Chapter 250: Frightful sight
The guest room was at its best, providing comfort to its visitors. Having her mother snatched away at late evening, Lia, at first, obediently stayed until time passed so quiet and secluded in this stranger's home. Soon, the mother's words faded as Lia entered boredom. She found the pictorial pages uninteresting and couldn't stay still at the seat to keep reading, for the feeling of isolation rose more with the little one.
Lia closed the book as soon as it felt moving at a sluggish pace. She stirred from the mattress, where at comfort she read with her mother, who shortly retired with her dear friend.
Like the rest of the house, this room likewise had its amusements such as landscape portraits, cute potted plants, and a small library rack with novels. Edwin set it up for the guests to enjoy reading at their leisure. Ever since Lillian self arrested herself inside this residence, she too used the guest room sometimes to read.
The wallpaper colors were refreshing to eyes, and earlier Edwin lighted scented candles to enhance the mood. Lia sniffed the air to learn and sensed it to be some minty leaves. She walked over to the spot and discovered to her guess that it was eucalyptus and spearmint scented candle for stress relief. The smell was never overbearing for the little one. Frankly, it cleansed the air and added the fresh feel to it.
'It is so boring!' - Lia thought from noticing her dull adventures inside the room.
She moved away to explore something else that can keep her mind occupied and let her stop missing her dear mother. To her wonder, there was a section inside the room that could spark interest to any wanderer.
Lia stood in front of the towering bookshelf that was open and free to explore. Little Lia stared at each row in awe and tried to spell the book titles. She got some right, and a few she struggled, finding it hard from the tilting her head much to study the name. When reaching the top rack, Lia got lost and didn't even try to learn except for a cursory glance. After the short exploration of this mini-library, boredom hit her once again.
Nothing entertained the young child anymore. She returned to the bed and tried to nap, but sleep wasn't favoring her as well. Trying to rest from doing nothing became hard to accomplish. Lia looked at the time, and only half-hour went. She cried from how sluggish each second passed.
Not able to endure any longer, Lia jumped out of bed to open the door to peep outside. She could hear the distant noise of television from downstairs, which means that Edwin is still present in the house.
Coming out and closing the door, Lia sensed the desolated space. She walked gently to be cautious, not to attract anyone's attention. While crossing a specific spot near to the descending staircase, Lia found an unlocked room halfway opened. She glanced inside, and it cried melancholy.
Unquestionably, it is the oldest room in the house that did not go through any remodeling from the child's perspective.
Faded ivory-colored walls, with a single lattice that kept shut, a large bed with unfolded blanket crawling on top, a closet residing next to a coat hanger, and a study table that had several books on it along with a portrait of a woman that doesn't resemble the one Lia meet today-
Lia was sure after straining herself to take a look at the picture keenly.
Of course, the room screamed the dwelling's actual age, unlike the living area, which appeared a little renovated to protect the house from destroying.
'Did that person stay here?' - Lia thought of Lillian sheltering in a place like this because the room looked plain to anyone's sight. However, apart from that, the air in the room appeared to carry stories. There was a mixture of emotions that Lia tasted from standing at the entrance. The more she stared at this dull place, the more Lia felt the gloom writhing in it. Soon it turned into a scary pit of doom, and Lia began to feel sick from standing long in this area.
It appears that the dancing melancholy in the air began to frighten its young visiter.
Nonetheless, the little one pitied for that person and prayed a little prayer for that lost spirit to become happier.
Before coming out of the room, Lia dashed to the windowpane to lift it open and adjust the curtain to let the fresh air inside.
***
Running downstairs, Edwin met Lia.
"Lia! Did you need anything?" he greeted her to sit down.
Lia went on to reveal that it got lonely and so she came down for distraction. Edwin asked if she wishes to watch television, but Lia politely refused after noticing that a program is already airing. She didn't want to disturb but felt sweet from the gesture.
This aged man treated her better than Lillian Grey. After the pleasant surprise of spaghetti that Edwin cooked for her, Lia started to feel comfortable with his company. She even helped him clean the dining table after lunch. In the evening, Edwin gave her more sweet treats, and Lia enjoyed it with her mother. Right now, with his presence, Lia felt content. She is no longer bored but occupied with a kind stranger. Cheering herself up, she accompanied Edwin to watch the program to divert herself.
..
Upon Lia's presence, Edwin couldn't focus on the show to watch and enjoy but often kept shifting his eyes to the little one that sat with him. Edwin noticed how anxious Lia appeared from time to time. He could read that the girl is starting to miss her mother. Lia's eyes centered on the television, yet it doesn't appear to be enjoying or entertaining. As if she watches it dumbfounded, Lia's expression remained unchanged to any plot twist that happens in her sight.
Edwin was watching a unique show on penguins. The cute angles that captured this amusing creature living on the frozen continent can readily intrigue anyone, yet Lia didn't even faze from any action.
"Are you missing your mother?" Edwin asked, following his impatience.
Lia remained quiet.
Edwin guessed accurate and found her to behave maturely rather than crying or screaming already.
"You are rather quiet about it than most of the kids, Lia," Edwin commented.
He didn't intend it for a response, but Lia explained him earnestly.
"Mother never leaves me alone except if it's with father."
Edwin never knew the whole story of Giselle and the birth of her child, but seeing Lia speak of it still puzzles him.
However, he was too scared to open any topic to converse, fearing that it might trigger the child to a corner and make her unhappy. Instead of harboring such considerations, Edwin chose to go with a standard way of comforting.
"Don't worry! They will be back soon," Edwin reassured.
Lia's eyes fell on her company and found his comforting smile to be doing its deed. She consented to wait.
**
Time passes moderate this time under the entertainment box's presence.
Edwin, at times, caught Lia holding in her anticipation. The program ended nearly after another thirty minutes and the left pair, still did not return home.
Following the penguins, Edwin asked again if Lia wanted to watch anything, but she respectfully refused once again. Edwin switched the channel to the news and let it run while he observed the little girl stand up and move near the entrance where there stood the lone chair. Her eyes laid fixed on the main gate and the road outside while taking the seat.
Edwin saw the girl still be cautious in her movements. Watching her reminded him of Lillian Grey, not because they resemble each other, but Lillian was also at that age when she lost her mother.
'No. I think it is even before that. Lia looks older than Lilly!' - Edwin observed and noted.
All of the responsibility lay with him in raising Lillian Grey alone as a single parent. The thought of it evoked him, Giselle's struggle. She is also a single parent who is raising her child.
Edwin prayed that his daughter did something useful to resolve the issue and return to her normal state. He wished for this walk they took to serve fruitful results.
His silent prayer got disturbed when Edwin heard Lia's voice call for her mother after possibly spotting her figure from outside.
Lia, raised from her seat, gleefully hopped in her spot while calling for her mother.
Edwin panicked from the news as it appeared that his prayer didn't have enough time to get answered. He worriedly asked Lia, and she responded of seeing both Lillian and her mother, Giselle walking towards the main gate.
Edwin waited patiently to let Lia reunite with Giselle, and then after they return to the guest room, he can sit down with Lillian to ask for details.
Lia stayed put next to the lone chair, but once she saw the approaching figures to cease their movements, Lia stopped jumping in joy. She waited, but the view where the two were not visible clear to the little one's eyes.
Lia moved outside the door, and upon capturing the motionless people, she waited again.
Lia observed the two engage in a majorly one-sided conversation. Mother's dear friend did the talk while Lia saw her own mother standing in awe with her eyes that never seem to reel even for a second.
Lia worried if something is happening, and to her great shock, she watched Lillian Grey, her mother's dear friend, move closer and closer to end up kissing her on the lips.
Lia received an absolute shock at first, but she considered it to be a friendly gesture in which she saw people doing it often with their dear ones. However, as seconds flew, Lia saw the kiss getting prolonged, and her immovable mother eventually took part in reacting to the kiss.
Lia watched the two women kiss like how she encountered the adults do. Something about the extending kiss made Lia uncomfortable and irritated. She wanted it to stop, and to make it happen, Lia began to cry for her mother. However, it never reached Giselle's ears. The more she watched the scene going on and on, the more bitter Lia appeared. She wished it to end already, and with all might, she cried one last time for her mother.
Her crying call got answered, and Lia saw her mother react by pushing the dear friend away to seek and finally meet the child's eye.
'What are you doing, mother?' - Lia thought while holding her horrified face.
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