Page 53 of Left Behind

“Don’t you hide that pretty smile,” Wiley said. “You’re my girl, remember? We’re making new rules, and the first one is how to be happy.” When he got her out of the car and turned to face the throng of tourists in the plaza, he frowned. “How about I carry you through the crowd, and then we’ll walk when we get into a store?”

She eyed the people all around them and nodded, then slid her arm around his neck as he picked her up.

Wiley winked at her, and then they were off.

There were people everywhere, walking in all different directions, going into different shops around the plaza, and coming out of others. She saw kids like her with families, and they were laughing and squealing and carrying stuffed toys or eating as they walked.

At first, Ava was nervous. Her Bubba was tall, and she was really high off the ground, but then it dawned on her that she’d never seen the world like this before. She had no memories of being carried, and Bubba made her feel safe, and he smelled good, and she had a pink room with a bed and a pillow, and they were shopping. She wasn’t sure what shopping meant, but Corina liked doing it, and she was about to find out if she did, too.

Chapter 9

Wiley had no idea what was going through Ava’s head, but he was on a mission and headed straight for one of the shops that sold souvenir tees and shorts. It was called Something Extra, and Georgia McKay, who was related to the Cauley family, ran it. She’d know what little girls needed better than he did, and hopefully she’d have some of it in stock.

The store was crowded when they entered, but it was cool, and it smelled like the cotton candy that was being sold from the kiosk just outside the entrance.

Georgia spotted Wiley almost instantly, and two things went through her mind. Not once had she ever seen Wiley Pope inside this store, nor had she ever seen the little girl in his arms. He looked a little out of his element, so she headed straight toward him.

Wiley saw her coming across the room and breathed a sigh of relief. Help had arrived.

“Hey, Wiley! Good to see you,” Georgia said.

“And you,” Wiley said, and then gave Ava a quick hug. “Ava, honey, this is Miss Georgia. Georgia, this is my little sister, Ava.” He saw the shock on Georgia’s face and quickly added, “We have the same daddy. And…Ava’s gonna be living with me now. It was a bit sudden, and Ava needs some clothes. Right, baby?”

Ava held on a little tighter to Wiley’s neck and nodded.

Georgia could tell the child needed way more than clothes. She looked like she’d been mistreated and starved, and she was more than uneasy.

“We can sure help with some immediate needs, and then you can either make a trip to a department store in Bowling Green or do some online ordering later.” But when she reached out to pat Ava’s arm and saw the child flinch, her heart broke. She could tell the child had been abused as well.

“What’s your favorite color, Ava?”

Ava looked at Wiley.

He winked. “Remember. You have to speak up to be heard.”

“Pink. I like pink,” Ava said. “And yellow, and blue.”

“Follow me,” Georgia said, and led the way to the children’s corner. She eyed Ava’s size and then picked up a size small T-shirt. “How old are you, honey?”

“Seven,” Ava said.

Georgia hid her shock. She would have guessed five.

Wiley put her down and watched as Ava and Georgia searched the T-shirts folded on the tables and the shorts shelved in little cubbies according to size.

Georgia looked up at Wiley. “How many outfits do you want?”

“At least eight. She has two plus the one she’s wearing. Do you have underwear for kids?” he asked.

Georgia nodded. “Not a huge selection, but yes.”

“A dozen pair to start with, in her size,” Wiley said.

Ava kept looking back at Wiley, afraid to lose contact, and finally, Wiley just picked her back up.

“You showed Miss Georgia what you like. Now we’ll let her gather it all up, okay?”

Ava nodded and hid her face against Wiley’s neck.

---