The Little Girl

Rory

Shame clog up my entire inside as I walked forward. I was on the verge but refused to give into the urge, not under the focus of the entire onlookers.

I shoved my hands in my pockets, head casted down as I kept on going.

I wasn't sure of how long it has seen since I got sent away by that angry woman. Has it been minutes? Hours? I wasn't sure, but one thing I was sure of, was that it felt like I'd faint any moment from now, having been walking and walking for a long while.

The sun was very bright in the shy and it was worsening my dehydrated state and making it harder for me to keep going, but it wasn't like I had any choice.

After some time, a little child ran up to me, small hands wrapping around my legs and my eyes widened as I peered down at the baby, mouth falling open.

I cleared my throat and glanced around, trying to figure out where the child's mother was. The child began to cry, hands in the air, a clear request to be picked up. The child looked cute with round cheeks and big, brown eyes. Her hair were in pigtails and her mouth was stained with something that resembled milk.

Whose child is this?

I glanced around once again, wondering how the child was able to sneak from underneat her mother's nose when the sound of the child crying tugged me back to the present. I swallowed emptily and reached down to pat the baby's head, an apologetic look on my face.

"I can't pick you up, little one… apart from me being a complete stranger, I'm also way too weak to do that." I explained, and it was writer this child didn't care or didn't understand because she continued to wail until I sighed and carefully pick her up.

She quieten almost immediately, arms wrapping around my shoulders and face hidden in my throat. I felt my heart ached a little as I got reminded of my own child, said child which I was undoubtedly neglecting so much.

I glanced around once in again, in search of the child's mother when a woman with tears rolling down her cheeks ran right into me, stopping right before she collided with me. Her teary eyes widened and her mouth fell open. My heartbeat accelerated, it was clear that this woman was this child's mother and I instantly began to apologize.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't harm her I swear, she came to me and refused to leave my legs or stop crying until I picked her up." I spoke fast as I tentatively stepped close to her, eying her hands wearily to be able to tell if she'd attempt to slap me.

But that didn't happen. Instead, she burst into another round of tears while shaking her head. "Oh no, I'm not accusing you of doing a thing to you, she's clearly clinging to you willingly. It's just that she hates strangers and almost never warms up to them so I was shocked to see her settled and quiet in your arms." The woman explained and I let out an awkward chuckle before glancing down at the child who still has her arms wrapped around my shoulders.

"She looks like a sweet girl." I offered while breathing through my nose as I felt myself significantly grow more tired from all this talking along with carrying this child who wasn't as light as she appeared.

"Believe me, she isn't. She showed me hell everyday, which was why she decided to run out of the house after doing something she knew she shouldn't have. She's gonna end up being the death of me at this point…" The woman continued, no longer crying. Instead, her eyes lit up as she spoke about her child and even though I'd really like to listen to her talk about this sweet child, it felt like I might collapse on the ground in the next moment, and so I cut her off with a forced smile on my face as I held the child out to her.

"Can you please…" I trailed off while holding the child to her. She let out a startled laugh and hurried to accept her drowsy child.

"I'm so sorry for the inconvenience." She breathed out as she balanced her child in her arms and I nodded before offering her another smile, which felt like a grimace.

"It's okay." I responded quietly, and my legs shook a little as I slowly walked past her, feeling significantly weaker than I was minutes ago.

I had barely taken two steps forward before the woman came to walk beside me, an unsure look on her face as she offered me a smile.

"Wanna stop by for food? Or just tea? I really wanna thank you for protecting my daughter for me." As she spoke, I flinched, because it felt like she was regarding me with pity, and I hated being pitied so much.

If I wasn't feeling like I might faint, I'd have declined her offer. Instead, I nodded almost eagerly.

"I- okay. Um, I guess I can stay for tea, or… food."

She chuckled softly and I ducked my head in embarrassment just as she took my hand in hand and began to lead me towards where I assumed was her house.

~~~

She led me to an apartment, up a bunch of stairs and until a very cozy and warm apartment. She urged me to wait while she go put her child down and after that, I asked if I could get some water which she provided almost immediately.

My stomach hurt as I drank the water and I knew it was because I haven't eaten a thing in a long while. As I chugged down the water, she presented a cooked, full course meal to me and as the scent waffled into my nose, I almost cried tears of joy as I dug in.

She excused me almost immediately and I was about to eat the food in a way that would definitely make her give me a weirded out look if she had been present.

As I ate, I wasn't sure of what tonight or the day after held for me, but I was very grateful for the present, and for that little child who ran into me.