There Is a Boy Ithaca, New York

Real or a dream

Beautiful morning. Michael wore his white shirt and he buttoned it.

'When will you come back today, Mike?'
'Ahm... about 9 p.m.'
'You aren't home at all.'
'Somebody needs to earn money.'
'I know but we miss you.'
'I'll do what I can to come back earlier, ok?'

He leaned on the bed and kissed her.
'Bye, sweetheart.'
And he kissed her belly which got bigger with each passing days.
'And bye, my lil baby. Daddy loves you. You hear me?'

Sara chuckled. Michael waved so cute as always.
'Love you' Michael winked at Sara and took his car key.

Michael got in the car. He started the engine.
'Oh strange noise. Something is wrong with the car. But I need to go anyway.' He thought.
Michael was on the way to work. The car stopped immeditaly. He tried to start the engine again. Then he hit the steering wheel.
'Fuck it. What the hell is going on? I filled up yesterday.'

Scofield stepped out the car and he pulled the hood release. Then he heard crying. It was the street next to forest. Nobody was there expect Michael.
He went down the cliff and saw a lil girl.
She was terribly dirty. She wore white dress probably she has no underwear.

Michael was shocked. He noticed blood on her thighs. She has a lot of bruises too.
'Oh my God. Son of a bitch raped her.'

She noticed Michael and tried to run away. But she could only crawl.
'Kshh... Don't worry, girl. I'm not gonna hurt you.'

The girl started to scream and cry anyway.
'Easy. Easy... I'll take you home.'
Scofield picked up here. She stared at him with her big blue eyes. Michael pulled out his phone from the pocket.

'Sucre? Please come to the forest in Ithaca. I have hurt little girl. My car os next to the street. You will notice it for sure!'
'Wait, what?' Sucre was confused.
'You hear me? Now! Please!'

Michael imagined it could be his daughter.
'I'll kill this son of a bitch who has done it.' He thought.
The girl was woozy.
'Fuck! He gave her drugs.'
He took first aid kid from the car and started to dress wounds. She was dehydrated.
'Drink, baby. Do it for me.'

For whatever reason she trusted him.
Sucre was there in few minutes.
'What the hell happened, Michael?'
'The bastard probably raped her.'
'Oh shit...'
She noticed dirty girl laying on the backseat of the car.
'I'll kill him whoever it was.' Sucre said.

Michael moved her to Sucre's car and sit with her on he backseat. The girl started to throw up. Sucre turned around.
'I'll clean it then, Sucre.'
'Oh my God. Somebody could think we hurt her. Be careful. Nobody can see it, Papi.'
'Don't worry. Everything under control. Get over to my house.'
'What? I thought we're going to the hospital!'
'Just do it! Sara is home.'

They arrived very fast. Sara was sitting on the couch when she noticed Michael carrying a girl.
'Jesus...'
'Sara, don't get nervous. I need your help. I'll explain you later.'
'Ok. Ok. I'll get wet towels.'
 The girl almost passed out.

'It looks like overdose.' Sara said.
'Thanks God she is awake. Michael, roll her on the side and let her throw up. I'll go for a drop. '

They took care of her until she was right and fell asleep.
'We need to do something, Michael. We don't know who she is. Maybe her parents looked for this girl.'
'I won't call the police. I think it will be worse. I searched on the internet. I haven't seen that somebody looks for her. No photos. And that's a problem. I'm gonna talk with her.'
'Are you kidding? Honey! She is in serious condition.'
'Trust me, Sara. If she run away home she'll come back there. The police will do nothing. That's why.'
'Maybe you're right.'

Sara held husband's hand.
'I need to find this son of a bitch who did it.'
'If it was my baby...'
'Sara, you have to be calm. Remember that you are pregnant.'
He kissed her forehead.
'If she will wake up try to bathe her. It looks like she didn't take shower for weeks. I'm gonna pick up, Mikey.'

Few minutes later.
'Daaaaaddy!! You should be at work, don't you?'
They hugged each other.
'Things changed. I need to take you to uncle Sucre and Lila, ok?'
'Why?'
'I'll tell you later.'
'As always.'

Mikey rolled his eyes. Michael made a call.
'Sucre, go home. I'll leave Mikey in your house. It will be better for him.'

The girl was awake but she didn't say anything.
'Hi. I'm Sara. I need you to tell me what is your name and where are your parents?'
She was silent.
'Please. We wanna help you.'
'Where is the guy?'
'You mean the guy who brought you?'

She nodded.
'Will he touch me?'
'No, baby. Nobody is gonna hurt you anymore. So what's your name?'
'Ava.'
'What a beautiful name. What about your parents?'
'I hate my mother.'
'Why?'
'She always burns me with cigarette.'
'I'm so sorry. Now you're safe.'

Michael was back after 10 minutes.
'Hi, girl. How do you feel? That's your doctor.'
'Dizzy...'

'I talked with her Michael. It's Ava.'
'Ava, did you run away home?'
'Yeah...'
'Why?'
'My mom doesn't love me. She hits me and I think she doesn't even look for me.'
'Do you remember what happened?'
'I just remember bad guy touching me.'
'It won't happen anymore. Now we call the police and you'll stay with them, ok?'
'No! I don't wanna be in a foster care!'

Michael sighed.
'Ok. I won't call but... let the doctor bathe you...'
She nodded.
'I need to pick you up, ok? Your legs are hurt.'

It was surprised because she hugged him.
'I don't have a daddy. Everybody has a daddy and I don't have.'
Michael didn't say anything.
'Let me know how old you are.'
'I'm 6.'
'Ok. Now the doctor will come and everything will be ok. You know you're dirty. Don't be scared.'

Sara came into the bathroom.
'Let me take off your dress, Ava. I took you a teddy bear. Hug him if you're scared.'

Ava had burnt back. There were words made by cigarette - RUDE GIRL.
'Oh my God.' Michael said.

Sara started to bathe her. Ava seemed calm but she wasn't. Sjee trusted them. For whatever reason she trusted them.
And only after bath Sara noticed how beautiful she was. Big blue eyes, light blonde hair and little pink lips.
'Do you feel pain, Ava?'
'Between my legs.'
'Emm... It's normal after the drip. Are you sure you wanna stay here?'
'Yes. I don't wanna see my mother. You don't hit me.'
'You're gonna sleep now.'

Sara put the girl to bed. She fell asleep immeditaly. Sara went down steps and hugged Michael.
'Jesus... People are savage. Women like that shouldn't give birth.'
Sara cried.
'It's ok, Honey. Don't take it personally. We hand over her tomorrow.'
'I don't have the heart to send her to the foster care.'
'She can't stay here, Sara. l'm gonna find her mother. Maybe she lied.'
'She has no reason.'
'And it was rape. We need to do something.'
'Yeah.'
'This son of a bitch is free.'

Sara wiped their eyes.
'Honey. Don't get upset. Our baby is the most important now.'
'Pick up Mikey from Sucre. We can't hide her.'
'Ok. Better he'll bring our boy.'

Michael called and Sucre arrived in few minutes.
'Fernando, we'll talk tomorrow. Thank you, brother.'
'Ok. But if you need help just call.'

Sucre stroked Mikey's hair.
'See you, buddy.'

'Mikey, don't go to our bedroom for awhile. We need to talk.' Sara said.
'Secrets again.'

'Hi my sibling.'
Mikey hugged Sara's belly.
'Do you think baby hears me?'
'Of course.'
'I'll take a stethoscope.'
'Ok.'

Sara forgot there was in their bedroom where was Ava.
Michael stroked Sara's hair.
'You know, Michael, what is weird... This girl looks exactly like a girl from my dream I had last year.'
'Maybe you've seen her before.'
'No. I remember this dream like nothing. Mikey dancing with blonde hair girl on the beach.'
'Hmm... Coincidence.'
'I'm touchy.'
'Everything will be explained tomorrow. Just relax.'
'I'll try.'

They kissed for awhile. In the meantime Mikey came into the bedroom and noticed sleeping girl. He was very surprised.
'Ava?'