Hidden Burdens (working title)

Chapter Nine

Kimmy dragged behind as they walked through the parking lot and up to the store, which Ben had to turn around constantly to wait for her. He had to hold his arm out when he noticed a car pulling out of a parking space.

"You gotta be aware of your surroundings, kiddo," he said, as a gentle criticism of the way she was keeping her gaze on the ground.

The driver had noticed them and gave a hand wave they could cross first. Ben returned it with a thankful nod of his head and told Kimmy it was safe to cross.

Inside, Ben grabbed a cart the store greeter pulled out for him with a smile. He thanked her and wished her a great day.

Ben pointed the cart in the direction of the kids' clothes. "So, where should we head first?" He encouraged Kimmy to lead the way in what her choice of style was.

Kimmy stared up at him, unsure of what to do. The group home staff took advantage of the fact she didn't speak and pushed clothes they wanted her to wear. Clothes "normal" girls wore. Kimmy felt an uncomfortable feeling whenever a particular worker was on shift that day. Something about Kimmy just bugged her and had constantly picked on her regarding the tiniest things, whether it was the fact she didn't talk or that she always wore T-shirts and basketball shorts.

Kimmy took a step back as soon as she noticed Ben kneeling in front of her.

He apologized for overstepping a boundary. Whatever that means. It wasn't something she was familiar with.

"Is there anything you like to wear? The school you're going to soon doesn't have a uniform or strict dress code, so you can wear whatever you feel comfortable in."

Kimmy blinked at him. Was he actually going to let her choose, like her mom?

Ben suggested, heading through the kids' clothes and to poke him in the arm if anything sticks out to her. Of course, he heads through the girls' clothes first.

What pondered through Kimmy's mind was the fact she was shopping with him instead of Kayla. Both TV and YouTube had taught her was that shopping was a girl's favorite thing to do. Even Stella had taught her that. Guys were idiots when it came to anything revolving around a woman's world. 

Kimmy kept alert for any sign of the boys' clothes. The clothes she liked to wear that were a lot more comfortable. Girls' clothes were either too tight or too itchy for her, and that included dresses. Not to mention the fact she couldn't wear pants. What if someone saw her underwear?

No, boys' clothes were a lot cooler, in her opinion. Basketball shorts anyway. She didn't like wearing jeans either, something else that can be too tight and sometimes leave marks on her stomach.

Ben pointed out a few things girls would like, but Kimmy would shake her head in stubbornness. At least he didn't seem to get mad or frustrated. For some reason, her stubbornness had that effect on some adults.

Ben leaned a hand on the shopping cart's handle. "You don't see anything you like at all?"

She shook her head.

It must have slowly sunk in what style Kimmy preferred, because his gaze panned over her form and asked if what she had on was what she liked to wear.

Kimmy hesitated at first, but finally nodded.

He apologized some more. "I thought the group home gave you those clothes, or they were your brother's, or something like that."

Though there were some hand-me-downs Kimmy got whenever her brother outgrew a shirt, most of the clothes she owned she picked out or Stella knew Kimmy liked.