Chapter 6 - Whispers of the PastTwo days passed. The story of the "Barefoot Hero of Brookstone" had blown up across the national media.
Front-page headlines splashed photos of the private hospital, the exposure of Vanessa Albright’s corporate treason, and the miraculous rescue of young Noah Carter. The public, who had previously ignored the homeless children selling sweets on the street corners, was now captivated by Lily’s bravery.
Inside the VIP wing of Brookstone Private Hospital, Lily sat on a massive, plush hospital bed. Her feet were wrapped in soft, clean white medical bandages, treated with restorative ointments. She was wearing a soft, clean yellow cotton dress, and her hair had been gently washed and combed into neat braids.
Beside her bed sat a huge tray filled with warm soup, fresh fruits, and hot chocolate.
Noah sat on the edge of her bed, holding a bright blue toy race car. His cheeks had regained their rosy color, and he was smiling widely.
"And then vroom! The car goes fast over the bridge!" Noah giggled, zooming the plastic car across the hospital blanket and rolling it right up to Lily’s knee. "Lily, look!"
Lily laughed softly, taking the toy car. "It’s very fast, Noah."
"Dad said you ran faster than a race car," Noah said seriously, looking up at her with big, admiring eyes. "He said you carried me all the way from the giant park!"
"I had to," Lily said simply. "You were sleeping too hard."
The door opened, and Daniel walked in, carrying a large leather document binder. He smiled warmly seeing the two children playing together. Behind him was Dr. Julian Vance, holding a set of medical files.
"How are our two favorite patients doing today?" Dr. Vance asked cheerfully.
"Noah is winning the race," Lily said shyly.
Daniel walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, gently resting a hand on Lily’s shoulder. "Lily, I have some people here who want to talk to you. But only if you feel ready."
Lily looked toward the door. Detective Reed walked in, accompanied by a woman wearing a professional grey suit—a representative from the Department of Child Welfare, Mrs. Eleanor Vance (who happened to be Dr. Vance’s aunt).
"Hello, Lily," Mrs. Vance said with a kind, gentle smile. "We are here to help you. We need to find out a little bit more about where you came from, so we can help sort out your future."
Lily’s smile faded slightly. She lowered her head, nervously playing with the hem of her new yellow dress. "Are you... are you going to send me back to the shelter? The shelter manager, Mr. Grubs, he gets mad if I don't bring back twelve dollars every night..."
Daniel’s expression darkened instantly at the mention of the shelter manager. "Nobody is sending you back to Mr. Grubs, Lily. That shelter has already been shut down by the police as of this morning. Mr. Grubs is facing charges for exploiting minors."
Lily looked up, stunned. "Really?"
"Really," Daniel said softly. "You are safe now. But Mrs. Vance needs to know... do you have any family? A mother? A father?"
Lily shook her head slowly. "I don't remember my dad. My mommy... my mommy was named Clara. She was very sick. Two years ago, she slept in the bed at our tiny apartment and didn't wake up. Then some men came and took our furniture, and I had to go to the street."
Dr. Vance, who was reading through a regional missing persons database on his tablet, suddenly stopped. His eyes widened as he looked at the name on his screen, then looked back at Lily.
"Clara?" Dr. Vance asked, his voice suddenly sharp with intense interest. "Lily... what was your mommy’s full name?"
"Clara..." Lily pondered for a second, trying hard to remember her mother’s voice. "Clara Vance."
The room went completely silent.
Dr. Vance dropped his tablet onto the bed. His face went completely white.
"Julian?" Daniel asked, sensing the sudden tension. "What is it?"
Julian looked at Lily, his hands trembling as he pulled an old, worn photograph out of his wallet—a photo of a young woman with the exact same large, bright brown eyes as Lily.
"Clara Vance..." Julian whispered, his voice shaking uncontrollably. "Clara was my older sister. She ran away eight years ago after a bitter falling out with our late grandfather..."
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Everyone in the room gasped.
Julian fell to his knees beside Lily’s bed, tears welling up in his eyes as he looked at the little girl. "You... you have my sister’s eyes, Lily. You’re my niece."
