It is 7am, Saturday. Lincoln woke up a little early and decided to walk downstairs. As he was walking in the kitchen, he saw Liliana in her nightgown with messy pink hair sitting there alone. He thought he heard faint crying and sniffing. As he walked closer, he thought he saw her wipe her eyes from behind. Liliana turned around to see Lincoln and immediately turned back around. She had puffy red eyes. As he got close to her, he sat down right next to her.
"Liliana, what's wrong?" Lincoln asked. Liliana shook her head no. Lincoln thought that meant "Nothing's wrong". "Liliana, please" Lincoln said, Liliana just turned her head away from him. "You can talk to me." Lincoln said. She pointed at him and then herself. "Yes. Just you and me." Lincoln said. Liliana nodded. "Let's go to my room." Lincoln said as they walked upstairs.
It cuts to Lincoln and Liliana in Lincoln's room. They both sat crisscross on Lincoln's bed. "So, please, tell me, Liliana. What's wrong? Why were you crying? Why are you so silent?" Lincoln asked. Liliana sighed and said, "It all happened 5 years ago. Today is the fifth anniversary it happened.". Lincoln was shocked to hear her voice. It was a feminine Polish accent. She went to talking.
"I was at school. I used to be a big chatterbox, but I've always had big stage fright. The teachers picked me to speak at an assembly. I had no other choice. When I went up to speak, I stuttered, messed up the speech, everyone laughed. I humiliated myself. I got made fun of and beat up by groups of kids every time I tried to speak at school. My Mama took me and Marcel out of school after and homeschooled us. After that, I vowed to rarely ever speak again."
Liliana then broke down in tears and cried. Lincoln immediately hugged his cousin as he comforted her. He stroked her hair. She hugged him back. "Shh shh, I'm here. I'm here." Lincoln said. "That's why I barely speak! I don't want to be humiliated again! I don't want to be hurt again!" Liliana said as she wept. "Liliana, it's ok. I get it. I feel your pain." Lincoln said as the broke the hug. She had sad glassy eyes. "You do?" she asked. "Yes! Remember hearing about what I went through with my "family"?". "I-I remember now." Liliana said as she smiled "T-thank you, Lincoln. Thank you for understanding m-me.". Lincoln put his hand over her's and said, "You're welcome, cuz.". Liliana and Lincoln hugged again.
It cuts to Lincoln eating breakfast with Marcel, Krysia, and Suziko. "Hey... where's Liliana?" Suziko asked. Krysia, Marcel and Lincoln all shrugged.
It cuts to Liliana looking in her luggage for proper clothes to wear. She decided to wear something different and not so hiding of her identity this time. She found something that made her smile.
It cuts to the rest of the family eating breakfast downstairs. "Hi family" they heard a voice say as they all looked to the direction where it came from. Their eyes widen in shock at what they saw. It was Liliana and she looked beautiful.
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"Liliana... you... you talked! And you're dressed differently!" Suziko said. "That's because Lincoln helped me." Liliana said. "Lincoln?" Krysia said curiously looking at Lincoln. "Me and Liliana had a little talk about this incident she had when she was in school, and she opened up about it." Lincoln said. "What incident?" Suziko asked. Krysia remembers now. "Oh, Liliana... Tak mi przykro... Tak mi przykro, że zapomniałem o tym incydencie." (I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry I forgot about that incident.) Krysia said voice cracking. "Już dobrze mamo... to nie twoja wina..." (It's okay Mama... it's not your fault...) Liliana said as they hugged.
After breaking the hug, Liliana looked at Lincoln with a bright smile. "Wow... Liliana... you look gorgeous..." Lincoln said. "Thank you, Lincoln. If it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't have looked like this." Liliana said. Lincoln and Liliana hugged. "From now on, I will start talking more." she said as they broke the hug.
"Liliana, I got some hot pancakes right here, do you want some?" Suziko asked. "Three please" Liliana said as she sat down next to Lincoln. They smiled at each other.
