The Girl in the Right Attic

Ch. 14 The Box.

The weather was cold, hitting the pale sensitive skin of Lilly. She hugged her doll closer as a wave of freezing wind passed by. She knew where she was headed, but the wind and breeze prevented her from reaching her destination as fast as she wanted to.
Soon enough, she was walking closer to the vegetable market, but alas, it was empty. All what she could see was remains that proved the existence of the small shops where people used to stand and scream for buyers in hope to get their attention. Usually, Lilly would come here and meet Justin, who helped her buy grocery for the school. It was comfortable for her to meet someone she cared about daily, and have time to forget about her present life at school. It always gave her hope during the day. She wakes up waiting for the time they meet, and sleep with happy memories every day.
Not finding a speck of living creatures around, she resumed her walking to the house that held happy memories after the death of her father, the Rivers's house.
After fighting against the rustling wind for a while, Lilly could finally reach her destination. As soon as she stepped in front of the door, she knocked on it, causing pain from the hard wood and cold to pierce pain in her knuckles.
Seconds later, Mrs. Rivers was the one to open the door. At the sight of Lilly, all her confused looks of wondering who would be knocking their door at this time turned enthusiastic and happy at sight, and she exclaimed calling the girl's name, "Lilly!"
But after the thought of the situation Lilly cane in, all happiness faded, and was replaced with worry and care for her 'daughter'.
Preventing Lilly from the cold, she got hold of her, and pulled her inside saying, "come inside, it's freezing out here!" And as soon ad the two were inside, Mrs. Rivers started rubbing Lilly's arms and back whilst hugging her to apply some heat into her shivering body.
A little while later, Mrs. Rivers asked, "why are you out? What happened?" With worry laced in her soothing motherly voice.

Wrapped in the arms of the loving woman, Lilly replied, "I was banished from the school, saying that I was out plotting with our new neighbors." And as she finished, she sneezed.
Mrs. Rivers rubbed Lilly's arms a little harder, then dragged her inside to sit next to the fireplace. Everything in the house was the same. The same wooden brown dining table, old sofas surrounding the fireplace with a small chair in the middle which had the same red vase Lilly once decided to put in the past. The walls were clear white, with the same portraits still in the same place as well. There were three of them, two shared a wall, and one proclaimed it alone, because it was the biggest.
The warm feeling in the house never allowed strangers' eyes to judge them as poor, or even close, even if that is what they are close to, but are not.
As Lilly sat facing the beautifully dangerous fire in front of her, she felt something warm around her shoulders. She flinched and looked back, to see Mrs. Rivers covering her slightly cold back with a thick blanket she remembered was hers.
"Thank you." She muttered as Mrs. Rivers sat next to her facing he fire, and with its lights illuminating the older woman's face, she asked, "care to let out your sorrows?" With an encouraging smile on her face.
All what Lilly could do was spill her guts out, which ended up with her balling her eyes out on the shoulder of the woman.
"You know," started Mrs. Rivers, "you're always welcome here, always. As a matter of fact, your bed is still made and is awaiting you. We're not letting you go." And she engulfed her in the warmest hug she'd ever had after her father's ones.
All of a sudden, a door burst open, and a kid's voice said, "Lilly, you're here!" Exclaimed Justin at the sight of his beat friend.
"Hey Justin." Replied Lilly with a grin all over her pale face, with tears streaks still covering her cheeks.
The enthusiastic look on Justin's face vanished the second he had a glimpse of Lilly's face, the swollen eyes and wet cheeks.
"What's going on?" He asked as he rushed to her side, putting a hand on the small of her back for moral support. All Lilly could do was retell the story, with fresh new few tears landing her cheeks.

-------

The next morning, Ms. Imelia woke up early. Craving fresh clod air, she went outside to absorb the cold air of London. Soon she opened the door and stared at the sky, a few birds were afloat enjoying the fresh air having the same idea as Ms. Imelia's.
She started walking out of the door into the porch, still absorbing the sight of the flying birds when she felt something heavy and solid make contact with her knees, almost making her tremble over it.
Her eyes darted back to where she bumped her knees, to find that there was a big box wrapped in red and purple wrapper sitting comfortably on the porch if the school, with a paper attached to it.