Unintentional Heart's Desire

Homecoming.

Amy didn't come from a wealthy background, but she'd never needed anything her family couldn't provide.

She'd never gone to bed hungry by lack of choice, and she'd always had a roof over her head.

She'd never experienced poverty, she'd never even seen it - not really. But she'd read about it, and she'd seen pictures every now and again.

But as she looked out the window of the passenger seat at a place that looked like the garbage truck's last stop, she felt her heart tense.

Her eyes lasted longer on a house made of damaged zinc with a toddler sitting and playing on the dirty cement.

She'd known there were people living like that, of course she did, but seeing was truly believing.

She looked to her other side to see an equally shocked Jason.

What Amy was feeling was only a fraction of what the boy was.

She had at least known of that level of poverty.

Growing up, Jason never had reason to look outside of the life he was living. He was never introduced to the other side and had never invited himself to look into it.

Why would he? It didn't affect his life, not in the slightest.

So as he fumbled with the GPS trying to find their destination, he avoided the strange feelings that sought shelter in his heart.

How could people live like that?

"He said the house has a brick wall, it must be that one."
He pointed at the only house that seemed to be built with bricks on the gravel street.

"Are you ready?"
He'd asked her after putting the car on park right outside the property.

She took a moment to reflect on what was happening.

What if he didn't want to see her?

What if he told them to leave and to never come back?

What if he said he didn't want anything to do with her?

"Yeah."
She whispered to him.

"Do you want me to come with you?"
She gave a quick nod.

She couldn't possibly imagine walking into that situation all on her own.

The pair then got out of the car, and before they could enter through the gate, Jason whispered,

"You are stronger than you know, you got this."

She gave a shy smile in response.

Hand in hand, the couple treaded toward the chirped mahogany door.

Seeing how shaken she was about the entirety of the situation, he went and knocked on the door.

Mild shuffling could be heard on the other side before an elderly lady opened the door.

She looked to be in her 70s and to not be particularly excited about being bothered so early in the afternoon.

Her under eyes sunk to the depths of her cheeks and she looked like she hadn't had a good night's sleep in decades.