"Who is this, Lillian?" Lucy asked, indicating to Ray who has the entire family's attention on him while he ate like there is no tomorrow.
They sat on the long dining table that Hal made, white cloth to cover the wood of the table and there is an assortment of delectable food there. From Cassoulet to Shepard's pie.
Hal went all out with that night's dinner and no one was complaining about a thing.
Lillian sat beside Ray on one side, the three children sat opposite to them, Hal and Lucy sat on either end of the table.
"Oh, I forgot," Lillian spoke from a mouth full of the Acquacotta, a shepherd pie in the other hand as she lost every little etiquette she displayed in the palace.
She swallowed after taking a big bite, then cleared her throat, holding her hand out to Ray, "Everyone, this is Ray. Ray, this is Lucy, Hal and their three children, May, Brook and Caden."
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Ray said, swallowing the pie he was chewing on as Lillian began the introductions.
"Would you like some water?" Hal passed him a cup of water, a friendly smile on his face.
"Thank you." Ray's strained voice came out as he took the water, dunking it down in one gulp. "That felt good."
Lucy and Hal looked at each other, smiling as they watched him go back to eating. Brook and Caden watched Ray with wide eyes, barely eating while May continuously looked at Lillian and her outfit.
"Goodness, if you both don't slow down I will assume that, wherever you are, they didn't feed you at all," Lucy said, but there is brightness in her voice.
"They fed us." Lillian started.
"But nothing can compare to this." Ray continued. "This is the best I've had in years."
"I am glad you like it." Lucy beamed at Hal, "My husband is the best at cooking. He can make almost everything. It's a shame his skills are only known by us."
Ray nudged Lillian's feet under the table, drawing her attention.
What? She asked with her eyes.
Pay attention to what she just said. He answered back, nudging his chin to them.
Not while I'm eating!
"Is something wrong?" Lucy asked, seeing them moving their eyes and hands around without speaking a word.
"Oh. Nothing." She smiled.
"If my memory serves me right, Lillian, I remember Ray saying something along the lines of 'sister'," Hal said, bringing the topic up.
"Sister?" All four said in a surprised voice then turned to look at Ray with varying expressions of confusion and happiness.
"Ah, that." Lillian laughed, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief from her pocket, "Ray is now my brother. Not legally yet though."
"Really?" Lucy grinned at Ray who nodded fiercely. "How did you two meet?"
"At the palace." Ray answered, "I asked her if she was engaged."
"Those were your first words to her?" Lucy asked, staring at him with surprise.
"No. Not really." He said, thinking. As he opened his mouth to continue Lillian jumped in.
"He is the Commander of the King's army, do you know that?" Lillian quickly said.
"Commander?"
"King?"
Hal and Lucy exchanged concerned looks between each other while Caden and Brook finally spoke up.
"You're in the King's army?" Caden asked, standing on the chair, Brook following suit.
"Yup. Are you interested in being a soldier?" Ray asked him, leaning forward. All signs of nervousness from before gone.
I wonder what happened that time.
"Yes. But I want to be a vet too." Brook said as Caden nodded. "Just like Lillian suggested."
"Vet?" Ray turned and look at her with confusion.
"Vets take care of animals," Caden shouted.
"Boys chairs are meant to be sat on, please don't step on them," Lucy spoke up, swatting her apron at them. "Sit down. You can talk after eating."
"Yes, mum." Both boys said at the same time, sitting back down and eating obediently.
Lillian and Ray exchanged looks, as they giggled, "You have very obedient children, Lucy. How did you do it?"
"It's not that hard once you have a husband like mine." She said, smiling at him proudly.
Lillian stared at the two feeling mild jealousy creep up in her. To shove that feeling down, she took a big bite of the pie.
"What is the Commander doing here?" Hal asked, sounding a little cautious.
"I asked him to come with me." Lillian said, "There is something I need to discuss with you two, if you don't mind."
"Of course not, Lillian. We can talk after dinner. Is that alright?" Lucy said, after looking at Hal.
"Yeah. I apologise for intruding like this though." Lillian said, looking down, "I don't even have anything to offer you for all that you have done for me."
"Nonsense. We don't mind helping you, Lillian. Please don't hesitate to come to us if you ever need help." Lucy turned to Ray, "You too."
"Me?" He asked, pointing to himself.
"Yes. Our doors are always open to you both. So come by anytime you like. Even if it is just another helping of Shepard's pie." She said with a wink.
Ray stood from his seat and gave a bow to her and Hal, "To show such kindness for a person like me. I promise you that I won't ever forget it. I will repay you one day."
"All we did is offer you food, Ray," Lucy said, kindly smiling at him. "Think nothing of it."
Ray gave a small nod and sat back down.
"You ok?" Lillian whispered to him.
"Yeah." He smiled at her but there is a hint of reluctance in his voice. "I'm fine."
Lillian gave his arm a soft pat and went back to eating as his gaze went around the room, landing on May. The little girl noticed him looking and blushed, hiding her face.
Without meaning to, a smile came on his face as he paid attention to his food.
___________
"What are you proposing, Lillian?" Lucy asked, seated on the chair opposite to her.
They are both in the parlour, while sounds of water and utensils being moved around came from the kitchen. Lillian offered to help clean up but Hal refused, telling her to go and talk with Lucy instead.
Ray told her the same thing as he started clearing up the table. Basically, both men kicked her out of the kitchen as Lucy sent the kids off to play.
They wanted to talk to Lillian as well, but she needed to talk to Lucy first so she promised them next time.
She is a little concerned with May though. While the boys were the same, loud but considerate, May hasn't said a word to her since she saw her enter the house with Ray.
I'll have to talk to her as soon as I can. But first, Lucy.
"Here you go," Ray said, placing the plates beside Hal, on the ground after taking out the food scrap to a separate bowl for the animal's feed.
There is a part of the kitchen that is mainly used for washing utensils and clothes. It is a little corner that is very barely tilted so that the water runs out of the pipe as they pour it out.
The water from this falls to a drain that Hal dug up in the garden. The drain helps to water the plants so that they aren't wasting a drop.
"Thank you," Hal said, two buckets filled with water are at his side as he scrubbed the utensils vigorously. "You seem quite apt at this."
"Yes." Ray took the soapy plates and began washing them out as he crouched down beside Hal. "I grew up having to do this as a job. One could say that I'm the best at it."
"Really?" Hal gave him a broad grin. "I will be the judge of that."
"Of course," Ray said, smiling at him as he skillfully washed the soap away and placed them in the rack to dry.
"Let me ask, what made you take an interest in Lillian?" Hal sprung the question of nowhere as he handed another plate to Ray.
"Interested?" Ray thought, dunking the plate in the water. "She's something different. I guess that is the only reason I can say."
"Different how?"
Ray raised his eyebrows, looking at Hal, "You have to admit that there is something strange about her. Her mannerisms and way of speech as well."
Hal laughed, shaking the house with his booming voice. "That is true. She is a very peculiar child. That's also the reason why we started talking to her."
"Right?" Ray said, holding the plate up as the water dripped down. "There's just something about her that doesn't seem like she belongs here. I was intrigued."
He got up and placed the new batch of utensils to the rack as Hal watched him, "But?"
"Even the words that come out of her mouth is strange." He stood at the rack, looking from the kitchen to Lucy and Lillian talking. "She even scolded the King by saying that he behaves like a child?"
Hal tried to hold his laugher as soon as he heard that, "It sounds oddly like Lillian. When she first came to this house, she brought something for us from one of our friends. I don't know how she did it, but she made her way into our hearts in a matter of two days."
"She moves and acts like she needn't worry about any repercussions. Almost as though every day is her last." Ray said, washing the remaining utensils and putting them on the rack again, "At first, I was interested on why she seems so much like one who doesn't belong here."
"Then you got to know her," Hal asked, pouring the soapy water all around the washing spot.
"Yeah. She is nothing like I expected her to be. I am sure, with the way she behaves, people will hate or dislike her more than like but she doesn't seem to care about that." Ray took the broom made from small dried branches of a tree, tied together with rope to a thin pole of wood and began sweeping the stray water to the pipe.
"Even when I suddenly asked her to be my sister, she just accepted. I can never predict what she is thinking, I have always been able to predict everything. But … I don't mind so much anymore." He stopped sweeping and leaned against the broom. "For the first time in my life, there's something fun."
Putting the broom aside, Ray stood beside him, "Something's going to change, Hal. Better be prepared for it."
Hal looked from Ray to Lillian as the two women laughed, Lucy looked so much livelier since she came that day.
"Yeah. I can feel it too." He answered, not worried, "If Lillian is the cause of it then, I can't wait to see it happen."