a girl called Evangeline Summers:chap03

      With such a relief,Evangeline took the empty tray back to the kitchen and checked on her Evee.Evee happened to be craving for attention all this while,as when he saw Evangeline he stopped barking.

                                  "My attention seeker!",said Evangeline.

    She took him in her arms and decided to show him her attic.she tucked him neatly in her lower back and hurriedly sprinted to the attic.The attic was the only place where she felt comfort and peace.It was her place to wind out and feel herself.Here she often laid out her tensions speaking to the attic as if it was her friend who seemed to understand her thoughts.Secretly,Evangeline assumed the attic to be her mother in many ways because when in attic,she never felt ill or discomfort!So there she was,in the attic.She removed Evee from her back and placed her on the maze in front of her bed.She also warned the little Evee to be quiet.Evee on his part, woofed as if to say he understood.

    Such a bond would be so difficult to express considering Evangeline's introvert behaviour,but there was something magical about the chihuahua that resembled her nature in many ways.She decided to place the chihuahua in the fruit-basket but she decided that this would arouse suspicion from mrs.lily as she very well knew that it was a prized possession of Evangeline's. 

    Considering the innocence and also the sweet,adorable face of Evee,Evangeline came up with the idea to let her sleep in her bed.The bed was enough for two accomodate two Evangeline's,so letting Evee sleep wouldn't be such a problem.Besides,her papa never came up the attic and mrs.lily rarely came up and that too with seeking permission.

      Evangeline found that Evee was tired,as he seemed to be dozing off in the maze.Quietly she lifted him up and placed him on the bed.Evee developed an instant liking with the bed as he made himself comfortable!

                                      "Such a spoilt brat!",said Evangeline fondly.

      She then went downstairs to prepare for dinner,as she didn't want her papa to be angry at her.Her papa used to have many mood-swings and he was the worst when he was drunk!Even mrs.lily sometimes couldn't control his anger and at such times it was best to lock oneself in the attic.With the fresh,ripe tomatoes she processed herself on making the evening meal.The tomatoes were so good that Evangeline decided to make tomato stew and some brocolli sandwiches with some lemon juice.It was a personal favourite of both Evangeline's and papa's and she wanted to create something special as it was the arrival of little Evee.She was on her best when she was cooking and it helped her drive out all her worries.All her tensions were reduced to vapours when she smelled her lovely food.It was the only place apart from her attic that she loved to be in.She didn't mind being alone as she was used to it.

      It took almost an hour to make the food and she neatly arranged on the dinner table.She made sure to save some for her little

                                          "Papa,dinner is ready!",said Evangeline.

                                            "Coming",was all papa said.

      The dinner took exactly the way papa wanted.During all her childhood,Evangeline had learnt that it would be unwise to talk on the dinner table.At is the usual norm of families bonding over the dinner table,but for poor Evangeline it was never the case.They only talked about the passing of plates or spoons and that was it!No sound moved from both their mouths as they ate with gusto and quietly.The food turned out to be good,Evangeline made a mental note to herself.Since papa would never say anything good to her,she took it as a compliment.Papa never liked to compliment Evangeline,who in turn knew this perfectly well.Once when mrs.lily complimented on her food,papa gave his loudest grunt and scolded poor mrs.lily for being too kind to her nasty daughter.Nevertheless,mrs.lily continued her kind showering on Evangeline whenever she felt appropriate.

        She finished her dinner alongside papa and went on to do the dishes.Her papa was not very fond of washing,as she knew perfectly well.So she never asked or assumed to be helped.So even at an hard day,Evangeline was reduced to again toil herself to do the chores.But Evangeline never complained whatsoever as she felt her duty to do it.Such was the kindness of the girl.With everything set done,she took the food saved for her Evee and went upstairs with bidding her ritual"Night,night papa",to papa.Papa was never kind enough to reciprocate her but she didn't mind.

        She reached her attic and closed it from inside.Well there was no need of it but she just wanted to make sure.She reached out for her Evee and found that he was still sleeping.She was in dilemma whether to wake him up or not,but maybe it was her arrival or something that awakened Evee.Evee on being awake happily went to her and started licking her.How she wished her mother this time.It was the first time in her life that someone had truly loved her.She felt a moral responsibility and made an oath to never leave her Evee just like her mother had left her unwillingly!