One evening, Jim turned to Sandy, his wife who was engrossed in her book, and said, “Sandy, the little girl is waving at me again from the window.” Sandy smiled, amused by Jim’s curiosity about their tiny neighbor. She asked if he’d waved back, but Jim admitted he hadn’t. Something about the girl made him uneasy. Her gaze was intense, as if she was trying to convey a message, like she was asking for help.

Sandy chuckled at Jim’s worry, suggesting the girl was likely just bored, which explained her constant presence at the window.

Jim couldn’t shake the images of the little girl from his dreams.
Feeling a tad foolish, the next day, he told Sandy he intended to visit the neighbors. She encouraged him, sensing it might ease his mind, and stop him from worrying unnecessarily about the girl’s safety.

As he observed the girl waving again, he realized he couldn’t put it off any longer. “That’s it, Sandy. I’m going over to talk to her parents,” he declared.

“She’s starting to scare me a bit. She waved just like that last night. Why is she so focused on me?”

Jim mustered the courage to approach the house, and after pressing the buzzer at the door, he was stunned to hear a familiar voice reply.

“Juliette?” he murmured, taken aback as the door opened.

“It’s been a while, Jim,” she replied calmly.

The shock of a lifetime awaited Jim at the door.
Before Jim could gather his wits, the little girl rushed to the door, exclaiming, “Daddy!”