Here's an addition to the new universe I created. Let's fast forward a decade or so and catch up with some of our heroes. It opens up a few avenues for other stories so don't look for all of the answers to the questions here.
This one's for the holiday contest so please leave a rating after reading. Enjoy -- BH.
*****
I sat at a small desk in one of our large city's smallest public library branches. It was quiet, hardly used, and kept a fairly current supply of the latest novels. I'd given up on buying books as an early New Year's Resolution, as my bookshelves at home overflowed, and I just couldn't bring myself to read e-books yet.
I wasn't an old codger who didn't want to use modern technology or anything like that. I simply loved the smell and feel of a book in my hands. I was sure I'd get over it and bite the bullet eventually, yet I wasn't ready for it then.
The librarians were hanging non-religious "holiday" decorations, and I remembered I needed to call my mom and dad about Thanksgiving to see if I needed to bring anything.
"Hello, Miss," came a shy, masculine voice from above. "Could I trouble you for a dollar or two?"
I looked up and saw a young man who couldn't have been older than twenty yet had the lines of experience written on his otherwise youthful visage.
"Um, sure," I said, not wanting to get attacked by a drugged out homeless teenager in my fortress of solitude.
I dug through my purse, trying to be discrete about its contents, hoping still he wouldn't rob me, and only found two twenties.
"Here," I said looking at the young man, who was actually quite handsome, after I took a second look. I don't have anything smaller than a twenty but take this."
I handed him the forty dollars, and his eyes went wide.
"Thanks," he said with an alarmingly gorgeous smile. "We'll eat for a week on this."
He turned and walked towards the bathrooms, and I wondered what he was doing until he stopped in front of the ladies room and waited.
A few moments later, a pretty young girl walked out with damp hair pulled into a ponytail. Her clothes were in much better condition than his, and she carried a backpack.
When he showed her the forty dollars I gave him, she hugged him. I wished I could hear what they were talking about.
After getting a good look at them, they didn't look as if they were homeless long, but something was off in the way in which they acted.
When they were leaving and they neared my table, I heard her say, "Aiden, we can do our laundry too, and can we get McDonalds?"
"Thank you, again, Miss," he said ignoring her as they passed me.
The softness in his shimmering blue eyes melted me, and I couldn't speak. I simply nodded.
"Kat, we have to stretch it out," he answered her once they passed.
"Wait!" I called out.
They stopped and turned.
"Can I buy you lunch?" I asked. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
He was about to say no, but as the word formed on his lips, she answered, "Yes. That would be awesome."
He snapped his head towards her and chided, "Kat, no. We can't, and you know why."
"Does she look like she'd do that, Aiden? Miss, we'd love lunch."
He pulled her aside, and they argued for a few seconds before she said something that made him take a step back and pale.
She walked over and said, "Do you think we could have Olive Garden? They have all you can eat pasta, soup, and breadsticks."
He stood where he was, looking at the ground as if she'd told him his cat died.
I wanted to grab him and pull him into a hug, but I couldn't find the courage.
I said, "Sure, but I need to watch how much of those I eat. My thighs are big enough."
She giggled and said, "Shut up, you're beautiful. I'm Katherine, and that's my big brother Aiden. Don't mind him, he gets broody sometimes. Oh! And call me Kat, I hate Kate or Katie. Oh! And Kathy. I can't stand Kathy."
I laughed and said, "Okay, Kat."
She grabbed Aiden's hand and kissed his cheek. It seemed to snap him out of whatever funk he was in.
"Sorry, and thank you for being so generous," said the big brother, as he pulled his long hair behind his ear.
"Okay, my car's out in the lot, come on."
He picked up his backpack which was clearly heavy and held Kat's hand as they followed me to my car.
"Wow! A Mercedes," said Kat, with the amazement of youth. "Are you rich?"
"Kat!" Aiden warned. "That's not a polite question to ask someone. Sorry, Miss."
I shrugged and said, "Please call me Cassidy, you make me feel old when you call me Miss. I'm only twenty-four."
"Okay, Cassidy. Thanks again for everything. I'm sorry if I came across as unappreciative. I just have to look out for my sister, you know."
"How old are you, Kat?" I asked as I tuned the radio to one of the endless Christmas music stations.
Mariah Carey sang her hit that will never go away, and Kat answered, "I'm eleven."
"And you, Aiden?" I asked.
"Twenty almost twenty-one."
"You're sure you want Olive Garden? I can take you anywhere."
I didn't really want the carb fest, but I'd go there if her heart was set on it.
"They'll let us take a lot to go," he said quietly answering the question.
I felt stupid for not understanding why she was so excited for all you can eat.
"Got it. Olive Garden it is."
*****
There wasn't much chance to talk while they ate. I'd never seen anything like it as they ordered three different plates of pasta each, and what seemed like an amount of soup and breadsticks that would make a normal human explode.
I noticed on the second plate that they only ate half and boxed the other half to go. I didn't think they'd be allowed to do that, but the server didn't seem to care. It wasn't like it was his food anyway, and I think he felt sorry for them too.
What surprised me the most, was the way they ate. They didn't wolf their food down crudely, or rush to eat as much as they could as quickly as they could. They held their forks and spoons properly and didn't shovel the food into their mouths either. It was time I got their story.
"Okay, Aiden, now that you have a full belly, how about telling me your story. What brought you to my table at the library today?"
He took a long drink of his Coke and sighed.
