Lilly

SOAKED UP WATER CHAPTER 20

It was now eight o'clock at night and it was pouring of rain and the wind howled loudly as the trees rustled and blew amongst the gust of icy wind. Roman had moments ago entered his home to discover Lilly wasn't sat waiting for him like she usually would. Normally at this time she would be curled up on the sofa with a blanket watching the television. He decided to walk up stairs to his room to see if Lilly was already asleep in bed, but she wasn't. As Roman walked in he noticed the door of his wardrobe was open and one of his jackets had gone. It was the jacket he wore last time his mother argued with him in the house about the photograph. He immediately started looking though his drawers looking for the photograph, but the photograph wasn't anywhere to be found in the room.

He decided to dial a number on his phone.  "Hello, Emma, It's Roman, is Lilly there with you?" he asked. Emma paused with confusion "Roman, she isn't here I thought she was with you" she questioned. "No, I've been at work all day, and she's usually here by now" said Roman with great concern. Emma didn't know what to say. "I hope she isn't upset" said Roman. "Why would, she be upset" asked Emma. "I think Lilly, has the photograph" said Roman. "What" responded Emma. "I know your dirty, little secrete, and I'm going to tell her everything." He threatened as Emma put the phone down. Roman threw his phone on his bed in anger. "How did, I forget about, that photo" he said to himself as he began to wander downstairs.

Roman was now stood in the kitchen as he noticed that the washing machine was still switched on from last night. He bent down and opened the door and placed his hand in the drum to fine wet clothing. He thought to put his mind off things he would pass some time by placing the clothing into the tumble drier when halfway through he discovered his dirty shirt still stained with blood. "Oh Lilly" he said to himself in annoyance as he headed through the backdoor walking towards the trash can outside in the garden and thew it inside and slammed the lid and then he then walked back inside and slammed the door behind him. Then he took his phone out of his pocket and dialled Lilly's number, but her phone seemed to go straight to voicemail. "This is Lilly, I'm sorry but, I can't get to the phone right now, please leave a message and I'll get right back to you" spoke the answer phone. "Lilly! Where are you? Please come home, I love you, I'm sorry" said Roman as he put his phone down then he stormed off to Lilly's house.

Emma was sat in the kitchen doing cooking and Daisy was now asleep in her bed. Roman rang the doorbell. "Who is it?" said Emma as it was now ten o'clock at night and she wasn't expecting any visitors she rushed to the door thinking it might be Lilly, but of course it wasn't judging by the tall figure seen though the cloudy class it was Roman. "Hi, may, I come in?" asked Roman as he slouched by the wall next to the door. Emma held the door open and invited Roman inside.

Everything was now unpacked at it started to look more homely. Roman walked around as Emma was stood by the kettle as Roman continued to tread his feet. "Why don't you sit down?" said Emma as she began to boil the kettle. "I don't want to sit down" said Roman in a harsh tone. "Tea?" said Emma as she began placing a tea bag in a cup. "No!" replied Roman. Emma then sat down at the kitchen table and looked up at Roman who had a furious look on his face. "Roman, look at me, I didn't tell her because I wanted to give her a normal childhood and a good life." Said Emma as Roman approached the table. "You have been lying to her all these years" said Roman as he placed his hands on a back of one of the dinning chairs. "I know, I know," said Emma. "Then why do it!" shouted Roman as he slammed his hands on the table. "I love her, I didn't want her growing up being afraid," said Emma.

Just then the doorbell rang. "Lilly?" said Emma as she ran towards the door moving away from Roman who was still stood by the table. It was Peter and Lilly. Peter had appeared to be carrying Lilly in his arms. She looked lifeless. Her clothes and hair were soaked through wet and her body was as cold as ice and every so often she'd cough gasping for air. "Lilly" said Emma as Peter rushed inside. Roman was now standing by the sofa as he saw Peter enter the room with Lilly dripping wet. "What the fuck?" said Roman as he took Lilly from Peters arms and started removing her wet clothing whilst sitting on the sofa. "Go up stairs and get her some dry clothes and a blanket" demanded Roman as he held Lilly's body in his arms. Emma went upstairs to get the things as Peter looked down at Roman. "What the fuck happened?" asked Roman looking at Peter with a furious range. "I found her, in the woods, next to a tree" explained Peter as he passed Roman a dry towel from the downstairs toilet. "Thankyou" said Roman as he began to dry the drops of water off Lillys skin. "It's lucky, I found her, or she would have been dead." said Peter. "How long do you think she was out in the rain" asked Roman. "Well, she left school early and for some reason she seemed upset" explained Peter as he started walking towards the front door as Emma began walking down the stairs "Thank you, for bringing her home" said Emma as Peter then exited through the front door.

Emma then sat on one of the armchairs as Roman dressed Lilly's body as she lay still sleeping. Her body had now started to warm up as she was also wrapped in a thick blanket. "This is all your fault" said Roman as he looked over to Emma. "This probably, wouldn't have happened if you had just told her the truth" said Roman as then Lilly's eyes then opened as she heard Roman's words. "Tell me what, mum?" as she looked over to Emma as Roman gave Lilly a kiss on the forehead. "Sweetheart, your okay what happened?" asked Emma as she tried to change the subject. Roman continuously looked at Emma as he stroked Lillys wet hair. "I left school early and went and sat in the woods to read, I just wanted to be by myself for a bit. Now what was it you wanted to tell me?" Emma looked at Lilly and looked at Roman. "Tell her or I will" said Roman as he kissed Lilly on her cheek. "Where's the jacket?" asked Lilly with concern. "Here" said Roman as he passed it to Lilly, it was soaking wet as Lilly struggled to reach inside her pocket Roman assisted her. It was a wet piece of paper that turned out to be the photograph which was starting to fade from the soaked-up water. Roman looked at it also and took it from Lillys hand gently. "Emma, it's time to tell her" said Roman as tears started falling from Emma's face which by this time Emma was knelt down next to Lilly who was still lay on the sofa under the blanket. "Lilly, I'm so sorry?" said Emma as Lilly sat up with confusion and lent her head on Roman's shoulder. "Sorry for what mum?" asked Lilly as Roman began stroking her face. "I'm sorry for lying to you?" said Emma and she sat back on the armchair. "Just, tell her!" demanded Roman. "She has the right to know" he said. Emma took a breath and looked at Lilly then looked at Roman who was hinting her to speak. "Lilly, I'm sorry but I'm not your mother." explained Emma as tears began running down her face. Roman wrapped both of his arms around Lilly as tears fell from her face too. "What do you mean your not my mother" said Lilly as she pushed out of Roman's arms and stood up by Emma's armchair. "I took you from the hospital when you was a baby" explained Emma as she stood up and tried to hug Lilly. "Get off me!" snapped Lilly as she walked to the kettle to make herself a tea. "Lilly, I had no choice, I had to protect you" explained Emma as she tried assisting Lilly making a drink. "I can do it myself!" said Lilly as Roman stood besides her rubbing her shoulders. "Babe, relax, let's just go to mine and we can talk about it then" begged Roman. Lilly looked at Roman as she decided she no longer wanted a drink and she said in a sad tone. " Did you know about this ?" Roman just gazed at her and stroked her hair. "We will talk about it later" muttered Roman.

Emma continued to speak as Roman grabbed his coat placing it on Lilly. "Your mother died Lilly and your father wasn't a good person" explained Emma as Roman and Lilly left out of the front door listening but not responding.