Love, Lies, and Insanity

The Men

I woke up to the sound of two masculine voices chatting or arguing. I couldn't really tell, but I decided to go and see what all the fuss was about. I carefully picked up Toby, so I wouldn't wake him, then laid him in the chair we had fallen asleep in the night prior. I walked into the hallway leading to the door I heard the arguing coming from. I crept to the door to try to hear what the argument was about, when suddenly they stopped. I heard the lower voice ask.

"Did you hear that" It was so quiet I could hear my heart pounding

"Ya, I heard it" The higher voice replied

"Must've been the girl" The lower voice said a bit panicked

" Oh, God. Why is she here and what does she want from us?" The high voice seemed frightened.

Suddenly I heard hurried footsteps running towards the doorway I was standing at. I froze as a tall older man appeared and another man much younger. The young man seemed around my age. A very handsome young man with silky black hair and deep brown eyes that reminded me of Kira. I couldn't take my eyes away from him.

"Um, Hello" He said. I felt embarrassed. He probably thought I was weird for staring at him. My mind started to panic until his soothing voice spoke again.

" I am Davy Collins, a pleasure to meet you" He must've realized I was staring.  He seemed fairly uncomfortable. After an Awkward silence I decided to speak.

" Hello, I'm Kate" I tried to be proper, but I could tell I messed up from the way the tall man looked at me.

"What is your last name Kate?" The Large man finally spoke.

" I don't have one. I was raised in the workhouse. They won't give you a last name unless you already had one."

"That's alright Kate" Davy said. "So how did you end up here?"

"Last night I escaped from the workhouse. I walked miles until I found a town. I've never truly been away from the workhouse. I don't even know what town this is."

"Birmingham, darling, you are in Birmingham," Davy interrupted. I looked at him a little shocked, but then I got lost in his eyes again. The tall man noticed and he was getting impatient. 

" Who the hell's baby is that?!?" He exclaimed. I slightly jumped trying to think of an answer, but the words couldn't come to my head. I took a deep breath and sighed.

"I'm not sure" The man looked at me like I should be sent to the asylum. "He is not my child, but he is the reason I decided to run from the workhouse. He was new to the workhouse yesterday, and I was put in charge of him. I took one look into his eyes and I knew that he deserved a much better life than I had" We all stood there for a minute in silence. I tried to break the silence.

"Mister-" 

"Collins, I am Mister Collins. We have a father and son barber business, and I believe you have come right in the middle of th-" Mister Collins said rudely

"Dad!" Davy shouted. Mister Collins gave Davy a deathly gaze. Davy then said in a weak voice. "Can we talk about this in the other room?" The two men walked into a different room, and I decided it would be rude to eves-drop on them. So I walked back to the chair where I saw Toby begin to wake up.

"We can't just kick her out of the house, she has no where to go!" I heard Davy shouting.

"She is no use here, and I do not want another baby to take care of!" Mister Collins shouted back.

"I'm sure she can take care of the baby and herself if she has a bed, some food, water and a roof over her head" Davy said in a slightly calmer voice.

"I will make you a deal," Mister Collins began."If that girl can prove herself to do housework, manage to make some money, take care of the baby and take care of herself I will let her stay" 

"Fine" Davy replied feeling slightly defeated

"Um, I heard everything" I said awkwardly as Davy and Mister Collins slowly walked out of the room

"You have one week to prove yourself." Mister Collins said in a threatening tone.