Skittery and Adelaide sat at a booth in Tibby's, enjoying the end of a selling day a week later. At the next table, Emma, Snipeshooter, and Tumbler sat with Boots.
Emma had been with them a week, and she finally started talking to Adelaide a couple days before. Adelaide couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something going on with her; she had a sneaking suspicion that it had to do with her growing up on that farm. She was extremely shy around strangers, which made selling papers a challenge.
Adelaide's attention turned to Snipeshooter. He was so different than he was before he left for Brooklyn. He had matured; thought more of others than his own greed. He had been extremely patient with Emma, never asking her what was wrong with her, or why she wouldn't talk. He just treated her like anyone else.
Emma stuck to Tumbler like glue, and only left his side to go to the Elizabeth Home with Adelaide. They always held hands, but Adelaide got the feeling it was more of a young kid friendship thing more than anything. Tumbler always made sure she was included, even if she didn't talk. He opened the doors for her, he offered her fries from his plate, and tried to help her sell her papes.
"You see it too?" Skittery asked.
Adelaide nodded.
"You think Tumbler is sweet on her?"
Adelaide shrugged. "He's nine, and they've been through a lot together. And poor Emma…I don't know what she's been through, but I can tell it was brutal."
"If anyone can get it out of her, it's you."
"Why do you say that?"
"Think about what you've been through…it hurt you a lot, and you won't talk about it."
Adelaide looked over at him. There was a trace of hurt on his face, and Adelaide knew that he knew. He didn't know what he didn't know, but he definitely knew there was something he didn't know.
"Whatever happened in Brooklyn, Aide, you can tell me."
Adelaide bit her lip and looked back at the kids. She couldn't tell him. She was sure that if she told him every gruesome detail, he would treat her differently - if he even wanted her anymore. She watched Emma sit with Tumbler, whose position and expression nearly mirrored Skittery's, and suddenly Adelaide understood her.
Adelaide looked back up at Skittery. "I want to tell you. I do, I just…" She looked down at her hands, "I'm just afraid you're not gonna want me anymore when you find out what all happened."
He paused. "Was…it was that bad?"
Adelaide nodded, feeling the tears come. She sniffed and tried to wipe the tears as soon as she felt them escape. He moved his arm from the back of the seat to around Adelaide and pulled her close. She rested her head against his shoulder.
"I didn't want any of it to happen," she said softly.
He kissed the top of her head and held her close. "Whenever you're ready, Aide. But you gotta know that nothing you tell me is gonna change the way I feel about you."
She closed her eyes and relaxed against him, wishing they could be somewhere else, somewhere more private, just the two of them. She enjoyed feeling his solid self against her, supporting her, and holding her up. This is the only place she's ever felt safe. The only place where she felt feel like nothing could get to her.
A/N: Thus concludes "Part 1." (I know I didn't label it as "Part 1" at the beginning, but originally I was going to published 3 different stories. I finally decided that they're all pretty much the same story, so I'm separating into 3 different parts, but further updates will be posted in this story.)
Thank you to all who've stuck with the story thus far. Your reviews have kept me posting, else I would've given it up as garbage and moved on. :-)
Part 2 coming soon!
