Page 55 of Royal

Her room is empty besides a mattress on the floor, no bedsheets, and the blanket isn’t even a blanket, it could be considered a sheet with how thin it is.

Right in the center of the bed is a doll that looks just like her with red hair and freckles. “I don’t have any clothes,” she tells me, but she finds a pair of flip-flops. I look behind and see Royal is staring at the ceiling, trying to control his emotions.

“Do you think Penny will want to play dolls with me?” she asks in a soft, angelic voice.

“I know she will love to. No promises on Donovan, because he will probably try to do wrestling moves on her.”

She giggles and holds her doll tight. “I think we might need to hide her.”

I laugh too. “I think that might be a good idea. He’s almost two but he is so smart for his age. If you tell him to leave it alone, he will.” I give her a few more pointers.

She takes Royal’s hand this time and I smile at seeing how happy that small gesture made him because she trusted him enough to take his hand.

We finally leave the place behind. She doesn’t even look back but I notice that Royal throws a Zippo lighter into the liquor spilled out from a vodka bottle.

Monster is in the driver’s seat, annoyed at me because I ran ahead of him and didn’t let him go first, but I just needed to get to Royal.

Royal opens the back seat of the truck and sets Presley in Penny’s booster seat. I make a note in my mind that she needs one of her own.

“I will be right behind you guys on my bike,” he tells us both after he makes sure she is buckled.

Presley gives Monster the side-eye in the truck. When he smiles at her, I try not to cringe because instead of looking friendly it just makes him look scarier.

She looks away and I try not to laugh. “How do you feel about a kid’s meal?” He goes through the next route as he tries to bribe her.

“Please!” she tells him, and he gives me a smirk like who’s the loser now? We stop at a McDonald’s on the way and when we pull up in front of the house, Shane is on the porch the second he sees the headlights.

Royal gets off the bike. “What the fuck is going on?” Shane asks him. I know he is pissed and not liking being left out of the loop.

Royal looks at me. “I can handle her, you take him,” I tell him, and he looks down at Presley before agreeing. She looks like she is half asleep after getting her belly full.

I lead her up the stairs, seeing my brother confused about what is happening. I touch his arm on the way inside, tired myself.

But the first thing is, this girl needs a long, warm bath and a good conditioning to her hair.

I hope Penny is okay with her being here, but I know she will be because she will see Presley as a permeant live-in play buddy. Donovan ended up not liking anything that she likes unless she plays cars with him.

Her eyes are wide, taking in the house. “Wow, you live here?”

I correct her. “We live here.” I take her upstairs to one of the guest rooms right across from our room and next to Penny’s.

Penny’s door is open slightly, and Presley looks inside a bit. “Wow, she is a princess with her princess room.”

“Do you want a princess room too?” I ask her, knowing I will give this little girl everything she wants. “And do you have trouble bathing on your own? I know I will probably have to help you with your hair.”

She reaches up and touches it. “Can you help me? I’m scared to be alone.”

“I will be right there with you, even if you want to just talk,” I let her know, and I can see she is thankful.

“I’m going to sneak in Penny’s room and grab you some clothes to change into until we can get you some of your own.”

She looks scared at being left alone for a moment, but she nods, holding her doll tight. The second I push open Penny’s door, it makes a horrific creaking sound that could wake up the dead.

It doesn’t wake up the dead but it wakes up Penny. She sits up with her hair a mess. “Hey, Mommy.” Her eyes widen and her mouth opens into an O shape like she can’t believe she just said that.

Fuck me.

Now, I’m crying because there is no way I can hold the tears back after that. I reach down and hug her so tight. “You can call me whatever you want, angel, don’t feel guilty either way.” She nods and holds me tighter. “Is it okay if I borrow some of your clothes?”

---