Chosen

.:Six:.

Revised: 05/29/2018

"Well she wasn't saying anything, so why not. It's not like I was being mean. I was just picking with her. You know." Lillian stared at her in earnest as Mia retorted back at her brother.

"Sorry, about Mia. She tends to be a little over baring. But as she has already said, my name is Roman." The smile that spread across his face was one of the brightest she has ever seen.

"Um sorry, I'm not trying to be rude or anything. How do y'all know my name? I don't remember knowing either of y'all...." Lillian trailed off not fully completing her thoughts. Snippets of the previous night flashed through her mind. She could still feel the disgusting way his mouth felt on her skin.

With sudden movements, she was leaning over the edge of the bed and heaving everything that was in her stomach. Just the thought of everything that she did, the way her body reacted. She just couldn't take it any longer.

Sobbing as the dry heaving finally subsided she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She looked to Roman and Mia with a look of sheer distress and regret. Unshed tears welled in her eyes as she stared Roman in the eye, daring him to say something, anything.

"Oh, Lillian...." Mia's voice wavered as she sat herself next to Lillian, wrapping her arms around her shoulders in a way of comfort.

"Roman, call for housekeeping on your way out." Her voice was soothingly melodic as she spoke to her brother. Roman pulled a phone out of his pocket, typing away only looking up when he was done texting someone. Mia stared at her brother as he defied her orders. Standing up from the bed she marched over to stand directly in front of him. Placing her hands on her hips she finally spoke.

"I wasn't asking you. I was telling you to leave." Mia's firmness in her voice caused her brother to stare at her like she had grown a second head.

"I still have to speak to her. I need to..." Roman was cut short in his explanation when Mia spoke over him.

"I really don't care what you think you have to do. I'm telling you what to do. Now, leave." Mia stared her brother in the eye; determination flickering, daring him to stand up to her on what she had already set her mind too.

Roman chuckled to himself softly, gently shaking his head.

"Mia, I will be quick. I need to know just a few things before I leave her in your more than capable hands." Mia swiftly nodded her head, giving him the okay to continue. "First off, do you know who you are? Where you're from? And Lastly, what happened the night I found you." Keeping his word Roman was quick in asking his questions as he stared at Lillian, waiting for her to respond.

Tilting her head to the side she gave him a questioning look. He couldn't be serious, right? "Yes, I'm Lillian Hartman. My birthday is on the 6th. I'm from Tennessee. And I...I...I..." Lillian's stutter on the last question as she thought back to last night made her bottom lip quiver as everything slowly replayed in her mind. She was brought back to the present when she noticed the look of exasperation on Roman's face as he scrutinized her.

"No Lillian, that isn't what he means. Did your mother Cerya ever say anything to you. Telling you some farfetched stories.?" Mia's face turned from determined to very serious for a woman who naturally looked so care-free.

"My mom told me fairy tales when I was a kid. It's normal to want a story before bed as a kid." Lillian's reply to her question was followed by a knock at the door, grabbing their attention.

"Yes, it is depending on what the nature of the story was." Roman stood up from his seat at the bedside and went to answer the door. "Mia, please help Lillian clean up. Once she is finished please join everyone in the Dining Hall." Without further delay; he briefly spoke to the housekeeper about what needed to be done, and he was out of the room, his footsteps echoing as he walked.