A Time Capsule Of Dreams

20250611

Prompt from PrideOnThePage

“Hey, sis.” Lucy’s voice is sombre. “I’ve got Dad news.”
I’d figured, with her going straight to a phone call. I settle myself on the sofa and take a fortifying breath. “Go on.”
“He’s out of hospital, but with his health declining he’s joining Mum in the home. So we’re selling the house. And… um. You remember when he found out I’d been ‘covering’ for you?”
“Vaguely.” I grimace at the blank TV. “How old were we?”
“Uhhh I think I was eight? Ish. But anyway. When he gathered all your stuff to throw, and you were so heartbroken that even he couldn’t go through with it? So he boxed it up and said your daughters could have it?”
“Oh. Yeah.”
My daughters. The ones I’d only have if I ‘came to my senses’ and ‘behaved’.
“He… really did it, huh?”
“Yeah. I just found the box. It’s even labelled ‘For Julie’s kids’.”
I smile despite the twanging in my chest. “You can say ‘Lyle’.”
“I hate that it says Lyle. You were always Julie to me.”
“I know.” That’s the main reason I’m still here. “Love you, sis.”
“Back at you, sis. So, um, do you want…?”
“Yeah. Can I come over now?”
“I’ll make proper coffee.”
She hangs up. I stick my tongue out at the phone. “Of course you’ve been drinking instant pish.”

The house hurts more than I expected. So many memories. Not all bad, but each tinted with the pain of repression. Lyle watches me from every wall with haunted eyes.
Hang in there, kid. You’ll make it.
Most of the photos also have Lucy. Clinging tight to her lil ‘brother’. Wearing righteous love in the form of frilly girly clothes she didn’t even like, because the only way I could get that stuff was it being ‘hers’.
She looks so much happier in the goth ensemble she’s rocking now. We’re both free.
The box sits ready on the table, flanked by two mugs of proper coffee. I know mine is the “#1 daughter” mug. Hers will be the dragons.
We hug deeper than words and she hands me a boxcutter. It feels like we’re opening a time capsule.
On top is an envelope. A letter from Dad, to his ‘son’. I set it aside. I will read it. Later.
Underneath…
Stickers. Posters. Magazines.
“Wow.” I murmur, reverently flipping through. “So much of this is… tat.”
“Well, yeah, we were little kids! No taste.” Lucy dives into the pile. “AHA! This. This is what kicked it off.”
The ripped poster had been mended at the back with tape. I gaze at the princess.
Ignoring the toadstool hat etc… Looking at the face…
Lucy holds it up next to me and grins. “Pretty good, given you lost the reference. You always knew.”
I smile and hug tat to my chest like it’s my young self. It’s all coming home with me. Some will be given away, or even thrown. But not before Lyle’s done healing.

Prompt was “Reclaim”.