A Surprise Sadness

I have to admit, I wasn't so keen when we initially got her. She was unexpected, she was expensive, and she came at the cost of my other baby. I didn't really think that I'd become attached, or that I would be so sad to say goodbye.

But thinking back over the years, as we have built a life together, we have banked many memories, and our black 2006 Avant Garde Mercedes C200 Sportswagon was part of many of them.

She first greeted me as a student teacher. I had literally been dropped at school with one car (my beloved Opel Corsa, made redundant by its two doors and our growing family), and was collected by another. She seemed a little too fancy for my liking, but Andel loved the German engineering and sixth gear, and the luxury and comfort of traveling in her grew on me. She allowed me to change baby Zac's nappy in the roomy boot, and safely raced us to the hospital later that year (and a couple more times thereafter) when Zac needed oxygen (or Sam took one of his many tumbles).

She reminded us that we were now a family. She took us to too many house viewings than we could care to admit, and carted carloads of boxes in many trips when we bought our new home. She faithfully transported Sam home after he was born, and miraculously made space for a third person on the back seat once Bayley arrived. She loaded sports balls, push-bikes, twin-prams, baby bags, and Andel's beloved Scott with ease - and we never had to keep our groceries at our feet!

Her greatest feat, however, was when she kept us safe on Sunday 13 May 2018 at 20h30 when we were hit by a wreckless drunk driver on our way home. We were all in the car, and - minus the whiplash - not seriously harmed. If you were to look at her, the damage looks minimal. But, the car has legitimately been written off, and all the experts agree, had we been in a different car, we may have been telling a different story.

To be honest, she has grown to feel as much a part of our family as the humans who for the last five years have been riding in her, and seeing her being towed away on the flatbed last night left us all feeling a little sad.

Perhaps (in an attempt to find some silver lining) it is better that while we can't keep her; neither can anyone else. This way she will always stay our Beaute Noire.