Chapter 7

Okay, maybe it was like sleeping with my little sister, that is, if I'd HAD a little sister. I'd slept with my BIG sister on trips where Dad had gotten a hotel room with two beds, he and Mom taking one, me, Pat and Gary getting the other. THAT kind of 'sleeping with your sister', not the OTHER kind.

I decided to NOT fight the occasional incidental contact with Lita during the night. Reviewing things in the morning, I surmised that she'd come to the same decision. I don't even begin to understand her thinking. On one hand, she's insistent on sleeping in the same bed with me. On the other hand, it was almost like she had a proximity limit – only so close, and not any closer.

Seems to have changed. I woke during the night to roll over to a more comfortable position. Lita was spooned up behind me, her arm over me. When I rolled, so did she. I deliberately did NOT snuggle against her. Didn't matter. Before I drifted back to full slumber, she eased back against me.

Choice. Lita? Or a pillow? I chose Lita. Tentatively put my arm over her, fully expecting her to wiggle away. She didn't wiggle and to my surprise, she put her arm over mine and sort of wiggled into place.

I willed myself NOT to react. Was only partially successful. I don't know if I can do this. I tell myself that I can. In four days this little creature has fastened herself to my heart.

'Heart' wasn't what was stirring when I woke up with her heinie pressed against me in the morning. I squeezed out of bed, trying hard (Hah!) not to disturb Lita, heading myself to the bathroom to relieve my bladder. I was trying to tell myself that the erection was because of bladder pressure. 'Myself' didn't believe it. Took a while for the erection to subside to the point where urination was possible.

When I turned around, I jumped. There was Lita, bleary-eyed, waiting. She pushed past me to the toilet, silent. I shut the door behind myself, decided to slide back into bed for a while. Didn't know what I expected. Surely, now awake, Lita would retreat to her own bed.

Wrong. Nightshirt-clad little thing raised the covers and crawled back in, not saying a word. Equally silently, she pushed up against me, facing me, her arms folded to her chest between us.

I lay there, moved my arm at my side. It wasn't particularly comfortable.

"Your arm. You can put it over me. I do not mind," a soft voice said.

"Are you sure?"

"I am sure."

"Lita, this is difficult..."

"Why? Am I causing you pain? Do you not like me?"

"I like you plenty. That is causing me difficulty."

In the dim light of the room I could make out the soulful eyes looking into mine. "Why, Dave? What is wrong?"

"You are a young and pretty girl. I am a man."

"Oh." She sighed heavily. "That. I do not know everything about that. I know what a man and a woman ... I know that a bad man will take what he wants from a woman. I am not a woman, Dave. You are not a bad man."

"You are enough of a woman..."

"Am I?"

"You are."

"Nobody ever told me I am."

"You worried about the others on your trip."

"Those ... those were animals. Anything ... anyone ... female ... there were two GIRLS who disappeared. Gone." She shivered and with the shiver, inched closer to me.

"It's okay, Carlita," I said, relishing her name. "You are here. You do not have to worry about that any more."

"This is home for me?"

"As long as you want it."

"I do not understand something, Dave. My Tia Estella ... the letter, she said she was in New Orleans."

"Are you sure she said that? Maybe..."

"Maybe I read it wrong. I cannot believe she is gone."

I held her. "I am here for you, Lita."

"You did not say 'my Lita'."

"My Lita."

Closer.

"Are you not going to work today?"

"No, Lita. Today is a holiday. No work."

"What holiday?"

"Memorial Day. In America, it is supposed to be a day to remember those who died in our wars."

"Sad day."

"Not for most people. They do not know what the holiday is for, only that they do not have to work."

"Then we can stay in bed longer."

I puzzled that statement. "If you wish."

"I like this. I feel ... safe ... good."

Okay, this time it's too close. "Lita, that's a little too close."

"Why?"

"Lita, you are a pretty young girl. There is part of me that does not know that you are Lita, my friend, who I take care of. That part only knows Lita, pretty young girl."

"It is not a good feeling?"

"I'm not supposed to be having that feeling."

"But it feels good."

"It feels good, but it is wrong for me to feel that way."

"I have good feelings too, Dave."

"We cannot..."

"I know we cannot, Dave. But we can feel good like this, can we not?"

"It does feel good."

"It feels safe. Like I am supposed to feel safe."

I have a million thoughts, probably due to loss of blood supply to the neurons I need to think clearly. I've never BEEN a pedophile. I know she HAS to feel it, yet she acts oblivious. So, I hold her. Another wiggle, her breathing stabilizes, and I think she's asleep.

I willed myself to quit thinking and dozed off myself. This time I woke up as she was moving, putting her hand on my shoulder. A little kiss on the cheek. A Lita-initiated hug.

"Dave?"

"Mmmmm. Yes, Lita?"

"I went back to sleep."

"Me, too."

"Because I feel safe. Good."

I smiled. "You're my Lita."

"Your Lita desires breakfast."

"It is a holiday. Let us get somebody else to do breakfast for us. Then you're going to need to wear something besides that nightshirt," I said.

She bounced out of bed and up the hall. I watched. Kind of hated myself for the things I noticed. I sighed, got up, got dressed myself.

I met her in the hallway. "Do I look okay? I want to look normal."

I scanned her from head to toe. Yeah, 'normal' was one word that worked. "You look fine," I said. "Typical young girl. Maybe cuter than a lot of them."

She hit a pose I hadn't yet seen from her, twisting on one leg, looking over a shoulder. "Only maybe?"

"Maybe MORE than 'maybe'."

Her eyes met mine. That grin. I think I know who it's for.

Made a good start to the day. I suggested her breakfast order, then let her sample different items from my plate.

"This is American breakfast? Again?"

"The biscuit and gravy is a Southern thing. French toast? I learned in a Cajun kitchen..."

"Cajun?" she asked.

"We'll talk. They're a sub-culture in Louisiana."

"Oh."

"It's not all bad." I smiled.

She smiled in return. "And bacon and eggs and sausage?"

"A plot to keep America fat."

She giggled.

"This is from when men and women were expected to do physical work all day," I said. "The breakfast is still here. The work isn't."

"You are not fat, Dave."

"I know. I allow myself a breakfast like this on special occasions."

"What is today's special occasion?"

"First, it's a holiday. Second, I have Carlita with me."

"I make your day special?"

"Looks that way to me."

A little satisfied smile spread on her face. "You make my day special too, Dave. Since last Thursday ... I did not know if I would ever eat again. Now you are telling me that if I eat all this, I will be fat."

"It's easy and it happens to a lot of people."

"I am not fat. I was hungry. I walked much. I am thin."

"You are a young girl. Girls your age come in many shapes and sizes. You're in the middle of the range."

"I have eaten more since I found you than I did in the last two weeks."

"I guess that's good," I said.

"It is very good," she replied, then she loaded another forkful of French toast.

There was this thing looming, though. Tomorrow I have to go to work, and as charming as I might find her, they won't let me bring Lita with me, so we talked.

"I don't know what to do with you tomorrow."

"I will stay home. You have shown me TV and the Internet. You have food. I will tidy the house."

"Tidy?"

"Yes, clean..."

"Lita, you are not my slave."

"No, I am not your slave. I am your partner. We live in that house together. I should help you with it."

"You have books..."

"I would like to see a biblioteca ... library?"

"I would take you today, but they are closed on holidays."

"Is it far?"

"No. Let's drive by it." Neat building. Kind of new. Has a modern look. It's a branch, and honestly, I have walked to it from the house. Lita, though?

"It is not far. I could walk."

"You could. It would be better if I brought you here the first time and explained the situation."

"What would you explain to them?"

"I will explain that you, Carlita, are an exchange student, and you have my permission to use my library card."

"I am not an exchange student."

"Okay, then, I'll tell them that I found you behind the seat of my truck out in the middle of Nowhere, Texas, you're an undocumented alien..."

"Okay. Exchange student."

"Until we get some help getting your status resolved..."

"Resolved?" she questioned.

"Fixed. Made into something that we can work with."

"Oh, okay."

"Until then, we may have to tell a little lie or two..." I paused, then said, "I don't want somebody to take you away from me."

"Me also. You take care of me. I like it – having somebody who will look out for me." She looked at the passing scenery. "What are we going to do today?"

"My brother is having a barbecue. We are invited, if you're up to meeting more of my family."

"They invited me?"

"No, they invited me, before I knew you existed. Now you are part of the deal..."

"I am unexpected."

"Not exactly. Sometimes in the past I've brought a friend..."

"A woman?"

"Yes, I have had women friends."

"And your family has met them?"

"Yes." Okay, strange line, but I'll play along. Let's see where she's heading.

"So if you bring me, they will think I am your lady?"

"No, they will see you and I will tell them you are my ward."

"What is – ward?"

"Somebody who I take care of."

"Not like wife?"

"No. Not like wife. Not like child."

"Friend?"

"Not necessarily. But you and I know that you are my friend."

"We should go. You said they have children?"

"Yeah. Son's eight. Robert. Named after our grandfather. Daughter's six. Kinsey. And his wife is Carlie. Almost Carlita..."

"And they will not be unhappy if I show up?"

"No, they won't."

"Then we should go. I would like to meet your family. Do I need better clothes?"

I regarded her apparel. Neat. New. Tidy. "Nope. You're good."

"We go home first?"

"Yes, for a little while. Don't want to get there too early."

We pulled into the driveway and walked inside.

"Your books. You do not mind if I read them?"

"Of course not. And the computer is there for you. Use it wisely. There are traps."

"I know. You told me."

We had a little lesson on the DVD player as well.

"So many things to learn," she said.

"You'll learn them, Lita. You're a very intelligent girl."

We worked in the house a little, then I decided to call Gary.

"Hey, bud," I said, "I just wanted to warn you that I'm bringing somebody with me. I hope you have enough food."

"Always got plenty. Girlfriend?"

"No. Definitely a girl. Definitely a friend. We're hanging around together. Thought she needed to come with me."

I glanced at Lita. She was watching as I talked.

"Come on. We'll wait for you."

"Okay," I said. "Want me to bring ice or something?"

"Nope. Got everything. Bring yourself and your friend."