"I'm home," Lucy Gray uttered, a faint smile tinged with sadness on her lips.
However, Maude Ivory's reaction wasn't one of acknowledgment; instead, her expression resembled that of someone who had just glimpsed a ghost.
As Lucy Gray took in Maude Ivory's appearance, she noticed the transformation from the short, little girl with a wispy frame she remembered. Maude Ivory had grown up, her once-childish features now bearing a quiet maturity. Her blonde hair framed a face that held traces of the young cousin Lucy Gray hadn't seen in years, but with a grown-up grace that spoke of life's experiences.
Maude Ivory's voice trembled, a subtle catch in her breath, as if she were holding back a sob. She embraced Lucy Gray, the hug conveying the unspoken emotions that words couldn't capture. Lucy Gray's eyes welled up with tears, and as she buried her head in Maude Ivory's shoulder.
She whispered "I'm sorry for leavin',", the weight of her apology carried in the warmth of their embrace.
She gently pulled away, looking around. "But we best get inside before anyone sees us, Maude Ivory. Can't let the whole world know just yet."
Maude Ivory opened the door to let them inside, her eyes falling on the young girl who strolled past her and suddenly removed her scarf.
"Who's she, Lucy Gray?" Maude Ivory questioned.
Lucy Gray reached for Lumi's head, gently caressing the top. "She's my daughter," she shared with a softness in her voice, pride and affection evident in her eyes.
Maude Ivory's face revealed her surprise at the unexpected sight, but as her eyes lingered on the girl, a spark of recognition flickered. "It's his, isn't it?" she asked, pointing to the distinctive hair that she could identify anywhere.
Lumi's innocent eyes widened, and her brows furrowed in mild confusion as she looked back and forth between Maude Ivory and Lucy Gray, "I don't know who you're talkin' about. Who's 'he'?" The mention of a mysterious 'he' left her unaware of the gravity of the conversation surrounding her father..
Maude Ivory looked straight at Lucy Gray with a serious tone and began, "What happened? Why did you leave, and wh—" Suddenly, Lumi started having a coughing fit, collapsing to the ground. The urgency shifted the focus from the unanswered questions to the immediate concern for Lumi's well-being.
"What's wrong with her?!" Maude Ivory stressed "That's why we came," Lucy Gray replied, her tone tinged with concern.
"She's been sick for a few years now, and it's just getting worse. Nothin' seems to help."
The simplicity of Lucy's words conveyed the helplessness and frustration of trying to find a solution for Lumi's deteriorating health.
Maude Ivory's face softened, a mix of empathy and concern. "We need to get her help, Lucy Gray," she urged, her eyes reflecting the shared worry for Lumi.
"I know, but... nobody can know that we're here. If anyone even catches a glimpse of her hair..." Lucy Gray's voice trailed off, carrying the weight of the secrecy they needed to maintain.
"but..if shes really his daughter then-"
"No! anything but that" Lucy Gray interrupted with a determined urgency. The fear in her eyes spoke volumes about the potential danger lurking in revealing Lumi's true parentage.
Lucy Gray gently picked up Lumi and laid her on the nearest bed. She lowered herself to the floor, sitting beside the bed and tenderly caressing Lumi's head.
Meanwhile, Maude Ivory, with a wet cloth in hand, approached to place it on Lumi's forehead.
"Hey... Can we talk tomorrow? I want to know how you've been all these years."
YOU ARE READING
The President's Hidden Legacy
Romancewhat if Lucy Gray had survived? what if Lucy Gray ended up pregnant and raised the child alone in the woods? Part 1: Lucy Gray is met with a difficult decision to go back to district 12 to get her daughter medical attention only to be caught by the...
