“Okay, rules,” Sebastian began after he parked his Audi and turned to a smiling Nadine. She had changed into one of Sadie’s summer dresses; she seemed to love dresses and gowns. “No walking away, no touching things, and do not talk to any strangers, ok?”
She smiled and gave a exaggerated nod.
“Okay, good—” he went to reach for the door but was stopped when Nadine raised her hand and held her pinky out. She waited, and Sebastian frowned in confusion. When her emerald eyes darted back and forth from her hand to his, he slowly got the hint and rose his pinky. She looped her small finger around his and held it. “Okay—” he murmured. With her pinky still holding his hostage, her thumb shot up, and Sebastian’s frown deepened.
“You have to stamp it,” she explained.
Hesitantly, Sebastian raised his thumb and pressed it against Nadine’s. “Okay?” she nodded eagerly. “Alright then, let’s do this.” They got out of the car, and she followed him onto the sidewalk, her eyes taking in everything. She tried to follow close by as she admired the autumn, picture-perfect town around her.
She smiled down at the jack-o’-lanterns in the window display of a bookstore and a raven squawking on a STOP sign. Colorful fallen leaves scattered along the sidewalk. The roads were dark from moisture from last night’s rain. Everything practically screamed fall and Nadine loved it. She made sure to take a mental photo.
He led them into a small store. The bell dinged overhead as they entered the glass door. It was a little dry cleaner. Nadine followed Sebastian to the empty front desk where he ringed the bell. As they waited for someone to come, Nadine gazed around, already bored. She glanced out the wide windows and spotted a black cat prowling along the sidewalk. He peeked through the glass with his electric green eyes and met Nadine’s gaze.
She carefully tip-toed over and crouched on her hands and knees. She crawled slowly to the window like a leopard ready to attack. The cat sat and licked its paws carelessly as she quietly crawled closer.
A little old Asian woman walked to the back of the desk with a smile. Sebastian greeted her politely as he handed his ticket. She went through the racks and pulled out his shirts. Bring them back to the counter. She rang him up. “Such a cute little girl,” she smiled. Sebastian reached into his back pocket for his wallet, and he followed her gaze to Nadine who sat crouched on the tiled floor by the window. She was quietly approaching. Once close enough without the cats noticing, she pounced onto the window and scared it, sending it jumping up with a hiss. She giggled and pawed at the glass. She crouched lower and made small meows.
Sebastian turned and pulled out his card. “Thank you,” he said with a tight smile. He felt odd having that be said to him. Did she think her to be his daughter? He glanced over at her. She certainly did look young enough.
Sebastian smiled and said thank you to the lady as he took his dry cleaning. Nadine stood and followed him outside. He pulled his phone out, and she skipped behind along the wet concrete. Grey wispy clouds in the sky, the sun still out and shining. Sebastian opened the back door of his car and put the dry cleaning inside. He finished his text and slipped his phone in his pocket. When he glanced up, Nadine wasn’t there.
“Nadine?” he called out.
She came waddling around the car with a giant pumpkin in her arms. “Can I keep this?” she asked. The pumpkin was carved, and a little flickering candlelight danced inside its triangular eyes.
Sebastian’s eyes widened. His gaze darted around quickly to make sure no one was around and looking. “Nadine where the hell did you get that?” He hissed under his breath.
“I found it on the sidewalk,” she said matter-of-factly with a casual nudged at the costume store with all their many decorations. Had she just walked over and taken it? Didn’t her parents teach her stealing was wrong?
“Put it back.”
Her brows pinched together. “But I want it.”
“Jesus Christ,” Sebastian bit to himself. In defeat, he rushed, “Okay. Put it in the car. Quickly, quickly.” She plopped the pumpkin next to his dry cleaning with a massive huff, and he quickly closed the door before anyone could see encouraging bad habits. Stealing was wrong, and he was going to make sure to tell her that later.
***
They finished the rest of his errands. Three long hours of walking to and from places in the small town. When Nadine started getting hungry, they decided to stop by at Poppy’s Diner for a quick lunch before heading back. They both got a burger and milkshake, she got strawberry, and he got chocolate. As they waited for their food, she picked out the strawberry chunks in her milkshake with her straw and ate them. Her legs swung under the table, the back of her heel constantly thudding against the booth chair.
The Diner was small with a massive 50’s vibe inspired inside. The floors were checkered and blue and purple neon lights rimmed where the walls and mirror ceiling met. At the counter was a row of red leather cushioned stools Nadine spun when they entered.
Their waitress came out of the kitchen door with a red tray holding their food in hand. Nadine smiled heartwarmingly at the little old lady as she was handed her food. Her eyes twinkled, and Sebastian found him too smiling at the sight. It was then he noticed the gap between her small front teeth. When the waitress walked away, they began to eat in silence.
Sebastian was nearly half finished with his burger before he found himself asking more questions. “Aren’t you worried your parents are wondering where you are?” He asked as he pulled a napkin from the little dispenser and wiped his mouth.
“No,” Nadine replied as she nibbled on a french fry.
“Why not?”
She brushed off the salt from her hands, and she sat back in her booth seat. The red leather moaned beneath her. She peeked out the window. Up in the sky, a murder of crows swirled over the town in the distance. She jerked her gaze to a passing mother on the sidewalk across the street. Next to her, a small child with a ghost sheet thrown over his head followed. His little hand in hers. Nadine smiled. She always loved October. She loved seeing kids run around in their costumes, excited for Halloween. But she mainly loved the spirit in the air and the candy.
Sebastian watched her stare outside the window in silence before he sighed heavily. “I can’t help you if you don’t let me in.”
She sat up in her seat and grabbed another fry. “I can’t go home,” she murmured as she dipped it in the side of ketchup and popped it in her mouth. She sniffed and rubbed her nose with the back of her hand, and grabbed her milkshake. “Ever.”
“Why not?” He asked. Without answering, she wrapped her lips around the straw and sucked. Even when the cup slurped loudly indicated she had long finished her drink. Reluctantly sucking, she peeked up innocently through her lashes. Sebastian gave her a blank look. He had one elbow propped on the table, his arm curved and his hand was covering the lower part of his face leaving only his brown eyes for Nadine to see. She could tell he was getting annoyed, but still, she continued to slurp her empty milkshake sheepishly.
She bit at her lip, picking at the pink skin with thought. “I just can’t,” she whispered absently.
Sebastian blinked. His gaze focused on her, his eyes lingering on each of her features; her blemish-free skin, her thick lashes that kissed her high cheekbones whenever she blinked. “Okay, well . . . do you have any money to stay at a place for a while, like a motel or something?”
She gave him a look. Did she look like someone who would have cash on her? “No . . .”
He furrowed his brows in deep thought. What could be done? He felt terrible for the girl. He didn’t want her to end up on the streets. But what could he do?
Nadine nervously picked at the basket holding her fries and nearly finished burger. With a barely audible tone, she murmured sheepishly, “I-I can clean,” Sebastian slanted her a glance. She added, “And cook.” Sebastian was confused at first, but when he slowly realized what she was getting at, he made an uncertain noise. She wanted to live with him? . . . That wasn’t going to happen. She licked her pink lips and leaned over the table, her emerald eyes wide and hopeful. In a gentle tone, she murmured, “I could . . . Stay, with you.”
Sebastian gave a nervous chuckle. “I-I don’t know about that,” he murmured uncertainty. How was he going to explain that to Sadie? He just didn’t see that happening.
Nadine folded her lips in and bit down. She peered up at him through her lashes. With a low voice, she whispered, “I don’t have anywhere else to go . . .” And Sebastian was left swallowing the sudden dry lump in his throat.
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