August 6th, 2025
At St. Evelyn's Home For Children - 6:45 PM
The bus hissed softly as it came to a halt on the quiet road just outside the familiar fields of South Carolina. Ian and Ellie stepped off the vehicle, the warm summer air embracing them like an old friend.
The scent of grass, pine, and distant barbecue smoke settled around them as cicadas buzzed in the trees nearby. Ian took a deep breath, as if trying to pull the memories from the air itself. Ellie did the same beside him, her eyes closing briefly as a tiny, contented smile played across her face.
In front of them stood the place that molded their childhoods - the orphanage. St. Evelyn's Home For Children.
Time had etched its mark lightly on the building. A few renovations were noticeable - fresh coats of paint, new windows perhaps - but at its core, it was unchanged. The white wooden fence still creaked in the same places. The porch still looked like it would groan under weight. The nostalgia was so thick Ian felt he could touch it.
"Nothing's really changed," he muttered.
Ellie looked at him with a warm, mischievous smile. She didn't say a word, but Ian understood. Sometimes, silence said more than anything else.
Step by step, they approached the building. Their shoes crunched against the gravel, each footfall stirring a memory. The place where Ian once tripped and scraped his knee. The corner where Ellie used to hide from chores. The tree swing, now newer, but still swaying in the breeze.
A little girl sat cross-legged on the porch, her fingers feverishly moving on a Nintendo Switch. She grunted, muttering curses under her breath, clearly locked in an intense boss fight.
"Come on, stupid game!" she suddenly exclaimed, throwing her head back in frustration.
Then she looked up. Her eyes went wide.
"Ms. Mathilda!" she shouted, scrambling to her feet.
From inside, a tall, striking woman appeared at the doorway. She was elegant, effortlessly beautiful, with smooth dark skin and long, braided hair. Mathilda Whitaker.
"What is it, honey?" she asked gently.
The little girl pointed at Ian and Ellie, her voice trembling with curiosity. "There's people! Two people! They're just standing there smiling."
Mathilda stepped onto the porch, shading her eyes as she examined the two figures standing in the sunlight. Her brows furrowed slightly. There was something familiar...
Ellie stepped forward with a grin. "Mathilda? Is that you? Mathilda Whitaker?"
Mathilda's eyes narrowed. She tilted her head, trying to see through the years. Then, the recognition hit.
"Oh my god! Ellie Park? Ian Everhart?!" Her face broke into a radiant, joyful smile.
"That's right," Ian laughed, raising a hand.
"Ms. Mathilda...who are they?" the little girl asked again.
"Honey, go inside and tell the other kids we have special guests," Mathilda said with excitement.
The little girl nodded, cradling her Switch as she darted into the house.
Mathilda Whitaker, the niece of Ms. Marlene Whitaker, foster mother of Ian, Ellie and all of the orphans back then. Mathilda used to visit the orphanage frequently, forming a friendship between Ian and Ellie. Now, Ms. Marlene is at Chicago, she transferred the ownership of the orphanage to Mathilda.
Moments later, Mathilda rushed down the steps and embraced Ellie tightly. "Look at you, girl! You're all grown up!"
Then she turned to Ian, embracing him just as warmly. "And you, Ian! My god, how long has it been?"
"Too long," Ian said softly.
"Come in, come in! Make yourselves at home."
They stepped inside, and the scent of cinnamon and roasted garlic filled the air. The inside of Whitaker Haven was almost exactly as they remembered. The old sofa. The wall photos. The same hallway that echoed their childhood laughter.
Ellie and Mathilda quickly fell into conversation, their voices animated as they shared memories and caught up. Though they had always been closer, Mathilda still made sure to include Ian in their chatter, often smiling his way or asking about his life.
"I'm actually cooking up something special today," Mathilda said. "One of our boys is celebrating a birthday. So we're making a feast. Ellie, would you help me out in the kitchen?"
"You bet," Ellie said enthusiastically.
Mathilda turned to Ian. "You want anything, sugar? Something to drink? Snack?"
Ian shook his head with a smile. "Oh, I'm fine. I'm just gonna wait for the food."
Mathilda chuckled. "Never change, Ian Everhart, never change."
Left alone in the living room, Ian sank into the sofa, letting the moment wrap around him like a warm blanket. The orphanage wasn't just a building. It was safety. It was memories. It was home.
As he sat there, the little girl from before crept back into the room, holding her Switch with hopeful eyes.
"Mister... can you beat this game for me? It's hard."
Ian laughed, shaking his head as he reached for the console. "I used to play this. Let me show you some tricks."
Within minutes, Ian was fully immersed. The little girl stood beside him, bouncing excitedly with every move he made.
"Whoa! You're so good!" she exclaimed.
"Heh, I used to smack the crap out of this boss back then." Ian joked.
Then, from the kitchen, Mathilda suddenly shouted, "Oh gosh, it's time!"
She bolted into the living room, grabbing the remote control off the coffee table.
"Time for what?" Ian asked, pausing the game.
Mathilda gave him a smirk. "See for yourself, Everhart."
She flicked on the television. The screen came to life, showing a talk show mid-broadcast. The host beamed as the camera panned to the guest on the stage.
Ian's heart stopped.
There she was. A woman with flowing red hair, elegant posture, and a smile that could light up entire cities. Her voice spoke through the screen, soft, alluring, full of poise.
It felt like being hit by a train made of nostalgia.
"Vic-Victoria?" Ian muttered.
Mathilda nodded. "Yep. She's a big-time Hollywood star now. That's her third time on this show."
"I think she has rival in the Hollywood scene. That tall woman, Madison Hart, I suppose." Mathilda added.
The little girl beside Ian stared at the TV with wide eyes. "She's so pretty."
But Ian wasn't listening anymore. His eyes were locked on the screen. The same woman who used to dream about becoming an actress as they watched old movies on this very couch.
"Victoria..," he whispered.
Mathilda smiled. "She always had it in her. Just needed a little push."
Ian didn't say anything else. He just kept watching. As Victoria laughed at something the host said, Ian felt something stir deep within his chest. Not pain. Not even longing. Just the overwhelming sense of time passing... and how some dreams actually came true.
The moment hung there in the room, like a photo left to dry. Ian glanced out the window, where the kids now played in the backyard. Ellie waved at him from the kitchen, apron on, laughing with Mathilda.
This place... this orphanage... it wasn't just bricks and boards.
It was home.