TO DEATH & BEYOND ▹ tlou

[ 00 ] prologue

"Gee, I wonder why." She muttered and flipped at the current page of the children's book she's reading to her grandmother. "Do you ever get anywhere?" he asked with a mocking laugh. "Yes," replied the Tortoise, "and I get there sooner than you think. I'll run you a race and prove it...,"

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SOMETIMES DIANA WONDERS what it will be like had her mother never left home and dumped a newborn child into the care of seniors. It was already more than difficult for Connie to manage the Adler household due to her own age and ailments while taking care of their disabled mother, as well as her husband with a heart condition. So when Diana came into their lives, their efforts and attention had to be doubled.

Though never mistreated or experienced any type of abuse. The young girl had to learn about life faster than she was supposed to, depending mostly on herself on a daily basis to lessen the workload of her Aunt Connie. A part she is more than happy to take care of, having been aware of their challenging home situation. Diana is always eager to clean up and look after herself, and at times when she can't the young girl makes sure she'll get even by helping around the house in small ways. Something that never fails to warm the hearts of her aunt and uncle. In the end of the day Diana is the Adler's youngest and joyful light against the bleakness of their aging home, her presence is a gift to them and they never forget to remind her of that.

"So I'm not having those cookies? Sarah's tummy's gonna hurt with that." The six year old commented as she sat by the kitchen counter, she's brushing a color pencil in hand against her workbook.

"Well you ain't wrong, sweetheart," Connie scoffed a light laugh on the girl's honest observation. "The doctor said you can't have sweets and junk foods for a while, you have to eat more healthily."

"I've been eating my potatoes and beans for many Mondays now." Diana groaned and rested her face against the activity page she's working on.

"It's only been two Mondays, Dee. That's not a lot. Doc told you that's why you've been gettin' more tired and your asthma keeps coming back."

A small pout forms on her lips, "Okay. I'll eat more so it'll go away," she stiffened her shoulder. "Oh, maybe we can feed Nana more potatoes so she can be okay."

Both of them look back at the sound of a doorbell ringing outside, the frown on Diana's face quickly turned upside down as soon as she hears it. "Sarah's here!"

"I'll get that, watch the tray, Dee."

There was a short exchange on the front door between her aunt and her babysitter but Diana couldn't hear much about it, so she just waited for Sarah to reach the spot in the kitchen before calling out to her.

"Sarah! Hi!" The excitement in the girl's voice was evident.

"Hi, Dee! What you doin'?"

"My homework. It's a pile," Diana lifted the set of workbooks in front of her, Sarah took one from her hand and started to flip the pages.

"Wow, your handwriting is getting better."

"Just like in our practice. Look I don't write my Es upside down anymore!"

The older one messes the younger girl's hair playfully, sporting a huge smile, "Next time we'll practice cursive."

"I was thinkin' we'd make some cookies." Connie joined in and held out the tray of cookie molds that Diana helped making a while ago.

"Chocolate chip?"

"Raisin."

It's been quite some time since Sarah came over to their home and stayed longer than a couple of minutes, Diana almost forgot how happy she can be around the Miller girl. It's only been an hour yet she has shared and confided stories with the older girl more than she has with her own aunt in a week. They listened together to the music Diana adores so much while she proudly presented a collection of drawings and paintings done by her. Sarah entertained most of the trivial things that Danny and Connie often brushed aside due to their generational gap between them and the child of the house.