[Scene: Breakfast with the Family – The Plan in Action]
Jeremy decides to bring Adeline upstairs for breakfast, hoping to ease her into the family dynamic. Elena is busy flipping pancakes while Allen reads the morning paper. They glance up as Jeremy enters with Adeline trailing behind him.
Elena: [smiling] "Oh! You must be Jeremy's mentor. It's lovely to meet you."
Adeline freezes, quickly realizing she needs to think fast. She adjusts her posture, tilting her chin slightly upward and giving her most regal smile.
Adeline: "Indeed. I've come to… guide him. He has great potential, you know—an untapped brilliance waiting to bloom."
Jeremy hides a laugh as his dad peers over the newspaper, raising an eyebrow.
Allen: "Mentor, huh? What's your field? Academics? Life advice?"
Adeline pauses, her mind racing.
Adeline: [smoothly] "A bit of both. I specialize in… legacy preservation and creative development."
Elena beams clearly impressed.
Elena: "How wonderful! Jeremy could use some guidance. We've been worried about him being too shy."
Adeline: [nodding] "Fear not. By the time I'm done, Jeremy will be a shining star."
[Scene: Navigating Family Life]
Over the next few days, Adeline integrates herself into the family, carefully maintaining her "mentor" persona while secretly learning how to survive in the mortal world. She becomes particularly adept at using humour and charm to win everyone over.
One evening, Allen asks for her help fixing a cabinet door that has been loose for weeks.
Allen: "You said you know creative development, right? How about creatively solving this cabinet issue?"
Adeline stares at the broken hinge, clearly bewildered.
Adeline: [murmuring to herself] "Spirits don't deal with mortal carpentry…"
She picks up a screwdriver, fumbling with it briefly before handing it to Allen.
Adeline: "I believe creative oversight is key here. I shall… supervise."
Allen laughs, shaking his head.
[Scene: A Secret Moment with Jeremy]
Later that evening, Jeremy finds Adeline sitting in the backyard, gazing at the stars. Her regal demeanour softens as she stares quietly into the night.
Jeremy: [sitting beside her] "You're handling this pretty well, you know."
Adeline: [smiling faintly] "I wish I could say the same for my dignity. Pretending to be a mortal 'mentor' is exhausting. And yet…" [she glances at him] "I find it fascinating. Watching your family, seeing the bonds you share—it's comforting, in a way."
Jeremy: [curious] "Why were you sent to protect our family, anyway? Was it some kind of duty?"
Adeline: [nodding] "It was more than duty. It was love—a love for our lineage, our history. Every descendant carries a piece of us, and my role was to ensure that those pieces were preserved and nurtured."
She looks at him thoughtfully.
Adeline: "But now, Jeremy, my role may be changing. Perhaps it's not about protecting the past—it's about guiding the present."
Jeremy smiles, realizing how much her presence has impacted his life already.