EVERMORE ─ marvel

V. Window Into The Past

Chapter Five
Josephine

Daniel's house is very nice. It's in upstate New York, Albany to be exact. It's made of red brick, which is surprising, not a lot of houses are these days. The house is two floors, very open. The front door leads right into the living room and kitchen, and a door to the left of the entrance leads to Daniel's home office. There's a huge spiral staircase in the living room that leads upstairs, which is visible from down here because of the high ceiling.

The living room and kitchen are pretty boring, very standard. The kitchen are white marble, very clean, with one of those smart fridges. The living room has a brown leather couch, a tree trunk coffee table, a flat screen tv, and a red brick fireplace. On the fire mantle there are several framed pictures. I recognize Lorelei in a lot of them; one from their wedding, one from what I suspect is Lorelei receiving her doctorate, and several of her and Daniel holding a baby. I've never seen any baby pictures of myself, so when I first set eyes on the baby, I don't entirely register that it's me. Staring at a picture of baby me with Daniel and Lorelei makes this whole situation feel real. Up until now it's felt like a strange dream, sometimes a nightmare. I'm staring at proof that all of this is my new reality.

Dad and Baba are staring at the photos as well, but with more joy and wonder than me. They haven't seen baby pictures of me before either, and like any parents, they are 'awe-ing' and fawning over how cute I was.

"My little peanut." Dad whispers, looking at a photo with me in what looks like a sailor outfit. It's good to know that while my mother was torturing people in a secret project she had time to buy cute outfits for a baby photoshoot.

"I have more photos of Josephine if you'd like to see them." Daniel offers, and both my parents are immediately interested. For several minutes they sit on the couch and look at a whole photo album of baby pictures. Dad and Baba look near to tears when they see a picture of me holding a stuffed teddy bear, a large smile on my face.

Daniel watches my parents the entire time, like he's studying them. I don't know why, or what answer he's hoping to get by staring at them, but it's exactly what he's doing. Maybe he's plotting their deaths, hoping to snatch me up and force me to stay here with him forever. I wouldn't put it past him, he's had no problem with torturing innocent people in the past, and I'm sure Lorelei murdered people, so why would he be any different? Or maybe he's just looking at them because he sees the love Dad and Baba have for me, all the years of happiness they shared with me. Maybe he's jealous. He probably is, any person would be jealous. I don't know whether I feel bad for him about his jealousy or not. Like most of my feelings regarding Daniel, I haven't decided.

In a shocking turn of events, Daniel offers for Dad and Baba to take some of the photos for themselves. They both look shocked at this kind offer as well, but take him up on it, deciding immediately what photos they want. There's a glimmer of sadness in Daniel's eyes that makes me wonder if this is him accepting what's happened with me, that Dad and Baba are my parents. Maybe I'm giving him too much credit.

Daniel takes me upstairs while Dad and Baba still look at photos, bringing me to a room behind the last door on the right. When I walk inside the room, I feel my body tense up, feel my hands begin to shake. This isn't what I was expecting at all.

It's a nursery. My nursery. The walls are painted a soft yellow, the floors are carpeted unlike the rest of the house, which is dark wood. There is a crib in the left corner, a yellow baby blanket with bears draped inside. There's a rocking chair across from the crib, with a giant stuffed teddy bear sitting on it, with a pretty yellow ribbon tied around it's neck. There's a changing table right next to the doorway, a small bookcase right next to it with picture books and other toys, a dresser with baby clothes against the wall next to a window, and sitting right in the middle of the room is a bouncer that's bear themed. I clearly had a thing for bears as a baby.