Of All the Things that I Don't Know (Spot Conlon + OC)

Chapter 30

"You look absolutely lovely, my dear."

I met Mary's shining gaze in the mirror of my room, a warmth steadily filling my body as I felt her smooth the shoulders of my outfit, her hands then deftly moving to fluff my curled hair down my back. And after a hesitant pause on my part, I too allowed myself a contented once-over of my reflection, still feeling an overwhelming appreciation for the multitude of thoughtful, though unexpected gifts Mary had presented me with earlier that day.

After having passed on the rest of the cleaning duties to the few boys who had finally made their way back to the lodging house several hours prior, I had ascended into the apartment for a quick, though much needed, bath. But Mary had immediately circumvented my journey to our shared washroom when she had called out, "Oh, Katherine, I'm so glad you're here. Come into my bedroom, I want to show you something."

I had quirked my head tentatively, unsure of what exactly I would be walking into. But, upon meeting Spot's playful gaze and encouraging nod from our own room where he stood readying himself for the forthcoming party, I had shrugged and turned toward the smaller space. And as I had made my way into Mary's bedroom, I had been surprised to see a beautiful green dress laid across her comforter, a new pair of stockings and shoes atop it.

"Mary, it's gorgeous," I had murmured, leaning down to feel the soft fabric between my fingers, almost guilty as a sudden rush of excitement pulsated through me at the idea of a new frock.

When considering that I had initially been brought to Brooklyn with only my ripped chemise and ruined bloomers to call my own nine months prior, I had always been so grateful for the hand me down clothes Mary had continued to pass on to me over my stay. And though many of them fit poorly and had quite a bit of wear and tear to them, I had contentedly made due, thankful that I had had anything to wear at all. So, the fact that Mary had gone out of her way to get me something else-even after all of the kindness she had already bestowed-had certainly been an exceedingly meaningful, and very upfront, show of her affection.

However, as I had stood in the older woman's room grappling with how to best communicate these thoughts to Mary, she had merely commented, "Well, it's yours, my dear." But she had paused only momentarily, her eyes shining with an excited glaze before she had continued, "It's from a second hand shop down the street, of course, but I've been wanting to find you something of your own for some time now, and I felt that this dress would be a wonderful addition to your wardrobe and a perfect look for tonight's event."

I had beamed at her, completely overwhelmed and surprised by her charity before I had managed to mutter an emotional, "Thank you, Mary."

And with that she had shooed me into the bathroom, saying, "Go clean up and I'll help you ready yourself for tonight."

But when I had shut the door behind me, I had immediately paused as Spot's voice had wafted into the hallway, murmuring, "Thank you, Mary. I'm gonna have to think of a way to pay you back for makin' her smile like that."

Mary, however, had quickly replied, "If you continue to make her smile like that, we'll call it even, Thomas." I had chuckled at the motherly scolding in her tone, a very intense "or else" seeming to have been silently applied. But after a few more moments of silence had passed, she had surprisingly continued her thoughts, saying more intently, "Besides, it's my gift to, Katherine. It's my way of saying thank you to her-for-finally bringing you home."

My eyes had widened, unexpected tears suddenly pricking within the corners of my lids at the genuine love echoing in her meaningful comment. It had been a moving tribute, especially when I had considered the high level of vulnerability it had taken her to utter her feelings on the matter. And even though Spot had remained silent in the wake of Mary's poignant thoughts, I had known that he must have felt an emotional simmering within himself as well. Because, in a not-so-subtle way, the past several months-as mostly uneventful as they had been-truly had begun to illustrate the real familial bond between us all. It was as if we had finally settled into the roles that had been meant to be ours in the first place. And although a multitude of unknowns still dangled eerily over me in regards to the mysterious darkness I seemed destined to face, there had been some comfort to be found in this newly realized home I had been accepted into. That they not only wanted me there, but also, and in some ways more importantly, saw my true value and potential.