The Unnoticeable One

 

Tablo reader up chevron

Chapter 1

The calm nine month baby named Lucille Faine by her two adoring and newly deceased parents, was wrapped compactly in her owl patterned blanket in the hands of a family friend. Lucille had her eyes closed and did not make an peep. Clearly, she was oblivious to what was happening around her, but the friend who held Lucille; felt sorrow swirl in her stomach. The friend swiftly traveled to her car with Lucille still embraced in her arms.

Glancing one last time at the Faine house, which was being engulfed in vibrant orange flames, the woman began to tear up. It was awful, she thought; how could this happen? She debated for a minute whether to take Lucille Faine into her home. But, she knew if she did, Lucille would not be as safe as she would be where she was told to take Lucille.

As Lucille kept on sleeping in her safe car seat, the friend drove away from Shepherd Trail and Lucille's home for good.

The friend never let her mind wander. It would not be safe for Lucille. Lately, that is how she felt about everything concerning Lucille…….

Five minutes later, they arrived at the still and small street of 23rd Gipnop Avenue. She swerved to the left lane then her stomach tightened in a knot.

To each side, three houses were perfectly lined up. None of the matched however. The first house to the right was a dark hickory brown shade; while the home across from it was an shortbread yellow.

Since she has been to the street once or twice before, she wished secretly that one neighbor would change their house color. But paints did not matter at this time.

Exiting out of the car and going around to grab Lucille gently from the car seat, she swore she saw the white curtains from the shortbread yellow house open an inch or two. Concentrating back on Lucille, she passed the shortbread house then softly opened the unlocked gate to the three story building.

The cream white painting of the building was starting to chip and the three porch steps creaked. Each window had black painted window boxes with dead tulips planted inside them. None of the curtains were open, creating the rooms to be completely full of darkness.

After she rang the doorbell, she glanced at the sign with stinging eyes that read:

M.Veitch's Orphanage and Care

In her spot, she started to sway a little and added humming later on. The wooden door opened first; then the smudged glass door opened second.

A taller woman with scruffy short brown hair and bunny slippers on her narrow feet formed into the friends eyes. The woman motioned for her to come in with a faint smile.

She entered the building rapidly without looking back. Even if she was frightened from head to toe.

The only light source on was coming from a multiple glass lamp sitting on a chess table feet away from her and the edge of the table hit the beige wall. The bunny slippered lady kindly showed her the dining room as Lucille was still in her dreamland.

“Take a seat.” The slippered lady politely said as she trailed to the tall lamp and more light was produced in the warm room.

She took a seat in the chair which was closest to her. The chair had an ladder back and was painted periwinkle purple. Seconds after, the slippered lady took a seat right next to her.

“Well, I better introduce myself, I am Mabel Veitch,” Mabel winked at her, “and may I ask, who is this?”

Mabel gazed at Lucille.

“This is Lucille Faine.”

“Ah, what a pretty name.”

“Yes, her parents liked it too.”

Mabel grinned and so did she.

Before either one of the women could reply back, an average height (well for an eleven year old) figure emerged from the entrance to the kitchen. Mabel saw her glance behind and whipped her head around to see the figure as well.

“Freja Porter, come here please.” Mabel ordered without hostility in her voice, but certainly with compassion.

“S-s-s-sure…” Freja Porter stuttered then scurried over to Mabel.

Coming closer to Mabel, Freja Porter’s baggy pajamas became clearer. She repeatedly rubbed her arm until she saw Lucille and the women who was holding Lucille.

“Freja, can you hold Lucille for a minute?” Mabel asked as she gradually stood up.

Freja excitedly bobbed her head up and down.

The woman, Lucille’s and her parents friend handed Lucille over to Freja hesitantly. As she got up and trailed behind, she would survey Lucille and Freja plenty of times while biting her lip.

“Hello, Lucille,” Freja peered down at Lucille whose honey brown eyes were still slammed shut, “or do you p-p-p-prefer L-lucy? Sorry about that, I-I stutter a lot. But, Mabel u-understands. She’s very accepting.”

Without any sign of Mabel or Lucille’s friend coming back soon, Freja told Lucille all about the room she shared with two other girls; Daphne Gilford and Kalei Ettrick. The room had one bunk bed; Daphne and Freja shared it, and Kalei got to have the single bed. Freja also added that they shared a connecting bathroom with some other girl who was the age of nine and really quiet. When Freja heard footsteps coming from the carpeted stairs, she immediately lowered her voice.

“Do you know the woman’s name who brought you here? Is it Susan? No, Susans look older…..”

“No, her name is not Susan, Freja.” Mabel chuckled.

“It’s Priscilla.” Lucille’s friend spoke in an low voice.

“O-oh, nice to meet y-y-you. Here’s Lucille back.” Freja beamed up and Priscilla gratefully took Lucille back into her arms.

Freja rose from her seat; as Priscilla held Lucille in the corner of dining room with Mabel gleaming down at the baby also. But, before Freja could disappear from Mabel's vision, Mabel stopped her with her firm voice.

“We will talk about why you were up so late tomorrow, Miss Porter.”
Freja gulped with her fingers intertwined together.

“Don’t worry,” Mabel assured her,” you will not be in serious trouble. Sleep tight, sweetheart.”

“Goodnight.” Was all Freja said before she scurried back to her room.

Awkward silence filled the room quickly.  Minutes ago, Priscilla was in Mabel's room, full of tears. Her heart ached longer as she gazed down at Lucille’s porcelain face. It was odd to her, how a baby could be so tranquil in this moment. She was only a precious tiny baby. Mabel put her arm around Priscilla as soon as she saw a tear roll down Priscilla’s cheek.

As the time passed by, which felt longer to Priscilla than it actually was, Mabel uttered comforting things in her ear.

“She’ll be safe, I promise…..”
 

Priscilla heavily sighed.

“Thank you Mabel, if there's anything I can do-”

“I will let you know, wherever you are.” Mabel winked at her.

Priscilla bashfully smiled then tenderly handed Mabel Lucille.

“Goodbye, Mabel,” Priscilla said cordially then planted a peck on Lucille’s forehead,” Goodbye, Lucille.”

With that single sentence said in the most grievous tone Mabel had ever witnessed, Priscilla was gone. Leaving the lamp on from the dining room and the living room, Mabel trudged up the steps with Lucille prudently in her arms.

Her thoughts were complex.

It made no sense to her. Why had Lucille Faine became an orphan? Who did such a monstrous thing to Lucille’s parent and her?

Clearly, whoever it had to be, was a wicked and immoral being. Mabel turned the corner then moseyed to the second room across from Freja, Kalei and Daphne’s space. Laying Lucille down in the only crib she had, the distress in the air never left.

After rubbing Lucille’s dainty little hand, Mabel turned around to see her son Hugo in the doorway. Her brow raised abnormally high, and her arms were stiffly crossed.

“Hugo, what are you doing up so late?” She quietly asked him.

“Mom, I was getting some water,” the eleven year old made his was closer to his mother, “are you okay?”

“Yes, just thinking about little Lucille here.” She glanced back over at the peacefully sleeping Lucille.

“Oh, okay.” He said then trotted over to the crib.

He studied Lucille then turned to his mother to give her a tight squeeze.

“Let’s go to bed. Tomorrow, I might take Lucille to Seney Spur Lane.” She said as she put her arm loosely around him.

“Mom, why do you plan so much?” He teased.

“Motherly instinct.” She joked back.

Hugo chuckled.

They both left the room, leaving the door open just an inch or two.

Stillness lingered in the room once Hugo slogged up the stairs that opened up to the third floor. Lucille would continue to sleep in quietness. Totally innocent, without any knowledge of what occurred on that fateful night. Mabel knew that it would have to be years until Lucille knew the full story. But did Lucille even want to in the first place?

Comment Log in or Join Tablo to comment on this chapter...
~

You might like Annie C.'s other books...