Everything is Beautiful Eleanor Ray (best manga ereader .TXT) 📖

‘Fine,’ said Nina, stepping aside and muttering something under her breath.

Amy opened the bin and was greeted by a typically rancid smell. She peered inside, then leaned in further and grabbed something yellow. She pulled it out.

‘This is Charles’s excavator,’ she exclaimed. ‘His favourite one.’ ‘It’s broken,’ replied Nina. ‘Now, will you go back to your house, please? I need to get to bed. Richard will be missing me.’

‘Does Charles know you’ve thrown it away?’ asked Amy.

‘Of course,’ said Nina. ‘Is that all?’

Amy paused, thinking of her own possessions. How upset she’d be if something had been thrown away that she’d wanted to keep. How often she’d changed her mind about letting a treasure go. What if he regretted it later? The bin men would come tomorrow; he’d have no second chance. ‘I think I’ll look after this for him,’ said Amy, dusting off the toy. ‘Just in case he changes his mind.’

‘For goodness’ sake Amy, let it go!’ said Nina. She reached out to grab the toy.

Amy stepped back, holding the excavator out of Nina’s reach.

‘Give me that,’ commanded Nina, her voice rising.

‘No,’ replied Amy.

‘Why can’t you just keep your nose out of our business and leave us alone!’ Nina was shouting now, her voice echoing around the empty street. ‘It’s not like you haven’t got problems of your own,’ she continued. ‘Look at you.’

‘I just want—’

‘What’s going on?’ A sleepy-looking Richard was standing in the doorway. Daniel was in his arms peering at them. ‘You’ve woken up Daniel.’

‘And me,’ said Charles, following behind. He blinked at them then frowned. ‘What are you doing with my excavator?’

‘I thought you might change your mind,’ said Amy. ‘Broken things can be fixed, if you keep them.’

‘Broken?’ queried Charles. He rushed forwards into the garden, bare feet on rough stone. He snatched the excavator from Amy’s hands.

‘You told me he knew,’ said Amy to Nina. ‘That he said it was OK to throw it away.’

‘Throw it away?’ said Charles. ‘Never.’ He examined the toy. ‘It doesn’t look broken.’

Nina grabbed the toy back from Charles. ‘I’ve tripped over this piece of junk one too many times,’ she said. ‘I told you that if I found it on the floor one more time . . . ’ Nina opened the bin again and dropped the excavator inside.

‘Nina!’ exclaimed Richard. He opened the bin, removed the toy, and handed it back to his son, who grabbed it from him and clung it to his chest like a baby. ‘How could you do that?’

‘See what she’s like!’ declared Charles. ‘She pretends to be all smiley but she’s mean.’

‘Nina,’ said Richard, again. ‘How could you do that?’

‘I’ve had it,’ said Nina. ‘I’ve had it with all of you.’ She looked around. ‘I’m getting the car keys,’ she said. ‘I’m not staying another night in this house.’

Silence greeted that announcement. Charles was focused on the excavator. ‘The wing mirror is loose,’ he said.

‘I can fix that with some glue,’ said Amy, quietly. ‘It will be good as new.’

‘Thank you, Amy,’ said Richard. He put Daniel down and stroked his elder son’s head.

‘No one cares that I’m leaving?’ asked Nina.

‘It’s the middle of the night,’ said Richard, after a beat. ‘Let’s talk about it tomorrow.’

‘That doesn’t sound like an apology,’ said Nina.

‘Why would I apologise?’ said Richard, his voice strained. ‘It looks as if you are in the wrong here.’

‘I knew you’d take their side,’ said Nina. ‘It’s always everyone else before me. Even this headcase.’ She gestured towards Amy, who took another step back.

‘There’s no need for insults,’ said Richard.

‘See what I mean?’ said Nina. ‘You’re on everyone’s side but mine.’ No one answered. ‘Fine,’ she said. She pushed past Richard and went inside, returning moments later with the car keys. ‘I’ll be back tomorrow for my things,’ she said.

‘We’ll pack them for you,’ said Charles, rather smugly.

Nina jumped in the car, slammed the door and sped away.

Richard stood still a moment, tiredness wrinkling his face. Then another expression passed over his features. Amy wasn’t sure, but she thought it could be relief.

‘Right everyone,’ he said. ‘It’s late. Back to bed.’

He encouraged the boys back inside. ‘Goodnight, Amy,’ he said. ‘Sorry about . . . ’

‘Not at all,’ said Amy. ‘Sleep well.’ She watched them go back inside. The lights were turned off. Amy waited for her eyes to adjust to the moonlight again, then she opened the recycling bin.

She gazed inside, then reached in and pushed the papers to one side. The bottles lay there. Peaceful. Beautiful. She reached her hand in to pull one out, then stopped. It had been a hard day and the conflict with Nina hadn’t made things any easier, but at the same time she could feel a gentle sense of peace emanating from the resting bottles. She’d saved the excavator for Charles. Perhaps that was enough for tonight. Perhaps it was time to let these bottles go.

She closed the lid, and realised that she felt a little bit lighter. Amy turned back towards her own house and walked home in the moonlight.

Amy sat on her hallway floor early the next morning, with her front door open for extra light. It felt weird to her, having the fresh air flood her house, and she could see particles of dust dancing in the sunlight as if in celebration. She was sorting the fragments of pots into piles, trying to work out which piece went with which pot. It reminded her of doing a jigsaw puzzle. Blue with the blue, flowers with the flowers. The edges were the easiest.

Some were not too bad. A few big pieces that could be easily glued back together. They would never be as strong as they once were, but they would be whole again. She could keep the plants in the plastic pots Richard had bought her and put them inside the repaired ones – that would keep the pressure off. An extra support system.

Others were beyond repair. She kept the pieces anyway, remembering her