Missing pieces

Chapter 9

Araya wasn't used to trusting anyone especially adults but this time a voice in her head told her not to run away as usual. The woman in front of her was kind she didn't beat her for stealing her food and she silenced the man with a look which in the eyes of the little girl seemed like a super power. She hadn't known many women who could talk to a man like this, thinking about it she had never known any.

"Everyone knows their name so you can't tell me you don't know it.." Mariska says with a hint of a smile.

"I didn't say I didn't know my name"

"So?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because that's what people do when people first meet, greet each other and say their names"

Silence but Mariska without losing her patience tries again.

"Hello sweetheart! My name is Mariska and yours?" She says holding her hand.

An inaudible sound coming out of the child's mouth because she was now embracing her knees with her arms and her mouth covered by her knees had made it impossible to understand.

With a finger Mariska raises the child's chin and without losing eye contact with a sweet tone "Baby first if you cover your mouth I can't hear you and second I like to look the people with whom I speak in the eyes"

"Araya, my name is Araya" they shake their hands.

"I like your name, what origin does it have?"

"It's an Armenian name"

"And where are your parents?"

"This is none of your business .." the girl whispers defiantly.

"Do we have an attitude?"

The little girl knew that showing an attitude would lead to nothing good but she didn't want to lose that fight especially because she didn't want to show her weaknesses. The more she looked at those hazel eyes, the more she thought they were good and sincere eyes like she hadn't seen in a long time she couldn't even remember. She reminded her of her mother's eyes, her mother, one of the few people who loved her, who didn't hurt or use her.

"Sorry" the little girl says with a cheeky face.

"This is better. If you don't want to talk about this now it's ok.. it starts getting very hot what about a nice cool bath?"

"I have no money if that's what you're looking for.."

"I imagined it" Mariska says sarcastically.

"So I don't have to pay? Not even for that?" says the surprised girl, pointing to the food

"Let's say you clean up and then we cook something to eat, a real meal"

On the woman's floor the girl's eyes light up for the first time. Mariska could not understand how a child could be reduced to that state.

Under the inquisitive gaze of Peter Mariska lead Araya upstairs.

The bedroom was a large room in white wood, a small loft housed the huge double bed that overlooked a window that showed a beautiful view. The room was provided by a marble bathroom with a large tub that filled gave the idea of ​​a small infinity pool thanks to the fact that it was adjacent to the large window that continued from the room into the bathroom.

"Woah.."

Mariska had noticed the astonishment of the child but it made her smile because the transparency of children and she thought of herself as a child and how she saw herself in those expressions so not calculated and spontaneous.