Lost in Time ~ Five Hargreeves

Chapter 27

Ten Years earlier

"You wanted to talk to–," Lila said as she entered her mother’s office. "– me."

She paused at the door, confused, when she noticed the baby the blonde woman was holding in her arms.

The black-haired young woman looked from her mother to the baby and back to her mother.

"What the fuck is that?", Lila wanted to know.

The Handler chuckled and stepped away from her desk.

"That's a baby, darling. Your little sister," the older woman explained.

A little sister, Lila wondered. She wasn't sure what to think about it.

"Why don’t you say 'hello' to her", said The Handler.

Lila, still suspicious about this thing, took a step towards her mother and new sister.

The little girl was wrapped in a green blanket and was sleeping peacefully.

"I know it's confusing. Her parents are dead– long story. I couldn't leave her all alone," explained The Handler.

"Why?", Lila wanted to know.

She loved her mom, but Lila also knew that The Handler wasn't the type of woman who would adopt a random child.

"Because she reminded me of you," the blonde woman replied.

She smiled at her oldest daughter and at that moment the baby woke up.

She looked around and then started complaining again.

"Oh no, I think someone's hungry. Would you mind holding her for a second?"

The younger woman shrugged her shoulders and then took the little girl in her arms.

She was preparing to calm the little one down, but the girl immediately stopped screaming.

"See, she likes you", said The Handler and left the office to look for a bottle.

Lila looked at the girl in her arms and carefully adjusted the green blanket.

"So, you are Rhea," Lila murmured as she noticed the embroidered letters on the blanket.

Rhea looked up at her and for a moment it looked like she was smiling.

"Cool name. I'm Lila."

~~~~

Little Rhea sat on the carpet in her mother's office, playing with her building blocks.

She built a little tower again and again, only to knock it over every time– finding this very funny.

The Toddler only stopped for a second when her sister entered the room.

"Darling, how was the mission?"

"Good. Everything went according to plan, as always," Lila reported.

She sat down on a chair in front of her mother's desk.

Rhea watched the two of them for a few more minutes until she got bored and continued destroying her little towers.

The girl was interrupted as she was picked up by her sister.

"Come on, Munchkin. Let's get something to eat."

~~~~

'Happy 6th Birthday' was written on the green coloured cake, which was almost completely eaten.

"I don't feel so well," Rhea murmured and put the small plate on the desk.

"Yeah, because you ate four pieces of cake," Lila reminded her little sister.