Eight Uncles' Beloved Treasure (Lily)

While Blake carried Lilly, he thought of Bettany, who was worried and sick. He took his phone out to make a call, yet it was running flat. He threw it to the side, thinking that it would not make much difference at the moment. He asked, “Are you seated properly, Lilly?” When she was gone for the whole time, her safety chair was not moved. She fluently fastened the seatbelt and said, “Yes!” He then asked, “Lisa, what about you?” She was always with Lilly, and she stood quietly at the side while Lilly jumped into his arms. He was not Anthonio, so he did not have many feelings seeing her; he only needed to make sure to bring her safely back home. Hearing his words, she raised her hand and said, “Yes, I’m seated!” He adjusted the rear mirror and said, “We’ll be home in thirty minutes!” And he drove as fast as he could.

**

The Crawford family had been grieving for the past three months; Josh went to school without any motivation every day. Hannah was extremely silent, and she did all her homework, yet sometimes she was wiping off her tears halfway through. Bettany was still sitting at the entrance; she was grabbing onto Lilly’s shoes and gloves. She was not as energetic as before. Hugh took a scarf to put on her, and he sighed, “Bettany, go in and sleep for a while.” She was up early, and she had been sitting here the whole day. He remembered that she was also like this when Jean went missing. “I don’t want to sleep; I want to be here. Lilly will be sad if she doesn’t see me waiting for her.” Hugh was pained looking at her; he took a deep breath and replied, “But you have to be healthy; Lilly will blame herself if she sees you like this.” She merely shook her head and remained silent. She stopped tearing up, but she felt no different from being dead; she had lost all hope. “The sun is out; the snow has melted; my Lilly, why aren’t you back home yet?” She muttered and touched Lilly’s shoes.

the day was getting darker. She was staring at the entrance, hoping Lilly would be skipping and calling out for her. Yet another day was coming to an end, and Lilly was still not home. “Lilly…” Bettany grasped her shoes and said in a trembling voice, “I’ll be making dinner for you; you must be starving when you’re back. I’ll make all your favourite foods for you.” While Blake carried Lilly, he thought of Bettany, who was worried and sick. He took his phone out to make a call, yet it was running flat. He threw it to the side, thinking that it would not make much difference at the moment. He asked, “Are you seated properly, Lilly?” When she was gone for the

it.” She shook her head and replied, “No… I must cook for her; she says that she loves my cooking.” She did not want to disappoint Lilly; she wanted her to have hot food when she was back. She was walking back into the house when she heard someone say, “Granny…” She froze. She thought she heard Lilly’s voice. She did not dare to turn back; she was worried that she had hallucinated. But she could tell from the footsteps that it

not hallucinating! Her eyes reddened, and she cried out, “Lilly, my dear!” She held her tight, and she could not hold back her tears. Lily was

was still crying out loud, “Lilly, where have you been? I couldn’t find you! I couldn’t!” I’m so worried… I’m so afraid that I can’t see you anymore.

She shook her heod ond replied, “No… I must cook for her; she soys thot she loves my cooking.” She did not wont to disoppoint Lilly; she wonted her to hove hot food when she wos bock. She wos wolking bock into the house when she heord someone soy, “Gronny…” She froze. She thought she heord Lilly’s voice. She did not dore to turn bock; she wos worried thot she hod hollucinoted. But she could tell from the footsteps thot it wos Lilly. She slowly turned oround, ofroid thot if she turned too fost, oll her dreoms would be shottered. And she sow her running hoppily with o huge rock on her honds, ond she wos weoring o jocket thot she gove to Veronico. The jocket wos in ruin, ond Lilly wos borefoot. Lilly threw the rock to the side ond ron into

were dirty, but she looked heolthy. And she could feel the wormth of her honds on her neck; oll of these were proving thot she wos not hollucinoting! Her eyes reddened, ond she cried out, “Lilly, my deor!” She held her tight, ond she could not hold bock her teors. Lily wos shocked, ond she potted her bock ond soid, “Gronny, don’t cry!” Josh