〰️broken vases〰️

Lillian hadn't exactly wanted Henry to bring Emma Swan with them to the Milne house. Yet, Henry had argued that it would help her get to know the town more. It was hard to agree with having a brother like him.

The house seemed a little outdated. Almost like a little house straight out of the pages of Henry's fairytale book. Except for the few flower beds of petunias.

"So your friends last name is Milne?" Emma asked Lillian, who must've seen the mailbox.

"Yes," she answered.

"Like the author of Winnie the Pooh?" Emma inquired.

Lillian nodded before muttering under her breath, "Wow! What a coincidence! Can't believe this isn't getting through your head yet."

Henry elbowed her, knowing what she had said. She hated to get into a bickering fight right now in front of Emma. It seemed rather rude to do it in front of her friends house.

The door opened just after Henry elbowed her, startling the three of them. A man about in his later 30's stood at the door, looking at them. His brownish, slightly orange hair shined in the light.

"Well if it isn't the Mills siblings?" The man spoke, his voice cheery and a true smile spread across his lips.

"Good evening, Mr. Milne," Lillian greeted him, politely. Amanda slid past her fathers body, meeting the eyes of Henry and Lillian.

She was wearing a large pair of silver earrings that almost dangled down to her shoulders. She was much shorter compared to her father, seemingly afoot shorter than him. But she didn't care about heigh (even when she decided to wear five inch heels).

"Aren't you going to introduce my dad to-"Amanda began only to be cut off by Henry.

"Yes, we were! Mr. Milne this is Emma Swan. Emma this is Mr. Milne," Henry pointed to Milne then to Emma. Emma strecthed her hand to shake Milne's, giving him a polite smile.

Lillian watched their introduction to each other. Mr. Milne was a very friendly and welcoming man. If there was an award for being the most polite person, it go to him. 

"It's nice to meet you," Emma told him.

"Nice to meet you as well, Ms. Swan," Milne gave her a genuine smile, "Now where are my manners come in!"

Milne stepped away from the door, allowing the three inside to the brightly lit house. The couches that were pushed to the side of a small living room decorated with a few carved robins. A few bookshelves, clamored with books, and shelved with a few empty mugs.

A welcoming table decorated with a few picture frames. A stuffed bear in a worn red shirt and an orange stripped tiger sat slumped against the wall. They'd seemed ancient from one look at the poor stuffed animals.

"If I'd known I'd be having this much company I would've tided up the old place a bit," Milne chuckled, "Can I get you anything to drink?" He turned to Emma.

"No. I'm fine," Emma declined, politely, "You have a lovely little place, Milne."

"Cut formalities. Call me Chris," Milne told her.

"Okay.....Chris."

"We'll be downstairs dad!" Amanda told him.

"Alright," Her dad nodded as he took a few mugs off the shelves. Amanda began leading Lillian and Henry downstairs to her little room in the basement.

She shut a painted white door behind them, taking them down the carpeted steps. A few laughed and words could be heard from upstairs from Milne and Emma. It seemed their already getting to know each other well.

"If they start flirting......I'm going to barf!" Henry gagged as they made their way downstairs. He seemed a bit disgusted at the thought.

"Count us in two," Amanda added, jokingly. A chuckle bubbled from Lillian at their little conversation. Amanda hopped off the last step and immediately jumped onto her white sheet bed.

It had just been Amanda and Mr. Milne who lived in the house. Amanda's mother and her father hadn't gotten along well because of how they called their love young and not right. So she never knew her absent mother for most of her life. Only to grow up with her father, since her mother never wanted a kid.

Henry took out a bag of chips that Amanda had carefully stashed under her small chair. As he sat down in the warm glow of a decorated red heart lighted room. She was so much more creative and organized then Lillian was.

"I heard about this napkin dispenser shooting out napkins at the customers yesterday," Amanda began, "Also Henry mentioning you to have powers."

Lillian felt her cheeks flush red t the mention of her powers. She'd stayed up a bit later that night practicing with trying to life books with her powers or stuffed animals. In the morning she was able to bet back at Henry by throwing a stuffed beat at him with her magic.

She wasn't very good, but she was getting better. Though she wished she had started practicing sooner. But that's would've drawn too much attention.

"Do you have laser eyes?" Amanda asked.

"No! Do I look like a superhero from a comic book?!?" Lillian asked Amanda.

"How about levitation?"

"Don't know yet." 

"How about......controlling animals?"

"Isn't that a it ridiculous?"

"I mean she's only started testing this since yesterday. I'm still not happy about the Teddy beat slamming," Henry told Amanda before making a fake pouty face to Lillian.

"Hey!" Lillian fired back, "At least I'm good at doing some magic."

"So......" Amanda trailed off, her voice mischievous, "Can you show me?"

"S-sure," Lillian hesitated. She store the bed out her hand, feeling a tingling erupt on her fingertips. It didn't tickle, it rather felt warm.

Amanda watched in amazement as reddish sparks flew out of her friends hand. The red light swirled and curved as it wrapped around the world. Rose petal shapes seemed to fall out to the ground.

The room was silent as the two watched, enchanted by the sight. They'd ever seen anything like and had never imagined it to be so beautiful. 

The sound of the of Amanda's door opening, immediately shot Lillian out of her trance. She closed her hand only for it to be to sharply. The ribbon of red light swirled around knocking down a clay vase.

"Crap!" Henry exclaimed. Lillian seem to shook to even speak with her face looking directly at the broken vase. The fragments of brown clay and bits of flowers splattered on the floor.

"Is everything alright?" Mr. Milne's voice came from upstairs.

"Everything's fine, Dad! We just....knocked down one of my clay vases!" 

"Okay..." Milne sounded unsure, but returned, "I was going to ask if you'd like anything to drink."

"I'm good," Lillian and Amanda both answered.

"I'll have some hot cocoa," Henry added, receiving an annoyed eye roll form Lillian. 

"Let me guess.....with cinnamon?" Mr. Milne asked.

"Correct as always," Henry replied. Milne shut the door, leaving the three downstairs alone to themselves again.

"Sorry about the vase," Lillian apologized.

"Don't worry. I made that when I was nine. It was too sloppy for my style anyways," Amanda reassured her. She picked up the flowers from the ground and placed them in a hand painted blue vase. 

"And hot cocoa?" Amanda questioned Henry, teasingly before Lillian swung a pink pillow at his head. It landed on his head softly, which made Amanda snicker at the siblings.

"What?!?" Henry aksed, "What's wrong with hot cocoa?"