Timeline of Mirabel's Life

By Jerrie
  • Period: to

    Timelone of Mirabel's Life

  • Bones of the Soothsayer

    Mirabel and mama visit the soothsayer after Mirabel (Lei An) decides to change her name. They come across cottage Number Eight. They are welcomed in and take a seat on his sofa, the smell of incense saturates the atmosphere. The soothsayer beckons Mirabel to follow him, where he drags out a battered tin truck, full of dried up old bones and tortoise shells. Mirabel picks a bone up that spoke to her. Her chosen oracle bone. 'You must take it wherever you go, no matter how far from home,' he said

  • Mirabel meets Rose.

    As Mirabel sits down, lunch in bag, she notices a girl leaning against the fence, flirting with Dave Farrell - the all-round most wanted boy in school. At this point, Mirabel was dealing with her teacher taking her book from her. She is hoping that Mr Cochran won't rip her book to shreds as art is her paradise and pasion.

  • Mirabel gets her painting book back

    As Mr Cochran stole Mirabel's painting book, she had to find a way to get it back. Rose, a friend she had just made, said,' If you want to change a person's way of thinking, you need to find something you have in common,' From this, she persuaded Mr Cochran to give her book back by showing him that her love of art is the same as his love of music.

  • 'Only pure Chinese boys are good enough for their daughers.'

    Mama and Lola are having a fight about Lola's boyfriend, Bill. He is an American soldier. Mama forbids her to see the foreign devil, but Lola won't obey. Although, Bill was a gentle man with a great sense of humour. But for Mirabel's parents, being a nice man was irrelevant. Colour, background and status were the only things that mattered. And Bill was not Chinese. Even worse, he was an American Soldier.

  • 'That's just how it was in a Chinese family.'

    Taking care of the family, day to day, had become Mirabel's job. She had realised that Mama couldn' take care of them, and Lola wouldn't. Her father always said, 'You're the pillar of this family Lei An. You would never shame us.' Mirabel wished she could be left to follow her passion - to be free to paint and draw and design clothes. But duty always came first. That's just how it was in a Chinese family.

  • Mama goes to Forest Glades.

    Mama had grown worse in the past few weeks; her mood swings were more violet, less predictable. The doctors had warned them that she could harm herself, could even harm someone else. Hence, Mama goes to Forest Glades, which was a rest home in north Melbourne. Mama used to go to Mrs Pettigrews's house, a widow with a gentle voice and a house that rocked to the sound of the sea. But she had heart problems and could no longer take care of people and so they found Forest Glade.

  • Mirabel visits Mama at Forest Glade.

    After a two-hour train journey from the city, Mirabel visits her Mama at Forest Glade. The house was massive, and looked like a place out of an Edgar Allan Poe story. Poor Mama, Mirabel thought. She'd been here for two weeks. She found her Mama in a monstrous place, trying to hold back the tears. Mama asked, 'Who am I, Lei An?' that startled Mirabel. She answered, 'You are Chen Ai Ling. Mama.' Mama closed her eyes and her body tensed. Then she said, 'I am not the person you think I am,'

  • The city was swinging.

    Mirabel and Rose had been on their way to visit Great Auntie May after school when Rose suggested they stop for a coffee at Gibbys. Even though it was mid-afternoon, the place was buzzing. Music blared through the speakers. Mirabel was glad the American soldiers had brought this music over with them. She remembered when Melbourne had been so stuffy, so boring as all the Australian boys had gone to war. But since the American soldiers had arrived, the city was swinging.

  • Life in Melbourne had changed.

    Life had changed in Melbourne, Mirabel thought.There were ration coupons for food and clothing, trenches dug for protection in parks and on school grounds. And nobody could block out the practise air-raid sirens that blared across the city everyday. Even though Japanese planes had last bombed Darwin just two months before, it seemed such a long way from Melbourne.

  • Binding of the feet.

    At Great Auntie May's house,Mirabel told Rose about her Great Auntie's story.At the age of 6,her mother began to bind her feet.First,all the toes were bent under the foot, except for the big toe and these were tightened everyday.Her mum used to tell her noone would marry a girl with 'big duck feet'.Her mum taught her how to embroider as well.A young man came to find a wife.He didn't look at the girl's faces but at the size of their lily feet and the skill of embriodery.He chose her be his bride.

  • Reading the Chinese newspaper.

    When Mirabel & Rose visited Great Auntie May, Mirabel asked,'What do you want me to read today?' Great Auntie May had never been to school or learned to read or write,so Mirabel would visit once a week to read it for her.On the front page was a photograph of tangled bodies with the caption saying that they were all women & children who had been raped then bayoneted by Japanese soliders.Ever since the Japanese had invaded China six years before,Mirabel had seen the ghastly pictures.She felt numb.

  • Queen Victoria Market built over the Melbourne cemetery.

    As MIrabel walks through the Queen Victoria Market she remember's how it was built over the old Melbourne cemetery.Before the buildings were erected, most of the graves had been exhumed and the bodies moved to a new cemetery. But some of the graves of poorer pople were simply lest behind and forgotted.Mama had told her how the ghosts of these poor souls wandered the stalls at night, searching for a proper resting place.

  • Mirabel gets Lost.

    Father asks Mirabel to deliver a parcel and follow the map on the main roads.But Mirabel thought it didn't make sense and so decided to make a shortcut.As shewalked down the lanes, she had not known ofexistence today.Mirabel meets up with a girl namedAngel to ask for directions to get back to the main road. Mirabel looked at her and realised,was she a prostitute?Maybe that's why her father wanted her to take the main roads.Mirabel was so naive.Angel gave her a map&soon she found her destination.

  • Cousin Margo's Party.

    Mirabel attends her cousin Margo's party- the hall was full. She notices Margo in the centre wearing her dress, Mirabel smiles, proud of her achievement. Her husband Harry is flying with RAAF. Margo recieves a telegram stating that Harry is seriously injured. He is currently in a hospital all shot up somewhere and they can't move him.

  • Mirabel and the young solider

    During Margo's party, Mirabel was left stranded She did not know anyone, due to Lola ditching her. All of a sudden, her gaze fell on two young men in Chinese Army uniforms. She was struck by the taller solider. He was so handsome with think dark hair and a bright, inteligent face. His eyes caught hers and was about to approach her when two girls appear and start dancing with them. Great Aunty May had said, 'When a peachis ready to be picked, it is sweet and juicy. Picked too early,it is bitter.'

  • Harry's Changed.

    Mirabel was at Margo's house in Melbourne. She had seen Harry since he had arrived by ship three weeks earlier. He looked gaunt, his eyes sunken and vacant. The doctors where able to save his leg, but he will always have to walk with a stick. Margo states that she could hardly recognise him anymore. And he dreams. Nightmares. This is all due to the direct life experiences of the second world war. It has scarred him significantly and the personal situations he had gone through were indescribable.

  • Mirabel meets Fred.

    During Mirabel's visit at Margo's house, she meets Harry's friend Fred. Over dinner, they discuss Fred's occupation, a cartographer. Mirabel's interests quickened. Mirabel used to love drawing maps in History and geography class. The maps are used in the war to direct soliders to the chosen destination. Since Mirabel had finished school she was interested in the job. Fred directed her to come to the office to introduce her to the department. Maybe at least she had found a job she really wanted.

  • Mirabel's Prince Charming.

    On the way home from Margo's house, she decides to walk home. Her father always told her the city is a dangerious place at night. I don't want you going there alonge. But she wanted to be more like Lola, it would be liberating. She was startled by a group of American soliders. They harrassed her she defended for herself. All of a sudden, she sees her solider protecting her. The Americans soliders scattered due to the Chinese soliders presence. She thank her but like a ghost, he vanished. Again.

  • Scent of Butterflies.

    Mirabel arrives home to see two soliders side by side on the couch. It was her young solider. She dressed to impress. Mirabel got introduced to themas they were sent here from China. She finally knew his name - Lieutenant Lin. She was forced to have conversation with the soliders. They have dinner and realise their gaze met each other. Her father asks her to tour the soliders around Melbourne and she accepts as she realised it was her chance to meet JJ again. He was the man of the world.

  • Their 'date'.

    Mirabel meet up with the two soldiers altought Lieutenant Lim was the only one present. Mirabel and JJ proceed with the program without Captain Shen. They explore St Kilda and talk about JJ's background. His position was incredible. To rise a liasion between the Chinese and Australian government.They enter Luna park and went on a few rides. Soon after they go to the beach and talk about JJ's childhood and family.They disuss the Kuomintang and Communist government. Mirabel was falling fast for JJ

  • Jimmy is sick.

    Jimmy gets sick with a classic syntom. St Vitus' dance. It is a rheumatic fever. They say is can be fatal and the only cure for it is penicillin. Although supplies are limited. They are only availiable to soliders. At that time, Mirabel was dealing with JJ not showing up at the initial time and place which made her worry. She met up with him the next day to ask JJ for penicillin to help heal her brother.

  • Tasmania

    Mirabel and JJ travel to Tasmania. They had booked Wistend College on the outskirts of Hobart.They showed affection towards each other and made love. Her oracle bone's transcript had not come true yet. She though that no old bone was going to direct her life.She see a white cat and the bone seemed to quiver, No matter what had been predicted she was going to fight for JJ, fight to keep him, fight for their future together.

  • JJ is leaving

    JJ is leaving and the family is having a farewell dinner. Mirabel is preparing his favourite meal - steamed fish with spring onion & ginger. Mama recognised that Mirabel loved JJ. They held each other for the first time. Mama and father drove towards Port Melbourne where his ship was moored. He got on the ship, looked back and waved. Then he was gone.

  • Mama's Secret

    Mirabel listens as her mama's secret unfolds. There were bestfriend named Ai Ling and Dan Dan. Both families were poor but Ai Lings skin was fairer. Ai Ling's parents sent a matchmaker when she turned 18. There was a young Chinese man looking for a wife. Ai Ling was perfect for him. So they were married. The girls were sad to leave each other. But a week before Ai Ling was to leave, she came down with a fever and she died. Mirabel then realised that her mother, was acutally Dan Dan!

  • Mama's Secret (continuation)

    Mama's parents visited Ai Ling's grieving family and proposed that I switch places with her. They were the same age and the young man had not asked for photographs. In exchange, Mama's parents promised to pay Ai Ling's family, even though they could barely affford it. Mama married Father when her bestfriend was should have. Ai Ling's ghost still haunts Mama. And Father began forwarding money to the Chen family in the village.

  • Mirabel is Pregnant.

    Mirabel is pregnant. She had missed one whole cycle. And even tried exercising to do sit-ups. A wave of nausea flowed through her and she rushed to the toilet and threw up. She couldn't believe it. Mirabel has the thought of having an abortion but at that time is was illegal. Her father's dissproval came with the baby that made her know she couldn't have the baby.

  • Mirabel gets an abortion.

    Mirabel meets Angel to ask for a favour - to get an abortion. She writes down an address to a lady who lived only three blocks from Angel's house. She meets up with a lady who was not very accommodating. Mirabel then clutched her chair. This baby was her only link with JJ. How could she let someone kill it. She ran out and door and placed her palm on her belly, imagining her baby, JJ's baby growing inside of her. She breathed in life.

  • Mirabel leaves to live with Eva.

    Mirabel leaves Melbourne for Adelaide to live with her penpal, Eva. She does this without warning, hoping that Eva will welcome her to live at her home. She does this because it is her only resort and she had noone else to turn to. She arrives to see Eva there. Her husband, Aubrey, was very welcoming towards Mirabel's stay.

  • Bao Bao takes his first breath.

    A baby boy was born on a Tuesday. The labour had been painful and an exhausting 14 hours, but she cradled him in her arms for the first time. She name him Bao Bao - Little Treasure. She began to cry as Bao Bao might not ever know his father. Her mama and father had visited Mirabel in Adelaide. Father demanded her to go back to Melbourne. Mama supports Mirabel and she and Bao Bao come back to Melbourne. Mirabel works at the Queen Victoria Market at her father's stall.

  • Frank Chen meets Mirabel.

    Frank Chen visits the new of JJ becuase he fought with the Kuomintang the Communists are after him. His father also died suddenly of a heart attack. At that moment, Mirabel is dealing with JJ not being able to see his song grow up and be a father figure for Bao Bao. Mirabel and Bao Bao plan to ship to Shanghai to meet JJ and suprise him. We will all soon be together Mirabel says.

  • The Dress and the Letter

    Mirabel actions have freed Mama from her past. Mirabel saw a change come over her. She saw it in the way Mama smiled, in the way she held her chin, the way her eyes filled with light. It was as though she was truely seeing herself for the first time. Mirabel's first prophecy rang in her ear. Dressing the dead. It had come true at last. Chen Su Ting said that he is going back to China and they would never hear of him again.omorrow Mirabel is departing for Shanghai, she can reunite with JJ.

  • Mirabel in Shanghai

    Mirabel and Bao Bao spends months in Shanghai without finding JJ. But she never gives up. There was still no information about Jin Yu.

  • Jin Yu is shot.

    Jin Yu was arrested at Blood alley. The group of new people he was talking about, the army units Jin Yu said had defeated Kuomintang... it was all a trap.They tortured him and shot him. JJ is blaming himself that he didn't come with Jin Yu, he could have been able to prevent what happened

  • The Interrogation

    The government visits Mirabel's house, commanding her to open the door. She tells Bao Bao to hide. Standing outside her door is Frogface, a Kuomintang official and two soliders. Frogface tells the official and soliders than Mirabel is a spy linked to the Communist party. Mr Tan was one of the secret operatives but Mirabel defends herself. She tells them that she is an Australian citizen and her father is a strong supporter of the Kuomintang government. The official recognises her father.

  • Flight to Fortune.

    Mirabel, JJ and Bao Bao leave China. Nowhere was safe.They carried only the essentials. They had nothing else in the world. JJ's friend. The communist army was only two days away from the city. As they drew closer, the Kuomintang government soldiers became more and more desperate. They meet up with Lao Pan and the prophecy, 'To fortune you'll flee'.

  • The White Cat

    Mirabel visits the soothsayer. She was no longer the girl nine year later. The soothsayer welcomed her in, and everything was just as before. The fragrant of sweet incense lingered on the still air. Mirabel had passed all the things inscribed on to the oracle bone, one cycle of the destiny had passed.. But infact, the patterns lie within her: some she inherited, some she created, but all will be brought forth, over and over, until she has learnt was they have to teach.