Evelyn's Secret

The sun was setting beyond the apple trees of the St. Cloud's Orphanage, painting the sky with shades of amber and crimson. Evelyn, one of the few women who had remained after the age of the doctor, was sitting on the steps of the cider house, her wrinkled hands holding a worn-out photo of Dr. Wilbur Larch.

Years after Dr. Larch's departure, the rules within the cider house had changed, but the essence remained the same - giving every child the warmth of a family. Evelyn, who'd been there longer than anyone else, carried the responsibility of upholding these traditions.

As the chilly breeze gently rustled through the apple trees, Evelyn reminisced about her journey - she wasn't always this strong and independent. Once, she was just another scared girl, coming in from an abusive home, battered and bruised, both physically and emotionally. She was only ten years old when Dr. Larch took her under his wing. She remembered how his kindness helped her heal, his words of wisdom, as they echoed through the corridors of St. Cloud's.

It was a secret she kept hidden, a treasure she held close to her heart. For she was not merely an orphan; she was an orphan who carried within her Dr. Larch's legacy. The words he etched into her heart: 'You're not unwanted, Evelyn. You are loved, and you will always have a home here.' It was his love and belief that shaped her into the woman she was today, the woman who led St. Cloud's with compassion, just as Dr. Larch did.

Evelyn folded the photo carefully, tucking it back into her pocket, and surveyed her surroundings. The cider house had been repainted a vibrant blue, but its purposes stood intact - a symbol of the past, a beacon for the future. The smell of freshly pressed apples wafted through the air - the promise of a warm cider on a cold night. The laughter of the children echoed through the vicinity as they raced each other to the supper table beneath the fading twilight.

Evelyn allowed the corners of her mouth to curve into a gentle smile. Dr. Larch's vision was alive - in the children who found a home in St. Cloud's, in the spirit of the cider house, in the life that thrived within its walls. And within Evelyn herself, as she strove each day to uphold the rules of the cider house, to keep the flame of Dr. Larch's legacy burning bright.