Page 30 of Half Blind

Chapter 10- Captivation

“What in the hell?”Helen said, bending to help the child who hit the floor with a thud like a ten-pound sack of Russet potatoes. “I'm supposed to be learning chemistry and how to make potions like an out of work witch who lost her union card. Now look at me, babysitting for the coven. Come on, child, snap to, come on.”

Colette's eyelids fluttered as her eyes came open. Helen helped the young woman to her feet, sitting her at the kitchen table. In case she was hypoglycemic, Helen brought a glass of juice to the teen. There were questions in Helen's mind about the girl's reaction to Jared, which there was no mistaking. However, the girl was not her ward, and it was not her place to hear the story or the why. Lemon had specifically asked her to get the girl settled into the home, buy her some clothes, and let her make the bedroom her own. It would be up to Lemon to hear the connection between the girl and Jared, not her.

“I'm having oatmeal,” Helen said. “Let's get you fed, and we can go out shopping to and work on settling you in.”

Colette's blue eyes searched Helen's face. “You're not going to ask?”

“I'm not,” Helen said going to the kitchen and returning with two bowls of mush, sprinkled with brown sugar and a pat of butter sat on top. “When Doc Myrtle returns from work, she can hear your words, not me. My assignment is to get you settled. That is, if you plan on staying. Are you planning to stay?”

“I am,” Colette said, eyeballing the bowl of oatmeal. “This looks good. I'm hungry; I didn't always get to eat every day.”

“You will here,” Helen said, joining her at the table.

The meal was eaten in silence, and Colette volunteered to wash the dishes. Helen didn't talk very much to the girl, keeping the air between them neutral throughout the day. A few extra dollars were spent for an electric toothbrush, but a visit to the dentist would be required to remove the built-up plaque and tartar from the unmaintained teeth.

“This is nice,” Colette said, looking at a soft peachy colored dress.

“Would you like it?”

The blue eyes were wide, “I can have this?”

“Let's check the budget,” Helen said, thinking better of it. “No, let me get you a purse and a wallet and hand you this money. You can budget to purchase items you like after you collect the things that you need. On that list, you will need a pair of work boots for the farm, sneakers, and regular shoes. Also, socks, underwear, bras, and any shampoos, deodorants, and the like.”

“That is going to cost a lot of money,” Colette said.

“We will make it stretch, then you will need to save a couple of bucks for the weekend,” she told the girl. “The girls usually go to the movies or do an activity on Friday night or Saturday when they finish their chores. So, do you want to save at least twenty for that as well?”

Colette smiled, showing off the grubby teeth, “Going to the movies? Like real teenagers?”

“Yes, and hopefully, the three of you will become fast friends,” Helen said. “Oh, we need to visit a bookstore. I think it is the easiest way to determine where you are in your reading level and what we need to work towards. Fair enough?”

“Ms. Helen,” Colette said, blinking back tears, “is this real? I'm not getting all of this, and next week, a bunch of men come to the house wanting me to do stuff?”

“Oh, honey no. Doc Myrtle nor I will ever let such a thing happen to you. You're safe,” Helen added with a smile. “Now, let's get to shopping, and you can pick where we have lunch.”

The smile was uneven and riddled with the nastiness covering her teeth, but all of that could be cleared up. She prayed that when Lemon came home, the issue with Jared could be cleared up as well. In Helen's spirit, she couldn't imagine Jared doing a bad thing to or in front of the girl. Helen also didn't imagine the connection between the two, which would leave all of their jaws hanging.

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