As a child, Samira had once read somewhere how people received hope just when they were on the verge of giving up.
Seeing little Evie snuggle close to Samira with a peaceful look made Samira think maybe the saying was true. From all the things that had happened to her that day, that little girl was the most beautiful shock to Samira.
"Story time! Story time!" Evie clapped her hands, looking up at Samira, very excited. But since Samira didn't start the story quickly enough, Evie pouted. "Dinner done. Medicine done. You promised!"
Samira laughed.
"Yes, yes, I promised. I know. Settle down first," Samira said, glancing from Evie to Einar, who settled onto the armchair beside the bed while Samira was sitting on the bed with Evie lying on her lap. "Once upon a time, there was this princess —"
Samira was interrupted by Evie just as she started the story.
"No princesses. I already know all the Princesses!" Evie looked up and pointed at the bookshelf on the far wall of her room, which Samira realised was filled with all the Princess storybooks.
"Oh, I —" Samira tried to think of what kind of different story she could tell, but nothing was coming to her mind.
"But you love those stories, Flower," Einar tried to reason with her daughter and got up to grab a Princess book from the shelf.
"NO!" Evie ordered, clearly upset.
"Flower . . ." Einar began again, sounding extremely tired.
"It's alright, Mr. Huang," Samira quickly tried to be the peacemaker. "I'll think of a new story."
"Yay!" Evie clapped her hands in joy, and Einar sighed. "New Story! New Story!"
"She usually doesn't act like this with strangers. She is usually a very well-mannered kid," Einar told Samira. "I don't understand what has gotten into her today."
Evie just pouted, hearing her father, and looked at Samira hopefully, and Samira's heart melted. She really couldn't be bothered by this little angel's tantrum. Samira smiled and began another story.
However, the next three stories about lions, foxes, and mice were all shut down by Evie because she already knew them. At last, Samira realized she had to make up a story on the spot for Evie.
After thinking for a while, Samira started the story.
"Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived in a village with her family . . . and she used to make jewellery for the village people," Samira was making up a story as she went. "And she loved her family and everyone in the village."
"Oooo, what kind of jewellery? Like friendship bracelets?" Evie asked wide-eyed with interest.
"Yep. Friendship bracelet, crowns, necklaces, everything."
"Then she must have had a lot of friends," Evie giggled. "I love Friendship bracelets!"
"Me too, Evie. And yes, she had a lot of friends," Samira paused for a moment, thinking to take that story. "And she had two best friends."
"What were their names?"
"The girl was . . . um . . . Violet. Yes, her name was Violet and her best friends were Cici and . . ." Samira hesitated, realising she had already given the name Cici, thinking of Chloe, and the next name in her mind was Nathan's. After a moment, Evie impatiently nudged Samira.
"And?"
"And the other friend was Noel!"
And from that, the story flowed for Samira. She stared ahead and started speaking.
"Violet really loved her friends and always trusted them. They would always play together and would go on walks together. Everyone thought they were the best of friends, but one day, Violet caught Cici and Noel . . ." Samira looked at Evie. " . . . stealing fruits from a garden, and when Violet asked them to stop, they blamed her for the stealing and Violet got punished for something she didn't do."
"But! But . . . that's wrong!" Evie shouted, looking upset.
Samira blinked, looking at little Evie's scrunched-up face, thinking maybe she shouldn't have made up this story, but she couldn't take the words back now. So Samira gathered Evie in her arms and smiled at her.
"Yes, it is wrong, and Violet couldn't believe her friends did that to her. Not only did they do something wrong, like stealing, but they also blamed her. Violet was very sad about this."
"She wasn't mad?" Evie asked, surprised. "I'm mad."
"A little," Samira laughed. "But then she was saved from the punishment by a little adorable Princess."
Samira booped Evie's nose, and Evie giggled.
"And then what happened? Did the princess help Violet and punish her evil friends?" Evie asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
Samira hesitated for a long moment, thinking about what to say. Did she want them to get punished for what they did to her? Finally, she said, ". . . Maybe. But right now you need to sleep. C'mon."
"Noo . . ." Evie yawned.
"But you are sleepy," Samira said, tucking Evie inside the blanket.
"No," Evie grabbed Samira's hand tightly, even though she looked like she was fighting very hard not to doze off right there.
"But it's late, Evie, and your little body needs rest," Samira said, smoothing down little Evie's hair, and Evie almost closed her eyes in comfort.
"If I sleep . . ." Evie yawned again, trying to keep her eyes open. ". . . You will be gone . . . when I wake up."
Hearing the desperation in the little child's voice, Samira's heart ached. She couldn't help but wrap her hands around Evie and kiss the top of her head with affection.
"I won't go anywhere, darling. You sleep tight, ok?" Samira whispered.
"You promise?" Evie mumbled, already half-asleep.
"I promise," Samira replied, and Evie was almost instantly sound asleep.
Samira waited for almost half an hour to make sure Evie was really asleep before slowly getting out of Evie's embrace and her bed. She then tiptoed out of the room, and Einar followed her equally silently, closing the door after them. They quietly walked down the stairs and stopped only when they had reached the hall.
Samira took a deep breath and turned to Einar, ready to explain, as she was already nervous; she was sure she had overstepped.
"Thank you very much for your generosity, Mr. Huang. And I'm sorry if I overstepped with your daughter by promising to be here when she wakes up. I never intended to take advantage of your generosity and your hospitality. You can tell Evie that I had to work or something. I hate to break her heart, but I really didn't mean I would stay –"
"Would you like to have dinner, Miss Samira?" Einar's firm voice cut Samira off mid-rant.
Samira blinked a couple of times, thinking she had heard wrong.
"I'm sorry?"
"I guess we are past dinner time, but since you have here all afternoon, I thought you might be hungry," Einar explained matter-of-factly.
Samira was about to decline when her stomach growled loudly, and her eyes widened in surprise and embarrassment.
"Sorry," Samira muttered, looking down at the floor. She didn't even realise that she hadn't eaten anything since last night.
Einar didn't react at all; he just took that as a yes and started walking.
"This way."
Samira wanted to get out of there before she looked more pathetic to this complete stranger, but she followed Einar.
The long dining room table was set up with a simple dinner of some stir-fried vegetables, soup, and rice, and the maid was setting up the dinner plates. Einar pulled a chair for Samira, and she hesitated for a moment before sitting down.
"Thank you," Samira said, and Einar just nodded, then sat down in the opposite chair.
The maid, who was an older woman, served them the food with a kind smile, and Samira smiled back at her, saying "thank you" every time. After the maid was done, she retreated to the kitchen.
"Please, Miss Samira," Einar said, gesturing towards the meal, urging her to start, and Samira nervously nodded before taking a sip of the vegetable soup.
Samira almost had to close her eyes because of how tasty the soup was. It was warm, slightly spicy, with a little bit of sweetness. Maybe it was the best thing she had ever tasted in her entire life, or she was hungry beyond reason. Whatever it was, Samira knew she could eat this for the rest of her life.
"Miss Samira, I want you to stay." Einar's sudden voice brought Samira back from her soup heaven.
[To be continued]