P.T. Barnum's Oddities

Chapter 17: Anne and W.D.

It had been a few days since W.D. had left and Anne was beginning to except the fate that he was just going to be another missing person in her life.
So she scavenged the streets in search of food, Oscar (who hadn't left her side after she fed him those bread crumbs) trailing closely behind. She didn't want to steal anything after the repercussions of last time, but she was out of money and was practically starving to death.
"What to do, what to do..." She searched her brain for options.
The young girl began to get a headache, thinking of all the options of what she could do to earn money.
So what did Anne Wheeler do when she was stressed?
She stretched.
Every time she thought too hard, which, as a matter of fact, was pretty often, she would stretch. Twisting and turning her body in countless odd and unnatural positions, she just began to stretch right there on the side of the street.
"Wow! Look at that!" Anne heard a little girl speak in awe.
Before she knew it, people were crowding all around her and showering her in 'oooh's and 'aaah's. This was one of the first times Anne had finally felt excepted by society. For once the people on the street weren't scowling at her skin color.
One person even threw her a nickel, and then another, and then another. Before Anne knew it, she was stuffing her apron pockets full of nickels and dimes.
"And W.D. thought a 12 year old couldn't make a decent income." She scoffed to herself, but just thinking of his name brought tears to her eyes.
So, she thanked everyone and went on her way.
The 12 year old walked through the bustling streets, looking here and there for something appetizing to spend her money on.
There. She spotted a little restaurant that looked nice enough to serve a girl of her kind.
Anne walked in, eyeing the giant display of mouthwatering pastries.
"Annie?" A familiar voice called.
Only the one familiar voice that would probably ever call her by the name Annie. W.D.
He seated by the window, no food or drink placed in front of him. And he looked... depressed.
"Anne..." He sighed when she turned around to show him her face, then motioned for her to sit down in the chair opposite him.
Anne had no words. She knew she should say something, and she thought it was right for her to start the conversation. But she thought wrong.
"Anne, I'm really sorry. Like really, really sorry. It wasn't right for me to say that. At all. You were right, I was wrong, and you know how I don't like to be wrong."
Anne chuckled at his last words as he continued on.
"I should be employed, I should be able to make money at this age, and we should not be living on the streets while we know perfectly well that we have a better option. And I'm really sorry for saying that I didn't like caring for you. It's a big responsibility, and it can be very stressful with how stubborn you are sometimes, but I wouldn't have it any other way."
Anne smiled. W.D. smiled back.
And they didn't even need to say it.
They forgave each other.