Authors Note-Who is 'she' implying? is it Nina or is it the young girl? Or could it be both?
"Are you afraid?" it wasn't the question that necessarily shocked her but the fact the that young girl had said anything at all.
They sat in the small dinner across from each other. They were right next to a wide window that showered them in the morning light in their booth. It was a quaint dinner with character, it had aged well. It's been here since she was a young girl and her mother took her and…Chara. Nina had her nose tucked into the menu occasionally looking up towards the kid who sat in front of her. They had the menu laid out in front of her with her arms crossed on top of the table examining the items on the menu. They had both been sitting in silence since the waitress gave them both their menus it had probably been only four minutes while they quietly perused the menu but Nina could feel the young girl's uncomfortable aura, or maybe it was just her own. Every Once in a while Nina caught the girl looking out the window her sight never lingering far from the mountain. Nina couldn't help but look at it as well, it was a bit farther away than from her home but she could still tell where it was, it had a small glint of yellow.
"Well are you?" the girl pushed. Nina blinked when the kid asked her the question she looked back at her and stared at her for a moment. She gave a soft chuckle and placed her menu down.
"Hahaha no kiddo" she said "I don't get scared easily, most things just don't surprise me anymore"
The girl softly nodded accepting her answer. It was true, Nina had stayed in the small town there was not much that truly frightened her. The scariest case she ever got was when the tootsie roll train had been knocked over by a dent in the tracks, everyone was fine and the town went and had some free treats, sure the company wasn't happy but hey everyone like free publicity. The station usually got calls from paranoid neighbors of a suspicious looking squirrel. Nina read case scenarios and had witnessed horrendous crime scenes when she helped in the big city, but being in a small town like there's, not much surprised her.
"Not to say I'm a stone cold hearted betty" Nina added
The girl looked up from her menu
"I still tear up when I see an adorable kitten and puppy interacting"
The child gave her a small smile and Nina couldn't help but feel a bit accomplished. Nina looked out the window and saw the road in front of her a couple of cars passed by her eyes blinked whenever a strong reflection hit them.
"do you ever think about…leaving?"
Nina refocused her attention to the young girl and thought about her question for a moment
"There are little things here that could never make me leave"
The kid didn't take her gaze of her for a moment and Nina gave her a small smile back.
"Maybe it's the people or the wide open spaces we have, but I could never turn my back on my home"
"Home…" the young girl repeated. Nina saw as the girl whispered almost to herself and she turned her gaze back to the mountain in front of them, Nina followed.
"Well it seems that you two are ready to order"
A waiter startled both Nina and the girl as Nina looked up towards the patient waiter she gave him a nervous smile.
"I uhh hahaha I guess so, are you ready?" she asked the kid she nodded her head in response.
Nina got a cheeseburger with fries and a cool milkshake the young girl got a grilled cheese and tomato soup with some apple juice. Nina saw as the young girl eye her fries she smiled and grabbed the ketchup.
"Here if you want any just grab as many as you like, add some ketchup if you want" Nina said as she handed the girl the bottle of ketchup she accepted into and grabbed a small hand full of Nina's fries off her plate and placed them on a napkin, satisfied by the amount she got, she tipped the bottle of ketchup down. The lid popped off and out came the river of ketchup sparing no fry. Nina took one look at the girl's face and let out a huge laugh the girl couldn't help but join her.
"Hey don't worry about it, I'll order another plate for you if you'd like"
The girl gave her a small pout
"would you believe me if I said I mostly never play any jokes"
The young girl gave her a smile and nodded, Nina gave her a mocked offended gasp 'I'm not that unfunny!'. Nina beckoning the waiter and placed the order, he gave her a judgmental look and he took away the fries covered in ketchup sauce. Nina shrugged and bit into her burger. The girl steadily dipped her grilled cheese into her tomato soup, as she bit into her cheese she looked up at Nina.
"Do you have any kids?" Nina choked on her milkshake. She cleaned her mouth off with a spare napkin.
"Uh no" she said with an uncomfortable chuckle
"Have you ever wanted any?"
"I uh never really thought about it I guess" she said as she placed her hamburger back down on her plate.
"Do you hate kids?"
"What?! No"
"Then why don't you want any?"
Nina gave the kid a befuddled look that slowly turned into an amused smile and then started laughing
"It's not like I don't have any kids because I hate them" she laughed "I just truly haven't placed any thought into it, and that doesn't mean I dislike them"
"Oh" the girl said softly, Nina saw as her sweet face fell into a frown. She decided to change the subject.
"Do you have any younger cousins or siblings?"
"Nope just my grandma and me" she said with a light tone, her bright smile was short lived as she remembered. Nina gulped down her burger and realized her grave mistake.
"he-hey um uh"
"She's really sweet"
"Yeah?"
"Yup she would kiss my boo boos and read me stories in her lap"
"She sounds amazing"
"She is...was"
Nina couldn't take it anymore, she reached out and grabbed the little girls hand in her own and held it tightly.
"Hey, listen remember what I told you?" Nina said with - "sometimes it's the places or the food and even the people but home is special and unique only to you"
The girl returned a small squeeze onto Nina's hand
"They will get what they deserve, sweetie" Nina said softly hopping that the girl would understand "I'll make sure off it. You'll find your home again"
She gave Nina a brave smile
The ride back was quiet and the kid search for the words in the word puzzle on her kid's menu. Nina might have given them a clue or two, the kid drew the line with a small red crayon the had been given in the diner. As Nina watched her finish her puzzle she could feel the emptiness in the pit of her stomach begin to build up. The closer they got to the station the more she wished she could turn back, but then what? What could she offer her? Nothing but her - what good would that do for a young growing child? She knew that she wasn't fit for raising a kid she could barely handle the k-9 unit. 'A kid isn't a trained pet, Nina' she thought inwardly.
As they slowly parked into the station the girl looked up from her puzzle and looked around. Her face contorted into confusion as she didn't recognize where she was. Nina bit the inside of her lip and her hand didn't let go of her steering wheel. When she finally let go of her wheel she turned towards the child who was already looking up towards her.
"I'm going to drop you off inside, okay?" the young girl's eyes fell and her lips gave away a sad twitch, Nina found it difficult to continue "there is a woman inside who can help you out"
As they got out the car Nina helped the kid jump out, they tightly held onto her hand. They walked side by side as Nina opened the door for them to enter. As they approached the front desk the kid hid behind Nina their hand still clutching onto Nina's own.
"Hey Amanda!" Nina waved her other hand towards the tall woman sitting behind the front desk.
"Hey Martinez" responded Amanda she stood up from her desk and walked around to greet them. She kneeled down to eye level to for the girl hidden behind Nina her short red hair spilled around the corners of her face, the girl thought that she almost looked like a mermaid.
"Hello" Amanda said softly to the girl she gave her a small wave
The child buried herself behind Nina's leg Amanda gave Nina a sympathetic glance. Nina bite the side of her cheek trying to push down the emptiness in her stomach. She handed Amanda the young girl as she gave her small hand a small squeeze, she didn't want to let go.
"There's some people here who would like to meet you" Amanda addressed the young girl "they'll help you find your home" The young girl's face gave an anguished surprised and quickly turned towards Nina.
Amanda pulled her over and as she walked away the young girl gave Nina a pleading look, she didn't want to leave.
She didn't want to leave her home.