Found Her

The Girl

"It's okay.. It's okay.. We are not calling the cops. You got to relax.. You'll make yourself sick crying like that.. " I kneel down on the floor in front of the cabinet. She pushes back inside.

"Get me a glass of water," I tell Carl. He is staring at me. I glare back at him. He frowns but gets me a glass of water.

"Here baby girl, have this.. It's okay.. It's just a little water."

She takes the glass from my hand like it's a ticking time bomb but drinks the water.

"Good girl. Would you like to eat something? Are you hungry?" She nods.

"Good. We'll fix you ..umm.. Noodles? That's all we have right now I guess." She nods and mutters an imperceptible thanks but stays inside the cabinet.

We wait for her to come out. She just stays inside like she is a kitten and that's her box.

"You gotta come out sweet thing. I promise we won't hurt you, okay?" I tell her gently.

She looks at Carl who is standing there, hands on his hips, sure looking a sexy bit intimidating.

"Go, make the noodles and some soup," I order him again and like the sweetheart he is, he actually goes to prepare them leaving me alone with the sweet thing.

"It's okay. We'll sit at the table and eat something, okay? I am famished." I tell her and she comes out of the cabinet after sparing me a couple of dubious glances.

I walk towards the kitchen table and she follows me quietly clutching her bear to her heart as her life depends on it. She slips into the chair at the far end of the table. I sit on a chair not near to her, giving her some space and smile at her.

"Hi, I am Michael .. Mike.. " I smile.

She looks at me and after an eternity says, "Hi, I am Catherine."

I wanted to ask her so many things right then, quite obviously, but I held my tongue back.

Carl brought the noodles and the soup to the table ten minutes later and she jumps when he places the plate in front of her.

But she gobbles down the food in seconds, along with the soup. She sure was hungry. Carl and I did not start eating so he gives her his plate and she looks at it apologetically.

"It's okay. Go on, have it. We are not hungry." She eats his plate and then mine too. A little color returning to her cheeks.

"What were you doing here?" Carl asks her out of nowhere and she flips again.

"I-I am sorry.. I-I will just g-go. Please don't c-call the police.. I.. Sorry.. " She fumbles getting up from the table.

"Hey baby girl, it's okay. You don't have to go anywhere and we are not calling the police, I swear. Relax sweet thing. We just wanted to know so that we could help." I tell her and Carl looks at me, raised eyebrows and hands on his hips. I ignore him.

She still looks pretty scared but remains where she is. I half expected her to run away.

"It's quite late. Would you like to crash in here tonight? We have a spare room. A nice warm bed and lots of pillows and soft blankets and a couple of stuffies too." She looks at me in surprise. Yes, I get it, girl. You are a little, it's written all over you.

"you don't have to t-take the t-trouble.. I'll just g-go."

"No. Stay the night. It's very late for little girls to be going about by themselves alone." That was Carl.

"I'll sort the room out." He says without waiting for an answer.

"No, wait. I will sort the room out." It will hurt him too much to see the room again. How long has it been? More than one year.

"No, you stay with her. I'll clean the room. Also, get her a change of clothes." He says and goes upstairs without a backward glance.

I look at Catherine and she looks like she will pass out.

"Hey, it's okay. I promise. And no pressure if you want to go somewhere and not stay over, it's fine. I'll drop you, okay?"

She looks at me and blinks.

"Do you have someplace to be?" She shakes her head slowly and starts fidgeting with her fingers in embarrassment.

"Then stay the night. You'll be safe and you sure need a good night's sleep. No offense but you look beat." I tell her gently and smile.

"I'll get you some pajamas? Okay? You can change into them before you go to bed." I say and quickly grab a tee and a Pajama from her old clothes. I thought it would hurt, to see her things again, but strangely it doesn't. I hope it is the same for Carl.

I hand her the clothes and she takes them with an imperceptible thanks.

Carl comes down announcing the room's ready for the baby girl.

She goes upstairs after Carl and me and looks at the room in slight surprise and a lot of admiration.

"So, I guess, good night. If you need anything give us a holler. We are right in the room across. My name's Mike and he is Carl." I tell her and then we leave her alone. We lightly shut her door, not all the way and then look at each other.

What the hell's happening?