Threatened tolerance

The following night was another effort for Lillian to try and cheer up Lia, but the pretty little face only kept getting gloomy. Unlike last night where Lia tried to impress Lillian so that she could have a slice of cake, this evening, she didn't involve herself in such activities. Lillian even volunteered to let Lia pick her flavored milk and had kept the pastries box next to it intentionally inside the refrigerator. However, Lia couldn't care less and picked a random carton before shutting the door.

Giselle called early into that late evening because she had to travel that night to the last destination of her book tour. And for dinner, Lillian chose pizza for both of them because Lia loved pizza. She made sure to order it the way Lia liked; extra cheesy. Still, the child didn't look like she appreciated Lillian's efforts. After trying and failing every time, Lillian lastly let it go. She returned Lia her personal space, hoping that the time would heal and eventually she might start feeling better. Lillian had given up trying her best to cheer up an eight-year-old girl. After running out of ideas, she surrendered and hoped to try again tomorrow, for Lillian assumed that the reason for Lia to feel so down must be because of school.

Lillian was worried sick and had already asked if Ms. Evelyn did anything to cause inconvenience. Lia denied the assumptions and requested Lillian not to question any further, which ended up removing the options for Lillian to try and experiment. Thus, came the series of attempts to lighten the mood. It's not like this is the first time Lia had looked this sad and downcast. The school-going 8-year-old did have her tough days with too much to read or two tough quizzes waiting for tomorrow. Still, it had something to do with the curriculum. But Lia's prolonging sadness in the past few days proved to be something else.

Bedtime was nearing, and Lillian had been waiting to read a story to Lia. Lillian often read stories on nights when she was free from work. Tonight was not so required to devote for work. Besides, the little girl mattered before her job. So, Lillian chose Lia and wanted to make time for her.

Lia came out after brushing to find Lillian waiting for her. She climbed onto the bed and under the blanket, taking notice of the book in Lillian's hand.

"Lilly, can I request something else?" Lia asked.

It was the first thing the little girl had requested that night, so Lillian was quick to agree.

"Can you- tell me the story of how you and my mother met?

I want to know," she wished.

It wasn't demanding but a humble request, which took Lillian by surprise. Nevertheless, she got into the bed with Lia and shared the blanket to feel warm and comfortable.

"Where do I begin?" Lillian mumbled to herself when Lia hinted it would be best to approach the story from the start.

Lillian smirked at her impatience.

"Hmm.... alright, did you know that it was your mother who confessed her love to me on our first meeting?" Lillian opened with a great start.

"Did she?" Lia questioned in shock.

"Yes."

"So, you accepted her on your first-time meeting?" Lia asked cheerfully.

It was then Lillian went speechless and frozen under the blanket immediately. There were several occasions where Lillian felt guilty for rejecting Giselle back then, but not this time. A sharp stinging stab right in her heart repeated a thousand times in that mere seconds before she got to react.

"I'm not answering that," Lillian replied, swiftly forbidden from responding.

"Why? I wanted to know!"

"No."

"Lillian!"

"I said no," Lillian begged.

Lia wasn't ready to give up either, which only put Lillian under duress. Sighing herself in deep regrets, Lillian decided to admit the truth instead of escaping even away from a child.

"I- I barely knew your mother," she uttered hesitantly.

"So? Wasn't she pretty?"

"S- She was! She was... But-"

"But what?" Lia repeated.

"I was scared."

Lia looked confused, so Lillian had to admit further by informing her that it was the first time someone had ever confessed their feelings directly to her.

Lia grew silent, satisfied from the explanation.

"Go on..." she granted.

After receiving the consent, Lillian continued with her tale.

***

Lillian couldn't fall asleep. She slipped away from Lia carefully without making a sound and left the room in the dark. She let Lia sleep in peace and then came downstairs to her living room, whereupon she poured herself a drink. After one or two glasses of wine, Lillian suddenly felt the urge to call Giselle. Something about recalling the past affected her to reach out to Giselle and hear her voice. Lillian knew Giselle had night-time traveling. Still, she wished to speak with her. Luckily, Giselle answered the call to her wish.

As soon as Lillian spoke, Giselle could feel the presence of liquor.

"Hey, what's going on?" she quickly inquired.

"Nothing! I j- just wanted to hear your voice."

Giselle grew happy simply from hearing. It made her smile. Before they grabbed the opportunity to share the love, Giselle wanted to ask about her daughter.

"Is Lia sleeping?"

"Yes- actually, that's why I called," Lillian admitted.

Giselle panicked instinctively.

"Relax! There's no problem! Your daughter tonight asked me to tell her the story of how we met."

Giselle grew surprised.

"Did- you tell her?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Everything?"

"Everything but PG-rated, so she won't know how some of them were real assholes back then in high school."

"What did she say after hearing the story?"

"She didn't- because she fell asleep by the time I reached our prom dance timeline," Lillian replied.

Giselle gasped in awe.

"Do you remember that night?" Lillian called.

"I do!"

The two then spoke for several minutes, reminiscing old memories. They were still apart and were feeling lonely from a distance, separating them. Unfortunately, both were not able to get quality time together. But fortunately, Giselle's tour was coming to an end soon, which restored and mended the longing.

***

The next day Lia woke up feeling like usual. Nothing from yesterday was to be spotted in her demeanor. At some point, on their way to school, she boldly demanded Lillian to finish the story tonight. Lillian was glad to see the little girl back to her bouncier self. And she had dropped Lia at her school, wishing her to have another good day.

As if the past few days had been nothing but better, Lia tried her best to appear active. She waited in the classroom alone for so long until Andy arrived. Every minute of that time felt heavy passing by. Still, Lia chose to be strong and resilient. Andy came and carried her usual chatter before she got a signal to leave the classroom. Lia let Andy go while solitude befriended her again.

Lia waited patiently, but Andy never seemed to return. So, the little girl left her seat to check for her friend, only to witness the sight of the missing girl along with Jessica and Stephanie. Lia was shocked to find them talking in private without her. She didn't want to go and confront. Instead, Lia stepped back to her seat in a hurry. In her rush, she found the group of boys giggling and took notice of them. Upon their action, Lia grew angry. Apparently, the boys aimed to tease Lia with the most dramatic queer behavior. One commanded while the other two boys came out of their seats to hug and pose kiss faces together. Their silly act ended with them expressing their disgust and highlighted it more when they found Lia staring back at them. It was intended for her, and she had looked. And that was enough for them to toy with Lia.

Although infuriated, Lia grunted herself as she continued to walk to her seat.

One of the boys willingly tried to bump at her, causing Lia to stumble.

"Careful, Danny, if you hurt her, then her two moms will come and get you!" the one who commanded the whole scene remarked aloud as classmates whispered with their muffled giggles.

Lia knew she was getting targeted and humiliated. But when she wanted to give it right back to Luther, the guy who kept giving orders, their homeroom teacher entered, announcing the kids to get back to her seat.

Andy followed the teacher to reach her chair quickly and searched for Lia. She wanted to wave upon seeing her, but Lia didn't look happy.

It took Lia great patience to control herself from all the eyes that kept giving her attention, wanted or unwanted. By the time lunch came, Lia left in the heat. Andy followed to calm her down, and as they met with Jessica and Stephanie, Lia went back to being muted. She didn't bother answering Andy's question about her temper.

Lia and her friends had another lunch with less chattering. Andy wanted to ask about what happened to Lia but didn't know if she should or not. As they finished lunch under punishing silence, the girls agreed to leave right away. On their way, the same boys who had teased Lia before the class started were playing with their food. Lia didn't want to look at them and thus kept walking. Luther spotted Lia and her friends and quickly tried to repeat the scene from the morning. Lia saw him giving the signal to his friends, and she prepared herself to avoid them at all cost.

Lia didn't pay any attention, which successfully annoyed Luther, for he was giving his best in recruiting actors for his dirty little play. Catching him frustrated, Lia felt a little relieved. But at the same time, she worried about this new change and how long it would last until it threatened her tolerance.