“Lila? What’s the matter my little sapling?” Was what the woman said, following Lila to where she stood, with a concerned voice and expression. Lila didn’t listen to what the woman said, as she was still gripping her head, and couldn’t stop the intense sharp pain in her head. She wasn’t sure why it hurt so much, even when she was dreaming. Flashes of what seemed to be deep buried memories, as well as random images appeared in her mind — mostly of old happy times with her family. While some remained a complete blur, and where the causing Lila the intense sharp pain she was feeling and couldn’t stop them, even if she did try. As the foggy blurred flashes of memories kept pushing through.

The woman sees Lila looking like she was having some type of headache as well as some type of pain — She quickly hands both Sandy and Daisy to Sebastian. As she handed the baby twins over to her husband, she walked over towards Lila; she bent over, and lightly placed her hand on her shoulder, and softly stroked down her hair “Lilac… What's wrong, my love? You're shaking like a leaf.” 

Lila’s head suddenly stopped aching, the intense sharp pain was somehow gone — and the touch of the woman’s hand on her shoulder, and the soft touch of her hair being stroked; felt warm, loving, and comforting, which made her feel calm — different from the cold dead touch that she experiences through her life in the real world. Lila knew that Olga would never, in a million years, would ever be this loving and caring. Well… she was… once. And Lila was probably having this dream of her old life — of the family she had then.

The woman smiled as she saw Lila finally calm down, she took her hand away from Lila’s head — only to have Lila grabbing ahold of the woman’s hand. Lila then placed the woman’s hand on her cheek, feeling the familiar touch she once knew and loved. Lila then hugged her — the woman wasn’t sure what had gotten into Lila, as she thinking she was acting rather strange? But instead of questioning Lila, the woman returned her hug and kissed her head.

Lila already knew that this was a dream, that the Olga she knew wouldn’t dare to hug her — let alone touch her. As she would immediately slap, push and beat her. But this woman returned her hug, as well as kissed her head. Her hugs and kisses felt warm and comforting, and felt protected in her arms. And that this woman was not Olga — but her mother. Her mother that she will only get the chance to be with, only in her dreams.

As tears suddenly began dripping down her face, soaking the collar of the woman’s bathrobe. The woman notices and hears Lila crying, and strokes her hair some more; as she asks her with such warmth in her voice, “My dear lovely child… What is making my little girl, this hurt and upset this early in the morning?” She asks her, while giving Lila the time to calm herself and the time that she needed to explain. Whereas Lila shutters from what the woman said. She had called her, her child — Her lovely child, her little girl. Not the orphan child that nobody wanted, the witch, the monster — but her child. Hearing this, of course; made Lila unbelievably happy, and overwhelmed as tears began to come down her face once again.

“Nothing’s wrong mummy *Sniff!!!* I… I just had a really bad nightmare and wanted to be sure I wasn’t still dreaming, that my head started to hurt. But I’m all better now…” Lila tearfully explained, “I’m just glad that everything is real and back to how it should be.” Lila said lastly, while wiping away her remaining tears with her hand.

“Oh — our sweet little Lilac. Was the dream frightening? Do you also want me to give you some medicine for your head pain?” The woman asks Lila in concern, as she hugs her, and while stroking her hair again. “No, I’m all better now mummy and I… I don’t remember… so I’m really okay” Was what Lila could come up with. 

All though this was a dream — she didn’t want to worry the woman, the other three in the room. Simply stating that she had a minor headache and only had a bad dream and no longer remembers. 

The woman planted a kiss on Lila’s forehead before standing back up, and told her in a relieved tone; “Well… I’m glad that you're feeling better and let’s be glad that you no longer remember the frightening dream, my love.” The woman grabs Lila’s hand and leads her to the dinner table — Sebastian then quickly follows and places the twins on their high chairs. “But in case you have another headache or in any pain and have another nightmare — Just know that your mummy and daddy will always be here for you and for your twin sisters. Always.”  She said lastly as she, Lila, and Sebastian were now seated with both their breakfasts right in front of them.

The woman caresses Lila’s cheek, with her hand — wanting to make sure that Lila was no longer having any head pains, and no longer panicking about her nightmare. To which Lila places her hand, on top of the woman’s hand that she had placed on her cheek, smiling at her and later telling her, “Okay mummy… and… I love you both, so much.” Not hesitating to say it, and it didn’t feel wrong to say it — she knew it felt right the moment the words came out from her lips. It felt different somehow.

“That’s our girl — now then… let’s eat! We have to get fully dressed for our family picture today.” Lila gawked her head and wondered what she was talking about? “Family picture???” Lila questioned while stabbing the sausage and moments of eating it. “*Chuckle!* Did you already forget Lilac? We’re taking a family photo together. I’m going to get the twins dressed in their dresses, while you put on that cute red dress that dad bought you last week. And once we’re all dressed, I’ll help fix your hair. We’re just waiting for your aunt and your cousin to join us for breakfast so that we can all get ready to take the picture together.” Lila looked somewhat confused at what the woman said. What aunt, and what cousin? Lila has never met any other relatives, aside from her, Sebastian and her twin sisters. As she tried to remember, about taking a family photo together, and wondering who other relatives could be. She felt a sharp pain for a moment, as she tried to remember. The pain stopped for a moment, as she stopped thinking and trying to remember. Where she then noticed two other empty seats and filled in front of them, on the opposite side of the dinner table from where Lila sat. “Um… mum. Who are we expecting???-” Lila asked the woman, but the woman didn’t quite hear her as she was interrupted by Sebastian — who was being attacked by her baby twin sisters throwing their mashed baby food at him, as he tried feeding them, while the baby twins were being stubborn and playfully throwing their food some more. “*Snicker!* Don’t worry honey, they will surely eat their food. Just give them time.” The woman said as she couldn’t help but chuckle, “Easier said than done, dear.” Sebastian laughed, while wiping away the splattered baby food off his face. 

 He then took a glimpse at Lila for a quick second, and immediately looked away. Lila noticed him stare at her, wondered why he did so, and wondered why he looked somewhat sad as he did? Then he suddenly hummed freely while he ate his piece of egg and sausage, which Lila couldn’t help but feel how sad he sounded, while he hummed. “*Humming a song, ‘Butterfly’. By Danyel Gerard.” His voice began to quiver a bit, and also sounded like he was fighting a lump on his throat — as if he wanted to cry.  But she thought that she was probably overthinking it, and thought that it was probably part of her imagination.

The woman giggled at her husband, not because of his humming. But for the piece of egg yolk on his lower lip area and gestured to him that he had a little something hanging on the side of his lip. He stopped humming and saw his wife gesturing to him that he might have something on his face. As he swept his thumb, to the area to wipe the egg yolk — completely removing it from his lip. Sandy and Daisy played with their food again, and got themselves dirty with their mashed baby food. Giggling as they both threw their food, this time at both Sebastian and the woman. Both Sebastian and the woman laughed at each other as they were covered in thrown baby food. Lila couldn’t help but laugh at the excitement at the dinner table before her, and was happy to experience such a lively family — eating together as a real family. 

Lila forgot what she was going to say to the woman, as she just sat in her chair, seeing her family at the dinner table, enjoying her time that she had with them, until she would eventually wake up. So she wanted to make the most of the remaining time that she had with her old family. Lila felt her stomach grumble, and so immediately dug into her plate of deliciously cooked English Breakfast that was in front of her. So she stabbed a piece of her sausage, from her plate. Then suddenly; everything was quiet. She took her eyes off her plate, looked up and saw that the woman was no longer speaking. Sandy and Daisy were no longer laughing and making noises. The three of them were in some sort of frozen-like state. 

Lila wasn’t sure what to do, and wasn’t sure if she should do anything, given that she was glued to her seat, while everybody and everything were set still. “M-mum, what’s happening???” She turned to answer the woman, who was still frozen and didn’t reply back. 

“Li-...la-...” Sebastian suddenly started speaking — Lila jumped from her seat, as she thought Sebastian was frozen like the rest of the people in her dream. “Lila… can-... you hear-... me?”

Lila heard him speak, which sounded broken; a little hoarse, trying to sound clear as he spoke  — like an old radio acting on the fritz. “Can you hear me now?” He asked, now sounding clearer, she nodded and told him, sounding confused and unsure, “Y-yes???” A bit frightened — wasn’t sure what was going on. He continued by saying, “Okay Lila. I need you to listen carefully, since I’m not sure how much time I’ll have, so I’ll just make this quick.” 

Puzzled about what he was saying, Lila stayed silent for a moment, until finally spoke, “W-what??? Dad, what are you saying??? And what is going on???-” 

“Please my little butterfly, there isn’t much time to explain. I just want to relay this message.” He spoke, sounding impatient, and looked rather anxious. “I want you to know… that I’m trying my very best to reach you and your sisters. I’m currently in the care of people who are helping me to get back my strength, and come to get you three.” He tells her, making Lila even more confused — wondering if her dream was fabricating this image, this version of her father, making things more confusing for her. She then asks him, hoping if he would listen to her if he did, and to partly explain to her what he was saying and what was really happening? 

“Dad, what are you???-” Lila asked, but Sebastian interrupted her. “Deborah is waiting for your letter, to hear your reply. He as well as a few others are helping me and coming to get you three… For the time being… Just stay with your sisters, stay safe. I love you, my little flowers. My little butterfly.” He finishes as he smiles at her with a hint of sadness evident on his facial expression. “Wait… How do you know Deborah??? And what do you mean, they're coming to get us??? Who’s coming??? Dad, what's going on??? Hello???-” Lila wanted her father to explain, as she was bewildered by what he just told her, and surprised to hear him use Deborah’s name. How did he know who Deborah was? And who were the other  people that he was referring to? 

She wasn’t sure if this was even part of her dream or not. But she knew that this dream wanted her to listen to him, whether it was just in her mind. She knew she had to listen, but wanted to ask him, to get answers if she could. 

But before she could even ask, or speak to her father — she suddenly felt everything around her rumble. The dream and her surroundings were slowly turning dark in the matter of seconds — consuming everything of what was left in the dream. The house, kitchen, living room and dining room, the entire house as well as everybody in the dream. Mostly everything and everybody was gone. Everything except Lila, Sebastian and the long dining room table that they were still seated in. 

Lila was still glued to her chair, and after a moment later — she felt herself floating from her seat, and was slowly floating away from Sebastian and the long dinner table.

*Snap!*

Sebastian snapped his fingers, and with it, Lila stopped floating — she didn’t come back down to where her father and the table were, as she was still in mid air. But was glad that she wasn’t floating away, like in her other dream. Sebastian stood from his chair — and slowly walked towards Lila, while he suddenly began singing — slowly, softly and somehow a little sad, “Butterfly, my butterfly. I’ll come home to you one day. Butterfly, my butterfly. Wait for me, don't fly away. (‘Butterfly’. By Danyel Gerard.)” He sang as he got close to where she was. He looked up at her and smiled, his eyes watered and tears began falling from his cheek. He removes his glasses to wipe away tears, not breaking eye contact with his daughter — while suddenly muttering something to her, “It’s time to wake up, my little butterfly… I’ll see you soon, my little Lilac.” He said to her, as he smiled at her tearfully. Soon after he disappeared, and once he was gone; Lila was devastated to see him disappear again, as she only had such a short time with him as well as her family. But mostly him. Disappearing for many years ago, and disappearing again but right before her, making the whole ordeal harder and painful for her. 

As she wept for her father, she felt the whole world suddenly shake around her again; or more like she felt something shaking her lightly. 

More than just shaking her — she also felt someone or something tugging and pulling on her arms —  shoving her lightly from her shoulder, then she heard somebody calling out her name a couple of times. “Lil-... Lil-... LILA!”