A few days passed after that fateful night. During that time, Celine pretended she didn't know anything. But her eyes no longer resembled those of a sixteen-year-old girl. She began to look at everything as if weighing its hidden meaning. As for Lilia, she remained the same: laughing, singing, dancing in front of the mirror, telling her toys about her day at kindergarten while Celine stared at her each time, trying to imagine what that little girl had been like when she was found at the gate of the center, who her real parents were, and why she had been abandoned.
One morning, after breakfast, Marlene said in a tone Celine wasn't used to: _"Tomorrow we're going to Grandma's house in the countryside. She needs some help sorting out her old belongings. She said the barn needs some repairs."
Marx looked at Celine and said:
_"You and Lilia will help us there. It'll only take two days."
Celine didn't meet his gaze she simply nodded.
The next day, they all set off in the gray car. The road was long, winding through green hills and misty slopes, as the forests swayed in fiery autumn colors. Lilia slept in the back seat, while Celine watched the trees pass by, as if they were speaking in silence. When they arrived at the grandmother's old house, she welcomed them with a weary smile. Her face was full of the wrinkles of time, but her eyes still sparkled as if they held secrets yet untold.
Grandma lived alone in an old stone house, with thick walls and a wooden roof, surrounded by grapevines and thyme-lined paths. The family settled in and began their tasks: Marlene organized the kitchen, Marx worked in the barn, while Celine collected old books from the living room. Lilia played outside, chasing chickens and putting flowers in her hair.
In the evening, after the oil lamps were lit and everyone sat around a small dinner table, something unexpected happened…
To be continued...