Amie Bernstein; Chapter 11

Amie Bernstein; Chapter 11

© 2022 by Amber Wright

MR. AND MRS. BERNSTEIN

Date: Winter 1901

Place: London, England

“Finished. Whew!” Amie sighed out with relief.

“And four days early as well.” Annie Montgomery smiled. “Now we relax until Christmas Eve!”

“Thanks to you.” Amie fingered the rows of brightly painted wooden men. “Thank you, Annie. You’re so sweet.”

“Ah, it’s nothing.” Annie stood up briskly and helped Amie cover the table with the sheet. Later they would wrap these little wooden men in little boxes. “Now, let’s have ourselves a fine Saturday afternoon, shall we?”

“In Oncle Gad’s sleigh?” Amie squealed with a little offbeat dance around the room. “Oh-h, let me find my boots. Oh, where are they?”

“On your feet.” Annie giggled and picked up the brush from the vanity. “But before we go…”

“Let’s get these tangles into curls, Miss Amie.” Amie mimicked with a grin and settled down to let Annie brush her tangly blond hair into soft curls.

“Precisely.” Annie began brushing.

Just as they walked down the sidewalk, the noise of carolers met their ears. Amie felt a smile split her face and she buried her hands into her white fur muff as she stopped beside Annie at the sidewalk where the carolers were singing.

The father of the ragged little group was playing a wheezy old accordion. “O come, O come, Emmanuel… Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!”

When they finished, Annie placed a few coins into their tin bucket. Their grateful smiles probed Amie into digging into her own purse and giving them several shillings.

“Thank ye, ma’am.” The little girl holding the bucket smiled brightly with her splash of freckles dancing with excitement as she curtsied.

“Merry Christmas!” Amie told the merry little group as they thanked them and walked down the street.

Annie took Amie’s arm and ushered her with a giggle to the waiting sleigh where Gad held the reins and Kitt sat impatiently watching them. Amie took the seat beside Kitt in the wide seat and Annie followed. Gad shook the large fur lap-robe over them and away they went merrily, jingling with bells on their open sleigh into the white wintry decorated streets. Their voices echoed into the sparkling cold air.



They were entering a toy shop when a man called to them. He stopped before them out of breath and flaming red cheeks. “Mr. and Mrs.—?” he raised his eyebrows questioningly.

“Bernstein.” Gad said with a smile and shook the man’s hand.

“May I have the honor of taking you and your family’s photo? Mr. Poole, at your service, editor of the London Journal.” Mr. Poole bowed with a flourish. “The moment I saw you all, I thought—what a picture! Please, if I may be so bold as to insist.”

Gad took a look at Annie’s flaming pink face and winked at Amie. “Certainly you may, Mr. Poole. We would be glad to. Come along, children!” he pretended the image of a father.

Amie giggled.

They followed Mr. Poole to a well-decorated shop to stand in front of. They grouped. Each plastered a smile as Mr. Poole slowly took several photos of them. Amie giggled inside and wondered what Annie was thinking. I think it’s rather splendid myself. Perfect matchmaker. I wonder who he is… She unmasked her smile. The photo-shooting was over and Mr. Poole was thanking Mr. and Mrs. Bernstein.

French/English translation:

Oncle…………………… Uncle