Tara Langer joined the Crain family two years before they moved into Hill House, her mother and Olivia Crain had been best friends their entire lives so when Lucy Langer passed away from breast cancer and without a father in the picture, the Crain's...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Luke and Tara were sitting in the garden drawing with Abigail, "He was in the basement." Luke was telling the girls about his experience in the dumbwaiter, "He even ripped my shirt, and they still didn't believe me."
He showed the younger girls the picture he drew of the monster, "They never believe me. Only Tara believes me. They don't even believe me about you, Abigail." Tara scooted closer and hugged her best friend, "You believe me, don't you, Abigail?"
Rehab Center July 2018
"When I was a kid, my brother taught me how to spot faces in clouds..."
Luke was sitting in group therapy listening to this man describe his descent into addiction, and all he would think about was how much he wanted that man to shut up, how badly he didn't want to be there, and how he would give anything to be at home with his girlfriend and future mother of his child.
That's why he was there. After years of drug abuse and the pain and suffering he had inflicted upon his family and his girlfriend, it was the news that he was about to be a father that snapped him out of his haze. Luke wanted to be there to watch his child grow up, and he knew there was no possible way Tara was going to let him near their baby if he was high off his ass.
The day Luke found out his girlfriend was pregnant; it was all a bit foggy to him. He had been coming down off a high and was looking for some cash to buy some more, but when he tried to use the key to the house it hadn't worked.
He was just getting ready to break a window or break the door down when a car pulled into the driveway, Tara's car. When she got out and he saw her rounded stomach for the first time he was shocked. Luke hadn't seen Tara in nearly 6 months when he had left her after spending the night and promising to go to rehab the next day.
Tara hadn't screamed or cried, she hadn't even been angry to see him. She just sent him a sad smile and gave her stomach a rub. A month later Luke called Tara and she and Nellie picked him up and drove him to rehab. She had even let him feel his child kick before they left him there. A small gesture that kept him motivated to keep going.
"Two months I've been clean." Luke tuned back in to the blind man's story, "It's a little too late. I leaned on my habit to get rid of that face and my habit made sure that I never would. That's why I'm here. Two months."
After a beat of silence Paige spoke up, "Well, thanks, Gordon. We're glad you're here." She looked around the room then, "Any of our newbies want to share? Luke, how about you?"
Luke frowned and scoffed at her, "What, and follow that? Are you kidding me?" The woman across from him sitting next to the blind man chuckled and when he looked over at her she sent him a small smile.
Rehab Center October 27, 2018
"Would anyone like to take a newcomer chip?" The woman at the front of the room called out, but no one stood up, "How about 30 days clean?" again nothing, "Sixty?" Luke smirked and his friend, Joey smiled over at him, "Alright, how about ninety?"
He grinned sheepishly as he raised his hand and stood up to collect his chip, "Thank you." He murmured grabbing the offered chip.
"You are welcome." The woman smiled kindly at him and moved to sit down while Luke addressed the rest of the room, "I'm Luke, um, addict."
"Hi, Luke." The group responded
"Hi." He shuffled nervously, "I actually don't know what I want to say here. You know, I've never had this much time before." He gave a slight smile, "You know, 90 days. Um So, here goes."
Hill House Summer 1992
"That's him, the man I saw in the basement." Luke told his father showing him the picture he drew of the monster.
Hugh Crain looked at the picture his son drew, "Well, your mother and I searched the entire basement, pal, and there's nothing down there." He handed the drawing back, "It's normal for kids to have imaginary friends and nightmares."
"But...!" Luke cried as he father turned away but cut himself off.
Hugh looked back over at Luke, "Go ahead, I'm listening."
"This house is bad, Dad." The little boy insisted, "It's bad."
Before Hugh could reply to the boy Olivia Crain came down the spiral staircase, "Boy oh boy, we could have a heck of a yard sale, guys."
"Yeah." Hugh laughed at his wife
Olivia stopped by the stairs for a moment before continuing on, "Has anyone seen Nellie and Tara?"
Hugh looked around in mock confusion, "That's weird. You know, they were just here."
"Oh. It's okay," Olivia shrugged placing the box she was carrying down, "I just thought Nellie might like these cool old buttons I found upstairs."
Nellie's head popped up suddenly from behind a pile of boxes, "Buttons?" she squealed.
"Nellie you gave us away!" Tara complained as she too came out from behind the boxes and walked over to the box as well.
Olivia grinned at the two girls, "You got me." She bent down and gave each one a kiss on the forehead, "My little Houdinis." She pulled the tin out of the box and opened it, "Look. Whoa." She handed the tin to her youngest daughter.
"Can I have the hat?" Luke suddenly asked staring at the bowler had inside the box.
Olivia looked at it and smiled at her little boy, "Um I think it's too big for you, honey."
"I don't know." Hugh said coming over and grabbing the hat from his wife's hands, "He'll grow into it."
Tara tuned out of the conversation as she caught sight of something shiny in the box. Standing on her tip-toes, the little girl peered into the box and dug her hand in trying to pull out what had caught her attention.
"Tara, honey, what are you looking for?" Her Auntie Liv questioned with a small laugh.
Her little hands were finally able to grasp it and she pulled it out. It was a greenish-blue headband with diamonds and a feather on the side. Tara turned and showed everyone her find.
"Oh it's lovely." Olivia smiled sweetly at the little girl and Tara grinned proudly.
"Can I keep it?" She asked, giving the adults a pleading look.
Olivia and Hugh looked at each other for a moment before turning back to the small girl and smiled, "Of course you can sweetheart." Olivia took the headband from Tara and placed it on her head, "There, don't you just look lovely."
Tara grinned up at her Aunt and Uncle happily,none of them noticed the little boy staring at the younger girl with a smitten lookin his eye.
