He's Here Now...

Introduction

"Live as you must love"

This girl. This beautiful girl. She could hear the snow crunch under her feet as she walked aimlessly alone on the sidewalk. Snow was collecting on her hood, as it was on her shoulders and her face. She put her head down, staring at the ground below her as she put one foot in front of the other.

This beautiful girl was named Lily.

The wind pulled her hood back and she rushed to place it back on her head. Her hair had to look nice. She had to be dressed nice. Not because she cared. In a very cliché way, she couldn't care less about what people said about her looks. But people talk. Especially if they haven't seen you in a few years.

Then again, how good can you look when your covered in snow?

The sidewalk came to abrupt end. She looked up to make sure there were no cars coming, and then crossed the street to the next block.

"Cheese and Rice" Lily whispered to herself. She had almost fell stepping up from the curve.

Her heart no longer pounded against her chest when she was close to, or did, fall over. She was used to it. Lily was clumsy. It was yet another cliché trait she owned.

Looking up from the sidewalk again she glanced at the street sign that read "Charles Ave". Perfect. Right where she's headed.

Lily walked some more, no longer staring down at the pavement. She looked up now. Stared at the snow collecting on the tree branches. Glanced at the fences collecting frost. Lily was lost in a world of unfamiliar memories. She had seen all of it before but wasn't familiar with the details, until she heard it.

"Woof! Woof!" There it was. Lily spun around and noticed she was at the end of the street. That's when it all came back to her.

The dog. The neighbors huge husky was barking at her from behind the fence. She crossed the passive street with a smile on her face. Her gloved hands left her pockets and reached out for the dog. It's big blue eyes were piercing and it's massive tongue was hanging from its mouth.

"Hi there Lucy! Hi there!"

The dogs name spilled out of her mouth. She said it before she knew she remembered it. Lucy placed her paws on the fence and wagged it's tail.

"Lucy! I haven't seen you in so long! Did you miss me? Did you miss Lily!?"

Lucy barked. Lily put her hands through the weaving of the gate and let the dog sniff her hand. She could see that Lucy clearly couldn't smell her too well, so she took her glove off and let her sniff some more. Almost instantly, Lucy started licking her. Lily laughed and petted the dog with her gloved hand. It was all coming back to her. Like a song. One that you spend days trying to remember the name of, or trying to remember the lyrics. But in her case it took a few years. And this dog. This beautiful dog from her childhood brought it back.

Lucy was embracing the affection Lily was giving her. Then, before Lily even noticed, the dog grabbed the glove from her hand and ran back to its porch.

"Hey! Lucy! Bring that..." Lily saw it was useless. The husky was already chewing it and ripping it between her paws.

Lily turned away from the gate, and saw her destination.

"Keep it Lucy! I'm here now. I don't think I'm gonna need it."

Lily walked up to the big white house, and sighed. Her eyes wandered to the parking lot, which was packed with cars.

Good, full house she thought.

Her feet kept moving. She adjusted the strap of the purse on her shoulder. She had forgotten about it, until now. Her body kept shifting.

Lily finally made it to the porch. She shook off as much snow as she could from her body. But it didn't help that her clothes were extremely damp.

Lily reached into her pocket and grabbed for the emergency key she was given, and had painted pink when she was ten.

Let's hope they didn't change the locks, she thought. She pushed the key into the lock on the door, and saw it fit. Slowly now, she turned the key until she heard the click, indicating it was open. Then she shoved the door open.

Lily heard the doorknob slam against the wall. All conversation ceased in the room. Jaws dropped. Eyes widened. She looked up. Lily could see a figure emerge from the kitchen. When he saw her, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hello everyone." Lily said and walked into the room, closing the door behind her. The man walked up to her. She had to lift her head to meet his eyes.

"Hi Lily..." He said to her.

"Hi Dad"