"AS if I intentionally suggested it!" Stephen reasoned.
He never expected that the kid would be a girl! And now the kid whom he thought all along is a boy like him, who has a short hair cut is clinging to his knees would not let him go.
"And besides I don't have anymore idea how to convince him, I mean her," He continued. "I just want him-her, to take a bath!"
The adults are in panic because of his persuasiveness for the girl to take a bath that led them into this situation.
Katrina bend down to see the little girl on eye level. While Philip carefully observing both of them. The girl clung more on Stephen's legs while hidding.
"Hi! My name is Katrina, I am Stephen's mom. If you want I can take you to bath," she suggested.
But the girl vigorously shook it's head.
"See! I told you!"Stephen said.
"Oh whatever! Don't let that brat get in to you," Aida said," come on!" Pulling the little girl out of Stephen's knees "I'll take you to bath!"
"Stop! You're scaring her!" the three of them chorused at Aida when they saw the girl hugging more tightly than before on Stephen's leg while trembling.
AT the end of all the argument, they all have agreed Stephen would take her to bath while Aida will be with them.
When Stephen finally cleansed the whole mud on the kid's face and body he was mesmerized. She has round little eyes and long eye lashes. She has pale skin. She looks like a living doll.
"See, you're beautiful when you take a bath," he pause. " It shows your true beauty," he said while covering her with a huge towel and lifted her up.
Aida, attempted to get her from Stephen's arm but the girl embraced him tightly. Aida then let Stephen carry her up to her room to put on some clothes.
"IT seems you're used on taking care of kids," Aida commented to Stephen while they are at the window watching at the girl running out the fields. She was suprised on how Stephen managed to take care of the little girl. It was just two hours ago that they took her to bath and now she was out again playing on the ground.
"Yeah, since my mom is busy at work, I used to take care of my siblings when they are small."
"You know what, you really amazed me Stephen. You're just sixteen but you're so responsible," Aida said praising him. She suddenly went close to him and whispered "No offense, but...are you gay?"
Stephen blushed embarrassment. "No, I'm not!"
IT was night already and the girl was snuggling with him in the bed. It was already five days since the day that he met this six years old cute little girl.And there are many things he discovered about her.
She always spends playing with the animals in the farm. At the afternoon the girl was playing with the dogs of the orphanage over the stream one mile away from the orphanage.
As the days goes by, the girl would always look for him even before going to sleep.
He was thinking about what Aida said to him a few days ago. He knew that they would think of him like that since he would go home early and do household chores Even his classmates thought he was gay but he isn't.
Actually, he has a girlfriend before but after his stepfather died he took the responsibility of taking care of his siblings, and that is the reason the girl broke up with him. She told him that he will never have serious relationship because of his family. So there's nothing he could do but to let her go.
It doesn't mean he never loved his ex girlfriend, but he vowed to his stepfather that he would help their mother at all cause before his deathbed.
Stephen closed the story book which he used to read to the girl before going to sleep.
"Hey Do you like your name?"
The adult in the orpahange call her Mute since they never heard her speak.
"No,"
"How about your true name, do you remember it?"
She shook her head while closing her eyes and snuggled under the sheets.
The name 'Mute' doesn't suit her.
"How about I give you a name is it okay with you?"
She nodded.
"How about..." He paused for a while,"Mishka? ... Yes ! That will suit you, since the meaning of it in Arabic is Gift of love."
She opened her small,round, shimmering eyes and looked at him. Giving him her cutest smile, "Okay,"
Oh she's really cute!
Stephen hugged her and kissed her on her forehead. "Go to sleep now, My Mishka,"
YOU ARE READING
Traces of Her
Roman d'amourYears has passed and Stephen Mordicella needs to move on. He thought he had already forgotten her but it was just set aside at the back of his mind. There are times it flashes back and reminds of his dead ex girlfriend who died five years ago. Tr...
