They drove to the first clothing store they could find, which happened to be a Good Will, and Kyle let her pick out a few things. She seemed happy to be inside the store.
"I like this." Mila said. She pulled out a hot pink dress. It was pretty short.
"Ah. Uh...well...I guess if you...really want it." Kyle hesitated, embarrassed. "Would it er...fit you?"
"Yeah. I think so. It's the same size as this other one here. And this one fits."
"Alright. Get what you like."
After checking out and getting back to the car, Mila seemed anxious to wear the pink dress. She was about to change in the parking lot.
"Hey hey! Stop. You can't do that here."
"What? Why not?"
"Mila, you don't have a little girl's body anymore. You can't just walk around in your underwear anywhere."
Mila looked weary. "What do I do?"
"Over here." Kyle pointed to a gas station next to the parking lot. "There's gonna be a restroom there I guess. You'll be able to change there."
They walked over together, the afternoon sun hot overhead. Mila kept looking down at her stained dress, then at the new pink one over arm.
Kyle went inside the Gas Station and brought back the restroom key. He took her around the back of the building, then let her into the Ladies Room.
"Change in there." Kyle pointed into the room. Mila nodded and went in.
After a minute or so, Kyle knocked on the door and asked if everything was okay.
"Ummm..." Mila mumbled. "I can't...aggh...Mr Hyde, I need help."
You've gotta be kidding! He thought. "You sure? You can't...just slip it on or whatever?"
"N...no...ouch...Please?"
Kyle opened the door real slow and snuck in. Mila's old dress was tossed on the floor, but the pink one was stuck over her arms, which were sticking up into the air.
"I don't know...hrrff...what I did wrong!"
Blushing, Kyle took the dress down off her arms and pulled it over her body.
"There."
Mila gasped for air then smiled at Hyde. "Thank you." She said quietly.
"Come on, it stinks like piss in here."
Kyle went into the main building again to return the key, and came out with two boxes in his hand.
"Pick your poison." He said to Mila with a laugh. He held out a little box of cheap sweets in one hand, and a pack of Marlboro in the other. "You're a big girl. What, can't take the pressure?"
"Um. Papa said smoking is bad..."
"Papa probably said getting in cars with strangers was bad, too. Just take the candy." Kyle sneered and forced the sweets into her palm. She fingered over it and ate one slowly.
Hyde opened the cigs and lit one up.
"Why do you smoke, Mr Hyde?"
"I said call me Kyle. I don't wanna repeat myself." Kyle puffed on the stick and laughed. "It makes me look cool." He said sarcastically.
"Cool?" Mila smiled. "You're cool, M...Kyle."
They started walking back to the car. Mila was eating the candy reluctantly, and looking at Kyle smoke every couple seconds.
"What?" He asked once noticed.
"I jus...ah..."
"What?"
"I wanna look cool, too." She admitted.
"You want a cigarette?" Kyle stopped in his tracks and burst into laughter. "Seriously? Wow, you crack me up, kid! Hah!"
Mila blushed.
"I wanna look cool, like you."
"Alright, just cause you insist. But you're gonna hate the first one, I promise you." Kyle handed her the cigarette he had already been smoking, the lit up another for himself.
Mila put the cigarette to her lips and sucked on it a little. She suddenly coughed loudly, but tried to smile despite it.
"D-do I look cool now?"
"Haaah..." Kyle remembered his first smoke. "Yeah, you look real cute."
"Cute? I said 'cool'."
"What? Yeah yeah. I did too, I said you look real cool."
Mila tried to smoke until they got back to the car. Her head starting hurting, and Kyle told her to put it out.
"It's okay. It'll get better next time." He said as he started the engine. "How do you feel?"
"Deeuuughh..."
"Relax a little. I'll drive smooth."
The rest of the day was driving. They covered a great long distance, too, but Kyle kept wishing he knew where they were heading. It was hard to keep on trucking when the destination was so unclear.
As the sun began to set, they realized it was time to stop for the night and rest. If Mila hadn't been there, Kyle would've probably gone on all night. But the girl was special, and she needed enough down time to feel healthy.
They stopped at a cheap roadside Motel, which wasn't exactly Mila's pick, but probably the only inexpensive place for another State. Well, probably the only place to stay at all for another State.
The receptionist was a totally bored looking middle aged woman, who perked up a little when the two asked for a room. Kyle took only one for two reasons; he didn't want Mila to be alone, and he couldn't really afford two.
"Yeah? Okay. Well, I ain't here to ask questions or poke in yer business, so..." The receptionist babbled. She shuffled through a couple stacks of paperwork that was pretty much BSed, then gave Kyle the key. "You two have fun." She added with a sneer.
"Alright lady, whatever you say." Kyle said, snapping is tongue. He left the office and signaled for Mila to follow.
"What was she talking about?" Mila asked.
They headed down the sidewalk until they found room 103.
"Don't let it bother you. She's just been working to long is all."
Kyle unlocked the door and flicked on the lights.
Are you kidding me? he thought, eyes wide. One bed?
Mila jumped up onto the queen mattress and hopped up and down.
"We're in a hotel!" She yelled. "Me and Mr Hyde in a hotel!"
Kyle blushed.
"Come on. It's la-ate. People are tryin' to sleep. Get off of there and settle down."
Mila stopped bouncing and got quiet. Kyle was glad to see her happy, but...
"You want dinner?" He asked. She shook her head. "You sure?"
"Yes. I'm not hungry. No no."
"Okay, but I'm gonna find something to snack, somewhere. There's gotta be something. You stay put. Don't open the door for nobody. I'll be back, okay?"
Mila nodded.
Kyle returned almost an hour later, his hunt for food unsuccessful. He unlocked the door and stomped in, then realized that Mila was sleeping on the bed and quieted down. She was on her side with her arms wrapped around a pillow tightly. Kyle walked over to her, and stared down at her sleeping face. So peaceful. So calm. So safe. So...
He stripped down to his underwear then slid in beside her. He kept to his own side, still grumbling that the clerk had given him a one bed room.
Well, next time I just gotta be more specific. He thought. The ceiling was completely dark, and the only sound was Mila breathing faintly in her sleep. The pillow dropped down to the floor, and she made a sound of distress.
Kyle sat up and looked over her, expecting to see her awake, but found her still fast asleep. Her hands weakly grabbed for the security that wasn't there, and she continued to whine. Kyle swallowed hard, trying to forget any thoughts he had about her.
She's 9 still, so...she needs someone there to hug her.
He layed down on his side and scootched over to her. He slowly reached his arm around her side, shaking, then held her close. Mila tightened her grip around his forearm and her whining ceased. Kyle closed his eyes and breathed out heavily.
I guess I am going soft, he thought with dismay.
Mila rolled over and faced him, still sleeping. Her mouth was open a little bit, and she was breathing quietly. Kyle watched her snooze for a while. He was happy to see her so relaxed for once. Not a care in the world. Somewhere out in dreamland.
Kyle put his hand to her cheek and touched her gently. Then he started to realized how very alone she was in the world. How alone they both were.