Is This Me?

Chapter Ten - Another Dream

"Lilly! Get the phone please!", Susan, her mother, yelled from her room. Lilly was watching TV downstairs. 

She got up and picked up the phone, Timmy trotting beside her. He followed her literally everywhere! 

"Hello?" 

"Ah. Lilly!" 

"Uncle! How are you doing?" she smiled at the sound of his voice.

"I'm good, I'm good..how is Susan?"

"Mum is doing fine. How was your trip?" 

"It went alright, I guess" 

"Alright"

There was a short pause.

"When are you going to be coming back?" 

"In one week dear, don't worry"

"Alright... what did you go to do anyway?" Lilly asked out of curiosity.

"I'm a lawyer, Lilly. I came to read a will to a bereaved family. Very sad indeed" he sighed.

"Oh, I'm sorry for their loss"

"Yeah. Come to think of it, the kids are around your age group"

Her face lit up.

"Really?"

"Yep. There was a David, Emily and Anne. Can't remember the others though"

Lilly was shocked to hear the names her uncle just mentioned.

"Uncle Michael" she said, her eyebrows furrowed. "Did you just say David, Emily and ANNE?!" She emphasised incredulously.

"Yes, there were four kids. Is there a problem?" 

"Anne is my best friend!"

"Woof!" Timmy barked in agreement, making Lilly look down at him and smile absentmindedly. Her heart was racing at the coincidence of her uncle's clients turning out to be her best friend's family.  A bereaved family he had said. Her frown deepened. She prayed she had heard wrong.

"Uncle Michael, where did you say you went again?"

"To Egypt, why?"

Lilly froze. Egypt was where Anne's family had left for Summer. But who could she have lost? 

"Oh. May I ask one more question?" She asked, a feeling of dread numbing her body. She lowered herself to sit in the cushion near the phone.

"Sure!" Uncle Micheal responded.

"Who did the family lose?" She was nervous to hear his answer, now certain that something dreadful had happened. She was suddenly confused and extremely worried. Annoyed too. Why would Anne speak to her the last time as if nothing happened?

"Their dad" Mr. Micheal said sadly.

Lilly gasped and cupped her hand over her mouth. She expected to hear him say their grandma or a distant relative! Papa is gone?!

"Oh no!" she gasped, not knowing what to say. She didn't like that she was finding out like this. 

"Yeah"...

Hot, painful tears began to roll down her cheeks. She felt so desolate for her best friend. How she must be grieving with her family! What a tragedy! This was supposed to be a family holiday...dear God, why?! 

"Hello, are you there?" Her Uncle's voice broke into her unhappy thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Uncle, please can I call you back?"