She giggled a little. “Mine and Abel’s, but mostly mine. I let him think it’s his, but just between us, I have taken over most of the closet and almost all of the drawers.”
“Is he nice to you?”
Crickett started pulling out dresses from the back of the closet. “He’s wonderful to me and his little girl. We’re lucky to have him.”
“Alastor was only nice to me sometimes…only when I was good. He didn’t think I was good very often.” I admitted as I stared down at my bare feet.
“You’re rid of him, sweetheart. You’re never going to be treated so poorly ever again. We’re going to see to that.” Crickett handed me a few garments. “These will do for now, until I can take you shopping for some real clothes that will actually fit you. What size shoe do you wear?”
I was so captivated by all the floral prints and bright colors, I almost forgot to answer her. “I don’t remember. Maybe a seven? I think I used to wear a size seven.”
She took the sneaker right off of her foot. “Well, I am a seven and a half. See how this feels and we will go from there.”
I slipped the shoe on. It felt like a cloud hugging my foot. “I think it fits.”
She motioned for me to get up. “Let me see.” Kneeling down, she pressed her thumb right over my big toe. “It’s a little big, but we can get away with it for the time being. Want to try one of these on?”
Taking a light blue and yellow dress from her, I slipped out of Reese’s clothes and pulled the garment over my head.
Crickett sighed as a tightlipped smile formed on her face. “You’re beautiful. Those are definitely your colors.”
“Really?”
“See for yourself.” She walked me over to a full-length mirror on the other side of the bed.
I didn’t recognize myself. I hadn’t remembered what my skin looked like without dirt or what my hair looked like after actually being washed with real shampoo.
I completely broke down in Crickett’s arms.
“Shhhh, sweetheart. Let out all that awful pain and just be filled with happy tears. You’re finally safe, babe.”
“I don’t know how I am ever going to be able to repay any of you for how incredible you all have been to me. I never thought that I would get out of that cell.”
“I’ll let you in on a little secret: you don’t have to repay us for anything. We just want you to be healthy, happy, and safe.”
“Why do you care about me?”
Crickett pulled me in tighter. “Because Reese is one of the best men I know, and if you’re important to him, you’re important to all of us.”
Chapter 9
Reese
It was a long couple of days. Katherine’s mood swings were starting to fade a bit, her appetite was really coming back, and I was finally getting used to sleeping in the wooden chair in her room. I just didn’t know what the next move needed to be in the slightest. We couldn’t overstay our welcome in Vilas, but I still hadn’t heard from Jett.
After cleaning up from breakfast, I sat on the toilet while Katherine took another shower.
“You know you don’t need me in here anymore, right?” I called in through the shower curtain.
Katherine popped her soap-covered head around the thin, white fabric. “I don’t want to be alone.”
I grabbed a magazine off the tank behind me, trying to make it clear that I wasn’t trying to peep in on her. “I promise, I won’t leave you alone.”
“Thank you.”
Once Katherine was dried off and in one of the new outfits Crickett had picked up for her, I made my way to the front porch to smoke with Maccon.
“Think it’s about time to take her back home with us?” he asked while handing over his pack of cowboy killers.
