Enamored

26

(N) finds himself back in the living room and sighs. He stares into the hallway. "River?" Big brown eyes watch (N) and slowly the mixed girl reveals herself. She stands there in her preschool uniform with a white bow in her short brown hair. She clutches a toy turtle car in her hand. The two stare at each other until the little girl hides. "Stop hiding. Come out." River slowly steps out. "So Clara and the old lady left. What are we gonna do?"

River stares at (N) before speaking. "I want Clara." "Hmm. I just said she's gone." "I want Ash." "She's not here either." (N) sighs and scratches his head. "Did they really leave without telling you anything?" River nods. "So what do you wanna do?" "I wanna go on a trip." (N) places his hands on his hips. "Not happening. Clara and the old lady are gone remember? You wanna go alone?" "No. I wanna go with Clara and Ash."

(N)'s eyebrow twitches. "What did I just say?" The little girl watches the man sigh and sit in the living room. (N) sighs and puts out his cigarette in the ashtray as he feels eyes watching him. 'God. What the hell am I supposed to do?' The little girl stares as (N) sighs. 'Clara and Ash have been watching River for the past five years. Clara would bring her over to my apartment but I could hardly look at her. We're more like strangers than family.'

(N) looks at his daughter as she tries to hide. "River! Stop hiding and come sit with me." The little girl walks over and remains standing. "Sit down." (N) sighs and looks away. "Or not. Anyways I'm sure Clara and the old lady will come back soon so let's just wait." "But...the trip." (N) pulls out another cigarette. "Don't worry you'll go when they come back. Why don't you go play by yourself?" "Okay!" River runs off and (N) stares at his cigarette. "I guess she's kinda of a tomboy."

As (N) pulls out his lighter a loud thud alerts him. "River?" He runs over to see River at the bottom of the stairs. He picks the girl up as she sniffles. "That's why you shouldn't run in the house." (N) checks her for injuries. "Everything looks fine." River walks into the bakery and picks up her toy. (N) follows her and crouches down. "I'm sorry Mr turtle." The girl cries while holding her broken toy. "Here I'll fix it."

River follows her father back into the living room where the man gules the toy back together. Her brown eyes sparkle as (N) hands her the toy. "There. Don't play with it yet or the wheel will get stuck. The glue needs to dry." (N) watches the girl run off and sighs. He scratches his head and lays on the floor.
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A small hand shakes (N) awake and he sits up. "What? Did something happen?" River holds up her toy. "Mr turtle won't move." (N) examines the toy and attempts to turn the wheel. "I told you to wait didn't I?" "You can't fix him again?" "Nope. He's done. Should we throw him away?" River gasps and grabs the toy while shaking her head. (N) chuckles and looks away. "I was just kidding." The room fills with awkward silence as the girl stares at him.

(N) turns to her. "Is there something else you want?" "I want Clara." At the mention of the woman (N) looks around. "Is she back yet?" "No." The man groans and stands up. He walks into the kitchen and peers into the fridge. "I'm gonna go buy some dinner. Anything you want?" River just stares at him. "Fine. Don't complain if you don't like it."
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(N) is about to enter the store when a woman calls out to him. "(N). I haven't seen you in a while." "Oh uh hello." The woman smiles and looks down. "Are you having fun shopping with your daddy?" (N)'s eyes widen and he looks down to see River. "Huh?" "I'm sorry to hear that the two of you have been living apart. Not that I blame you. I know you work full time and it can be difficult to care for your child by yourself."

The woman smiles softly. "You do visit each other right?" "Y-Yes." "That's good. Even if you two live apart you're still family." "Right." "Bye bye River. Have fun with your daddy." (N) waves and glances at River. She stares back at him silently.
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River stares at the plate in front of her. (N) sits across from her and sighs. "Go on." River scoops up a piece of rice and chews it. Her face scrunches up. "Bitter." (N) raises an eyebrow and takes a bite of his food. "Mmm. It's from the pepper." River stares at her food and pokes it with her spoon. "C'mon River. Be a good girl and eat it." "Don't wanna." "Didn't Clara teach you to not be a picky eater?" River looks up at (N).

"Yea but the food Clara makes isn't icky." (N) sighs and places his fork down. "Will you eat it without the pepper?" River nods and (N) walks to the kitchen. A few minutes later he places down a bowl of plain rice. River happily eats the food. After dinner River sleeps on the couch covered by a blanket. (N) glances at the clock and sighs. 'I guess they aren't coming back today.'
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The next morning (N) raises the shutters to the bakery slightly. He waters the plants by the door. A soft chuckle leaves his lips as he thinks about the time he worked here. 'Myles.' Rushed footsteps cause him to turn. River looks up at (N) and grips her dress. "You're up too?" "I need to pee." "Then go ahead." She runs back inside and a few minutes later returns. "I did it all by myself." "I would hope so."
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The two sit inside the house on the bottom step listening to people walk by the bakery. A happy family walks by talking about going to the park. (N) glances at River and the girl turns to him. "I gotta go number two." "Go ahead." She ran off and the sound of a toilet flushing echoed downstairs followed by the sound of the sink running. River runs back over. "I did it all by myself!" "You don't have to brag about it. I can do it by myself too."

River looks down and (N) sighs. "You still wanna go on that trip?" "Yep!" "It'll be just us two." The girl nods. "You sure you wanna go with a mean guy like me? Clara and the old lady aren't coming." "They can't. They haven't come back yet." (N) hums and walks further into the house. "It's strange. They left us alone." "Yup." "Okay. Just the two of us." River smiles and nods.
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(N) throws his bag over his shoulder and watches River put her shoes on. She stands up with her blue backpack. "Did you forget anything?" "No." "Locked all the doors?" "Yup." (N) raises his fist slightly. "Then off we go." "Yeah!" River yells throwing her fist up. The two walk down the sidewalk to the train station. 'Hmm. For the first time in five years, it's just the two of us. I wonder what this means and where we're headed?' (N) glances at River as the girl starts to skip.
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(N) tries to zone out the sound of a boy yelling at his mother. Until a hand tugs on his sleeve. He turns to River. "Play with me." "What do you do with Clara?" "She reads me books." "Did you bring a book?" The girl shakes her head and (N) sighs. "What about the old lady?" "Baseball." "Baseball?" River stands up and walks in the aisle of the train. She grips an imaginary bat and mutters come on. "What is that?" "It isn't funny." "Not even close." "Oh." River sits back in her seat. 'What is that old lady teaching her?'

(N) closes his eyes but they open at the sound of the boy yelling louder. (N)'s eyebrows twitch and he clenches his fist. The woman attempts to quiet the boy but he yells louder. Finally (N) snaps and he turns to them. "Shut up! There are other people on this train you know?!" River flinches as the boy hides in his mother's chest as the woman holds him. "Sorry. I'll try to keep him quiet." (N) groans and closes his eyes.

He opens them to find the seat beside him empty. "River?" (N) stands up and walks around the train. 'Where'd the hell did she go?' He walks into the next compartment when River exits the room. "River. You need to tell me if you're going to the bathroom." The girl looks up with puffy eyes. "Have you been crying?" She sniffles and rubs her eyes. "I can only cry in the bathroom." (N) scratches his head and looks away.

"I guess but if you feel like crying just cry. You should cry while you can. When you get bigger sometimes you can't cry. Even if there are things you want to cry about." Soon the train stops at the next station and (N) glances at a gift shop. He taps River's head and she looks up. "Want me to buy you a toy?" She nods excitedly.