That call was all I remembered. The call that said life was about to change forever. “Is this the Moore residence?” That question went through my head every night after that. Sometimes I wish I had not had said yes so I would not have to hear the words that followed. “Your parents were in a severe car accident. Can you come to the hospital?” Words that can shatter dreams. I’m Lillian Moore and to this day I can not understand my life. I grew up a fairly normal child. I was born on Prince Edward Island. My mom was a ambitious author and my dad a director. Mom never made it as an author so she settled for the next best thing, being a script writer for a hit television show. I had lived on PEI til I was 5 years old when my dad decided to move back to Californa to contiue working at Hidden Cottage Productions. We lived in the Valley for as long as I could remember. Our house was not big and the neighborhood was not the greatest, but they made it feel like the best home ever. Till about a year ago everthing was fine with Mom. Then it happened! Mom went into having a period of severe depression. The night of the accident I remember telling mom before she left for the party that I had chosen a career for after college. “Oh, That’s great! What did you choose?” Mom had said distracted. “I thought I would be a writer. My counsler said it is a hard job but I thought-” I remember her interupting me. That harsh yell “Don’t ever become a writer. Writing made my life a living hell and I don’t want that for you.” After mom said that her and dad left. The last time I would see them together. Mom was alive but she was in a coma. Dad had died on inpact. The docter said to my aunt and uncle, “Lucy Moore will never awake from her coma. Now we can keep her on life support, but I think some of her relatives need to take care of Lillian. Till-well-she dies.” I never wanted to leave but they said that since school would start soon I should go ahead and move to my grandparents house on PEI. I had not seen them in years. My aunt and uncle said they would call if mom woke up. The plane ride was oaky and the boat ride my grandparents had arranged for me to go to the island was relaxing. When I got to shore it felt very relieving to see Grandma Polly’s smile looking at me. “How was your trip Lillian?” “Lilly, Grandma Polly, and the trip was fine. I am just really tired now. I have not slept in days.” I said. Grandpa Eddie loaded my luggage and we set off for Sandy Shores. Sandy Shores is a beautiful small town. It has a school, a store, a docter, and a post office. Not much but it was perfect and beautiful. When I saw thier home I became mezmorized by its beautifaul gardens and old fashion architecture. All I could say was “Wow!” I was shown to my room on the second floor. “This was your mothers room. Do you remember it. It has been years since you were here.” Grandma Polly had said while Grandpa Eddie put my luggage in the corner of my new room. “Thank you.” All I could say but it said enough. “Oh and dear you can just call us Polly and Eddie.” Polly said. “I’m not old and Grandmother Polly and Grandfather Eddie sounds too formal.” Polly left the room and walked downstairs. Eddie sat down my last suitcase and left also. I fely out of place in thier house. Polly and Eddie dressed in clthes that seemed almost old fashioned even though they were in mourning. My clothes were, well, I was wearing a camo skirt and leather shirt. The combat boots also didn’t seem to fit in in this perfect house. The room had a old wooden bed, with various other peices of furniture made of the same wood. Nothing could compare to the beautiful bay window and window seat. I walked over and opened the window. As I looked out on to the beautiful backyard. Everything was green and colorful. I saw a few cows in the back pasture and heard the barking of dogs. I look out the window and saw a small grey dog and a small red dog running across the lawn. I smiled at the fun they were having chasing the chickens. I walked down stairs and into the kitchen. “I saw two dogs running across the lawn.Whose are they?” “Well if it was a small grey dog and a small red dog it was probably Gil and Annie. The grey on,Gil, is ours and the red one, Annie, belongs to the Richards.” Eddie said sitting in one of the kitchen chairs. He was smoking a pipe and a book was sitting open on the table next to him. “Can I go walking around the property?” I asked walking towards the door and loking out to the near by forest. Polly turned around from what she was doing at the sink and gave Eddie a look. I stared suspicouly at them then relized it was nothing about danger like the looks I was given in LA. “Of course dear. You can go anywhere on the properety. The Richards have a boy about your age and I believe the Karols have a girl your age. Maybe you will meet them.” Polly gave what mother called a world famous smile as I turned and walked outside. I walked out to the edge of the forest and was met by Annie and Gil. “Hey guys. You want to come with me?” I knew they could not answer me but they showed me that they wanted to come with me.Gill and Annie ran ahead of me toward a small stream. I walked over to where they were playing by the water and sat down on a old log. The glisening clear, blue water reflected the evening sun lightening up the dark forest. Gill came up to me and layed down below my feet. Annie came up beside me and put her front paws on my leg. “Hey girl.” I said scratching her head. “Hello.” A voice said from behind me. I turned around to see a tall, light haired boy stareing at me. His eyes were intense and appeared to stare right through the inner me. “I’m Shaun Richards. I live on the land your sitting on.” “Oh! I’m sorry. I saw no fence. I concieved that I had not left Polly and Eddie’s.” I stood up to walk away, but Shuan put his hand on my arm to stop me. “No! It’s oaky.” He said then made a gesture for me to sit down again. I sat back down and he sat beside me. Annie jumped into his lap and let him scratch her. “So your Annie’s master.” I said watching him smooth back her rough red fur. I never had seen a man give the appearance of loving a dog so much. “Yeah. So I’m guessing your Eddie and Polly’s Lilly of the Valley. At least that’s what they call you.” The way he stared at me made me catch my breath. “I guess I am am. Well Lillian, but everyone calls me Lilly.” I did not care if I overembelished a little. In the Valley everyone called my Lillian. Saying it sounded more mature. I always liked Lilly though so I wanted Shuan to call me Lilly. “That is a very pretty name. I hear you are going to school here. Just to warn you. You may not like it. It is not very big or anything.” He seemed depressed in telling me about the school. It was very flattering that he seemed to want me there. I smiled at him and then in my most cheerful voice said, “Then I know I will like it here.” “In that case. There is a picnic this Sunday. It is a back to school picnic. Do you want to come?” I was not sure if it was a date or what, but the idea of getting to know the other students I would go to school with apppealed to me. “If Polly and Eddie say yes; then sure.” I said. When I finished talking I discovered that the forest had become darker. “It’s getting dark. I should head home.”
