"Did you find out if she has any relatives?"
"No word."
Ella sighed. She had been troubled ever since I came along. But God had appointed her guardian over me.
"I'm not letting her leave here without somewhere to go," she said.
◆◆◆
Why is she being so nice to me?
I breathed out, afraid to see my body. I didn't really know how small I was, but I knew I was underweight. And Ella was leaning over me, washing my skin.
"This will help you feel better."
I straightened. "You really don't have to do this. I can do it." I took the sponge.
She brought me breakfast and while I ate, I stared at the window. My stepdad kept me locked in my room where there was no window.
"Go for whatever looks good," she said. There was fruit, jello, scrambled eggs, and a cup of juice.
I watched birds perched in their trees instead of flying around.
I took a bite of egg. "It's good."
"Good. Eat up."
I only ate a few bites and then fell asleep.
Officer Carlson came again.
"Both LeAnna's parents have passed and there's no one else."
"She needs someone," Ella said.
He touched her shoulder, knowing what she was thinking. It was the same way she looked when she stopped the car to help a stray dog. And he already had his answer.
"We'll go home and get the guest room ready."
That night, Ella helped me brush my teeth. I spit out the rest of the toothpaste and got in bed.
"Would you like your hair braided?"
I nodded. "That would be cool. My mom used to braid it for me."
Ella took a hairbow from her pocket and started dividing my hair. It wasn't thick but it was long, and it took her a few minutes to complete.
"Do you need anything else before my shift ends?"
I smiled. "No, but thanks."
Ella seemed to care. She reminded me of my mom.
And I don't know how or when it happened, but I trusted her.
Chapter 3
Nightmares
I was in pain for the next three days. They said my body was weak from a lack of nutrition, so I had to eat more. It was hard. But I managed.
At that moment, the only two people I trusted were beside me. Ella and Felix.
I understood why I trusted Ella. She gave me a warm sensation in my heart. But Felix I didn't understand. He read the bible to me. And somehow that was enough.
"You're good to go," Ella suddenly said. "And we want you to stay with us."
I looked at them. "You want me?"
She touched my shoulder. "Yes. Would you like to come?"
I nodded; it was impossible to speak.
Felix steadied me as I moved from the bed to the wheelchair. His hand on my back felt good. He rolled me outside, the warm breeze touching my body. And I smelled the flowers as birds flew from branch to branch.
"What are you thinking?" Felix asked as we rolled off the sidewalk.
"I'm thanking God," I said. "I thought I'd never leave the hospital."
"That would suck. Our place is pretty cool.".
"I can't wait to see it."
We stopped beside a black car. "We have a lot of land. Our cabin is kind of small though."
I grabbed his arm as he helped me up and into the car.
I took a deep breath. "You have a cabin?"
"Yeah. Deep in nowhere land."
Now inside, I felt suffocated. I grabbed my seatbelt and looked at Felix.
"You okay?" He scooted in.
"I don't know."
He buckled up and I leaned my head against his shoulder.
"You're okay," he said. "Believe that."
I woke up on a bed, sun glowing through a window.
Instantly, I remembered dreaming about my stepfather. He was hitting me. Then there was a door and I knew if I entered it, I would never wake up again. But I couldn't stop my legs from walking or my fingers from touching the knob.
I realized I was crying as someone hurried to my room. It was Ella.
"Did you have a bad dream?" She asked, holding a phone.
I wiped my cheeks. "Yeah."
"Felix is coming in to read, is that alright?"
"Okay."
He came through the door wearing jogging pants and a big shirt and carrying his bible. He sat next to me, making me feel better already.
"I have bad dreams sometimes too," he said and touched my hand.
"I dream of my parents a lot. And my stepdad."
"Do you miss them?"
"Yeah. You're lucky to have a family."
"More than I know, I'm sure." He flipped through the bible. "When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn."
I closed my eyes, wishing I could read but I had never been schooled. I didn't want anyone to know; I was scared they would judge me.
"Wake up!" Felix's hand was on my shoulder.
I looked around, breathing hard. I didn't remember falling asleep.
"You were dreaming again," he said.
I realized I was sick and sat up.
"Are you okay?"
I shook my head and he quickly left and came back with water.
"What can I do?" I couldn't understand why he was helpful.
"It's just my stomach."
"That's all?"
"My head is hurting."
He took a bottle of pills from the dresser. "Mom told me to give you these if you start hurting."
I took them and fell asleep. At last, the nightmares had ended, and everything would be all right.
Chapter 4
Dog
Ella woke me, handing me a cup of juice and opening the curtains.
I sat up and stretched my arms before drinking. She sat a bowl of fruit beside me and after I ate, she brought the scales in.
I stepped on, holding my breath as I waited for the results.
"Amazing. You're up ten pounds." She opened the window.
The fresh air felt good. "I thought I gained more."
"Ten pounds is a lot," she said.
I sighed and sat on the bed. I wanted to be all better. But getting there felt like forever.
After lunch, Ella left for work. She wanted me to stay in bed. But that was getting old.
I glanced at the window and called for Felix.
He quickly came in.
"Yeah?"
I scooted off the
