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“I know you have no reason to trust me after what I did… but I know someone who could help you across the border.”
Kara looked over at the mansion set aflame, at the little girl huddled in her arms, at the pouring rain that was coming down. “I want to believe you, Luther, but… what if it’s a lie? Or just another trap? You and me… we both came here because we thought we would make it to freedom. If we go to these people you’ve heard of… what if all we find is just another Zlatko?”
“If there’s somewhere else to go, I’ll still come with you. We can’t stay here… not with the fire.”
“I don’t have another place in mind, but if we can’t go to Canada, then I guess our only other choice is to go south. But I’m sure we’ll find something.”
The following days looked something like this: Keep going. Make sure the car doesn’t run out of charge. Try to keep track of the news, but not to the extent that Alice gets scared. Find a place to park the car that won’t seem suspicious when the road conditions are too unsafe to drive. Don’t talk to strangers, or talk to them as little as possible, because spending more time with them gives them more opportunities to realize something’s off. Tell Alice that, yes, they will find a place to settle down one day where she can have a childhood, even if none of them believe it.
“Tell me what our living room will look like!” Alice said one night when Kara asked her what kind of story she wants.
“We’ll have…” She paused, trying to figure out what Alice would like the most versus what might set her into a course of nightmares. “… a large fireplace. We’ll never be cold. The mantle will be filled with picture frames – some will have your drawings in them, and others will have photographs.”
Alice looks excited at that prospect. “Ooh! Like wedding photos!”
Kara bit her lip as she made eye contact with Luther. He nodded.
“Yes, we could have those. And we’ll also have a couch that’s just the right size for the three of us,” she continued, prodding Alice away from the subject while she wondered what that nod meant. Was he just giving permission to include that in the story in order to not upset Alice? Maybe… but what if he liked the idea of those photos existing?
Was he flirting with her?
Did she want him to be?
“Yes, yes, yes!” her heart beat out.
Then she heard Luther’s chuckle within her mind and realized she’d accidentally said those words, not just to herself, but also to him. Embarrassed, she felt herself blushing, but then:
“I do like you, Kara,” he said, discreetly reaching a hand out toward hers.
She took it.