Chapter 8

Luciana stared at the little girl in amazement as she wondered exactly how she had managed to convince her to buy a big tub of Ricky Road ice cream.

"I didn't do anything", Quinxel uttered out of nowhere.

"I'm beginning to think that is your favourite sentence. You've said it two times since I met you", she said with a teasing smile.

"Blame my dad. He thinks I'm the root of every prank and situation that goes wrong in the house", Quinxel shrugged.

"Well he is got a point. Most cute faces are dangerous", Luciana said slyly.

She grins and stuffs a big chunk of ice cream in her mouth, bites into it and then clutches her head.

"Argh, brain freeze".

Quinxel bursts into laughter and then offers Luciana to finish off the ice cream for her but her offer is immediately denied with a dirty look.

They finish up the ice cream and is interrupted by Lucille who gasps at the scene that meets her eye: Quinxel sitting on Luciana's lap and playing with her hair.

"Mother, I'm hungry and cold", Lucille says with a mocking look whilst trying to hide a smirk.

"The door is that way", Luciana says and points to the door.

The trio burst out laughing and Lucille takes a seat beside then on the couch. They spent the rest of the day goofing around and drops Quinxel off before heading home.

{•✓•}

'Luciana smiles and coos at the baby in her arms. Her eyes twinkling as they stare at it with so much love and admiration but suddenly, the baby is yanked out of her grip and she looks around with fear and confusion. A drop of blood fall on her forehead and she looks up and screams with fear as pain grips her heart.

The baby's heart was ripped out and it's eyes had been gorged out leaving behind two empty and dark eyeballs that had tears gushing out of them. More blood drop on her and the babies multiply as sounds of babies crying permeates the atmosphere.

She screams and crumbles on the floor as her white button up shirt is soaked with blood.

She lets out a heartwrenching cry and clutches her chest as it aches painfully.'

Lucianna jolts out of bed and is held down by Lucille who gently rubs her back and mutters soothing words in her ear.

When she calms down a little, Lucille offers her water and she finishes it in one gulp.

She looks up at Lucille with tears in her eyes and Lucille hugs her tightly in return and runs her fingers through her hair.

Luciana excuses herself to the bathroom and uses that opportunity to take a bath since she wouldn't be be able to sleep anyway. When she emerges from the bathroom, Lucille is no longer in her room. She switches on her laptop and works for a while before heading downstairs when the sun is up.

Luciana is cooking when she enters the kitchen and they greet each other good morning. Breakfast is served and they both eat quietly as Luciana awaits Lucille's inevitable probing.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lucille questions.

Luciana smiles sadly and shakes her head. Lucille nods and gets up before heading upstairs to get dressed for work.