Kinley looked down at her feet. “I overheard him telling his friends that when I was a little older, he would share me with them, but for a high price.” Darla felt her stomach drop.
“I understand why you made the decision to leave so easily. It sounds like you have had a rough life. I hope that you will allow me to help you find a new life, a better life, one you kidsdeserve.” Darla looked carefully at Kinley. She reminded her so much of her own daughter, Lizzie.
Her small face was perfectly round with soft pink cheeks, although they were covered with a slight layer of dirt. If Darla closed her eyes long enough, she knew she would be transported back to her time as Jane, watching her little Lizzie running around in her patterned dress as she sat on the porch quilting.
No looking back. No matter how much I miss Lizzie, I have to live in the future … I wonder if these scruffy kids could be my future.
The elevator bell dinged again, and the doors opened leading to a wide hallway styled with maroon and gold accents. The deep burgundy carpet ran across the walkway and halfway up the walls before changing to a floral-patterned wallpaper adorned with gold accents and white flowers. Halfway down the hallway was a narrow table with a gold lamp, an ashtray, and a stack of newspapers.
Kinley dragged her fingers across the carpet on the walls. Jenkins kept both hands wrapped around his sister’s free arm.
“Carpet on the walls?” Kinley shook her fingers as though the carpet burned her fingertips. “So strange.”
Darla shrugged. “Must be a new interior design feature.” The trio reached the door to their room and the brass key slid in and turned easily under Darla’s confident hands. “Okay kids, brace yourselves.” Darla smiled as she turned the doorknob, opening the door to a sprawling suite. Both Kinley and Jenkins stood in the doorway, shoulder to shoulder, as they took in the room. Darla squeezed by them as she picked up her luggage that sat neatly in the foyer.
The room was bathed in a soft cream as the various lamps made the room look like a giant bowl of vanilla ice cream. The carpet and ceilings both had matching square patterns with a variety of light shades of brown mixed with the cream color.
The living room boasted two fireplaces opposite each other, and two long couches filled the space in between. One of the walls that housed a fireplace was affixed to separate the main bedroom area from the living room, and it boasted a king-sized bed adorned with a sea of cream and gold-accented blankets and pillows.
I’m amazed at how nice this suite is,Darla thought, as she hoisted her largest suitcase onto a small, knee-high dresser. She heard the door close and the hushed whispers from Kinley.
“Don’t touch anything, Jenkins. Remember what Momma used to say: hands in pockets, clear conscience.”
Darla smiled to herself as she dug around to find her toiletries.
“Kinley, could you please come in here?” Darla called out and Kinley appeared in the opening. Her distressed waitress outfit complete with grease stains and dirt was a stark reminder that she was in a place she didn’t belong.
“We didn’t touch anything, Miss.” Kinley’s blue eyes shone bright with innocence, and she twisted her hands together.
Darla waved her hand at her. “Oh, don’t worry about that. I just realized we should have at least stopped to get your toiletries.” She held up her own toothbrush with a little flourish. Kinley looked down at her worn converse.
“We didn’t have any,” she mumbled under her breath. Her voice was shaky as though punishment was imminent.
Her mind flashed back to her own Lizzie and how she broke one of her favorite serving dishes. Lizzie had confessed right away, but the image of how she cowered in fear of retribution was the same as how Kinley stood before her.
Darla’s shoulders softened, and in that moment, all she wanted was to wrap Kinley up in her arms and snuggle together in a comfy blanket.
“Oh, Kinley dear, it’s all right. We will get one for both you and your brother tomorrow when we get you some new clothes. Don’t you worry about that right now. You are safe here, and I am going to take care of you.”
Darla looked up and saw that Jenkins had joined them in the room. His blue eyes peeked up at her through the black hair falling into his face.
“We are going to be like a little family, just the three of us.”
The kids threw themselves into a group hug with her, and as they held each other, she realized she hadn’t enjoyed being hugged since Lizzie. This small declaration carried so much weight. Darla felt a lump form in her throat as her thoughts almost betrayed her resolve.
What a strange turn of events. I thought I found a suitable person to switch with, and instead I have found a new purpose in my life,she thought as she pressed her cheek against the top of Kinley’s head. She allowed herself a moment to pretend she was holding Lizzie once more.
Darla sipped her coffee perched on the chair in the dining room of the suite. She watched as they scarfed all of their own breakfasts and finished off hers.
Kinley and Jenkins were nestled on the bed surrounded by plates, some empty and some still with a little food left on it. Kinley was wearing an oversized shirt that Darla gave her and a pair of shorts cinched tightly on her waist.
Her black hair fell in waves after a night of sleeping on it wet. The previous night, Kinley had stood in the hot water for forty-five minutes before collapsing on the vacant couch.
Jenkins was wrapped in one of the hotel bathrobes. Only his face and hands were visible among the plush white cotton. Unlike his sister, he was freshly showered. After scarfing down the sandwiches that were delivered after they checked in, he had promptly fallen asleep on one of the couches.
“And then, shortly after we moved in with our uncle, we realized he enjoyed drinking and fighting. He liked to practice his fighting on us when we did anything wrong. So, we tried to stay out of his way.” Kinley recounted their life story with hermouth full of pancakes and syrup. Darla made a mental note to teach her proper etiquette.
“By the time I was ten, I had dropped out of school and was working part time on a neighbor’s farm and taking care of my uncle’s farm. I had a lot of chores.” Darla watched as the food rolled around in Kinley’s mouth as she spoke. Her stomach churned.
