Wednesday Words: An Aggrieved Heart

Source: wikipedia, may God bless 'em

It wasn’t until his fifth venture up to Granddad’s attic that Jackson discovered a burlap covering a satchel, knowing instantaneously what it contained.  The randy old man had told him about a battered bag that held purloined jewelry from his younger days.

“Jest you be sure, lad, that yer Granny never sees what else is inside…”  So Jackson pawed through jeweled rings, necklaces and minute lockets, until he found a crumpled letter.  “You scoundrel! You absconded with everything I held dear…” and some other words he dare not read.  “Damn your unfaithful heart!   Sincerely, your aggrieved and betrayed, Mary Dent…”

Hmmm, Jackson pondered as he closed up the satchel.  Mary Dent? Aunt Mary Dent? Granny’s sister? Hmmmm...

A rat's attic?

source

Brian plugged away in his home office while Lily and Clara played in their bedroom.  The three and five year old girls made a fair amount of noise most of the time, giving him a relaxed sense of security.  There were enough “Daddy, can I have…” questions, just enough to reassure him that the girls were playing benignly.

With confidence, Brian finished his projects and phone calls, and then went to check on the little girls.  He encountered a construction of impressive size.  Stacked atop a sturdy round child table (IKEA) were three Ikea stools, upon which was laid a TV tray top.  Balanced on the tray were a Barbie suitcase and some lunch boxes. 

source

From layer to layer, Brian followed the tower.  It rose to just below the in-ceiling attic hatch.  The hatch was cracked open with a toy broom wedged in the opening. 

“Girls…what did you do…?  Brian’s voice drifted off as he appreciated the stability of structure.

source

Both were coloring quietly.  Without looking up, Lily sweetly told him.  “Well, Daddy, we heard you say something about I don’t give a rat’s attic about…, so we decided to check for rats in the attic.”  Giving her daddy a smile, Lily concluded.  “We didn't see any rats, so it’s okay…”