Cracks

Chapter 13 Family

Alyssa sat listlessly on the swing in the backyard. The people she was staying with cuddled and cooed her, put her into frilly little dresses and gave her more toys than she had ever seen in her life. Still, she wasn't happy. She didn't like it here. She didn't understand why she was here. Would she be here long? When she left the house of Denise's mom, she had spent one night somewhere else. Then she was sent here. Why hadn't Ray come? Where was he? Didn't he like her anymore? She had asked for him all the time, but the people just told her to calm down and that everything would be alright. But it wasn't alright. They didn't know anything. They weren't smart at all. She didn't like these dresses, but she still had to wear them. She didn't like pink, but it was the color of her room. They didn't know how to make lazana either. This place was not nice.

Alyssa leaned her head against the rope of the swing and sighed.

At first she ignored the rustling in the hedge. Behind it was a sidewalk and people walked their dog there every day. Sometimes the neighbor's cat paid a visit, but she didn't feel like petting it today. And of course birds nested in there too.

But the rustling continued and animals did not whisper.

"Psst, Ally. C'me here."

Confused and curious, Alyssa looked up.

"Over here." A few twigs in the hedge moved.

Cautiously, Alyssa peeked over her shoulder at the house. Evelyn didn't like it if she played near the hedge, but Evelyn was nowhere in sight.

She slid off the swing and knelt down at the hedge. "Hello?"

A face appeared between the leaves. He smiled at her. "I found you."

"Ray!" Alysa squealed.

"Shh," Ray cautioned her, "no one can know I'm here."

"Why?" Alyssa asked.

"Cuz they'll take you away again," Ray answered, "and we don't want that, cuz I'll have to look for you all over again."

Alyssa's lip trembled. "I wanna stay with you," she said, "why can't I live with Denise's mom anymore? Did I do something bad? I'll say I'm sorry."

"You didn't do nothin' wrong, Ally," Ray assured her, "bad people came and took you away."

"Can I go home with you then?" Alyssa begged.

Ray sadly shook his head. "They'll find you and hide you someplace else where I can't find you. We don' want that, do we?"

Alysa shook her head. A tear rolled down her cheek. "But I wanna go with you. I don't like it here."

Ray narrowed his eyes. "Do they hurt you, Ally?"

Alyssa pouted. "They make me wear stupid clothes."

He hid a smile. Such a childlike thing to say. Still, she was unhappy and he did not like that at all. He glanced at the house. He had come to see what kind of family she had been placed in, if she was safe. This house screamed money, as did the car in the driveway. Definitely the kind Alec would be interested in.

He nodded at his sister. "Yeah, that ain't fun at all." He looked up when he saw movement behind the window. He'd have to make it short. "I gotta go now, Ally, but I'll be back I promise."

Alyssa shook her head. "Don't go."

"I'll come back, I promise," he said again, "but you can't tell anyone I was here. It's our secret."