So, this is an AU set in the Great Depression, I suppose in the early years of it so about 1933 or so. America is homeless after losing his farm and finds a orphaned Taiwan to take care of. I've used human names and in this story, Taiwan is a little girl, about eight so it's not a romance. It's just going to be a sweet story about the bond hat forms between them. Please enjoy! :)
Mr. Alfred F. Jones had lost his farm. He'd lost his farm and most of his possessions and was on the road. He hitched rides across America, doing odd jobs here and there and meeting interesting and new people. He was a very optimistic sort of man and the hard life had not hurt him very much. He looked forward to finding camps in the woods to share his woes in.
He didn't have much. He'd lost almost all of his money in the bank. He took to walking the dirt roads of America's Midwest. He walked along with his hands in his pockets and a tune on his lips. He sang to himself quite a bit and whistled when things got too quiet. He had his coat slung over his shoulder and his sleeves rolled up his elbows and might have been any other gentleman out for a Sunday walk but he in fact just come from his last job on a farm and the wife of the man he'd worked for had been kind enough to wash his clothes.
A car rocketed by and he waved, hoping to get a ride and if not to come across as friendly. The car did not stop but he didn't expect it too, people had places to go and places to be and not many of them had the time to stop for a drifter.
He wondered into a small town and with the little money he had left bought himself a coke. He sat on the steps of a wooden building reading: General Store in painted letters. He rested his elbows on his knees and admired the people walking home from church in their Sunday best, it was a quiet, drowsy town, no doubt suffering under the depression's grip. A little girl waved to him and he waved back.
He got up and walked, kicking along a stone and sipping on his coke when he came across something very interesting. A little girl was walking in a funeral procession. Nothing unusual about that but the little girl in question was Asian. He watched, pit y in his heart for the little girl. She was so small and big dollops of tears rolled down her cheeks as she held the hand of a preacher who was leading the procession. They walked behind the coffin and a small trickle of people followed behind them. She was the only Asian there and cried loudly, only occasionally breaking from her wailing to sniff.
He procession kicked up clouds of dust as the moved down the dry dirt street of the little town and again, Alfred felt his heart break for the little girl.
The owner of the shop he'd bought the coke from came out and stood next to him,leaning on the building's wooden weatherboard siding. "Pity that." He said.
"What happened?" Alfred asked.
"Sick. Couple got sick and died. Poor little girl."
He looked up. "What's gonna happen to her?"
"Preacher man gonna send her to an orphanage, she don't got any relatives."
Alfred bit back the pity he felt, she was such a small thing. "Poor kid." He said.
"Yeah, Life can be rough and it's always worse when it's rough on kids."
The store owner nodded and went back inside and Alfred did his best to forget the image of the crying little girl. He couldn't do anything to help her and so he tried not to think about it.
Finding no work in the tiny little town he headed on out and on his way he passed the cemetery. The burial was over and the little girl was standing with the preacher out in the distance. He paused and looked out at them. That stab of pin was welling back up inside of him. He played with his hat, taking it off and wiping an arm across his forehead.
Quite suddenly, the little girl came flying at him. She ran to him and hugged his legs. "No!"She sobbed. "I don't wanna leave!" Her voice was small and high. "I don't wanna leave!"
Alfred didn't know what to do and the preacher was running up to him now. "I'm so sorry!" He panted, trying to pry the little girl off of him. "She's not like this. She's very upset." He motioned back towards the fresh grave. "Please forgive her."
Alfred patted the little girl's had. "It's alright. The store owner told me about her. I saw the procession in town." He rested his hand on top of the child's head and knelt down. "Hey little thing, what's the matter? Why don't you wanna leave? Huh?"
She wiped her eyes but fresh tears came and took their place. "I don't wanna go to the orphanage!" She sobbed. "It's real far away and I won't know anybody. I wanna stay here cause mama and papa are here!" Her voice caught and she began sobbing again.
The preacher looked like his heart and gone and broken. "Sweetie," He said. "We wish you could stay but nobody here can take care of you." He looked down at Alfred. "You aren't a drifter, are you?" He asked.
Alfred nodded. "Sure am. Just passing through town."
The Preacher nodded, looking as though an idea had come to him. "Well, if you need work I think I may have a job for you."
He smiled. "That'd be great! Church need a new roof or something?"
"Not quite. This little girl here needs to get to Mississippi. Can you drive? Cause I'd lend you a car if you'd be the one to get her there. She seems to have taken a liking to you."
Alfred stood up, resting his hand on the top on the girl's head again. "Well, sure. Where abouts in Mississippi am I taking her?"
"Vicksburg. Come on over to the church and I'll get you directions."
With a hand to guide the now quiet little girl, they returned to the town and the preacher lead him to the church.
"I arranged things long distance with the orphanage in Vicksburg. They'll take her. It was just a problem getting her there. I'm glad you happened by."
Alfred looked out the window to where the little girl had been left to play. "What's her name?"
"Xio Mei. Her parents moved here before she was born. I can't imagine how hard this had been for her. So, all you have to do is get her to Vicksburg. You'll get the money when you bring the car back."
Alfred nodded. "Sounds fine to me. When do you want me to take her?"
The preacher sighed. "Tomorrow would be good. She's been staying with my wife and myself for the past couple of days and you're welcome to for tonight. Have dinner with us, please."
Alfred nodded, smiling. "I'd be happy to." He'd never pass up a free meal.
And so he ate dinner with the preacher man and his wife and little Mei who had indeed taken a liking to him. She wanted to tell him all about everything. He smiled and listened to her, letting her tell hm all about her parents and the little town. Her whole world.
In the morning the preacher showed him to a small garage where a model A Ford was parked. "Parish bought this before the crash." He said. "it's in good condition. You shouldn't have any trouble getting to Vicksburg in it and there's room enough in the back for the girl's things." He rubbed his hands together. "I wish there was something more I could do for you, Mr. Jones."
Alfred climbed in and gave the seat a test bounce. "This'll do fine." He leaned on the steering wheel. "What kinda life is that little girl gonna have?" He asked.
The preacher sighed and leaned against the car. "She's strong. She'll make something of herself."
When they drove back, the wife and little Mei were waiting for them. Mei stood squinting in the sunlight with all of her possessions piled in suitcases around her. The wife rested a hand on her shoulder and lead her to the car, lifting her in. She planted a kiss on Mei's forehead and patted her goodbye and the preacher shook her little hand and then Alfred started up he engine. "You ready?" He asked. She nodded and that was all he needed.
When they neared the edge of town she climbed into the back seat and stared out through the window at the shrinking town but she didn't cry and eventually she returned to the front seat and sat fanning herself.
"It sure is hot." She said.
He nodded. "Sure is, Miss Mei."
She looked up at him, playing with the ends of her short little dress. "Mr. Jones, how come you takin' me instead of the preacher?"
He laughed. "Well, I needed a job and so I wound up at your driver." They bounced along on the dirt and gravel road.
"You ever been to Vicksburg?" She asked.
"No ma'am, but I am with you."
"I don't wanna go to Vicksburg. I don't know anybody there."
"You will. You'll meet new people and make new friends."
"No I wont." She shook her head mournfully as though it was some horrible facet.
He chuckled. "I bought you a coke, reach on in the back and get it out, it might still be cold from the store." She did so and sat sipping from a straw. "Is it still cold?"
She nodded. "Thank you."
"So, about how old are you?" He asked.
"Eight. Don't you know it's rude to ask a lady her age?" Prissily for a minute before eying him beadily. "How old are you, Mr. Jones?"
"Twenty-six."
"You're old!"
He pretended to be hurt. "You sure do know how to wound a man, missy!"
She shrugged and sipped on her coke again before swallowing and asking: "So, what do you do for a living, Mr. Jones?"
"I used to own a farm."
"You don't anymore?"
"Nope, bank took it."
"That was rude. Why'd they do that?"
"Said I wasn't paying the bills. I ran out of money so they took my house. Story of my life in one sentence."
"Do you miss it?"
"Yep."
"Did you have horses? Mr. Kellebrew in my town had horses. He had three. And so did Mr. Long and two other people."
"I had two. Names were Jingles and Colonel."
"Did the bank take them too?"
"They sure did."
"That's too bad. Mr. Jones, how come you were in my town?"
"Just started walking one day after I lost the farm and never stopped. Feet took me to your town and lucky they did or I might not have met you."
She smoothed her dress. "Yep!" He looked up at him from beneath a thick bonnet of dark hair. "What state are we in?"
"We're sill in Oklahoma, honey. We got a ways to go before we get to the next one. Know what state we're going to next?" Shoe shook her head. "Arkansas. You ever been there?"
"No sir, I've never been outside of my town."
"Well, you will be now."
She settled in, leaning against the door and gazing out at the passing scenery. The day was still early and the light that filtered in still had that bright sharpness that light loses when it gets to be about mid day. Her dark little eyes took in everything.
Occasionally, Alfred would find himself glancing over to look at her and to check on weather or not she had fallen asleep but each time he did, she met his gaze with those big dark eyes. One time she smiled at him and he couldn't help but smile back. She had a knowing sort of smile. What she knew he couldn't guess but it made her look sharp and sweet at the same time. It would be hard getting something by this little girl.
So, this is the first chapter, I hope you liked it. Thank you for reading!