So children, why don't you take miss Hilda for a walk and show her around, that'll be fun," said Samantha.
"Okay mom, I'll go grab my jacket." Said Henry, exhilaratingly.
"You better brace yourself for the cold breeze outside." Mrs. Jameson said to Riley who was reluctant about getting herself covered.
Hilda wasn't at all bothered about the cold breeze. She loved it as though she's one with it.
They soon left for the walk.
"Honey, don't you think we should file a missing person's report? She doesn't even remember her family. They may be in search of her and God knows what they must be going through." Said Samantha, as sentimental as ever.
"Not yet, darling. We should give her some time to remember, at least. For now, we'll try to be the family she needs." Said Nathan assuringly.
"I'm sure she had a bruise when I saw her," Nathan said, still not satisfied from earlier.
"This should be some kind of misunderstanding. If she had cut, it'll be there. Three days is not enough time to heal unless she's something else." Samantha said, laughing.
"The supernatural have gone extinct. After the last sweep, none of them survived," said Nathan with utmost certainty.
Hilda loved as the cold breeze sent chills down her spine, her long hair flying in the air, and watched as Riley kept running and jumping to gather her hair.
"You are one jolly little girl," Said Hilda to Riley, taking a liking to her already.
Riley smiled.. Henry walked beside her, quiet the whole time with his hands in his pocket and pondering on what to say. He finally came up with something;
"What do you do for fun?" asked Henry, unsure if he said the right thing
"Nothing. Peace is fun." Hilda said.
Henry couldn't understand what she meant but knew something wasn't adding up with her. He didn't want to ask any further because he didn't know how she'd react.
"What about you? Hilda asked him."
"Painting. I love painting." Henry said, smiling.
"That''s cool. Maybe you'll paint a picture of me someday." Hilda said, smiling.
"That'd be fun," Henry said, smiling.
Henry was glad that he made progress and intended to keep it up before Riley screamed
"There is our bakery! Wanna have a look?" she said to Hilda.
"Sure…" Hilda responded.
No doubt it's their bakery, there's a huge billboard beside it, indicating the name of the bakery, "THE JOHNSON'S BAKERY". On the billboard is a man, trying to fit a whole loaf of bread into his mouth as he opens it ajar. Hilda finds this quite amusing.
"This girl is getting in my way," Henry mumbled with a frown. He had already mustered the courage to keep the conversation going but Riley frustrated his efforts.
"She's just a kid. I wish she knew better," said Henry, following them inside.
"It's getting late. I hope they're on their way back already," said Samantha, worried.
No sooner than later, they came home, Riley was excited as ever, Hilda was happy and Henry was frustrated.
It's past eight in the evening, Mrs. Jameson had just served dinner, one extra seat was added to the table for Hilda, right next to Riley.
They enjoyed the macaroni and cheese prepared by Mrs. Jameson. No doubt, she's an excellent cook.
They stayed up a little, watching TV and by 10:30 pm, they all went to bed. Mr. and Mrs. Jameson shared a room with Riley, Henry had his room downstairs, and Hilda's, the guest room.
Hilda lay on the soft bed, blessing her day and acknowledging how fortunate she is, finding herself in a warm home filled with the best kind of people, away from the hostility and cruelty of her own home. She liked it here and decided to keep up the act. If acting like she can't remember her parents or where she's from would draw compassion from the Jamesons, she'd do it.
Hilda can't remember how she got to the house or how she sustained the injuries Mr. Jameson mentioned earlier. She was just getting over the loss of her aunt, Gina.
"All that matters now is that I'm finally away from them. At least, no one here sees or treats me like a threat or a threat. I like it here." Hilda said to herself, smiling and feeling safe in the confinement of the Jamesons home.
It's morning already, at about 7:30 am, Hilda hears someone stomping in her direction, loud enough to make her spring up from the bed but she lay still. Her ruffled silver hair is scattered all over her pillow, some covering her face, she feels the morning breeze on her body as it made its way through a space in the window.
"Morning, Hilda!" Riley screamed as she runs to join Hilda on her bed. Hilda isn't ready to open her eyes, she's far too exhausted from the dream she had last night.
"Open your eyes already. I have a surprise for you!" Riley said, giggling.
Hilda opens her eyes, wondering what the surprise is.
"It's me! I'm the surprise!" Riley said, laughing. She's always happy
"You silly little girl, wait till I pounce on you," Hilda said, springing up from the bed to tickle Riley.
Riley laughs so heartily and Hilda makes her promise that she'd never disturb her sleep again.
"Riley! Henry! Miss Hilda! It's time for breakfast!" Samantha shouted from downstairs.
"Yipee! Catch me if you can" Riley said, running out of Hilda's room to join the others downstairs.
"I never thought I'd feel like a part of something since mom died. The Jamesons are the best! I love them already". Hilda said, almost in tears as she dressed her bed before going downstairs.
They all assembled in the dining room and they enjoyed their sumptuous breakfast of chicken and waffles.
After having breakfast, they all made the necessary preparations and marched on to their bakery.
"Can I tag along? Maybe you could use more hands and I'd love to learn to bake" Hilda said to Samantha.
"Sure, you can dear. Let's go." Said Mrs. Jameson smiling.
The bakery is more like a family business so they all work very diligently to earn money.
Hilda loves how united and hardworking they all are. Even little Riley has a job at the bakery.
At 5 pm, they leave for home, exhausted but fulfilled. They wash up, have dinner, and have a little "family time" before going to sleep.
The Jamesons already consider Hilda as a family except for Henry that keeps pushing against it.
"She's not family! She's more like a friend." Henry would say, grimacing.
Mr. and Mrs. Jameson doesn't understand why he kept saying that but little Riley does, Henry is in love.
Henry's feelings for Hilda grows each passing day. Today, he had to let it out but he needed help. He didn't know how to go about it.
Nathan and Samantha are in their room at about 10:45 pm. They hear a knock on the door, Mrs. Jameson goes to get the door and she sees Hilda.
"Oh dear, what could be the matter? You can't sleep?" Said Mrs. Jameson, utterly concerned.
"Uhh.. I remember now" Hilda said, trying to put on a convincing look.
"Okay dear.. wait for us in the sitting room, we'll be there with you shortly." Said Samantha.
"It's Hilda, she wants to talk." Said Samantha to her husband.
"I told you we should be patient with her. I think it worked. Let's go hear the young lady out." Said Nathan..
In the sitting room, Hilda is on the couch with a throw pillow clenched in her embrace.
Mr. and Mrs. Jameson takes their seat.
"Tell us what you remember, honey." Said Samantha.
"No matter what happens, you'd still be considered a member of the family." Said Nathan assuringly but started to wish he hadn't said that.
"My family and I used to live in the woods in Grimville…" said Hilda.
"Truth is.. I never forgot a thing, I'm sorry. I just loved how warm and nice you all are and how fortunate I am to be brought here by Mr. Jameson.
"I never had a happy moment with my parents, they always fought. Ever since mom died, I've been left to fend for myself. My dad doesn't care. And being in this house, I've been showered with love and care. I would never trade this for anything in the world." Hilda said, feeling the salty taste of tears streaming down from her eyes into her mouth.
Samantha was already crying.
"What about your dad? Your other relatives?" Said, Nathan.
"My dad left after my mom died. My relatives do not want me." Said Hilda sobbing.
"I'm sorry you had to go through this, dear.. it's alright," Mr. Jameson said.
"So how did you sustain the injury you had when I found you?" He added.
"I don't know. Can't remember." Said, Hilda
"I only remember that my relatives were at war with a rival family. I don't know why." She added.
Something wasn't adding up and Mr. Jameson knew it but he didn't want to interrogate her any further seeing how much she was crying.
"It's alright. You're here with us now." Nathan said.
Samantha embraced her and kissed her forehead. They all went to sleep.
All the time, Henry was hiding in a corner listening to the whole conversation. He wanted to know more about Hilda but didn't know how to do it the right way and then he took the easy route.
"I must never leave here. I love it here. I should forget all about my past and begin anew as a member of this family." Hilda said to herself before falling asleep.
Hilda has a dream again. This time, it is about her past. Some of the painful experiences she had while growing up and a flash of the dream she had before.
In the dream, a woman was yelling at her for getting dirty while playing. She was little and no one wanted their children to associate with her. She played on her own most of the time. She was a sad kid.
But in Jameson's home, she isn't treated that way. Everyone wants to connect with her and she loved the feeling.
"I know you eavesdropped on our conversation last night," Hilda said to Henry while she was doing the dishes after having breakfast.
"Wha.. Wh.. What do you mean? I.. I was asleep the whole night. What are you talking about?" Henry denied.
"You don't have to be scared of me," Hilda said, smiling.
She hears his heart racing and watches as tension builds up as though he was cooking up something to say.
"I.. I can be your friend, you can talk to me. An.. And this is not pity, I just care." Henry said, stuttering.
Hilda screens the verity in his utterance. She simply draws close to him and looks him in the eye.
For a moment, she was enthralled by the artful color and patterns of his eyes, his radiant blue iris and dark brown pupil that complemented each other. Somehow, she was drawn to him and didn't know how her hands landed on his face, feeling his smooth skin.
All the while, Henry stood frozen at the spot, enjoying her soft touch and looking her in the eye too.
He went in for a kiss and Hilda immediately snapped out of her imagination and shifted her face.
Of course, we can be friends," Hilda said smiling nervously.
"Yes! Thank you! I'd never let you down." Henry said with enthusiasm as though nothing happened.
She's moved by how genuine he was and how much he wanted her to let him in. No one except her mom and aunt Gina ever cared about her. She thought it would be the end of her when she lost her aunt, Gina but the Jamesons proved her wrong.
One cool evening, Samantha was brushing and applying hair care products on Hilda's hair.
"A large tuft you got here. Your hair color is unique. Got it from your mom?" said Samantha.
"No, my mom's hair is ebony. My mom said it's from her father." Hilda said, forcing a smile.
"I'm sorry I brought that up. How insensitive," said Samantha regretfully.
"You must help us," said a voice
"Did you say something, Mrs. Jameson?" asked Hilda
"No, I didn't" answered Samantha..
Hilda was sure she heard a voice but Mrs. Jameson claimed not to have said anything. She hears the voice again but didn't bother asking Mrs. Jameson.
Mrs. Jameson soon finishes treating her hair and packs it up in a bun like Riley's and Hilda goes to her room, curious about this strange voice that doesn't seem to be Mrs. Jameson's. At least in her room, she'd have some privacy.
"You are our last hope. You have to save us." Said the voice again.
Hilda was scared. How could a voice speak to her? She didn't have a special ability that she knew of. And what the hell does it mean by 'I am their last hope'?
All these thoughts crossed Hilda's mind, stirring up her curiosity.
She wanted to tell Henry about it but didn't push through with it because she didn't want to endanger him.
"I'd find out who owns this voice and what he wants from me. I must." Hilda said.
"Mom! Dad! I don't think Hilda's feeling too good," Riley screamed, leaving Hilda's room to her parents'.
"What's wrong, honey? What's wrong with Hilda?" said Mr. Jameson
"She's in bad shape, dad," Said Riley
Mr. and Mrs. Jameson made their way to Hilda's room, Henry rushes there too.
They're all in her room…
"Oh my God! What is wrong" Mrs. Jameson said, gasping.