Rescue Nova

"He's Gone?"

The questions had come back to back at a pretty steady pace, so Nova had not eaten all her candy by the time the game ended. She sat on the couch finishing the candy while Kimberly and Leila stepped out of the room to discuss what they just learned.

"We're going to get your bed ready," Kimberly said, using the only excuse her frazzled mind could think of at the moment. She hoped Nova was too engrossed in the M&Ms to stop and realize that it doesn't take two people to make a bed.

•••••••••••••••

"Monday morning I'm going to call that social worker," Kimberly said as she adjusted the comforter on the bed and smoothed out the wrinkles. "I know the worst thing we could do would be to call the police. She would flip if we did that. And I guess all this means that she's going to be here for more than just a couple of days. I'm sorry, honey."

Both Kimberly and Leila originally thought that they'd have Nova helped out and gone before Monday. Now it didn't look like that's what would be happening.

"What are you sorry for?" Leila asked. "We're in this together. So it'll be a few more days. Big deal."

•••••••••••••••

"Are you finished?" Kimberly asked Nova, when she and Leila came back to the living room.

"Yes," the little one giggled while showing her chocolate covered hands.

"Looks like you need to wash your hands. And we've got a surprise for you."

"What is it?" she asked hurrying to Kimberly.

"We'll show you."

Nova followed Kimberly to the hall bathroom, where Kimberly helped her wash the chocolate off her hands. Then she took Nova to the guest room. On the bed were Kimberly's surprises for Nova - a pair of pajamas with the theme of a popular cartoon character and a storybook of that same character.

"Thank you," Nova said, but then looked worried.

"What's wrong, Nova?" Leila asked.

"I...I don't want to take my clothes off right now."

Luckily, Leila knew how to solve the problem. "Would you feel better if Kimberly and I waited in the hall until you were changed?"

Relieved, Nova nodded, smiling gratefully.

•••••••••••••••

Kimberly and Leila read the story to Nova and got her comfortable in bed before returning to the living room.

On Fridays Leila and Kimberly always stayed up later than usual. They talked, watched movies and shows that they loved, and ended the evening by watching the eleven o'clock news before going to bed.

This Friday evening, though, they didn't watch their favorite movies or shows. They talked about Nova.

"Why, and how, does she think she has no last name?" Leila wondered, not for the first time.

"I think that's our first clue that whoever abducted her had her for many years. She thinks she has no last name because she can't remember a time when she even knew what it was."

"Raised by her kidnapper. Talk about trauma."

"It's why she's so small."

Leila remembered what Kimberly told her the night she brought Nova to their home. When they were alone after Leila had seen Nova, Leila had asked Kimberly if Nova was really eighteen. She looked more like twelve to fourteen - minus the developed body a typical twelve- to fourteen-year-old would have. Kimberly told her that the doctor that examined Nova at the hospital could not believe Nova was eighteen at first, either.