, I was brought up in the circus until I was fourteen, and I think I've had the best of both worlds."
Maria mutters a couple of swear words, and takes a drag on her ghostly cigarette.
"Why didn't you run back?"
"I promised him to try." Carlotta says. "Mum... I'm a circus girl, and a gentleman's daughter. I've spent all this time thinking I have to be one or the other, but I don't. It's only other people's attitudes that get in the way."
"Well haven't you got high and mighty!" Maria says, in a disappointed tone. "Last time I caught sight of you, you were barefoot and wild. You're even losing your accent shut away in that school."
Carlotta looks at her. The tone of disappointment hurts. Maria looks back at her, and sighs.
"Oh Lotta, don't go all sad on me. At least you're going back, I can be glad of that. And you've got the talent, I know. I can be proud of that." She inhales deeply on the ghost cigarette again.
"Sorry." Carlotta says. "I've spent so much time imagining what you were... are like."
"Hah! Put me on a pedestal, did you? Sorry my love, but I was a wild girl like you, and I never learned how to be a proper mum. And now, an eternal teenager, as those Americans would say." Maria stubs the ghostly cigarette out under her foot. "I suppose you're expecting me to give you some sort of words of wisdom, but I can't think of any, so just... have fun."
"You're going? When will I see you again?" Carlotta asks.
Maria shrugs. "God knows. Don't expect me, then it'll be a nice surprise if you see me."
"Love you Mum." Carlotta says quietly.
"You too baby." Maria says, before vanishing away.
She was therefore quite surprised to see a ghostly teenage figure holding up her jeans. The girl looks about seventeen. And although they only met once, long ago, Carlotta knows immediately who she is.
"Mum?"
The ghost turns around. And peers at her. Then Maria Brown laughs.
"Is that really my little Lotta, all grown up?"
Carlotta stares at her for a moment, then reaches forward. But her hand passes through the ghost.
She's seen pictures of her mother before. But now, she can't get over the fact that the dead woman standing here looks so much younger than her.
"Don't poke me, silly." Maria says, then looking down at Carlotta's hand. She reaches forward and touches the ring.
"I hope that's a nice circus boy you've got yourself." she says, lighting up a ghostly cigarette.
"Well, he works with horses." Carlotta says. "And we're going back to the circus."
"Back?" Maria frowns. "Lotta... I sacrificed everything to get you back into the circus. Where are you now?"
"School." Carlotta says quietly. "Father sent me. But it's all right, I was brought up in the circus until I was fourteen, and I think I've had the best of both worlds."
Maria mutters a couple of swear words, and takes a drag on her ghostly cigarette.
"Why didn't you run back?"
"I promised him to try." Carlotta says. "Mum... I'm a circus girl, and a gentleman's daughter. I've spent all this time thinking I have to be one or the other, but I don't. It's only other people's attitudes that get in the way."
"Well haven't you got high and mighty!" Maria says, in a disappointed tone. "Last time I caught sight of you, you were barefoot and wild. You're even losing your accent shut away in that school."
Carlotta looks at her. The tone of disappointment hurts. Maria looks back at her, and sighs.
"Oh Lotta, don't go all sad on me. At least you're going back, I can be glad of that. And you've got the talent, I know. I can be proud of that." She inhales deeply on the ghost cigarette again.
"Sorry." Carlotta says. "I've spent so much time imagining what you were... are like."
"Hah! Put me on a pedestal, did you? Sorry my love, but I was a wild girl like you, and I never learned how to be a proper mum. And now, an eternal teenager, as those Americans would say." Maria stubs the ghostly cigarette out under her foot. "I suppose you're expecting me to give you some sort of words of wisdom, but I can't think of any, so just... have fun."
"You're going? When will I see you again?" Carlotta asks.
Maria shrugs. "God knows. Don't expect me, then it'll be a nice surprise if you see me."
"Love you Mum." Carlotta says quietly.
"You too baby." Maria says, before vanishing away.