Page 16 of Keeping Penny

Which was a huge turn-on. A man who checked with her before touching her daughter. Yes, she liked that. A lot.

Penny nodded, and Pyro immediately reached down and picked up Bowie.

The little girl wrapped her arms and legs around him and hugged him hard.

“I thought you forgot about us! Why haven’t you come to see me before now? I heard a plane take off just now. It was loud! Even with my ears covered. Mommy said it soared into the sky like a bird. Thank you for the chocolate! I saved you some. And I love my new clothes! They even had the tags on them! The socks are really warm, but almost too warm because I sweat at night when I wear them. One of my T-shirts was stolded, but whoever took it probably needed it more than I did, so it’s okay. Where have you been? Are your friends with you?”

“Breathe, Bowie,” Penny scolded mildly. She was used to her daughter’s nonstop questions and how she tended to go on and on when she was excited, but Pyro was probably having a hard time keeping up.

“I didn’t forget about you, Bowie-Bear. I was just busy helping others get here to the ship. I heard the plane too, and you’re right, it was loud! I hope it didn’t hurt your ears, since you have such good hearing. And you’re more than welcome for the chocolate. You didn’t have to save me any. I got it for you and your mom. I’m glad you like the clothes, I had to guess at the sizes, and my feet get really hot when I’m sleeping too. I never wear socks to bed because of that. And I’m so happy you asked about my friends. I actually came to find you and your mom to see if you wanted to have lunch with us.”

Okay, maybe he wasn’t having a hard time keeping up with Bowie’s abrupt change in topics. Penny wondered if he had experience with kids. If that was why he was so good with her daughter.

And it didn’t escape her notice that he hadn’t said anything about some of their things being stolen.

“Yes! Do we get to go to the cafeteria? We walked by it yesterday but we weren’t allowed in.”

“Well, you’re allowed in if you’re with me, Bowie-Bear.”

“Awesome!” Bowie hugged Pyro once more then squirmed to get down. He immediately leaned over and put her feet on the ground. “I’ll be right back! I put the chocolate I saved for you under my pillow so no one would find it and steal it. Don’t go anywhere!”

Then she opened the door to the hangar and ran across the expansive space toward the bunks as if she had 20/20 eyesight.

Penny immediately stepped inside the door so she could keep an eye on her daughter.

“Someone stole your stuff?” Pyro asked in a pissed-off tone.

Penny couldn’t help but flinch at his tone. It wasn’t that she thought he’d hurt her, but memories of John sounding the same way right before he backhanded her were way too fresh in her mind, even though he’d been dead for years.

Pyro obviously saw her reaction, because he took a step back, giving her space, and said, “I’m sorry, I’m just upset on your behalf. What happened? Is that why you’re carrying the duffel?”

“Yeah. It happened when we were out wandering around. It’s not a big deal for me to carry our stuff with us.”

“It is a big deal. That shit shouldn’t happen. I’ll see if I can talk to someone about getting some lockers for everyone in here. Putting so many people together who’ve had to walk away from their lives, without some way to protect what they do have, is just asking for trouble. How are you guys doing otherwise?”

“We’re good.”

He looked at her a long moment. Then said, “No, how are you doing?”

Penny frowned. “We’re good,” she repeated. “We’re safe, warm, have plenty of food. We’re fine, Pyro.”

“You had a terrifying helicopter flight from the top of a building while people were shooting at you, were brought to this ship, have nothing but a cot to sleep on, are stuffed in a loud, drafty room with hundreds of other people. You probably don’t even know where the hell you’re being taken and someone stole your stuff…and you’re good?”

Penny didn’t think he’d understand. How could someone who’d never experienced true poverty get where she was coming from? But she attempted to explain anyway.

“In Gabon, we lived in a small hut with a dirt floor. I worked all day, every day, and worried how Bowie was doing every minute that I was away from her. We usually had a piece of plain bread for breakfast, and for dinner, if I was lucky, I was able to bring home leftovers from the free lunch I got at the clinic for Bowie to eat.

“Our roof leaked, we had no money for new clothes or shoes. The kids who lived near us didn’t want to play with Bowie because they thought she was stupid, since she couldn’t see. I had to cram in a full school day in a few hours in the evenings to teach my daughter what I could, before I couldn’t see straight because I was so tired. And on top of all that, every month, I had to deal with coming up with money to pay off my dead husband’s debts.

“So yes, Pyro, Bowie and I are good here. As I said before, we’re safe, warm, and our bellies are full.”

Pyro opened his mouth to say something but didn’t get a chance before Bowie returned. If she hadn’t seen it time and time again, Penny would’ve been baffled by how her daughter could navigate so well without her assistance. But the little girl was smart, and had come up with various ways to compensate for her lack of sight. Counting steps, listening to what was around her, memorizing paths. It was impressive.

And she was more than happy for her daughter’s timely arrival, because it staved off the questions she could see brewing behind Pyro’s eyes. Not that Penny was ashamed of how she and Bowie lived. She’d been doing her best.

“Here, Kylo-Pyro! For you!” Bowie exclaimed, as she held up the chocolate-caramel bar he’d bought for her. Penny knew it was one of her favorites, and yet instead of saving it to eat herself, she’d wanted to share it with Pyro. Penny hoped he was sufficiently thankful.

She needn’t have worried. Pyro squatted down so he was at Bowie’s level and made a huge deal out of her generosity. Enough for Penny to feel bad about being so blunt with him. He just wanted to make sure she and Bowie were okay.