Chpt. 9

 

opened again deep into the night, Jesse hadn’t come to bed yet, Belle slept silently, and I felt restless. I stood tucked the blankets tight around her so that no summer breeze snuck under them and awoke my little one. I stepped around small, sleeping bodies and snuck down the hallway, I took a deep breath of cooler air, clean and yet unbreathed.

When I opened my eyes again I realized that there was a bright light coming from one of the closet sized rooms that lined the outer walls of the building. I peeked my head around the frame of the door, sitting there was one of the bittersweetest things I’d ever seen in my life. You know how girls, kids in general, look even smaller and angelic in huge clothes with dirt-smudged cheeks? Well add a huge pregnant belly, big green eyes and flat red hair. That’s what sat before me, staring hopefully out the grimy window, past the candle into the night, looking more like she should be staring down at you from the stained glass of a church window. If Mr. Pulitzer, or Hearst, or anyone else without a heart could see what I saw here, the kids downstairs wouldn’t ever have to strike, they would open their wallets to us, and fall to their bony knees sobbing like newborn children.

She turned, fixing those big emerald eyes on me, she gave me this innocent little smile, brightening the whole room with that smile,

"Hello, who are you?"

"My name’s Velvet," I said softly, "what’s yers?"

"Haley Rose O’Neil." She said brightly, an accent I didn’t recognize thick in her soft voice, "you came here with Whips didn’t you?" I nodded, "and you have that pretty little girl, right?" I nodded again, feeling a smile spreading across my face, Belle was pretty, I was proud of her. The girl squealed a bit and clapped her hands, "if I have a little girl, I hope she’s as pretty as your little one." I looked around the room, there was one over-sized rag blanket folded over a straw filled mattress on the floor against one wall. She caught me looking at it and smiled, "James takes good care of me." She said by way of explanation, "He works in Hell, at least that’s what the others call it." I stared at her young face blankly for a minute before I realized what she was talking about.

This James worked in the glass factories, constant heat and dangerous molten glass made glass factory jobs decent paying, but the most dangerous jobs of all. You could learn how to dodge past a trolley or on coming horse drawn carriage, but you couldn’t stop glass from dropping off the blowing rod onto your feet or legs, or spilling off onto your hands. My heart went out to little Haley Rose, if I’d been raised differently before Jesse slept with me, I could have been like this, a grubby little street-rat who’s head was stuffed with moonbeams. I shrugged inwardly though, she seemed no worse for the ware, pretty well fed, her cheeks were still rosy under that dirt, still full, those green orbs sparkled brightly, intelligently.

Almost as if he’d heard my silent concerns for his girl, the boy I expected was James walked in, a cloth sack dangling from one hand, his eyes brightening as soon as he set eyes on Haley Rose, who squealed and threw herself into his arms. I surveyed this boy, he wasn’t much younger then me, a year or two, three at the most. His cheeks were chapped, bleeding in one place, from having his face so close to the fires for so long. There were scars on his hands and bare feet, his eyes looked jaded for one so young, a dark brown color, like his hair. Yet he held Haley Rose like she’d break if he squeezed to hard, he shot me a distrusting look over her head.

"Who’s dis, love?" he asked, his voice gruff and accented heavier then hers was. She turned those bright jewel eyes on me again with a little laugh,

"This is my friend Velvet, she’s Whips girl, the one with the pretty daughter I pointed out yesterday remember?" he nodded absently, obviously barely remembering me, but recognizing me as someone he’d maybe passed in the hall.

"I’m not Whips anything." I corrected her. She just giggled at me like I’d said something funny.

"Well I brought dinner, but…" he turned to me, "I’d offer ta share…" I held up one hand to ward off his excuse,

"I understand, I’m heading off to bed again anyway. ‘ll catch ya later Haley Rose," I smiled at her and inclined my head to her beau, "James." He inclined his head back,

"Velvet."

"Goodnight!" she called after me, waving. I walked back to where I’d left Belle sleeping on the floor, she now had Jesse curled up around her, his arms holding her tightly as he slept too, his bangs falling across his eyes, a small snore issuing from his parted lips. I sighed a little, and lay down on the other side, keeping Belle between us. Unfortunately I didn’t know what Jesse would think of me before tomorrow was out. I didn’t deserve one more night of being held in his arms while I cuddled our little girl in mine.

My eyes

Reviews

[Corey Lunare-]

She deserved it..that feeing can make anything better. it can make the worst day brighter..if only she had realized that but the bltent love she has for her daughter is just as overwhelming so that ends that point. Velvet is such a complex charecter...you show this repeatedl agan and again in a sifferent way every time.. thats wht amkes you stand out as awrier. This charecter is believeable. Is like she was real. exactly like it if didn't know any better. So Bravo Dream! Write On! hehe -Lunare