I continued to watch them as the days turned to months and the months into years. Lila was beautiful and carefree. And John was funny and smart. They loved each other with a passion.
Every morning, John and Lila would eat the breakfast that Lila cooked, then John would kiss her and leave for work. That was when Lila began the housework. Secretly, I helped her the best I could. If she left laundry in the hamper, I would run it to the laundry room, before she could look. I learned that if I moved fast, she wouldn’t hear or see me. Sometimes, if she left flowers to be planted, she would come back to find them in the ground.
“John,” She’d said once. “I think there is a ghost here….a friendly ghost…it helps me around the house.” John then smiled and kissed her head. “Then that’s a good thing. Now, go to sleep.” She’d giggle and kiss him back. I’d watch and laugh.
And soon, their smell didn’t bother me. I could watch them day and night, and only hunt deep in the forest when needed. I grew to love them, like a family. Then…one day, Lila came to John with happy tears in her eyes. I got closer, curious. “John….I think…I think I’m pregnant.” John let out a happy cry and hugged her. I smiled, and then hear something amazing. Two heartbeats in Lila. One was hers…. but the other must have been the baby’s. Their joy was my joy. And so, I waited, as excited as they were about the child.
John and Lila turned one of the rooms upstairs into a nursery. I was surprised to see that it was the room that had once been mine. I smiled to myself as I watched them paint the walls a creamy color, then Lila began to paint pictures on the walls. Pictures of beautiful fairies, of colorful flowers and sparkling streams. Lila was a wonderful painter, and she seemed to it. She would hum and paint for hours at a time, until John came to call her to bed.
I was amazied at the changes in Lila. Her stomach swelled, grow with the child. And I could hear the baby’s heartbeat grow stronger every day. Lila was always smiling and laughing, she seemed to glow. And I loved listening to that heartbeat. It was like music to me. It didn’t make want to run and bite Lila…. I found it calming…. Soothing. I couldn’t wait to see the child, and soon, my wait was over.
Lila woke John one night, seeming to be in pain. He nodded and grabbed her bags, then they got into the car and drove away. I watched over the house for them. I even snuck into the house and straightened the nursery. I looked around at the colorful pictures on the walls, smiling. I’d had many wonderful memories in this room, and now, I hoped the child would have many here too.

As the sun rose on the third morning after they left, I snuck back outside just in time. John and Lila pulled up the driveway as I ran to the back to the forest. I hid behind a tree, watching them. John jumped out of the car and ran to the other side, helping Lila out. She looked very tried, but she was still smiling.
Then John opened the door to the back seat, and gentally pulled out a car seat. Lila smiled brighter and took the car seat from him. I could hear the little heatbeat from it. The child…. John hurried to the front door, keys in hand. He opened it, and held it open for Lila and the child. Soon they entered the nursery and Lila lifted the child from the car seat. I smiled. The child was small and dressed in a little pink dress. A girl. I stared, watching as Lila laid her down in the cradle, and gently rocked it. John watched over her shoulder. Lila hummed, then as the child began to fall asleep, she whispered: “I love you, Rose.”

I dedicate this chapter to cori0603! Thank you for commenting!!!