A/N: AAAAAAAHHH! I totally forgot to upload this yesterday. I'm sorry. DX

It was 2pm sharp, according to the wall clock, and Lottie was done with her chores. The flat was clean, the meal was on the stove, the laundry was done and she had finished folding and ironing. It had definitely been a busy morning and now she was just waiting for her husband to come back from school. This had been her routine for the past month and a half and, to be honest, she was getting bored of it. The apartment which had appeared like a palace to her in the beginning with all the victorian styled furniture, the modern kitchen and the comfortable location, was more like a cage to her now. One made of gold but a cage nonetheless.

During the first week in New York, Sam had been with her all the time. They had gone out a couple of times to get acquainted with the neighborhood, they found a nice store to buy fresh fruit and vegetables from, along with a decent butcher shop and a bakery. They had also found a couple of nice stores to get books, candies and some other things but the main point, was that they had each other, they were the new ones in town but they had each other. Now, with Sam absent most of the day, she felt alone and utterly bored.

Sure, there were some new books in the mahogany bookshelf along with some that this mysterious Nisse had left but it wasn't enough for her. She had already read a couple of the stories because Sam had pointed them out as being really good ones. They had been, no doubt but she wasn't the kind of girl that just sat around and did nothing with her time. That's mostly why the house had always been impeccable and the food always on time. Her Sam always thanked her for that in more than one way and she loved him even more for it.

Still, sometimes she couldn't help to think that she didn't belong here, that she should go back to Medora. There at least, she would be able to have more space to run or to stroll around, no matter if she was alone or not. Some other times she wished she was already with child so that she could have someone to talk to. That particular day she was lying on the couch, looking at the ceiling, contemplating all of her possibilities and options. She sighed.

"I'm bored", she finally managed to say out loud. It was the very first time she accepted the fact and was afraid she would be unable to live like this for, at least, five more years. Month and a half already felt like an eternity. Little did she know that she had been observed and heard.

Next morning she went down looking for any mail. She hoped to get some correspondence from Medora some time soon so she checked every morning after saying goodbye to Sam. That day there were indeed some letters, finally. Four from her sisters, one from her mother, one from her mother-in-law and a last one with no return address but directed to her. She took them all up.

Like the curious young woman she had always been, she was highly intrigued by the last letter in particular. Lottie could guess whom it was from but her mind fought hard to deny the fact for two particular reasons: 1) Nisse had never wrote to her, not direct and exclusively to her; 2) She didn't (or rather couldn't) believe the story of the Nisse. Who could? A magical, mythical creature that had looked after a family for years, ensuring they never lacked anything asking nothing in return and the family having never taken advantage of that fact? It was hard to believe. Lottie wanted to but her logic had denied her the joy to join into her husband's fantasies.

What was most likely to have happened is that the father made the whole story up so they could cope with the idea of him not earning but enough to maintain the family through the years and having made some deal under the water to ensure their survival. Also to feed Sam's imagination and belief in magic throughout his childhood, making it somehow brighter.

Nevertheless, the fact that the farce had lasted so long made Lottie dubious. Why allow this fantasy to live even though Sam was no longer a little boy? He was a married man studying to be a doctor for heaven's sake. Most people in Medora gossiped about the fact behind the family's back but no one had been able to actually understand where all the money came from. The bank? Even a simple provincial girl like her was well aware of the economic problems the country was facing. But perhaps the biggest question of all was, why did Sam still believed so firmly in the existence of this thing? Odd indeed.

Lottie tried not to succumb to her curiosity and left the letter on a small table next to the couch along with the one from Mrs. Baker, taking the others in her hands and opening one by one. The four letters from her sisters were rather short and very enthusiastic. They asked lots of questions about the mysterious gift, where were they living and the city in general. They also said that they missed her a lot and wished they could at least visit once the couple was perfectly settled down.

The next letter she opened was her mother's. This was less enthusiastic and a bit more serious. It was full of little tips and recommendations for her as a newly wed wife, simple recipes, house chore hacks and finishing the missive with an indirect plea for grandchildren. Lottie knew how much her parents wanted grandchildren, almost as much as she wanted to have babies, now more than ever. Even though the first week they had barely separated, Lottie was still uncertain about whether or not she was pregnant. She would still need one more week to find out.

The woman looked to the ceiling and left the correspondence by her side, taking in all the information and allowing nostalgia to set on her chest. A knot forming in her throat, tears suddenly pooling in her eyes. She missed them, her family, but she had decided to follow her husband and help him fulfill his dream. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable or guilty with her feelings so she would have to suck it up.

Tears had already began trailing down when she looked to the side to the last letter directed to her. Oh, what the devil, she thought reaching out for the envelope. The paper was the same kind as that of the letter they received on their wedding day. It felt really soft but was a bit thick. Lottie was unsure of exactly where this Nisse got this paper from. Nowhere near Medora, that was for sure. She began reading:

"October 17th, 1933.

Dearest Lady Charlotte,

It has come to my attention that you have found yourself bored due to the lack of activities and acquaintances that you used to know. I understand how complicated this might be to you. To start over in a different place, a completely unknown place and I wanted you to know that you can count me as an ally. You may rely on me. Feel free to talk with me, I will always be listening or if it makes you feel better I will give you a special gift so you can write to me. But beware if you choose the latter. This communication method is for your use and mine solely. It should be kept a secret. I am not telling you to hide the nature of our relationship to Sammy, only the method of communication, for the time being.

Now, I have not visited New York City in a while but I remember some things that might be of your interest. In example two blocks south from your flat there is a small theater. The person I went with the first time took me there. They had this beautiful and tragic play about a couple from different families, enemy families, that could only find love with each other. I believe it was named: Romeo and Juliet. I had never seen anything like it although I am quite sure that the story is more familiar to you. I believe the company is representing another play now, so you could always go and watch some theater if you wish to entertain yourself.

Other than theater, there is an academy close by (approximately five blocks east and two north from your place) which imparts practical lessons in sewing, knitting, confection and those sort of things. Or there is this other place to learn art if you like that better. Up to my knowledge these people give lessons of how to use different music instruments, how to sing or how to paint with different techniques. If you are interested you can always go ask for information do not worry about the money. I think this could help you meet other people at the same time you alleviate some of the boredom and frustration that you have accumulated so far.

Once again I reiterate my disposition of becoming friends, or at least acquaintances. I hope you agree. If you would like for us to exchange correspondence, place a lock of hair in an envelope and leave it in the iron box. I shall contact you soon enough.

Yours faithfully,

Nisse."

Lottie blinked and stared at the signature for a minute, unsure. Did she really feel so lonely and desperate to actually play along this game? She wondered but past a minute she decided it was worth the try. After all, what else could she lose? Her sanity? Fair price for what she was about to do.

The new Mrs. Baker got up from the couch and went straight to the bathroom where she knew that she had left a pair of scissors. She looked at herself in the mirror one last time and she trimmed a lock of her golden mane. She was careful not to cut too much or too close to her face so that Sam wouldn't notice. Not that she wasn't going to tell him but she thought that this arrangement would end up (most likely) with her either unraveling the farce or finding out that the Nisse was actually real. Her logic self insisted that all this was due to the former but her true self prayed it was the latter. How much more interesting could her life be if it were the latter?

Lottie smiled as she ran down stairs to place the envelope. Through her mind came up the possibility of just waiting around to see who the mysterious Nisse was but the idea of being discovered by Sam so soon in the game dragged her back to the flat. To play this game, she needed to be patient.