CHAPTER 9

James  stagger a bit, looked around and knocked the door.

He was standing at the entrance of a very big house. The yard was pockmarked (I don't know how to say "empedrado" in english, sorry), lots of flowers, most of all white and beautiful jazmins, were surrunding the house. The garden was just amazing. As far as James could see the house was enormous, and it had three orchards on it's right.

The house in itself was made up of bricks, it was rather small in high and had hidden gardens in it's inside. It was really beautiful.

The wooden door slowly opened.

A red haired appeared happily infront of him and jumped to hug him.

"You are the one who's gonna help dady?" she asked in a sweet little voice.

"I am" James said lifting her up into his arms. Then he looked at her thin and small face. "And who are you my intelligent lady?" he asked smiling as she blushed a bit.

"My name is Amy, and I'm Lily's sister." she said very proud. Her dark brown eyes shining with beauty as she talked. "And I'm a big girl now, I'm five already."

"Really?" James said showing a big surprise. "You are a lady then." he smiled as she nodded. She was really sweet. "So, then my lady, I have to present myself, I'm James."

"Okay," she said timdly. "But, you will play hide and seek with me like Lily does, won't you?"

"obviously." he said happily wondering who was Lily. "But first I have to check on your father, you know Amy?" he said

"Okay, I'll take you." she said pulling herself out off James arms and walking with her hand in his into the house.

She took him to the entrance hall and stood infront of a door at her left.

"Before I'll show you to Lily" she said smiling.

"Okay, but who's Lily?" he asked smiling as the child opened the door.

"Oh, you'll see" she said confidently and inmediatly running into the room and to an armchair at the other side of it. The room was very big and beautiful decorated. On the other side it had three armchairs and a chimney with the fire light.

James followed her, but sttoped as he saw a bigger girl standing up from an armchair.

"Oh, hello, I'm James" he said giving the young women his hand. She shook it.

"Hi, I'm Lily." She said as James looked at her carefully. She had, as Amy, red bright hair. It was matched perfectly with her beautiful green eyes. Very deep green eyes. "I see you already found the little monster." She added pointing towards Amy. James smiled.

"Hey!" Amy shouted angrily putting a disappointed face were her big cheeks grew bigger if possible. James laughed and picked her up.

Amy stuck out her tongue at Lily, who laugh too.

'Hey, she's pretty when she smiles' James thought, and immediately discarded the idea. ' Better to go slowly, I just met her and I'm already fancying her!'

"I see you like kids, right?" Lily asked him as she too looked at him carefully.

'He's cute! And what a lovely messy hair' she thought laughing on her insides.

"Yeah, I really do." He answered happily. "And you?"

"I suppose I do too. Although I have four brothers, and really they get a little too unbearable sometimes." She answered laughing. James blushed as his though came back, 'Oh god, she's really pretty!'. "But this little one is my favourite." She said leaning forward to kiss Amy on the cheek. "ok, come here, you are supposed to looked at my father today?·" she asked to James as she turned back and looked at a big frame which was on the opposite wall.

"Right there." James said putting a knowing face.

"ok, come here then." She asked still watching the frame. James approached her. " See that room over there?" she asked showing him the frame. It was like a kind of map of the house. James nodded. "That's my father's bedroom, you just have to touch the room in the map and say 'here' and you will be right there in a fraction of seconds."

"Ok, thanks." He said and then an smile came across his face as he thought something." Would you like to came with me?"

"Okay, if you want." She smiled too. "But you know,… my father doesn't bite, he's only sick, eh?" she said laughing again. She was too cheerful James thought, and he like that indeed.

James laugh. "Yeah, you are right, but I will need someone to guide me afterwards to your brothers and mother, I'll have to meet them too."

"My mother died last year…" she said sadly.

"Oh! I'm really sorry!" James said truthfully, and remembering his family and, as it that wasn't just too much, he also remembered Peter… "I know what that feels like… my parents died too…"

"It's hard." She said as a lonely tear ran through her beautiful face.

"James?..." Amy asked interrupting the scene.

"What sweetie?" he asked watching the smaller one apprehensively. It must have been very hard for her to overcome the death of a mother at her age. 'That's why, maybe, she is so stuck up with Lily', he thought.

"You promised me you will play hide and seek" she said reproaching him.

Lily smiled.  

"Yes Amy, I will, but later, first we have to check on your father." James explained. Then turning towards Lily. "Want to go first?"

"Ok." She said, and then touching the map she murmured "here" and disappeared.

"Ok, now me. Will you come Amy?" James asked.

"No, I'll wait for you here." She smiled.

"Ok, I'll wont be late" and touching the frame he disappeared too.