Chapter 8: 8- The Timing Was Off
Patiently waiting in the room, Dane wheels out to us. "One more inch, and I would've been paralyzed." Dane says, laughing to himself. "Doctors have already cleared me, I'm okay to go home." Mom smiles, she was ready to take her baby home. "Let's go home." I say, wheeling Dane out to the car.
Coming into the driveway, we see Lilac watering the tulips. "Thank you for helping us, Lilac." I say, hugging her tightly. "No need to thank me, I'm just going my job." She smiles to herself, "I try to rid of all the bad spirits. Some won't leave, so the families do. You're the strongest family I've been around, and I'm happy you are still here." She said, smelling the daisies. "So, you're a spirit too?" I ask, she nods her head. "Yes. I died here years ago, so I devoted myself to helping families. I couldn't leave here, even if I tried."
My smile dropped, "What happened to you? If you don't mind me asking." She went from having a sweet smile, to a blank expression. Cold chills ran up my spine, Lilac started rubbing her thumbs together.
"Twenty years ago, I was a nanny to a beautiful six year old. She was the most kind hearted little thing." My eyes closed, I fell into her flashback.
Lilacs POV:
I nannied her for five perfect years, five years I would relive over and over again if I could. We played for hours that day, we even baked cookies together. "Dana, how was your day?" I asked, hoping she had a good day. "It was fine," she said as she poured a glass of Brandy, "I just wish that some people didn't exist anymore." I felt for her, I had wished that more times than I could admit.
"Mommy, I missed you!" Emma says, running in for a hug. "Emma, could you not? I had a rough day, and I'm not in the mood for your attitude." Emma didn't understand, she wasn't being rude, only Welcoming. "Come see me, baby." I whispered to her, she walked toward me with her head down. "Don't worry about it, Lilacs got you."
As I got Emma in bed for the night, Dana called me in the kitchen. She had brewed up herbal tea, apologizing for how she treated Emma. "She knows you didn't mean it, she loves you more than you know." Dana smiles, knowing it was true. "Here you are, it's organic; so it might have an 'earthly' taste to it." Without hesitation, I took a small sip. She was right, it did taste a little funny, but I didn't mind. Finishing the rest of the cup, I thanked her and headed to bed.
I woke up with a thirst I couldn't quench, and a stomach ache that burned with every movement. As I sat up in bed, I started to cough; blood splatter landed on the floor. I laid back down, unable to come back up. A few days later, paramedics took my lifeless body away; leaving my soul back at the house.
"The autopsy ruled an accident, so she was never charged for my murder." Lilac stated.
Coming to, tears flooded my eyes. "How could someone do that to such a sweet, innocent woman?" I asked, wiping tears from my face. "Dana was neglecting her daughter, Emma didn't know any better. She had been taking care of herself, until I got hired to look after her. I was the one that she loved, and her mother didn't like it. I was granted full custody of her, but I allowed Dana to see her anytime she wanted to."
"That's when she poisoned you?" Lilac nodded her head. "I'm so sorry that happened to you." I said, hugging her tightly. "Don't be," Lilac smiled, "if it never happened, I wouldn't be here today to help keep the bad." It was nice to see her think of the positive, even if she had a negative outcome.
"Lilac, thank you for taking care of us, you're definitely our angel!" I smile, hugging her again. "Also," she smiles at me, "I cleaned up the mess Robert left." She says, grabbing her gardening things. "Get some rest, I'll see you guys tomorrow." Lilac waved, walking off in the distance.
As I walked into the house, I had all of the kids go to my room.
The little ones all got on my bed, keeping each other safe and warm. I made a bed on the floor next to them, falling asleep to their cute snores shortly after. I woke up to Sophia yelling from the hall, "what's wrong, Sophia?" I ask, popping my head in the door way. "Can you get my bear? He's stuck up high." Grabbing her bear out of the hammock, I hand him to her. "Keep him on your bed, then you won't have to ask for help." I say, playfully rolling my eyes.
Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, I wave to dad. "Morning," he smiles, looking over the newspaper. "I'm going to check on Leo, I'll be back in a bit. Yell if you need anything." He nods as I open the door, "bye."
Walking through the front door, I noticed the door was unlocked. Shrugging the thought off my shoulder, I flick the living room light on. "Leo? Are you home?" I ask, making my way down the hall. Gently knocking on the bedroom door, I push it open. "Leo?" I furrow my eyebrows, seeing him on the bed. Gently touching his shoulder, I jump back. He was cold. As I uncover his body, the bed was covered in blood. Robert must've killed him while I was least expecting it.
"Dad," I yell at the top of my lungs, running to the house. He comes out to the patio, pistol in his hands. "Nicole, what happened?" He asks, pulling me in for a hug. My heart was beating out of my chest, I felt like passing out. "Leo's dead, dad. He's gone." I held onto dad tightly, crying into his shoulder. "Dane, call an ambulance, something happened to Leo." Dane nods his head, grabbing the phone and calling 911.
The bright lights blinded my teary eyes, the ambulance headed to the cottage.
They rush Leo out in a blue body bag, leaving instantly. I listened to dad call Leos father, I could hear him screaming out in agony, blaming himself for not being there for him. Dad hugged me tightly, the tears flowed from my face.
I hadn't moved from my bed in days, the pain was unbearable. Sleeping was impossible, I couldn't stop thinking about him. However, the kids managed to get me out of my room. "What are you guys fighting about?" I ask, pushing the door open. "Nicole!" Nate hugged me, I knew he missed his sister. "Sissy, Lilly took my moose." I give Lilly a look, she nods her head. "I swear, I didn't take his moose." She looked innocent, I wondered where it went.
"Douglas must be playing hide and seek." I say, "how about we go find him?" Nate nods his head, taking my hand. We looked everywhere, but failed to find the moose. Finally, we checked the library. Behind a stack of books, Douglas sat there, with a paper underneath him. "Here's Douglas, little mouse," I yelled; tucking the paper in my pocket. Tossing him to Nate, I smile. "You should make a leash for him, that way he can't run away." Nate jumps up and down, "great idea! Thanks, Sissy." Nate runs down the hall, looking for mom.
Grabbing the piece of paper from my pocket, I started reading the note.
'When you are done with me, please dispose of me properly.'
Reading the note, I knew Douglas was passed on to a lot of children. He wanted to keep the children happy, which is why he left the note. After a kid was finished with him, they would put him back in the cubby, there he would wait for the next child to love him. Douglas was different, nothing like I've ever seen.
His body was orange, antlers were blue. Douglas' eyes were half a button, and a glass circle for his nose. His body texture was scratchy, almost like cashmere. Nate loves Douglas as a toy, but mostly as a friend. Douglas will have someone who loves him for a really long time.
After the ordeal with Nate, I peacefully stroll around the garden. Tripping over a stick, I pick it up and look at it closely. It looked like a butterfly, a perfect centerpiece for Nina's grave. "Here, Nina." I smile, gently sticking it into the soil. Taking a few steps back, the Tiger Lily was brighter, happy.
"Decorating?" Dad asked, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Happy to see you out and about, we missed you." He said, giving me a hug. "Children, lunch." Mom yelled from the kitchen, dad and I looked at each other confused, it was only two o'clock.
"You're here early, mom." I smile, grabbing a sandwich. Dane stomps out to the table, grabbing a piece of watermelon. "Good morning to you too," dad says, taking a sip of coffee. Getting Nate and Sophia's plates set up, I grab a cup for orange juice. "So, you're still weight lifting, Dane?" Dad asks, Dane nods his head. "Every day, trying to stay strong like you." He flexed his muscles, everyone giggled. "What about your ukulele, Nicole? Learned any new songs?" I shrug my shoulders, "a few." Dad claps his hands, "good for you young lady. You should play for us one night." I smile, it would be fun.
"I heard you're learning to read, Nathan?" Nate nods his head, smiling. "Yes, sir. I can read The Hungry Caterpillar all by myself." His face lit up, "let's read it tonight." Nate jumps up and down, "I'd love that!" Mom and I cleaned up, while Dane helped the littlest brush their teeth. "Thank you," mom said, grinning.
I smile at her before heading back into my room. taking a good look around, I noticed how bland my room looked. Inspiration ran through my veins, I was ready for a change. Putting on my paint covered overalls and black T-shirt, I begin imagining what I was going to do.
A few hours into my project, Dane comes in to check on me. "Looking good in here, Disney theme?" He asked, I nod my head. "My childhood all put into one room," I said, wiping the sweat from my forehead.
Walking into the kitchen, I grab a bottle of water, I saw a little girl from the corner of my eye. It was Nina, she was smiling at me. "I wanted to thank you properly, thank you for setting me free, and for everything you've done for me. You're a good friend." My heart melted with happiness, I was glad to see her again. "There are others like me that are trapped, maybe you will be able to set them free too?" I was confused, "there are others?" She nods her head, "yes. They're afraid to come out, so they hide away. I'll let them know about you, they'll be ready."
Before I could ask anymore questions, Nina vanished into the ceiling. As I laid in bed, I thought about the others. If I was able to save them, then they'd be free. I smiled at the thought, falling asleep peacefully.
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