Finding Lilibeth

Dj made Lilibeth sit on the kitchen stool while he gathered the ingredients for the banana smoothies. "Are you allergic to anything Lilibeth?" Dj asked his sister. Lilibeth nodded her head yes. She was in fact allergic to some tomato sauces, she would end up breaking out in hives if she ate it. "And what might that be Lili? Can I call you Lili? Your name is to long for such a small girl" Dj rambled out.

Leo and Lex couldn't believe that Lilibeth had answered Dj. She literally hadn't engaged with anyone in the time that she had been here. They heard her speak more to him in the two hours he had been here then she ever spoke to anyone.

Lilibeth nodded to Dj confirming he could call her Lili but didn't speak up. There were other people in the room and she didn't want to talk in front of them all. She didn't believe they wouldn't use her allergy against her and force her to eat something to watch her suffer. "Lilibeth what are you allergic to?" Darren asked seeing she hadn't told Dj as yet. Lilibeth immediately turned her face to the ground. She wouldn't tell them at all.

Dj saw the reaction which there father caused Lilibeth and glared at him. "Dad leave her alone, you should already know this by now" Dj told his father. "Lili is there anything on this bench you are allergic to?" Dj asked. Lilibeth peeked at the ingredients as she wasn't sure what a smoothie was and then shook her head no. "Good, now we make banana smoothies" Dj smiled at Lilibeth while talking.

Dj put bananas, ice, vanilla ice cream and a splash of milk in the blender, he secured the lid and turned the blender on which was really loud. Lilibeth panicked and fell off the kitchen stool covering her head. Lilibeth hated loud noises, she attempted to cover her ears but it was hard with the cast on her arm. Zac had seen everything and rushed over to his sister putting his hands over her ears. Zac smiled at Lilibeth when she looked up and him. "You're ok" he mouthed to Lilibeth who hadn't even blinked while looking at Zac. She was watching for the hit because no one had shown kindness to her here. When Zac saw the look on her face he was ashamed of himself. He could see in her eyes she was bracing herself for impact.

Dj turned the blender off and swung around to let Lili know that the smoothies were ready. He saw Zac holding her ears and wasn't sure what had happened. "It was just the blender. I won't hurt you Lilibeth I promise" Zac told his sister. "What happened?" Dj asked coming over to where Lilibeth and Zac were on the ground. "I don't think Lilibeth liked the noise and got a little scared. She fell off the stool and was trying to cover her ears" Zac told his brother who nodded. "Lili, have you ever had a milkshake?" Dj asked his sister. Lilibeth shook her head no earning a frown from Zac and Dj, what 8 year old never had a milkshake?

Darren and the others had been watching the entire time and now felt worse for how they all treated Lilibeth. They hadn't even thought about the life Lilibeth had had before Darren took custody. Dj smiled at Lili and helped her back up sitting her on the bench near the blender. He grabbed two cups out of the cupboard and poured himself and Lili a smoothie before handing Lili a glass of banana smoothie. Lili smiled at Dj and took the glass in her hand without the glass then used her casted hand to support the glass. She brought the cup to her nose to smell the smoothie before taking a small sip.

Lilibeth smiled a genuine smile to Dj showing her dimples. Her eyes lit up as well. She wanted to show Dj she liked the banana smoothie. "You like it?" Dj asked his sister who nodded her head and took another bigger sip this time. Lilibeth had a milk moustache and Dj and Zac couldn't help but laugh at her. Lilibeth looked confused at why they were laughing. "You have a milk moustache Lili" Zac laughed out. Lilibeth didn't know what that was and looked up confused. Zac grabbed the paper towels and tore one off. He lifted his hand moving towards Lilibeth's face wanting to wipe the milk off her face. Lilibeth's eyes grew wide, she thought that Zac was going to hurt her and realised he had no smoothie. She was stupid, this was clearly a trap to hurt her for taking something she wasn't meant to have.

Darren saw the look on Lilibeth's face. "Zac stop she is scared" he called out to his son. Zac froze with his arm in the air and looked at Lilibeth's face. Her eyes were wide and her shoulders tense. She was no longer smiling and she wasn't moving not even to breath. "Lilibeth, I won't hurt you. I was just going to wipe the milk off your face" Zac whispered to his sister. Lilibeth let herself breath again taking small shallow breaths and turned her gaze to the ground. She was embarrassed and wanted to go back to her room but she knew she couldn't get down from the bench without hurting herself.

Lilibeth couldn't help but let the tears fall. She didn't want to be where everyone could see her but she couldn't ask for help without everyone hearing how upset she actually was. Dj noticed the small tear slip from her face and fall to the floor. He put down his drink and took Lilibeth's from her gently placing it next to her. Dj lifted Lili's chin and wiped her tears with the paper towel Zac had in his hand and then wiped her mouth. He pulled Lili into a hug and held her to his chest. Lilibeth couldn't help but let more tears fall as she felt safe in Dj's arms. "Shhh it's ok. You aren't in trouble at all" Dj whispered to his sister. "I will keep you safe Lili I promise" Dj added and felt Lilibeth relax in his arms causing him to smile. That meant Lili trusted him and he couldn't be happier.