"Damn the rain." Leah Henderson muttered to herself as she curled into a tight ball and pressed herself closer to the side of the bricked building in an attempt to shield herself from the ever-falling water.

The summer months were always the worst for unpredictable weather. And this year it seemed as though Mother Nature was not batting for team Leah.

Pulling her jacket tighter around her soaked body, she tried to picture herself in a warm bed and a plush pillow under her head.

Those were the days, she thought-the days when her parents were still around and not decomposing under dark soil. She used to love the rain. The highlight of her childhood had been spending lazy rainy afternoons curled up on her papa's lap with his strong chocolate colored arms secured around her while he spoke of the enormous responsibility she would undertake one day and baking cookies with her mama while she sang an Irish tune Leah would soon forget.

She hadn't realized tears were streaming down her face, due the excessive rain fall, until she tasted salt on her tongue. She wiped the wetness from her face with her dingy jacket sleeve and stood. Only one thing made her feel better when she was self loathing: stealing. She knew it was wrong, but frankly she didn't give a damn. Money was money in her opinion no matter how it got had.

She licked her lips and began to scope out the potential prospects. Unfortunately, not many people were taking a nice rainy night stroll. The only bodies out at this time of night were the cops--who she didn't want to have a run in with--and a lanky looking character with a dark bomber jacket secured snuggly to his body and an expensive messenger bag slung over his left shoulder.   

Bingo.

She could see that he had head phones on, listening to a fast paced beat by the way he bobbed his head. He was obviously oblivious to the world around him and that was a point in her favor.

She snuck up on him quietly. The rain added to the finesse of her operation. With the water beating against the pavement, he'd never hear her coming; not that he had a chance with his music blasting. She would grab his bag and book it out of there before he ever knew what had happened. This plan was flawless and she smiled at the thought.

The closer she moved the more her heart rate accelerated, so much so that she was sure he could hear it over everything else. She took one more cleansing breath before she reached out. What she hadn't anticipated was the slick pavement that caused her to jerk forward prematurely and grab a hold of the bag for balance. She felt an uncomfortable shift in her ankle and decided to abort the operation all together.

"Hey!" Owen Greenburg shouted and jerked his bag back toward his body. The dark figure began to make his awkward escape, realizing he wasn't going to get his prize.

"Oh no you don't fuckbag!" The young man reached out quickly and grabbed for his assailants arm. The masked robber jerked and twisted, still trying to runaway.

This guy has some small wrists, did his scrawny ass really think he could grab my bag and get away?, Owen thought as he continued to struggle with the guy.

"Get off me!" A distinctive female voice rang out and the young man stopped; his first fatal mistake. This gave Leah the opportunity she needed to gain some leverage and transfer weight onto her other foot while jerking her whole arm up to loosen her attackers grip.

"What the fuck..." Was all Owen got out before he received an elbow to the chin. All he could see were stars as he stumbled back just a bit. He let go of the mystery thief's arm to nurse his throbbing jaw.

"Shit," Leah hissed as her elbow made direct contact with the guys face. She hadn't intended to hurt him, just shake him loose. Realizing he would be fine, she began to slightly limp-run away.

"Get back here!" She heard from behind. Before she could do anything about it, she was lifted off the ground and secured over the boy's shoulder. She began to thrash but this only added to the pain inflicted on her own ankle.

"Are you fucking insane? Let me go asshole!" Leah yelled as she began to beat on the young man's back and squirm over his shoulder.

By the ease at which he had lifted her and her backpack off the ground, she was sure he could over power anything she threw at him. She didn't know what this guy would do to her or how he would do it. Leah knew she should have picked another night for this.  Just her luck that she would try to steal from a kidnapper and/or rapist, she thought. Her head began to feel light due to the amount of blood rushing toward the top of her skull. She was quickly losing the ability to fight back.

"You picked the wrong guy to rob." Owen growled and began to walk them in the opposite direction Leah had tried to make her escape. He angrily readjusted the struggling girl on his shoulder and reached for her ankle ready to twist.

"You better sit still or I'll break your goddamn ankle and then you really won't be going anywhere."

Leah huffed and gave up her fight, for now. "Dude, listen I'm sorry, okay? I just needed a few bucks. It won't happen again." She pleaded, trying to lift her head and inspect her surroundings. "Can you just let me go?"

"No fuckin' way! You tried to steal from me and, on top of that, assaulted me!" He said as he used his free hand to check his jaw once more. Leah had no choice but to let this guy carrier her wherever he wanted because blood was rushing quickly to her head and she was beginning to lose her battle with consciousness.

"Just shut the hell up," he growled.

Leah's last coherent sight was the word POLICE in illuminated white letters, before her world faded to black.

****

Owen lugged his attacker into the police station where his father was on duty at the moment. Some officers stopped to greet the young man, having known him since he was a child, but were brought to a standstill when they noticed the body slung over his shoulder.

"Hey man, we should call the ambulan--" A detective, Owen knew as Julius, spoke up.

"No." He grunted and continued on his trek toward his father's desk. When he spotted the older Greenburg, Owen sighed in relief.

"Dad!" He called out causing the older man to look up abruptly. David Greenburg watched his son stalk toward him, soaking wet, with a dark-coated body hoisted over his right shoulder. Confusion crossed his features and he stood to inquire what exactly was going on. Before he could utter a single word, his son dropped the body into a chair placed next to his desk that was designed for quick interrogations.

"Before you even ask, this crazy bitch tried to rob me," Owen said out of breath and pointed toward the body slouched in the metal chair. Leah was beginning to regain consciousness and he knew she would book it once she discovered where she was.

Spotting a pair of cuffs on his father's desk, he grabbed for them quickly and secured them around the Leah's wrist and the arm of the chair.

Try getting away now, he thought with a smile.

"Alright, what on earth is going on? You were robbed by this young lady here?" David asked as he watched the girl, seated and cuffed, blink a few times as she came to.

"Not only did she try to rob me but she also assaulted me!" Owen shouted and pointed toward his jaw, where no bruises were visible. David simply nodded and continued to listen to his son's story.

"That was an accident." Leah mumbled groggily and tried moving her arms, only to realize that one was incapacitated.

"What the hell?" She looked at David with wide, confused eyes.

"So you won't escape you fuckin' delinquent!" Owen growled.

"Hey, watch your mouth." David scolded and pointed toward his chair behind the desk, instructing his son, without words, what he needed to do.

"Now, let me ask this young lady what happened."

Officer Greenburg sat on the edge of his desk and loomed over the girl. She looked as though she hadn't had a decent shower or meal in over a week. Her dark jacket was soaked to the bone and her short pixie hair was matted to her head. He watched her fidget for a moment before she looked up at him with deep chocolate eyes and he could see the fear illuminating them. She couldn't have been older than eighteen years old. Tears were swimming in her dark orbs and he knew at that moment what he was going to do.

David stood and turned toward his son. "Owen, why don't you go home, huh? I've got this under control."

"But don't I need to give a statement or--"

"Go home son. You're mom's probably worried about you anyway. I don't need her calling here requesting a search party."

"Dad really, I think I should stay and tell you what happened."

David shook his head and gave his son a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'll take care of her, okay? Just get home. I'll be there in a bit."

Reluctantly, Owen stood and nodded in his father's direction. He gave Leah one last menacing glare before making his way out of the station. David watched his son stalk off. When Owen was out of sight he turned toward the soaking girl looking just as angered as his son had been moments before.

"I'm sorry about him. He has his mother's hot temper and my stubbornness." David sighed as he began to uncuff the dirt ridden girl from the chair. When freed, she massaged her wrist in an attempt to rub out the slight mark that had formed.

"Thanks." Leah mumbled and held her head down trying to avoid David's inquisitive stare. The two sat in silence as the station bustled around them.  

"So, young lady," David started as he began to type into his computer. When he was finished he looked up with a soft smile.

"Why don't you start by telling me your name, yeah?"

He saw the high beams of his father's Range Rover before he heard it pull into the driveway and his adrenaline immediately kicked in. He wanted to know everything about the girl who had tried to take his very expensive Louie Vitton messenger bag and had left him with a bruised jaw and ego to match. He was going to sue her for all the money she had and make sure her children's children felt the wrath of Owen Greenburg.

When the lock clicked, Owen was on his feet racing toward the door to meet his father.

"Hey dad, I think the best course of action is to press char..." He stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted the hooded figure behind David. He was sure his eyes were deceiving him until the figure looked up momentarily to glare at him.

He would never forget those dark brown orbs.

"What in the hell is she doing here?" Owen asked through gritted teeth and winced slightly from the slight ache in his jaw. He had a right mind to reciprocate the nice right hook she had delivered earlier that night but she was a girl. Albeit, a juvenile delinquent masquerading as a girl-a girl nonetheless.   

"Owen!" Anne Greenburg looked incredulously at her son and made her way toward the soaking wet girl beside her husband. "Don't be rude, and watch your mouth."

"Everyone calm down," David said as he ushered Leah further into the home. "This is Leah Henderson; she's going to stay with us for a couple of days."

Leah ignored the glare the annoying white boy threw her way and quickly scanned her surroundings. The home was spacious with wood trim and warm honey toned walls. A fire place was blazing bright across the room and lining the mantel were black and white photos in sterling silver frames of the family.

She made a mental note to take a look at the pictures later. Photography had always been a secret passion of hers.

She wondered if the woman of the house had decorated herself or had employed the help of an interior designer.

Not like these people couldn't afford it, she thought.

"I'm Anne. It's wonderful to have you here Leah." Anne said so sincerely Leah just about believed the red-head. The amber eyes of the older woman almost had her fooled, but she knew it was all an act. No one was that kind for no reason. Anne's porcelain skin, fiery red hair and wide doe eyes reminded her of her mother and the way she would whisper ‘I love you' in Gaelic.

Snapping back from her reverie, Leah gave a small nod, looked up quickly and said, "It's Lee," before reverting her eyes away.  

 "Well, Lee, I'll show you to the guest room. You'll love it. It's perfect for a teenage girl." Anne slung her arm around the younger woman and directed her toward the hall.

Once the two were out of ear shot, Owen revoked his silence.

"Dad, are you out of your mind? That girl is a criminal!" He flung his arms in the air and stood waiting for his father to say something.

David simply smiled and removed his uniform jacket and hat. "Owen, she's not a criminal. She's just a girl down on her luck. She needed a place to stay so I brought her here."

"There are hotels you know? Give her a few dollars and send her on her way!"

"Where's your compassion Owen? She has no other place to go and she's really a nice girl."

Owen rolled his eyes. "She probably took your wallet out of your pocket while she was being so nice."

"Just give her a chance, yeah?" David said as he crossed the room to pat his son on the back and headed toward the kitchen.

"A chance to rob us blind? I don't think so." Owen mumbled to himself as he glared down the hallway where his mother's voice echoed.

****

"The bathroom is straight down the hall. Towels are in there as well. Are you hungry?" Anne asked as she watched Leah inspect the room.

She looked on at the girl as she touched the spotless brass lamp and swiped a finger along the dust free wooden bureau that housed it. Though Anne was curious as to why her husband had taken the less-than-presentable girl in, she trusted his judgment and knew there was a good reason for it. Something had drawn him in and she was sure it had been her doe eyes. When she looked into the girl's dark almond shaped orbs she saw so much of her young self there.

"I'm good, thanks." Leah said ideally as she continued to scan the lavender colored room and examine the clean linens on the bed. Everything was so much cleaner than she was used to and though she didn't give a hill of beans what these people thought of her, she didn't want to particularly ruin anything either. It didn't matter, she reminded herself. She would just bide her time until she could get enough money to get to the Bahamas, Hawaii, or somewhere else with sandy beaches and non-stop sun.

Anne smiled and began to back out of the room. "Well if you need anything I'll be down the hall."

With that she was gone.

Leah continued to inspect the room and caught sight of a white rocking chair in the corner of the room. She guessed the room had been used as a nursery before it had been converted to a guestroom. This left her wondering how many children they had, other than that idiot of a son.

"Hey, who are you?" A small voice asked from behind her.

Leah turned abruptly and was met with the same amber eyes as Anne. She knew instantly her question had been answered. The small child couldn't have been more than ten with her lanky build and long blond hair. Leah had become good at reading people and this kid seemed to be no real threat.

"Lee. Who are you?"

The girl grinned and stepped into the room. "Hayley, like the comet. I heard my dad brought a guest home. I was hoping you were a girl my age cause I get so bored around here. Owen won't play with me anymore and mom and dad are always so busy with work, or a charity or something else."

Leah wasn't sure the girl had even taken a breath and somehow she had understood every single word the child had spoken.

Yeah, this kid is alright, she thought with a small grin.

"That sucks. What do you do around here for fun anyway?" she asked while she let her backpack drop to the floor and began to remove her wet coat.

"Nothing at all we...you have a tattoo! Is it real? Can I see?" Hayley exclaimed excitedly and ran toward Leah. Having no sense of personal space, Hayley lifted her midriff shirt up more to get a better glimpse of her small butterfly tattoo.

Leah could only laugh and nod. "Yeah it's real."

"Wow, did it hurt?" she asked entranced by the colorful insect splayed across her abdomen. She traced it with her porcelain colored finger to inspect its authenticity.

Leah thought for a second before answering. "Not really. I got it last year before..."

"Hayley, get away from that criminal!" A voice sounded from behind, startling them both. Leah jumped away as if Hayley's touch had burned her.

"Don't be a jerk Owen. Lee is cool and she has a tattoo."

"She would." Owen glared at her with so much contempt, Leah was sure her face might melt off. "You have to get ready for bed anyway Hales."

His eyes never left Leah as the little girl wished them both goodnight and made her exit. Owen stepped fully into the room and shut the door hard.

"You think you have everyone fooled don't you?" He said as he pointed a finger at her.

Leah raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. "And let me guess, you're on to me?" She asked as she rolled her eyes and turned her back on him to retrieve her backpack from the floor.

"Damn right I am, Leah." He stressed her name, knowing she'd detest it.

She began to unzip her bag while she spoke. "Well guess what Owen? I don't have any ulterior motives. Your dad invited me here for a night and I'm staying for one night. That's it."

Owen smacked his lips and crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah, right. Your ‘I'm homeless and need a place to stay and good role model' routine won't get you shit with my family."

"Fuck you," she spat as she forgot about her bag and got nose to nose with him. Though she was at least five inches shorter she was sure she could take him. He had the same lanky build as his sister. There was no muscle, she thought.

She was more than 100% sure she could take the lanky young man.

"You probably whore yourself too." Owen looked her up and down as if she were diseased-as if the slightest touch of her skin would enable him to catch whatever fatal illness she possessed. "You're disgusting."

With wide eyes Leah was ready to reel back and show this spoiled brat just how much of a whore she could be.  She hadn't felt so much pent up anger for a person in so long she had almost forgotten what the sensation felt like.

"You don't know shit about me, so don't pretend as though you do. You stay out of my way and I sure as hell will stay out of yours." Her eyes searched his for approval.

Disgust continued to read easily across his face but he smiled in spite of it. "We'll see."

Thoroughly satisfied with himself, Owen left her alone and slammed the door behind him.

"Bastard," she mumbled and continued to unpack.

****

Anne closed the door softly to her daughter's room and lingered there for a moment before turning and bumping chest first into her oldest.

"Boy, what are you doing? Were you harassing Lee?" She glared at her son suspiciously.

Owen huffed loudly and threw his hand in the air in defeat. "Am I the only one in this house with some sense? That girl attacked me on the street and now she's in my house!"

"First of all young man, this is mine and your father's house. I don't see you coughing up any money for the mortgage." Anne cocked her hip and raised an eye brow waiting for her son's retort, when none came she continued.  "And secondly, Lee is a guest. I don't care how much you don't like her. She is your father's guest and you will be civil toward her. "

She stopped to take a breath and soften her voice. "There's obviously something about Lee that struck your dad. You know for a fact that he's a good judge of character. Just give her a chance, OK?"

Anne kissed her son's cheek and bid him goodnight before making her way down the hall to her room.

Owen couldn't argue with his mother, no matter how hard he tried. It had been the second time that night he'd heard the phrase ‘give her a chance' but his head was telling him the girl down the hall was trouble.

His gut, on the other hand, was reacting awkwardly to the girl who had almost mugged him on the streets just hours before. His mind kept going back to the moment he had walked in on his little sister tracing a finger over her caramel colored skin. He knew the moment had been completely innocent but his blood had boiled and couldn't understand why.

His body had reacted as well. Seeing the smooth skin of her stomach had done something to him. He shook his head of the thought and made his way to his room. He would find out about Leah Henderson then get rid of her one way or another.

Owen awoke the next morning wondering if the previous night had all been a dream. Clad in only his boxers, he went to inspect the guestroom and see if, in fact, his father had let a common criminal into their home.

When he reached the door he knew he’d have to be extra quiet, not knowing if she was a light or heavy sleeper or if the girl had even stayed at all. If he got caught sneaking into the girl’s room, there was no telling what his parents would think he was trying to do to precious Leah. He slowly turned the handle and pushed the door open. He peered into the room to see her sprawled across the bed on her back.

She looked almost angelic with her short mop of dark hair feathered across the stark white pillow. Her skin was flawless and caramel smooth. If she weren’t a homeless street thief he might have considered her almost attractive, he thought as he began to close the door back.

“Is Lee awake?”

Owen flinched and turned to see his little sister staring up at him intently. “Damn it — I mean, dang it, Hayley! What are you doing sneaking up on me like that?” He whispered harshly as he secured Leah’s bedroom door to its rightful place.

“What are you doing watching Lee sleep?” Hayley asked with a knowing smile.

“I wasn’t watching Leah sleep, I was…I was looking for…” He thought for a moment but could come up with no excuse, so he opted for the only thing he knew would make his baby sister stop asking questions. “You’re a little kid, you wouldn’t understand.”

“I am not a little kid!” She stomped and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Point proven.” Owen said simply and moved toward his room with a satisfied smile.

****

She’d been awake for at least an hour, staring at the white ceiling when she heard the footsteps. The door was ajar and Leah was about to sit up and confront the peeping-tom, when she heard Hayley’s voice. If she hadn’t already been awake, Leah would have been jolted back to consciousness anyway. She had always been a light sleeper, from the day she was born. Her mother would always say there wasn’t a dream worthy enough that could keep her sleeping for long. But it wasn’t insomnia keeping her from sleep; it was the images of the dream swimming around in her head. The nightmare had come back and although she hadn’t had it in months, it was always the same.

The orange flames obstructed her vision and the screams of her mother were ear-piercing. She saw a shadow amongst the smoke and turned to flee. She didn’t know who it was, all she knew was that she needed to get away or she’d meet the same fate as her parents.

If not for the ability to bottle her emotions, Leah was sure she would have let tears fall. Crying was old news, she thought. She needed to start over and find a place she belonged.

Listening to the two siblings bicker brought a gentle smile to her lips. It’d been a long time since she’d been in a real home and surrounded by actual people. She’d been alone for so long.

This time when a soft knock sounded at the door, she sat up.

“Leah? Are you up?” the soft female voice asked.

Leah caught sight of bright red hair that peeked in from behind the door. For a moment, she saw the face of her mother; all feminine charm with gentle emerald eyes. A smiled threatened to break through but when Leah blinked, Anne stood staring at her inquisitively.

“Lee, are you all right?”

Leah blinked again and threw up her shield. “Yeah.”

“We’re having breakfast.” Anne grinned and stood looking at the disheveled girl. The way Miss Greenburg was looking at her was unnerving, as if she was trying to get inside her mind.

“Okay…” Leah drew out. “And you want me to join?”

Anne laughed, as if she’d made a joke. “Well of course we want you to join us, honey.”

Leah shook her head and let her bare feet hit the floor. She grabbed for her jeans at the foot of the bed but found them gone. She looked to Anne accusingly and began to back up until the back of her legs bumped into the bed frame.

“Where are—”

“Your clothes? In the wash,” Anne grinned and made her away around Leah to idly secure the comforter back into place. Such a typical teenage move to not make the bed, Anne thought.

“You didn’t think I’d let you put those old dirty clothes back on without having washed them, did you?”

“Well, I—”

Anne contemplated Leah’s clothing size in her head and smiled once she had it. “I have several clothes from when I lost some weight a few years ago. I’m still holding out for when I get my butt back to the gym.” she winked as she finished smoothing out the sheets and fluffing the pillows.

“I don’t want your damn clothes,” Leah snapped and waited for the older woman to snap back. “I’m leaving.”

“Well, it’s your choice.” Anne shrugged and moved toward the door slowly. “Your clothes won’t be out of the laundry for a bit and you have nothing else. But, it makes no never mind to me if you want to come downstairs in your tank top and hot pants.”

Leah looked down at her powder blue boy-short panties and then back up at Anne. She really didn’t have much else to leave with. The only things left in her backpack was a half eaten sandwich she’d stolen the day before, an empty pack of cigarettes and her mother’s favorite red knit scarf. None of those items would keep her out of jail for indecent exposure. Lord, she thought, she could have used a smoke.

Giving up, Leah sighed. “Is this stuff from the 60s?”

Her eyes widened in shock and amusement. “Girl, no! I have some style and I’m always current with the latest trends. Besides, I was born in 1970, thank you very much.”

Anne caught Leah’s faint smile as she headed back to her own room for the outfits she’d decided would be perfect for the young girl.

****

Once Leah had showered and selected a simple pair of blue jeans and a blouse with a three-quarter length sleeve that Anne had lain across the lavender comforter, she headed down the stairs. Sunlight filtered in through the open windows and made the living room feel open and alive. The light gleamed off of the silver frames on the fireplace mantel she’d seen the night before. She hesitantly padded toward the photographs and stood on her toes to get a closer look.

The first picture was a black and white of Anne and David on their wedding day. It wasn’t the traditional straight laced wedding photo she’d have expected to see from the cookie-cutter Greenburgs. The backdrop was the lobby of a ritzy hotel lobby with high ceilings, enormous columns and what Leah had guessed was gold trim. The newlyweds had found a comfortable velvet couch to crash after a busy day of celebrating. A much younger and thinner David had undone his bow tie, unbuttoned the first two buttons on his dress shirt and had his head resting in Anne’s full-skirted lap. Her hands were on either side of his head as he tilted his chin up to gaze lovingly at his new bride. There was a faint, knowing grin on Anne’s face as she gazed back. The photographer had captured a beautifully candid moment between the couple and Leah frowned at longing she felt as she gazed the photo.

The other snap shots were of random family members and some of their kids through the years. A photo of Owen in a one-kneed football pose immediately caught her attention. His attempt at looking intimidating had Leah rolling her eyes. Of course he was a jock, she thought and moved on to the next photo of Hayley. She couldn’t have been more than a year old with her chubby fingers reaching for something out of the shot and her open mouth smile displaying four baby teeth.

Laughter coming from behind startled Leah. It was then that she caught the soft aroma of eggs waft past her nostrils, making her stomach coil with hunger.

She’d stay for breakfast, she thought, and then she’d get the hell out of here.

When she peeked in through the entry way, she spotted Anne and Hayley seated at a round mosaic tilted table as David stood at the stove scrambling eggs. She breathed a sigh of relief when she didn’t see their asshole of a son. She could have done without an encounter with the kid; then again, the prospect of tearing him a new one before she left for good was pretty tempting. He must have been out shopping for another girly messenger bag, she concluded as she continued to watch the family silently. Leah had to keep from grinning as David attempted to expertly toss the eggs into the air and catch them in the pan again. He failed miserably and the family broke out into hysterics. The scene looked perfect for a Hamburger Helper commercial promoting family togetherness. As Leah stepped over the threshold, she felt like an outsider intruding and was ready to turn around and bolt before Hayley spotted her.

“Lee! Come sit next to me,” she said and beckoned her animatedly.

Leah folded her lips inward in an effort to keep from smiling at the bouncy girl and followed instructions. All eyes were on her and she felt unnerved. She passed David at the stove but made no attempt to greet him.

“Mornin’ sleepy head. How’d you rest?” David smiled as he finished cleaning up the ruined eggs from the floor.

A short and finalized, “fine” was Leah’s reply. She didn’t want to get buddy-buddy with these people, so keeping it short and sweet was the key. She would have eggs, maybe grab some fruit for the road and be on her way. She quickly reached for a strawberry that sat in a ceramic bowl in the center of the table. She popped the fruit into her mouth and chewed as if she would never taste something so sweet again. It’d been forever since she’d had fresh fruit. Leah was tempted to grab for another but resisted when Anne looked at her and grinned.

“So, Hales, what do you want for your birthday?” David looked over his shoulder at his daughter. He smiled when she began rattling off potential gifts.

“A bike, a puppy, world peace and President Obama to be elected for a second term.”

David considered his daughter for a moment. “The bike we can definitely do. The rest we’ll just leave up to The Man upstairs to handle, yeah?”

Hayley pouted and looked toward her mother. “So, no puppy?”

“We’ll see, sweetie.” Anne kissed her daughter’s cheek.

“Anne, don’t do that.” David said as he rounded the table and placed a bowl of eggs and a plate of toast next to the fruit.

“Do what?” She shrugged and reached for a slice of toast.

“Get her hopes up like that and undermined me.”

Leah watched silently. Hmm, she thought, so they do have some flaws after all. She’d remember her parents used to have fights like this. Most of them ended in silence throughout the house for a few hours, but all of them never lasting very long.

“I just love my baby girl.” She cooed exaggeratedly at Hayley and gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek that left the child giggling. When Anne sobered, she turned back to her husband. “But you’re right. I’m sorry, babe.”

“Oh, no.” He pointed at his wife accusingly. “Don’t you turn that pouty face on me. That’s exactly where our daughter gets it.”

As if rehearsed, the two put their heads together and made the same pitiful face that had David shaking his head in amusement.

“See these two, Lee? They’re always cuttin’ up. I never win around here and now I’m over run with women!”

“Not for long,” said a menacing voice from the doorway.

Everyone turned and in strolled Owen with a saucy glared directed at Leah, who rolled her eyes and stabbed into her eggs forcefully.

“Oh! My baby boy, welcome home!” Anne outstretched her arms and made a beeline for Owen. She caught her son in a tight embrace and gave him the same smacking kisses she’d bestowed upon her daughter a moment before.

His scowl slowly melted into mock disgust and soon into a full-fledged grin. Leah was momentarily surprised by the sight of his quirked lips and began to grin herself, until their eyes locked. Both of their jaws clenched and they glared evenly. Neither wanted to be the first to break the glower but when Anne called her name, Leah looked to the older woman.

“When do you plan to head out?” Anne asked with indifference once she sobered and moved to a cupboard to retrieve a plate for Owen.

Hayley threw her mother a pout and then looked at Leah pleadingly. “You’re leaving? You can’t go! My birthday is in two days and I want you to be there.”

Leah groaned inwardly. She knew she should have chosen another night to pick pockets.  

****

The day of Hayley’s party, the family had woken up early to make sure the finishing touches were in place. The Greenburgs’ had pulled out every stop for their daughter’s special day. Leah padded toward the window that was facing the backyard so she could get a good look at the source of all the commotion. An inflatable castle was being erected and so was a small pin where Leah was sure animals would later reside. Leah caught Anne carrying food under a white tent that sat adjacent to entertainment.

Leah shook her head in amazement.

She could remember having small, intimate birthday parties with just family. Her mother would make a cake, and her father would be in charge of the presents. Her sixteenth birthday had been the final one she’d had with both her parents. Her mother had given Leah her red scarf she had fawned over for months. Her mother always had great taste in clothing. Leah had worn the scarf multiple times without her mother’s permission, and she was sure her mother had no idea until she had received it on her birthday. Leah had remembered blushing profusely when she’d opened the gift and there sat the crimson wool garment.

Leah broke from her reverie when someone knocked at the door.

“Lee? Are you up? Come down and see all the cool stuff!” Hayley’s tiny voice resounded.

Leah chuckled to herself and pulled open the door to see the child smiling up at her — the excitement evident in her beautiful hazel eyes.

“I can see everything from the window. You’re spoiled kid, you know that?” Leah said with a mock frown.

Hayley giggled and shrugged. “I know. Maybe mama and daddy got me that puppy!”

“They probably did. I’ll be out in a second, okay?”

Hayley’s grin widened. “Okay!” She took off down the hallway and Leah could do nothing but shake her head again as she stepped back into the room, leaving the door cracked.

Moving to her backpack, she pulled out her scarf and held it to her nose. It had long since lost the scent of her mother, but she sniffed it anyway. She imagined how it looked around Aria Henderson’s neck and burned the image in her brain so she wouldn’t forget.

When her door swung open, Leah turned with an amused expression on her face.

“Hayley, I’ll be down—oh, It’s you. Don’t you knock?” She scoffed and quickly stuffed the scarf back into her bag, not wanting Owen to see.

Ignoring the question, Owen barged into the room without any regard for the woman residing in it. “What’s that you have? Something else you stole from my parents?”

“Go to hell.” Leah clenched her fists, ready to strike if necessary.

Owen sneered but was amused that he could get under her skin. “That’s where thieves go; low-life’s with nothing better to do than to steal from honest, hardworking people.”

She rolled her eyes and tried to step around him, but he blocked her path. Leah moved again but he followed.

“Are we really doing this again?” She sighed. “Don’t you get sick of being a dick all the time?”

“No, as a matter of fact. It’s easy when the recipient is scum of the earth.” Owen crossed his arms over his chest and tried to avert his eyes away from her chest where her nipples pebbled under her tank top. “I just want you to know that you’re not going to get away with stealing from my parents. Give whatever you’ve taken back and then leave.”

“I haven’t stolen from your parents.” Leah gritted her teeth and pointed a finger. “Now, get out of my way before I knee you so hard in the balls, you’ll be pissing from your mouth.”

Owen stayed quiet as he gave her a once over and then stepped aside to let her pass. Once she was at the door, Own quickly moved toward her bag. Leah’s confusion suddenly turned to horror as she watched Owen pull the scarf from her backpack and inspect it.

“Give that back to me!” Leah reached for her scarf but he held it out of her grasp. “I’m dead serious, you prick! Give me my scarf back.”

“Looks like shit. You must have stolen this one several months ago when it was colder.” He laughed harshly at her attempts to retrieve the item.

He wasn’t sure why he was baiting her like this, but he found some satisfaction in pissing her off. Owen had never considered himself a bully but he may have taken up the practice sooner if he’d known how much gratification he would get from it. As she continued to jump and reach for the scarf, her body repeatedly brushed against his. He was becoming oddly accustomed to having her womanly curves so close and that single fact disgusted and confused him.

“Give that back. It’s important to me.” She pleaded desperately.

“What are you willing to do for it?” Owen barely recognized his own husky voice, and was shocked at the sexual innuendo he’d just presented. “I mean…will you leave if I give this back to you?”

“Gladly.” Leah tried to keep her voice from quivering but Owen had caught the subtle hint of tears.

Slowly Owen lowered the scarf. She snatched it from his grasp and shoved him aside to stuff it back into her bag. When she turned to glare at him, the look was more than anger, more than sadness — it was defeat. And he felt more guilt than he had ever in his entire life.

As Owen stood by awkwardly and watched her gather the rest of her things, he wondered why she was so emotional over a piece of clothing. “What’s the big deal? It’s just a scarf.”

At that, Leah whipped around to face him. “It was my mother’s scarf. And she’s dead, you asshole. Yes, I’m an orphan. Not really news. You probably think they’re better off dead so they don’t have to deal with me, huh? We’ll you’re probably right.”

Speechless, all he could do was watch as she went back to angrily and unknowingly stuffing the clothes Anne had let her borrow into her worn backpack. Owen heard her sniffle and for the first time since they’d met, he really did feel like an asshole. And he didn’t like it one bit.

“I’m sorry…I didn’t know.” Owen shoved his hands into his pockets.

Leah stopped packing and hesitated before looking over her shoulder. “Well, now you do.” She said as she zipped up the bag and threw it over her shoulder.

As she made her way to the door, Owen stepped in her path. “Where are you going?”

Leah kept her head down as she spoke. “Away from you.”

“I said I was sorry. I didn’t know your mother was…I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

“So? You’re sorry. Good for you. Now, move!”

“You can’t leave. Hayley would be heartbroken.”

Leah’s humorless laugh was unrecognizable, even to herself. “Hayley will be heartbroken, or you’ll get into trouble for running me off?”

Owen considered his answer and thought of the tongue lashing his mother would give him if she found out he’d been the cause of Leah’s departure. “More so for Hayley’s sake. She’d never forgive me if I took away her only female companion.”

Leah shrugged indifferently and pushed Owen out of her way. “Looks like you’ll have some expl—”

Both heads snapped in the direction of Hayley’s voice echoing down the hall way from the foot of the stairs. “Lee, are you coming?”

Leah kept her eyes fixed on Owen as she answered. “Yeah, I’m coming down right now.”

He visibly relaxed and sighed. “Than—” Owen stopped short when she held up a dismissive hand and gave him a hard look.

“After today, I’m gone. There’s no reason why you should need to speak to me. Don’t even look at me, as a matter of fact. Just stay as far away from me as humanly possible, then I’ll leave and you can go back to you perfect life. Agreed?”

Leah didn’t wait for his reply as she tossed her bag onto the bed and sauntered from the room, leaving Owen to stare after her. He closed his eyes for a second and wondered why his temperament was on such a rollercoaster lately. He’d called her a low-life, but the way he was acting was no better than the guys his father hauled off to prison daily.

She hadn’t asked for anything in the three days since she’d arrived and that had made Owen suspicious. He had been convinced that she was stealing and had come to confront her about it but he had become distracted by the sudden attraction he’d felt for her. It had irked him and pissed him off, so he had tried to annoy her as much as possible to the point where she could no longer endure it. It had almost worked until he had taken her mother’s scarf and acted like a complete jerk.

He hadn’t known that her mother was dead and that made him curious about her father. Was he dead as well? She had said she was an orphan, so obviously she didn’t have a guardian to speak of. Deep down, he ached when he’d seen a brief glimpse of the lonely girl who really had no one else in the world. He didn’t know how he would have survived without his parents in his life. Maybe that’s what he’d have to do — just survive. Exactly what Leah was trying to do. He couldn’t let her leave now. His parents would crucify him and his sister would never forgive him.

All Owen had to do was stay clear of Leah for the rest of the day and she would be out of his life by tomorrow, with no guilt on his part. He could definitely do that, but he couldn’t promise he wouldn’t look at her.

A couple of hours into the party, Owen was still feeling like the biggest jerk in the world. He’d tried to enjoy the festivities his parents had set up for Hayley but he couldn’t seem to find a jovial bone in his body. He was in a bad mood and what bothered him the most was that Leah was acting as if the incident between them had never happened.

It hadn’t helped anything that he was surrounded by twenty screaming ten year olds and their parents. Anne had seen her son’s lackadaisical attitude and had suggested he invite someone his own age to keep him company. He’d immediately called his longtime friend Jeffery. They’d both played varsity football all four years of high school and now that they’d graduated, a football scholarship was in their sights. He was sure his friend would have been offered an academic scholarship as well if he’d paid more attention to his studies than the female population on campus.

He couldn’t completely blame Jeffery for the amount of attention he got from the opposite sex. Jeffery was a good looking guy with sweeping brown hair and piercing blue eyes. The girls at school had gone gaga for his boy band looks and athletic build.

“Hey man, who’s that?” Jeffery pointed toward Leah who was bent down, feeding a miniature colt in the small petting zoo the Greenburg’s had reserved for the day.

“No one,” Owen sneered and took a swallow of the punch Jeffery had spiked with vodka. He was hoping the alcohol would take the edge off but nothing seemed to help his mood since his encounter with Leah earlier.

“She’s hot.” Jeffery nodded his approval and took down his own drink.

“Dude, don’t bother. She’ll be gone by tomorrow. And besides, since when have you been into black girls?”

Feigning offence, Jeffery gave his friend a look.

“Hey, I’m down with the swirl. Plus, they’re all the same color on the inside.” Jeffery winked and let out a laugh.

Owen rolled his eyes, not finding any humor in Jeffery’s attraction to Leah. “Just stay away from her. You don’t wanna get mixed up with that, trust me.”

“Why not? Does she have a communicable disease?”

“Just don’t.” Owen snapped and quickly gulped down the rest of his drink.

With a frown, Jeffery studied his best friend closely. He’d never seen Owen so troubled before and when he followed his line of vision to the girl in question, Jeffery’s smile grew slowly.

“You have a thing for her.”

“What?” Owen shrieked, catching the attention of some parents in attendance. He gave them a reassuring smile before turning back to Jeffery. “I can’t fucking stand her.” He hissed and stood to refill his cup.

Jeffery followed suit and trailed behind his companion. “Well, something’s going on. I’ve never seen you this brooding before.”

“Look, Jeff, I don’t give a shit what you do with concern to Lee. Just know that she’s trouble and if I were you, I’d leave it alone.”

Leaving Jeffery to contemplate his words, Owen made his way into the house for privacy. He couldn’t control what Jeffery did or said, but he damn sure could control if he decided to listen or not.

The young man turned his attention back to the beautiful stranger feeding miniature horses. Jeffery considered “trouble” his middle name, which deemed Miss Lee right up his alley and directly in his sights. He’d never been good with following instructions or heeding warnings. It only made it that much more intriguing to play with something that wasn’t meant to be played with. He smiled lazily and moved in Leah’s direction.

“Excuse me, but I don’t think we’ve met.”

Leah turned her attention away from the farm animal she was stroking to look over her shoulder. She was met with a wide grin that didn’t seem at all sincere. In fact, it actually looked more like a sinister smirk, almost as if there was something going on behind the innocent blue eyes.

She gave the boy a once over and then turned back her goat. “Nope.”

Not accustomed to being ignored, Jeffery’s smile faltered a bit but he replaced it with a challenging grin as he picked up some feed to give to the animal himself.

“I’m Jeff. What’s your name?”

“None ya.” She deadpanned and brushed off her jeans as she stood.

“Nice to meet you, None ya. Are you a friend of the Greenburg’s?” He held out his hand for her to shake. She glanced down at it and brushed by him without a word.

Not all together fazed, Jeffery continued to probe. “You must have arrived here earlier this week. Are you staying for the summer?”

Leah began to walk away, annoyed with twenty questions. But Jeffery followed closely behind.

“We have pretty hot summers here. But luckily it rains al—”

“Look, Jay—”

“Jeff.” He countered with a smile, hoping he’d broken her.

“Whatever. I’m not particularly in the mood to be friendly. So, it’d be in your best interest to quit while you’re ahead.” She flashed a faux smile and made her way into the house for some quiet.

Jeffery watched her backside as she made her escape into the house. He couldn’t say he much cared for rejection but he loved the thrill of a chase. He’d get to know mystery girl, one way or another.

****

In the middle of pouring himself another spiked drink, Owen heard the backyard screen door open then shut. He quickly capped the vodka and tried to hurriedly conceal his actions before the intruder figured out what he was doing.

“You wouldn’t be willing to share any of that, would you?”

Owen turned to look over his shoulder and spotted Leah with a plastic red cup in her hand, her eyes pleading for an alcoholic drink.

Shrugging disinterestedly, Owen moved aside. “Go right ahead.”

He watched her over the rim of his cup as she reached for the glass bottle and poured a considerable amount of vodka. He wondered how much punch she had added beforehand, considered checking himself for the briefest moment. Owen continued to lean against the counter, sipping his drink and watching Leah.

“Hiding out?”

Leah’s head snapped up at the question, as if she’d forgotten he was still in the room. “Are you?” She said with a raised eyebrow.

He nodded truthfully, which surprised them both.  “Avoiding a friend.”

“That Jeff guy?”

Owen groaned. “You met him? Oh God, whatever he said, just ignore him. He’s a moron.”

“I picked up on that pretty quickly.” Leah deadpanned and swirled the contents of her drink.

“Jeff really can’t help himself. He has no filter or boundaries.”

Leah blinked, not sure why he had struck up a conversation with her at all. They weren’t friends, or even acquaintances. This had been the first civilized discussion they’d had since meeting, she noted. She found it odd that even though this was a new occurrence, she wanted him to continue talking. Pushing the idea from her head, she gulped down her drink and hissed at the after-burn.

“Oh my God,” she coughed, not expecting it to be as strong as it was.

Partly concerned, Owen moved to her side quickly and patted her back to assist her in breathing. When her hacking subsided, he couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.

“You okay?”

All she could do was, as her voice hadn’t completely come back yet. With his hand still on her back, Owen couldn’t help be noticed how small she was, yet still supple. Under his palm he could feel her spine protruding a bit from beneath her shirt but didn’t observe her as being malnourished. She looked healthy enough, especially for having been on the streets for some time. It hit him then that she was going to be leaving in a few hours and she’d have to scrape for every meal. In that instant, regret settled in his gut.

Unfamiliar with the sensation toward the girl he still considered untrustworthy, he pulled back and put space between them. He opened his mouth to say something snarky, if for no other reason than to put them back on familiar territory but he was interrupted by Hayley’s voice.

“Hey! What are you guys doing in here?”

The both jumped back, even though they weren’t close enough for anyone to make assumptions.

“Nothing!” They said simultaneously.

Hayley raised an eyebrow and shifted her gaze between the two teens. Shrugging, she reached out and grabbed Leah’s hand. “C’mon! We’re about to cut the cake and open presents!”

Leah couldn’t help but grin as she was tugged along by the birthday girl. She looked over her shoulder briefly at Owen, wondering if he’d follow.

“I’ll be right there.” He lifted his cup as a toast and gulped the rest of it down.

“Okay, but hurry. I don’t want you to miss anything!” Hayley beamed and pulled Leah through the backdoor.

Alone, Owen sighed and poured a shot worth of Vodka into his cup. He swallowed the liquid quickly and stuffed the alcohol back into Jeff’s backpack. He hoped once the alcohol digested that it would relax him.

Compassion; that’s all it was he was feeling for Leah. She didn’t have anyone, and though she was still a thief in his eyes, he wasn’t going to antagonize her. In truth, he didn’t know her or what she’d been through. And in finding out about her parents, he’d decided he was going to tolerate her for however long she was with them, which he hoped wouldn’t be much longer.

Owen reached for Leah’s discarded cup, stacked his on top and threw them away before he made his way outside to watch his baby sister open her presents.

****

Virgil Boyle sighed and tapped a cadence on the arm of his leather chair. “She’s seventeen years old. A child. And you’re telling me that you can’t find her?”

The question was directed at his right hand man, Timothy Gates; a mousy looking individual that one would write off as weak and unassuming. But the man had a talent for knife throwing and information retention, which made him an asset as a partner.

“Sir, we’ve checked homeless shelters, soup kitchens, the whole nine.” Gates said and shifted nervously.

The older man’s voice remained relatively calm as he regarded Gates. “Have you tried hotels? Inns?”

Gates shook his head. “The obituaries maybe? She could be dead for all we know, and you’re wasting precious manpower on a dead kid.”

“I assure you. She is not dead. If that were the case, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I may be old but I’m no fool, Gates. She’s very much alive and I want to know what she knows. I could go to prison for a long time,” Virgil hissed and scooted to the edge of his chair.

“How about I just kill the kid—”

Abruptly, Virgil stood and pointed a finger at Gates, his eyes filled with fire. “You hurt her and I’ll chop you into tiny pieces, but not before I’ve ripped out your heart. That of which I’d put on display.”

Gates held up his hands innocently. “Okay, okay. We don’t hurt her and I’ll let the other guys know. But what exactly do we do with her once she’s found.”

The older man sat back, regaining his composure. But his eyes still held warning. “That’s not your concern. Just find her.”

 With a nod of confirmation, Gates left Virgil to himself. Once he was alone, Virgil sat back in his chair again. He fingered the photograph on his tabletop and lifted it to eye level. A younger version of Leah smiled back at him. She’d probably been about fifteen in the photo. Her hair was longer and her eyes held an innocence that he was sure was long gone. He wasn’t sure of the things she’d seen or what she knew about her parents death but he knew he needed to find her.

****

Later that evening, when all the guests had left, a small black Labrador yipped before it turned over on its belly, waiting for a rub. Leah rolled her eyes but did as the animal wanted.

“Got a name for her yet?”

Hayley reached for the dog and lifted it into the air. When she brought it back down, the puppy lapped at her nose. “I dunno,” she giggled and set it down again.

“What about Cujo?” Owen mentioned from the recliner as the pup began growling and tugging on his pants leg.

Hayley rolled her eyes and plucked the puppy up again. “She’s a girl, dummy. I’m thinking maybe…Princess.”

“That’s cute,” Leah yawned and stretched out on the rug.

Anne entered the living room and smiled as she watched her youngest fawn over her new puppy and her oldest observe with faux disinterest. She surveyed Leah most of all. The girl that had come to them just days before seemed to be assimilating well. Although Leah had claimed she was leaving tonight, the even breaths she took while sprawled out on the rug told Anne she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Time for bed, Birthday girl.”

Hayley turned to her mother and pouted. “Mom, please can I stay up until midnight? Me and Princess aren’t sleepy.”

Anne chuckled as Hayley yawned. “I’ve heard that before. You’ll thank me tomorrow, kid. C’mon.” She held out a hand to her daughter.

Picking up Princess, Hayley snuggled into her mother’s side.

“Night, Hales. Happy Birthday.” Owen waved and let his head loll to one side, his eyes closing.

“Oh Owen? Help Lee to bed when she’s ready. Poor thing is exhausted” Anne said over her shoulder. “And turn off the lights before you head up.”

Owen listened to his family’s fleeting footsteps up the stairs as he began to protest, but he knew his mother would only chew him out later. He groaned and pushed himself from the recliner to kneel next to the sleeping girl. He shook her once, hoping it would jar her, but she remained still. With the roll of his eyes, he tried again, calling her name in conjunction with the shaking.

“Leah, wake up.”

She whimpered softly then settled into sleep again. Maybe it’d been the alcohol that had made her so tired, he thought. Because nothing waking her up. One an irritated sigh, he positioned his arms under her body and lifted her from the floor. As he carried her up the stairs, he recalled the first time they’d met and how light she’d felt in his arms then. She didn’t curl into him, but she did hold on. When he reached the guestroom and pushed the door open, she began to wither from his hold.

“Thanks for the lift,” she smirked once her feet hit the floor and turned to flip on the light.

Owen blinked in disbelief. “You weren’t asleep? And I carried your ass up the stairs?” He threw his hands up and waited for her to explain.

“I’m a light sleeper. I didn’t feel like walking, so I let you carry me.” She shrugged as she pulled back the bedspread.

“Unbelievable! You…I really can’t stand you.” He grunted and ran a hand over his face.

“Feeling is mutual.”

“When are you leaving again?”

She whipped around to face him. “What the hell is your problem? One minute you’re civil, and then the next you’re on a rampage. Do you have a dual personality disorder or something?”

“Of course not,” he seethed “I just don’t like the idea of a criminal roaming around my house.”

“Get over yourself already. If I was going to take something, I’d have done it by now. And it certainly wouldn’t be something of yours.”

He suddenly stood straight and narrowed his eyes. “So, you did take something?” Owen reached for the pockets on her jeans to inspect them.

She slapped his hands away and moved to shove him back, but he caught her by the arms and held her in place. They both froze when their eyes locked. Their bodies were pressed close, so much so that Owen could feel the beat of her heart against his own.

Leah swallowed inaudibly and began to step back. “Let me go.” She tried to sound menacing but her voice came out almost desperately, as if begging him not to come any closer.

Still watching her, he flexed his fingers slowly and released his hold. He back away slowly and when he stood in the doorway, he stalked down the hall toward his room.

Leah remained still as she watched Owen make his exit. She’d had no idea what had just happened or what was about to happen. The boy apparently had a malfunction. She’d never met anyone who had such a rollercoaster of emotions. She just couldn’t keep up with his mood swings and was becoming sick of having to deal with them at all. Leah had planned to leave tonight but she knew Hayley would never have allowed that, not that she was trying to stay for the girl.

Tomorrow, she thought as she prepared for bed, she would be out of here. Nothing was going to stop her; not Hayley, Anne, David and sure as hell not that crazy kid down the hall. After tomorrow she wouldn’t have to deal with yipping dogs, nosey parents, happy-go-lucky ten year olds, and idiot teenaged boys with smooth lips.

Once his door was shut and his light was out, Owen lay in bed staring at his ceiling. He was restless and knew exactly why.

He had been ready to kiss her.

He scrubbed both hands over his face, as if admitting that single thought to himself caused a dirt-laden film to land on him. What in the hell is wrong with me? He wondered as he turned on his side and burned a hole into his Donavan McNabb poster that hung on the wall.

She had egged him on silently. He’d carried her up the stairs to the guestroom upon the request of his mother and had all but begrudgingly done so until he was holding her. Her breathing was steady and quiet, her lips were parted, and her face lax. He’d pushed down a strange feeling of protectiveness as he pushed open the door with his foot. Owen had been ready to discard her on the bed until she’d opened her eyes, which were twinkling with amusement and wriggled from his hold. He couldn’t believe she’d played him.

“Light sleeper my ass,” he grunted and turned over on his stomach.

She hadn’t been sleeping at all and when she had revealed that fact, something in him had snapped. He’d already been fighting strange feelings for her since she’d arrived but to know that she was secretly laughing at him had outraged Owen. And the realization of knowing that she’d probably heard him open her door the morning before had humiliated him like nothing else ever had.

Mortification and frustration had been a potent mix, he concluded. He knew he’d overreacted, accusing her of stealing from them for what seemed like the millionth time since her arrival. He just couldn’t help himself. Leah had made him absolutely crazy and the pull she had had been so strong, he’d been ready to forget that she’d practically mugged him only a few days ago. She was a beautiful girl; he could admit that. And her body was lean and healthy; as a seventeen year old’s should have been, but he knew a lot of girl friends of his with the same build and even more attractive faces.

So why her?

Sex deprivation, he supposed. He’d lost his virginity last year to a girlfriend at the time. The experience had been nice but nothing to really write home about. She’d moaned way too much and had used too many unnecessary expletives. He’d guessed that she’d been watching porn and had tried to imitate, subsequently failing miserably. Since then, he hadn’t tried dating or sleeping with anyone.  

That had to be it. Why else would he have tried to kiss a juvenile delinquent?

His conversation with Jeff definitely hadn’t helped matters either. He knew how his friend worked when it came to women. While he’d only had one sexual partner, Jeff’d had two handfuls already. Jeff was a pretty good friend when push came to shove, but his treatment of women was downright deplorable at times.

He had tried to deter Jeff from bothering Leah on all accounts. One, because Jeff was an idiot when it came to girls and Owen didn’t want to get the shit end of the stick when he did something stupid involving Leah; two, she was leaving tomorrow anyway; and three, he simply didn’t want Jeff touching her with all that she had been through. Owen may not have thought much of the girl but he still didn’t want her being messed with the way Jeff was prone to mess with attractive females.

Truth was he didn’t want Jeff touching Leah period. His moral code told him to watch out for the delicate girl. But the eighteen year old boy in him wanted to let her fend for herself; knew that she could fend for herself.

He chuckled humorlessly as he turned over on his back again. He’d never get sleep at this rate, if he continued to think about things he had no control over.

Finally closing his eyes, Owen cast away all thoughts of Jeff, Leah, and thanked God for inventing the liquid sleep aid Vodka before falling into a deep slumber.

****

The dream had come again.

Leah had sworn she’d heard her parents’ screams and desperate pleas for help. She couldn’t recall much of that night and wasn’t very keen on doing so. Amnesia had taken pass in the part of her mind that held those memories and disjointed scenes of a burning house and shouting people. Doctors had told her that the memories would come back slowly but she didn’t want to remember. She wanted to keep the whole incident blocked but her mind seemed to want to conjure up the past and filter them into her dreams.

Ever since she’d come into the Greenburgs’ home, the memories of her old life had been bombarding her to no end.

It was time to leave.

At five in the morning, Leah awoke ready to head out into the moist, cool new day. The sun had yet to rise and for that she was thankful. She knew she worked better under the cover of nightfall. Slipping out of the house would be a piece of cake while everyone was asleep and there were barely any lights on the street.

Carefully, she zipped up her bag, and made sure to leave everything as it was before she slowly pulled open the bedroom door. She peeked her head out into the hallway and watched for any sign of life, and when she deemed it safe, Leah moved cautiously toward the stairs and tip-toed down them. Reaching the bottom landing, Leah thought she was scot-free until a movement out of her periphery made her turn.

“Lee, good morning,” Anne smiled and took a swig of the water bottle she held. “Heading out?”

Leah stood frozen, not sure if she should feel guilty for having been caught or if she should just turn and leave without saying anything.

“Morning,” Leah sighed and let her bag drop. “Are you here to stop me?”

Anne shook her head and moved passed the teenager toward the front door. “On the contrary, I’m going for a walk.”

“At five in the morning?” Leah raised an eyebrow and assessed the older woman’s gray sweat pants and zippered blue jacket.

“I’ve been meaning to get back into working out and figured there’s no better time like the present,” Anne shrugged, pulling open the front door.

Leah watched, partly stunned that Anne — the protective, affectionate mother — was about to let her just walk out the door without protest. Following Anne to the door, Leah completely forgot her bag that was resting next her on the floor.

“Don’t you think it’s a pretty coincidental that you decide to take a walk at the exact moment I’m leaving?” The suspicious gleam was still in Leah’s eyes as Ann stretched out her arms, preparing for her semi-workout.

“I believe in fate, more so than coincidence.” Anne grinned over her shoulder as she stepped off the porch. “Coming?”

Feeling completely out of sorts, Leah stood watching Anne’s back move further down the sidewalk, almost disappearing into the early morning darkness. She shook her head and jogged after the woman to catch up with her. When they were walking side-by-side, their pace matched one another’s. They remained silent as Anne pumped her arms and exhaled loudly, as if working her body to exhaustion.

Leah tried to keep from smiling as the older woman began punching the air while walking.

“Is this your idea of a workout?”

Anne turned her head, but continued jabbing. “What do you mean?”

“This Oprah-Taebo-esque walking you’re doing.” Leah gestured.

Frowning, Anne slowed her pace and let her arms drop to her sides. “This is exercising.”

“Lady, if you think that’s exercising…I don’t know what to tell ya.”

Anne’s frown deepened as they completely stopped moving all together. “Alright, smarty pants. How do you exercise?”

“Well, first, you need to really stretch yourself out. Here, let me show you.”

For the next ten minutes, the two went over a series of stretching exercises; some of which, Anne had had no idea existed. She felt much better about her limber extremities and was ready to do whatever was next.

“Now, if we’re going to work out, then let’s do it right. We’re going to run. Can you handle that?”

Anne’s eyes widened a bit. “Run? I don’t know about that. I have a weak knee,” she said, fidgeting a bit.

Leah was surprised to hear the unsure tone in Anne’s voice. From what she had gathered of Anne in the past couple of days was that she was very self-assured and confident. It was an odd revelation to discover that even Anne, at her age and level of vibrancy, still had some insecurity.

Leah touched Anne’s shoulder gently. Her eyes spoke volumes and expressed the words her mouth couldn’t form. Anne understood immediately and smiled hopefully as she began walking again. Soon, the two had picked up speed and were jogging. Before Anne knew it, they had gone around the neighborhood and were circling back around. The house came into view and suddenly Anne was sprinting up the street in a race toward her mailbox. Leah chuckled and shook her head as she pumped her legs, passing Anne with ease.

Throwing up her arms and lifting her head toward the brightening sky, Leah cheered and simulated the sound of a roaring crowd. Barely winded, she turned to Anne who was slowly shuffling toward her, her hands on her hips and her breathing heavy.

“I haven’t run like that in…gosh I can’t remember how long,” Anne breathed.

“See, I knew you had it in you.”

Anne smiled proudly and began to stretch her arms the way Leah had shown her earlier.

“If you keep that up, you’ll have a bikini body by the end of the summer. David won’t know what hit him,” Leah lifted her eyebrows suggestively, causing Anne to burst into laughter.

Once she had sobered, Anne asked the question that had been on her mind all morning. “So, where did you learn these stretching exercises? My trainer at the gym isn’t even that attentive.”

“I ran track in school,” Leah said idly and began to imitate Anne’s movements. “And my mom was a yoga instructor for a while…”

Suddenly, Leah’s eyes changed and became clouded with emotion. Anne had seen the transformation of the girl in that instant and had almost regretted the question. But she needed to find out more about the young mystery girl staying with her family. Obviously her parents were no longer around but she wondered if she could somehow acquire the information of how long she’d been on the streets and maybe how she’d ended up there in the first place.

“She sounds like a woman I need to meet!” Anne joked, and pretended as if she never saw the expression adjustment. “I know my butt would do some good with private yoga lessons.”

“She’s dead,” Leah snapped.

Anne had figured that much, but to actually hear Leah say it broke her heart. All she wanted to do was engulf the lost girl into her arms and keep her safe. Of course she’d wanted to know about the teen but Anne knew pushing the subject would only push Lee away. She’d just bide her time and when the right moment came, she’d find out more.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Lee,” Anne said and then paused, trying to bring back the comfortable vibe they’d experienced before the run. “But really, I think you could help get me back into shape.”

“I’m leaving.”

Anne nodded in understanding. “Yeah, that’s right. I just thought if you stayed and helped me out I could pay you for your time. You know, earn the money you actually have instead of stealing for it.”

Heat rose in Leah’s cheeks as she cast her eyes downward but said nothing. Having money in her pocket would definitely help her move from city to city quicker on her way cross country. She bit her lip and deliberated her options. If she left now, she’d have to walk wherever she ended up, and then steal for food later, but if she made a little money before she left…

 “Twenty bucks an hour.”

Anne almost choked on her tongue. She couldn’t believe her plan to get the girl to stay had actually worked. She could afford twenty dollars an hour if it meant Leah had food in her belly and a roof over her head.

Grinning, Anne held out her hand.

“Deal.”

“We work out every day, starting at five, since you like the mornings so much.” Leah’s smile was smug and Anne had the sudden feeling that she was being taken for a ride.

Anne began to wonder what kind of monster she had created as Leah began rattling off the type of exercises they’d do and for how long they’d do them.

****

David sat at his desk and scrubbed a hand over his face. The twelve hour shift was starting to weigh on him as old age crept up on him.

He had a mound of paper still left to do from the domestic dispute he’d just come from. The alleged victim had claimed that her boyfriend had thrown her against a wall during a spat. The two had been drinking with friends and apparently the girlfriend had become jealous because a female guest in attendance had been making eyes at him. After their friends had left, the real party had started for the two.

David rolled his eyes as he thought back to the belligerent woman trying to recount her side of the story in slurred disjointed English. He usually kept his cool when it came to runs like that but the small investigation on Leah had turned up minimal information, which had frustrated him.

He’d searched Leah’s name in his computer database days ago and had discovered that she’d been reported missing last year. He shook his head in disbelief; the girl had been on her own for a full year. He couldn’t imagine Hayley, his baby girl, being left alone on the streets to fend for herself; even the thought of Owen having to scrape for every meal left him with an anxious feeling. David shook the thoughts from his head because it made him sick to his stomach.

He was pleasantly surprised to see that the girl had no criminal record, and that’s where his search had come to a standstill. He did know that the missing person’s report had been filed in a completely different state, so that’s where he’d start next, David concluded.

He stared at the picture of Leah in the missing person’s database and got a sinking feeling. He wanted to contact the appropriate person and have her case closed, but something told him the timing just wasn’t right. Twenty years ago he had taken a vow to uphold the law but this time, he knew not telling anyone of the girl’s whereabouts was the best thing for her.

Opening a search engine, he typed in Leah’s full name to see what he could find on her. Maybe, he could reunite her with family or help her begin life anew. She was close to adulthood and would be eighteen in nine months, he’d found out. David had hoped that she’d let him try to help her do whatever she’d had planned for herself before all of this had happened.

Only time would tell.

“Greenburg? There’s a guy over here askin—” The accompanying officer was cut off by a shouting female voice.

When David looked up, he groaned as he spotted the couple he’d just seen an hour ago; the belligerent woman in handcuffs and her significant other with a black eye.

He sighed heavily, knowing he’d have to put Leah’s case on hold for a while longer.