Greene Thumb - A We-Write Short Story - Part 1

The thing that Millie Greene remembered most about her short life of thirteen years was being called "Idiot". By her uncle, her cousins, the neighbors and even the muttering servants. And the person she missed most was her mother, her smile and hugs, her stories of why she was named Millie by her grandmother- because she was a little dryad. After her mother died four years ago Millie was sent to her uncle's; her father, a sailor, could not possibly care for a nine year old girl (And it was true, as her uncle kept reminding her.) so he sent some money by post every few months but never visiting.

- Christies.com

Millie was thin and tall, she had a heart shaped face framed by unruly red curly hair. That she green eyes and a button nose which made her look beautiful, irritated her uncle no end- his own daughters took after him with strong jaws and thin black hair. Aunt Cory on the other hand, Millie could rely on to do good by her; if her husband or cousins did not intrude. Today had been one such lucky day and Millie had leave to go to the riverside market along with her cousins, Aunt Cory had even given each of them she and her two sisters five copper pieces, to buy whatever they liked.

All the cousins had of course run away and her sisters with them; letting her know that she was not wanted. The eldest -Penny had even pinched her nose and made her nod "yes". But Millie was happy walking through the town all by herself. She did not know many of the locals but she had come to know every tree along the road. The gnarled oaks- Hem, Shem and Kahe, the stately beech tree with its shiny bark and high branches- Molly, the bunch of straggly young sycamores near the town square - Ag, Wag, Mog, Rog, Fen and Lia. She was looking at Fen and Rog, they were growing closer and had become greener than the rest when a squirrel darted across her path causing her to mis-step and stumble into a mule loaded with bushels of cherries. She braced herself for another "idiot girl" episode but surprisingly the old man who was leading the mule gave her a pat on the head and a bunch of cherries. "Look ahead missie, or yo'r shore to fall again." and he turned to go his way.

The little kindness made Millie light up, a smile spreading on her face. " Thankee Sir. I will mind where I walk." she shouted out at him. Millie walked on eating her cherries noticing that tiny yellow flowers had sprouted all along the side of the road. "What beauties." she thought at them. A laugh escaped her when the flowers waved at her in return, " a gust of wind" she told herself.

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