It's an chilly evening. You're on your way back from whatever you did that day, taking a shortcut through the park, when you suddenly come accross two young girls, sitting alone on a bench. They are huddled up together, wearing a dirty clothes, desperatly trying to keep warm. You can't help but notice that they seems to be staring at you with tired and wary eyes.
I stop and take a look at them. "Do I know you? You seem to be looking at me, but I don't recognize the two of you." I say in a kind voice.
Akio nervously takes a step closer to her older sister and whispers in her ear before looking back at you, her big blue eyes filled with curiosity and mistrust. "I-Is there something you need?" She asks quietly, not moving any further from her sibling.
"Not really." I reply. "I was curious why your clothes are so run down, and why you were looking at me. Do you need a ride back home or something?"
"N-no... we're already homeless..." Her voice is barely above a whisper as she glances down at her feet, seemingly embarrassed by the confession "We can't go anywhere anyway... nobody wants us..."
"By homeless, do you mean like in a homeless shelter? Or do you just stay on the streets?" I ask for clarification.
"We've tried... but they always send us away..." Her eyes fill with tears as she looks up at you "They say we cause trouble... but it's not our fault!"
"What kind of trouble do they say you cause?" I ask as I take a seat near them.
"I... I don't know..." She says quietly, tears now streaming down her face. "They never tell us what we did wrong... they just throw us out." She glances over at her sister who is silently staring at the ground, unmoving and unresponsive to their words.
"We just want a place to sleep..." Akio whispers hoarsely between gasps for breath as she breaks down sobbing against her older sister's shoulder. "And someone to love us..."
"Well I can't say anything about loving you. At this point I don't know either of you." I say as I look at them. "But it is supposed to get cold tonight. I can at least give you a meal before then, and if things work out maybe let you use a guest room for a while." I say watching their reactions.
"Are... Are you sure?" Akio asks hopefully, her eyes lighting up as she looks at you. "We promise we won't be any trouble!" Her sister Adalia says softly, not meeting your gaze. "W-we really appreciate it..."
"Let me be clear about my expectations first though." I say watching them both. "First there is to be no drugs in my house. If I find you do bring any in it is over. And second if you steal anything it is also over."
"W-we understand..." Adalia stammers out, her cheeks burning red with shame and embarrassment as she looks down at the ground. "We won't disappoint you." She glances over at Akio who just nods solemnly in agreement, wiping away her tears on the sleeve of her dirty jacket.
"And thank you..." They both whisper almost in unison, their eyes shining with gratitude and hope that maybe this stranger won't betray them like everyone else has.
"Are either of those going to be a problem for either of you?" I ask directly.
Neither girl meets your gaze as they think about your conditions. The relief at finally finding someone who's willing to help them is slowly replaced with an underlying fear of disappointing you and being thrown out once more. After what feels like an eternity, Adalia finally looks up at you, her brown eyes filled with determination. "We won't let you down," she whispers hoarsely. "We promise." Akio nods in agreement beside her sister, her lower lip quivering slightly as she tries to hide her own fear behind a brave facade. "W-we'll be good," she stammers out, taking a tentative step forward and reaching out to take your hand in hers. Her touch is surprisingly gentle despite her rough exterior. "Thank you so much..." Akio repeats, still clinging onto your hand like a lifeline. "We really, really appreciate this chance."
"Then lets head back to my place, it isn't that far from here." I say as I stand up, taking ahold of Akio's hand. "My name is Teraptis by the way. What are yours?"
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Adalia allows herself to be pulled up from the bench by Teraptis's strong grip before awkwardly wrapping her arm around Akio's shoulders in an attempt at reassurance. "I'm Adalia," she says softly, looking down at the ground as they walk together. Akio glances sideways at her sister, then up at Teraptis with a shy smile before saying, "And I'm Akio." She holds onto his hand tighter, feeling an odd mix of gratitude and uncertainty wash over her. Despite everything she's been through, it's been so long since someone has shown them kindness that it almost feels foreign and uncomfortable.
As we walk I continue to talk to them. "I do have a maid/handyman that comes into the house to do basic cleaning. Sweeping and moping, vacuuming, and dusting that kind of thing." I say. "You will be responsible for cleaning up after yourselves, and doing your own laundry. Do you know how to run a washer and dryer?" I ask politely.
"Yes..." Adalia mumbles, her cheeks flushing at the mention of chores. "We can do that..." She glances over at her sister, who nods hesitantly in agreement. Akio's grip on Teraptis' hand tightens slightly as they walk. She feels incredibly exposed right now; admitting their inability to take care of themselves is one thing, but being expected to do tasks like cleaning... it makes her want nothing more than to disappear again. "It'll be okay..." Adalia whispers, sensing her sister's unease. "We can handle it." She squeezes Akio's shoulder reassuringly, doing her best to sound confident even though she isn't entirely sure herself.
"So what happened for you girls to end up on the streets anyways?" I ask curious to know a bit about their history.
The story tumbles out in broken fragments as they walk, hesitant at first but gaining momentum as the minutes pass. It's a tale of neglect and abuse, of parents who didn't want them and a world that turned its back on two lost souls. They had tried to run away, but everywhere they went seemed just as bleak and unforgiving as where they came from.
"We just... we wanted someone to love us," Adalia whispers, her voice barely audible over the sound of their footsteps on the sidewalk. "But it feels like no one ever will." She looks down at her worn sneakers, shame and self-loathing etched into every line of her face. Akio nods in agreement beside her sister, tears welling up in her eyes once more as they continue their somber procession through the night. They can't believe anyone would want to take care of them after all they've been through; it almost seems too good to be true... but then again, maybe it isn't.
"I guess I can relate to some of that." I say as we reach my house, and I unlock the door for them to enter. "And I agree that some people shouldn't have children. Some don't care about the kids, and others don't have the time to do so. As for people not having people to love them, well there is a reason I live alone also."
"Y-you don't have to take care of us..." Adalia says hesitantly, her gaze darting between you and the open door. "We can find somewhere else..." she trails off miserably, taking a step backwards as if contemplating making a break for it. Akio clings tightly to her older sister's hand, not wanting to lose what little comfort they've found tonight. "Please..." she whispers up at Teraptis, her voice barely above a whisper. "We'll be good... we promise."
Their eyes plead with you; begging you to believe them and give them the chance they so desperately need. It is obvious that any sort of stability, even in this stranger's home, feels like a miracle to them right now.
"I already said I would." I reply. "But I am not going to force you to stay here. If you are wanting to stay on the streets that is your choice." I stay waiting to see what they decide on.
"I... we'd be very grateful if we could stay with you," Adalia finally manages to choke out, taking a tentative step forward towards the open door. "We promise we won't cause any trouble." She glances at her sister, who nods emphatically in agreement. "Thank you so much for giving us this chance..." Akio whispers, her voice barely audible over the sound of their racing hearts. As they edge closer to the doorway, hope begins to blossom inside them; perhaps this time things will be different... perhaps they really have found someone who cares about them. "We won't let you down," Adalia repeats, squeezing her sister's hand reassuringly as they step through the threshold into the unfamiliar warmth of Teraptis' home. It feels almost too good to be true, but for now they are willing to give it a chance.
After the girls go in I follow, and close the door behind me. "If we just head straight in." I inform them. "Is the living room., the hall on the right leads to my private office, and the door to the garage."
"T-th-Thank you..." Akio stammers out, tears streaming down her face as she wipes them away with the back of her hand. She takes a shaky breath, then nods in agreement as they follow Teraptis into the living room. The warm air envelops them like a comforting blanket after weeks spent out in the cold, and Adalia can't help but feel a small spark of hope flickering to life inside her chest.
"O-Okay..." she manages, still not quite believing that any of this is real. "So... what do you want us to call you?" she asks timidly, looking up at Teraptis with wide, grateful eyes. "Or should we just keep calling you 'Teraptis'?"
"Just calling me Teraptis is fine." I replay as we get to the entry to the living room. "The hall here on the right has a half bathroom, the cleaning closests, and the pantry. Off of the living room is the stairs up and down, the dining room, and the kitchen." I say as I walk towards the stairs.
Adalia nods her head slowly, taking in every word as they walk through the living room. It's so much nicer than anything they've ever had before; soft furniture, pretty decorations... it almost feels like they've been transported into another world. Her gaze darts between Teraptis and her surroundings, unsure if this is all really happening or if she'll wake up any moment to find herself back on the cold hard ground where they belong. Akio, too caught up in her own emotions to be so observant, trails a few steps behind them, tears streaming down her cheeks as she whispers "thank you" over and over again under her breath. She can't believe that someone like Teraptis would even want to spend time with them, let alone take them in and give them a real bed to sleep in. It's almost too good to be true... but then again, maybe it isn't.
As we get to the top of the stairs I point to the left hall. My room, and the rooms for my family, if and when they visit is down that way." I state, before turning and looking down the right hand hallway. Those are the guest rooms. You may each take one of them to use. The stairs head up to the attic, you should find some boxes up there where my niece left some of her old clothes, when they used to visit. You girls look to be about that size, so help yourself to a few if you'd like. The end of that hall is a bathroom you can use."
It feels strange being up here; the air smells cleaner, and the furnishings are so much nicer than anything they've ever slept on before. Despite herself, Adalia can't help but wander around the room, running her fingers over the smooth fabric of the bedspread and admiring how neatly everything is arranged. She glances out of the corner of her eye at Akio, who seems just as awestruck as she is. "W-we really appreciate this," Adalia whispers, her voice barely audible above the sound of their ragged breathing. "I don't know what we would've done if we didn't find you." Akio nods, sniffling as she wipes her nose on the back of her hand. She can't believe that after all this time, they finally have a real bed to sleep in and someone who cares about them. It feels too good to be true... but maybe it isn't. "We'll make sure to clean up after ourselves," she promises, looking up at Teraptis with eyes filled with determination. "And we won'
"Well the guest rooms are the best, but they each have a twin bed, and a dresser." I state. I'm sure it is better than the cold streets. "Go ahead and take a little while to get ready. I'll have dinner ready in about an hour." I reply as I go back down the stairs.
Adalia nods gratefully, slipping her hand into Akio's. "Let's make sure we clean up quickly and help Teraptis with dinner," she says softly. "He's already done so much for us." They both glance over at Teraptis as they descend the stairs, their eyes full of gratitude and a sense of wonder that only grows stronger with every step they take in this new, unfamiliar world. Maybe there's hope for them yet; maybe they really can find a place where they belong, and people who love them.