Hidden treasures

Chapter five

Lilliana chase her little girl around in the house. She grab the child and pin her down on the floor tickling her.
"No! Mommy!" she scream and laugh till the tears rolled down her cheek.
"Okay," Lilliana stop tickling her and let her sit up straight. Annalie's face is red and her eyes are wet. "Sweetheart, breathe."
She start to cough as her breath turns back to normal. Lilliana stand up and pick her girl up.
"Mommy, were you with the man from the magazine last night?" she ask a little concerned. Lilliana become quiet. What does she say? "I saw on the television when he surprised you."
"Yes sweetheart," she nod and kiss her little cheek.
"Is he nice just like uncle Chris?" she ask raising an eyebrow.
"He's very nice," Lilliana smile at her. "So, milk and cookies?"
She nod and climb off her mother. Lilliana walk proudly to the cabinet. Her hair is clipped up with a hairclip and she's wearing a blue jean and a grey shirt. The doorbell rang. Annalie look at her mum that gave her a little nod before she open the door. Well, it's not unusual for one of her siblings to come by this time of the day. She look up at Jeffrey. Her brown eyes light up at his appearance.
"Mommy!" she call Lilliana jumping up and down. Jeffrey give her an odd look then look at Lilliana that appeared behind her daughter with a laugh. Her smile run away. Reality slams harder than it did last night. "It's the man from the magazine!"
"I just brought you this," he say and give the little box to her. She take it and open it. Her award. She put it down on the kitchen counter and touch her daughter's shoulders.
"Annalie, this is an old friend of mommy," Lilliana say to her and look at Jeffrey. "Jeffrey, this my little girl, Annalie."
"Hi there," he greet her. Out of the blue, Annalie wrap her arms around him. He laugh softly and decide to pick the little girl up.
"She's not always so nice with strangers," Lilliana chuckle softly and stand out of the way. "Would you like to come in?"
"Sure," he smile at her and walk in.
"Mommy, our eyes are the same," Annalie giggle. Lilliana give a little smile. It's clear that this girl has been admiring him from the pictures. Well, perhaps it's their instinct.
"Yes puppet," Lilliana agree a luttle awkward. "Why don't you go get the cookies and then I'll ask uncle Jeffrey if her wants coffee?"
She nod and climb off Jeffrey. She run to the cabinet. Lilliana give a little smile and look at Jeffrey that gave her a proud smile.
"I'm actually fine," he smile nicely at her. Lilliana nod and take out a glass before going to the refrigerator to take out the milk. He watches every move she makes. After a while Annalie is all settled at the table with her low milk and cookies. Lilliana kiss her hair and look at Jeffrey.
"Uncle, was you also made be storks?" Annalie ask.
"No, it's were," Lilliana correct her. She look at her mother then back at him. He laugh softly and raise an eyebrow.
"Storks only deliver," he reply and sit forward. "Babies are made in a special factory."
"Oh boy. This life is really weird," she giggle. Jeffrey laugh and look at Lilliana that was playing with her hands in her daughter's hair.
"How does ice cream sound, sweetheart?" Lilliana ask with a little smile.
"Yes, will the uncle come too?"
Lilliana raise an eyebrow up at Jeffrey. He nod willingly. It's hard to try and fight the desire inside of them to becomea little selfish. All he wants is to take her in his arms, kiss her soft nordic lips, feel her warm naked body against his, catch the spark in her eyes, feel her heartbeat and hear her shiver under her breath. Is it so much to ask for just one moment?
"I think she likes you," Lilliana smile at Jeffrey as they walk through the park. She's wearing a big sun hat and sunglasses. He's also wearing dark sunglasses. Sun or attention? Well, both. "Like she admires you."
Annalie is walking in front of them eating her ice cream. She's pure joy and wonder.
"Maybe we just have a bond," he smile softly. Lilliana nod her head slowly and give her daughter an odd look. She stop and grab her head.
"Annalie?" Lillian grab her daughter. She bury her face in her stomach and grab her around the waist. "Baby? Are you okay?"
"It's just a brain freeze," she giggle and look at her mother. Lillian laugh and give her a hug. She take her mother's hand and finish her ice cream. "Uncle, do you have any children?"
"Yes," he smile nicely at her. "I have three sons, but they're much older now."
"Like Lucy and brother Luke?" she ask. He shrug his shoulders and give her a smile. "Any young children? I would really like a friend."
"No," he reply and look at Lilliana that pulled her lips in with a strange look on her face. Who can blame her? She's afraid of what will happen when he finds out she's his daughter. "But my son, Jack has a little girl. Would you like to meet her?"
"Yes," she nod with a giggle. She also give his hand which made a chain. Lilliana immediately noticed it. "What is marriage?"
"Why all these questions pumpkin?" Lilliana ask and look worried at Jeffrey then back at her little girl.
"All my friends at school always talk about parents, divorce, pregnant and marriage. I don't know what that is," she reply unhappily. Lilliana realises immediately that she raised her daughter smart and well, but she didn't teach her the things that's suppose to be taught.
"Sweetheart, marriage is when two people that wants to spend their lives together, signs a contract and they become one meaning they belong to each other," Lilliana say to her and give her a smile. "They love each other very much and then becomes parents."
"So the storks bring their children to them. You're not in a marriage how come they bring me you and what is Pregnancy? Mommy, my friend says that's when there's a baby in your tummy."
"Oh you're smart," Lilliana giggle. Jeffrey look amazed at them. Is he allowed to tell her.
"See, the baby factory is in mommy," Jeffrey say and stop. He bend in front of her and give her a smile. "There's a certain place where a baby can be made. When you arrived in the world, the doctors took you out of the factory and gave you to your mommy."
"So the doctors are storks?" she ask confused. He laugh and look up at Lilliana. She give him a wink and look at her girl again. "Can anyone get babies?"
"Well, only if a woman and a man was together," he reply and touch her little shoulder. "Then you have a mommy and a daddy."
"Mommy isn't with someone," she look up at Lilliana. "Who is daddy? Is uncle Chris my daddy?"
"Oh no," Lilliana immediately go down in front of her daughter and touch her little stomach. "No buttercup, uncle Chris isn't your daddy. He is only Lucy and Luke's daddy."
"Then where's mine?"
To be honest, Lilliana knew she'd have to tell her daughter oneday, but never knew it had to be straightforward, neither now.
"Your daddy is an old friend of mommy, okay?" Lilliana whisper and touch her cheem getting tears in her eyes. "He doesn't know about you and I think it should stay that way."
"Why mommy? And how doesn't he know?"
"Because we fell in love, but we couldn't be together. Annalie, it's better if he doesn't know, okay? I can't loose you."
"What if I talk to him mommy?"
"Annalie, stop please," she beg her daughter and kiss her cheek. Jeffrey stand up straight feeling guilty for just confusing this little girl.
"I'm sorry mommy," Annalie whisper sadly.
"We can talk about it later, okay?" she whisper. Annalie nod and look at Jeffrey. He take her arm and help her up. She thank him with a nod and take Annalie's hand.