บท 327: Visiting the unusual library

The rest of the time went quiet as Lillian kept the television switched on for Lia to watch while trying to reach for Giselle again.

The sun began to set along the horizon to illuminate the city's holiday spirit. Bright lights followed the streets as the wind picked up its evening routine to play twister. Lillian waited in the kitchen to keep trying for Giselle when a loud screech came from the living room, sending her to immediate panic. Rushing to aid, she found Lia's head stretch to the high ceiling, gaping at the connecting library that spans across the hallway.

"What is it?" Lillian called to worry if something happened to Lia or her beloved library, gawking keenly at both.

Lia pointed to exclaim how grand the library appears and how broad it stretched across with the abundance of books filling the space.

Withdrawing with a heavy sigh, Lillian eased to catch herself a break.

"Jesus! Lia! I thought something happened to you- or there!" she took another short glimpse of her library.

Lia realized her clamorous expression and admitted that she did fell astounded from exploring the house to her boredom. Her eyes still took unrestricted peeks at her discovery.

"Do you want to take a look-" Lillian proposed to hear Lia's reply cut through her voice.

"I do!"

"Alright! Let's go," she said to accompany the active little girl.

Excited as she got closer, Lia's pace increased to her enthusiasm, leaving Lillian on her tail. Upon reaching, she let out another loud shriek.

"Calm down! You are here!"

Finally catching up to the lively little human, Lillian joined to keep an eye and make sure Lia doesn't stumble upon anything irrelevant to her age. As they moved one after the other, the little one viewed the collection of books in comfort and often questioned the cover pages that caught her interest.

"Do you like to read?" Lillian asked randomly to pass the time.

Lia shared her own collection of books with pride when a specific book cover caught her attention.

A copy of E. B. White's Charlotte's Web- Lia froze on the spot to admit recognizing the book.

"Did you read it already, or haven't you?"

"Dad read it to me when I was little," Lia said to reminisce those nights Ethan dotingly read to his daughter before going to sleep.

"So, I believe you already have it in your collection!" Lillian ensures to move on, but she found Lia left behind. It has come to the light that Lia doesn't own a copy because the book remained with her father. Later, she leaves the spot to escalate a few more steps and overtakes Lillian to return to sightseeing.

"Take it!"

Halting abruptly, Lia turned to see Lillian Grey pick the copy of Charlotte's Web and handed it to her.

"It's your first time in my house, and I want to applaud your brave attempt to come and seek me, though- I don't support the way you did behind your mother!"

Lia received the copy with a sad frown and asked if it was okay.

Lillian let her have it since it is a children's novel in the first place.

"I'm too grown for such stories! You can have it!" she says to lead again.

It was then Lillian heard her phone buzz to a stopping sound.

"Ah,"

It was a text message from Giselle, followed by an incoming call.

"Lia- I'll be over here if you need me anything," she said to dart to her office.

"I just reached home to find your missed calls and text messages!"

Giselle broke the casual greetings, jumping to her fear.

"Hello, Giselle!" Lillian gestures gladly.

"Is it true?"

"I said, Hi!"

"Lillian? I'm asking if my daughter is at your place!"

Catching the panic in her cry, Lillian admits. She also called Lia to get her voice to reach her mother's ears. Giselle heard a distant tone of little Lia talking. A sigh of relief filled her anxiety, easing her down.

"Why is she there?" Giselle intruded immediately.

Seeing her panic, Lillian hushes her to relax, ensuring Lia's safety and vaguely explaining about her visit.

"What?"

"I know, it's too scary to believe, but your brave daughter did attempt to reach my house even without your help," Lillian repeated to Giselle's growing horror, "I'm proud of her!" she added with a small tease.

Unable to follow the story, Giselle doubted if it was true. An eight-year-old girl traveling in the busiest city without any help- it was too hard to accept, and Giselle's mind ached from mad assumptions.

"Oh, stop it, Giselle! Of course, your daughter had her happy helpers to escort!" Lillian said to put an end to Giselle's troubled thoughts.

"Who?"

"Wow, I'm surprised that you're listening to me!"

"Lillian!" Giselle grunted heavily.

"Alright! It was her beloved Uncle Jake, and not to mention his partner, Aunt Anna. It seems that last night they all had a group discussion behind your back about this secret plan and how to execute it!"

Stunned to hear, Giselle once again expressed her disbelief. She refused to buy Lillian's explanation. However, remembering last night's events, she did recall Lia's wish to speak to Anna privately from her room. At first, Giselle thought it was strange, but listening to Lillian now, it appears that Lia's behavior matches the story.

"Giselle?"

She confessed that her daughter wouldn't do such things.

"Giselle?" Lillian called again.

Giselle strongly believed that Lia would never do anything without telling her mother.

"Giselle?"

"This is bad!"

"Giselle!"

Lillian's final cry caught Lia's attention.

"Nothing Lia, you carry on," she added to ease the child.

Returning to her conversation, Lillian begs Giselle to calm down, once again, pledging for Lia's shelter.

"Lia is fine, here with me!"

However, there was no response from Giselle's end. It worried Lillian to a slight alarm, and she called her name again.

Giselle finally responded to her cry and heard Lillian state to return Lia home. She assumed it was better to let Giselle know her plan before they could scream over Lia's secret adventure. To her surprise, it worked, but in a reverse fashion. Giselle suggested that she would come to get Lia.

"Tell me your address," she added hurriedly.

Panicked, Lillian explored the house, finding it unfit to welcome Giselle, at the moment. An empty house with unlimited snacks, frozen food sleeping inside the refrigerator, and stacked alcohol- all screaming a negative impact upon her guest if she visits.

"No!" Lillian retaliates.

Her stern rejection bewildered the concerned mother.

"No, you can't!"

"Why?"

"Because-"

There came a long pause as Lillian dragged her response until a proper excuse fit to her terms.

"There are still reporters down at my building!" she yelled in an attempt to persuade.

"If so, then should you be the one to stay home, and I can visit you!"

Giselle's sharp reasoning only made it hard to influence her.

"Stop being smart now. No means no, I won't give you my address," Lillian groaned sternly.

Exhausted from her silly tantrum, Giselle begged for a way to meet her daughter.

"I said I'll return her safe by your side. I already know where you live, so wait for us!" Lillian said to end the call. She immediately summoned Lia to pass on the news and asked her to collect her school bag to leave shortly. Lia asked if her mother sounded angry, to which Lillian confirmed it was the panicked rage, not a hostile mood. Reassuring to stay by her side, Lillian and Lia, moved in a hurry.