Finding Hope

Uncovering Lies (1)

7-year-old Hope Mikaelson was laying on her bed, drawing on her sketch pad, as her mom leaned against the doorway watching her.

They both looked up as they heard a vehicle approaching.

Hope turned to look at her mom with excitement. "Is that her?"

"Let me check, stay inside" Hayley responded and walked away.

Hope watched her go, then looked back down, and began to quickly finish the drawing.

When she was done, Hope got up and looked out the window, smiling as she spotted Mary.

She left her room quickly and ran outside to greet her.

"Mary!" Hope exclaimed, running down the stairs on the porch.

"Hope," Mary greeted, kindly. "Come here."

Mary opened her arms and Hope ran forward to give her a hug.

When they separated, Hope turned to look at her mom as she approached.

"Do you have to go?" Hope asked, feeling disappointed.

She'd rather have her mom here with her.

"I do," Hayley replied with a sigh.

Hope stared up at her mom, worried that something was going to happen to her.

"But I'll be back very, very soon," Hayley promised. "And I won't be alone."

A smile appeared on Hope's face at those words, and Hayley pulled her into a hug.

"I'll call you every night before bed, okay?" Hayley reassured her daughter. And when she pulled back, she looked down at Hope with a gentle smile. "In the meantime, you listen to Mary, deal?"

Hayley kissed her two fingers and held them out to Hope, and Hope did the same.

"Deal," Hope said, pressing her fingers against her moms.

Hayley pulled her into one last hug, before finally leaving with Mary following her.

Sending one last look over her shoulder at her daughter.

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Hope had returned to her bedroom after Mary had made her dinner.

She looked down at her drawing of her mom with a smile.

Hope was really excited that the family she had heard so much about was finally going to come home. But she was also worried, what if they didn't like her or thought she was too annoying?

No...

Hope would do her best to be on her best behavior.

She glanced out the window as her thoughts turned to her dad.

Her mom had told her so many stories about him.

About how he sacrificed himself to save his siblings and a part of Hope couldn't wait to meet her hero.

But the other side of worried that her dad wouldn't like her.

She looked back down at her drawing.

Maybe he would draw with her...

Her mom said that he was an artist like her, and that she got her talent from him.

That would be a nice way for them to bond...

Possibly?

Hope looked up as she heard something from Mary's room, that was a few doors down.

Was she okay?