She smiled, but it looked too small, too tight, even for her tiny face.
“Let’s get you in the car,” Lester said, opening the back door for them.
Billy’s eyes ran over the sleek black body of the car, and they widened as if he couldn’t quite believe he was getting to ride in a car as fancy as this one. The woman helped them in, buckling them up and telling them she’d miss them. She clicked the door closed and waddled over to us. “Poor little poppets, they’ve been so traumatized.” She wiped at the tears in her eyes. “It’s awful, truly awful, such sweet kids. I know I shouldn’t say this, it’s not politically correct, but with everything I see, some people don’t deserve to have children.”
“You won’t get any argument from me,” Lester replied.
“Take care of them, won’t you.” She turned her attention to Karson.
Karson nodded as he opened the door for me to get in. “I can assure you they will be safe with us.”
“Who’s hungry?” I asked as we pulled away.
Neither child answered. “I thought maybe you might like an ice cream or maybe some chips or something else from McDonald’s?”
Nothing but blank, distraught faces.
Karson and I exchanged worried glances. He looked in the rear-view mirror as he spoke. “I’ll go through the drive-in and order one chocolate sundae, which I think you might like, Lottie, and one strawberry for you, Billy. And if you do not eat them, we can just throw them out.”
“I’d like one, please,” Lottie said in a timid voice.
Billy stared out of the window in a trance-like state, but he took the sundae. They ate them in silence. By the time we got home an hour later, they had fallen asleep, the remnants of their sundaes left pooling on the leather seat.
I gently shook Billy awake. “Billy, sweetheart, we’re here.” He rubbed his eyes with his fists and yawned.
Karson picked up a sleeping Lottie. She wrapped her legs around his waist, tucked her arms around his neck, and rested her head on his shoulder.
Billy looked up at the house, his mouth dropping open. “Is this a house or some kind of group home?”
“It’s Karson’s house, and it has a pool. If it’s not too cold and you like swimming, I can take you tomorrow, if you like?”
Billy tripped up the steps. “Wow, Mr., you must be filthy rich.”
“I do alright.” Karson chuckled, opening the door.
Billy twisted around in a circle, taking it all in. To a child, it probably looked like a palace. To be fair, the first time I came in it looked like a palace to me too.
He stared up at the chandelier. “What do you do for a job?”
I snorted laughter.
“I invested in real estate some years back,” Karson answered smoothly. “It’s late, how about we get you and your sister to bed.”
Lottie hadn’t even stirred.
“How many people live here?” Billy asked as we climbed the stairs.
“Right now, we have seven staying here, including you and Lottie.”
“Seven people. For this giant house?” He whistled between the gaps in his front teeth.
I grinned. “Would you like to share a room with Lottie, Billy?”
His face changed to something grim, and I almost wished I hadn’t asked him. “Yes,” he whispered, “she’ll be scared without me.”
“You’re obviously a good big brother.” I opened the door to the room closest to ours. Karson laid Lottie down on the bed, pulling the comforter over her. It was like all the bedrooms; it was large with its own bathroom. Someone had put the heater on, and the room was toasty warm. I showed Billy where the bathroom was, and where our bedroom was in case he needed us.
“Would you like me to leave your door open?” I asked as he settled himself in bed. “And I can leave all the hallway lights on in case Lottie gets scared, if you like?”
