Belle watched as new people piled into her home. "Mommy," she said, tugging on the end of her mother's dress. "Why do we have to stay down here?" Her mother looked down at her and gave her a fake smile. "There are new people moving in." she said, hiding the sorrow in her voice. "Why can't we go talk to them? Are they bad people, mommy?" The questions just kept on and on. "Belle! No more questions," she shouted nervously, getting the toddler to silence, "you must be quiet, or they'll hear you." She bent down to her daughter's level. "You must never let them find you, my darling. We stay down here now, and if you ever see someone you don't know, I want you to disappear from sight." Belle nodded with a look of sadness on her face. "Mom once told me something, a long long time ago." Belle's big brother, Evan, said, coming from around the corner. "Life's too short for such sorrow." He said quoting his mother. Belle forgot all about the sadness and ran towards Evan, giggling loudly. "Hey, love bug." he said, sweeping her off her feet and twirling her around the room in his arms. "I missed you, Evan." Belle said still laughing. "Where was you?" Evan sighed, thinking back to the face he fell in love with just moments ago. "I was around." he said as he brushed a piece of her soft brown hair behind her ear. For the first time, Lily saw a glimmer of happiness in her son's eye. "Around?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "Be specific." He smiled, catching onto her question. "Mom, it wasn't anything like that." Lily laughed with glee. "I knew I heard a girl!" Evan blushed. "I do believe you're blushing, Mr. Seriousness." Lily teased. "Ev-an's blushing!" Belle repeated in a sing-songy voice. "Shut up, kid." Evan said, ticking his sister's belly as he placed her feet on the floor. "Mommy, may I play with Thaddeus?" Lily smiled, glad her daughter was excited to bond with her brother. "Yes Belle, you may. Watch out for strangers!" Belle ignored her as she giggled and ran off in search of her big brother. "Do you mind speaking of her?" Lily asked Evan once they were alone. Evan fell onto the dusty old couch and sighed happily. "Mom, you've gotta see her. She's beautiful. Her name's Taissa."
