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Beverley Elliott as Claire Smith
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(The idea of putting a guest starring at the beginning of some chapters isn't mine. I got it from itsromyxx, but I might be doing it for some other chapters)
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Paul entered the shop. The neon sign was shining, showing the name. 'GRACE'S SHOP'. The owner of the shop was an old, kind lady, named Claire Smith. The shop was her mother's. But she passed away. Now, it's hers.
"Good Morning, Paul!" The lady greeted with a smile. "Morning, Claire. How are you?" He asked kindly. "Couldn't be better." She chuckeled. "Oh, now I think about it!" Claire walked to the back of the shop, the sort of 'private' part, where the costumers aren't allowed to go. The lady came back with a paper in her hands. "I found a letter for you, in the mailbox of the shop." Paul thanked her, she nodded, silently telling him that it was not a problem.
The man looked at the letter. Who would write a letter to him? Nobody really knew him, only Grace, and Lotus of course. He did everything to keep his true identity hidden, to keep it buried.
He put the letter in his bag. He had to work. He needed money. The letter could wait.
Paul immediately started to store the goods all around the shop. In the meanwhile the usual clients walked in, kept a small talk with Claire, but never really payed attention to the man that worked in the shop. Not that Paul minded.
But Paul couldn't concentrate though. He kept thinking about that letter. What the content could be. Who send it. Why they send it.
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In the meanwhile, at their house.
Lotus was still listening to the radio, humming with some of the songs that she recognised.
The young girl was doing the dishes. Warm water running along her hands, soap between her fingers. She just finished washing the last plate, placing it next to the others and turned off the water.
Lotus wanted to start drying the plates but stopped her movements when she heard someone trying to open the door. She looked at the clock. 11:40. Her father was still at work and wouldn't be home before 4 o'clock and he was the only person who had the key of their house.
♤Flash-back♤
"Lotus?!" Paul yelled. "Can you come here for a second?!" It took only a second before the man heard the footsteps of the 5-year old child. "Yes, Daddy?" The girl asked shyly. Paul pulled her close to his side, placing his arm around her. "Do you see this room?" Lotus nodded in response. "This is a safe room. I want you to go in there when I'm not home and you think someone is trying to get inside." He moved to show her how to close the door of the small room and also how to open it. "Do you promise me, you'll go in there, without hesitation, when you think someone is trying to break in?" The man asked looking in her green eyes. Paul held up his little finger. "Pinkie-promise?" Lotus wrapped her finger around his. "Pinkie-promise."
♤End Flash-back♤
Even after all those years, Lotus did not forget. She knew what she had to do. Hide.
