The Orphan (RV And Azure)

It'd been almost two years by now. The night where his wife had died. It'd been just like any other normal night, except she had stumbled down the stairs when she went to get something to drink. The fall had broken her neck and killed her instantly, but it had never been a soothing thing for him. He was twentyseven now and Marcus had thought about his wife every single day since, his heart still shattered to this very day as he was walking down the main road of the somewhat big city.

He wore his usual work suit, navy blue pants, white buttoned shirt and a black jacket over it. The weather was mild enough to lose the jacket, but he didn't feel like it. The heat never really pushed into him after all. As he walked on, he let a hand up into his hair, his fingers gliding through the short auburn locks. His friends had kept telling him lately that he needed someone else in his life, someone who could help him take care of his big house and give him some company on the lonely evenings and days. He'd pushed them off for now.

But as he walked on, his thoughts had begun swirling around the thought of getting help in his house. Nothing that had to be serious, just a housekeeper who would clean while he was out for work and then greet him when he came home. His eyes begun darting, looking at the different women he passed. He didn't know why, or who he was looking for until his feet just seemed to stop on their own. He looked down a small side alley, seeing a girl sitting there. She couldn't be more than her late teens by her appearance as he walked towards her. "Excuse me, miss?" He said, trying to get eye contact.

As night began to fall Tabitha made her way down what seem like a secure place to sleep for the nice since she was turn away from the over crowed shelter. Looking over the little money she collected from begging on the streets, she rested her head back closing her eyes wondering how her life became so hellish like. Her thoughts trail off to her parents and a since of grief washes over her. Its only had been a year since the death of her parents result of a drunken truck driver. What she happen know was that there was an large life insurance on her parents worth 50,000 and the lawsuit worth another 75,000.

But since she was not of age to use it and take care of herself, that responsibility an unknown uncle she never knew about. Upon moving in with him she felt uncomfortable with him, but she just wrote that off. She thought it might had to do with the death of her parents and she just didn't know him. That wasn't the case, Tabitha only had been with him a week before the first time he had struck all because she defended her mom after he bad mouth her. She learn soon after why her mom never talked about him. For months she had to put up with his beating and trying to force himself on her. It all became worse when he found out about the money. The beating became worst and more often. What broke the camel back was after a night of drink and playing poker with the guys he stumbles up the stairs to her room. Having forgot to lock her door he stumbles in and falls about her trying to force her once again.

She wakes up trying to fight him off and still healing from the last beaten. Getting one of her hands free she was able to strike him in the face. In a rage he began to beat her again. It wasn't until she was close to blacking out from the pain does he stop breathing hard for saying. " Next I expect you to be more willing or there won't be a next time. I'll just get rid of you to collect the money and no one will ever find your body." With that he leave her room to his. What seem like hours of laying there making sure he was gone, she slowly move off the bed to trying to get up. Wincing in pain she knew she won't last another beating so making sure not to wake him. Tabitha start to pack what she could and leave.

That faithful night was three months ago and ever since she been out on the streets. Always in fear that he would find her and do as he promised. But that was then and this is now and she had to survive until her 18 birthday. She sighs seeing that she barely had enough for food tomorrow. She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't see or hear him coming up to her. Hearing his voice she jerk her chocolate brown eyes to his. " yes ? what do you want?"

Seeing the girl responding to his words, her eyes catching his, Marcus let a gasp loose. She didn't look like an ordinary street girl, she looked more refined, like she hadn't been on the street for long or like she didn't belong there in the first place. He bit it back in as he remembered the sound of her voice and the words she'd spoken to him. "I was hoping to offer you a job." He said, deciding to be blunt. "I'm Marcus, I don't live far from here in a nice big house." He explained to her, figuring he'd let her in on what she had to do. "I am all alone there, and I intend to hire you as my housekeeper, I will pay you for cleaning my house and preparing food for me, nothing else. I will give you clothes to wear, a comfortable bed to sleep in and your own bathroom if you want it." He explained, letting her know he'd be sheltering her and paying her for cleaning his house and cooking for him.

He didn't know why he was so blunt with her though, he just felt like getting it off his chest. It was a weight that seemed to crash down over him, but he fought it off by then, getting rid of it by telling her. All he could do now was to hope she would accept his offer.

Her eyes never left his as he explain what he waited. Tabitha felt like this was just another pimp or pervert just trying to pick up what looks like a helpless girl off the street. Waiting until he was down and looking down at her she then speaks" Is this some new way to pick up girls to pimp out or sleep with you? I'm sorry to say I'm not a hooker nor do I ever want to be one." she tells him before looking back down at her cup with her money in it. " beside even if I did believe you. Why would you just pick some random person off the streets? You don't know me or what I might do to you or your home"

Tabitha looks back to him as she tells him this. Never again did she want to be at the mercy of another person who would hurt her.

Hearing her words, the first thought popping into Marcus' head was disgust. How could anyone sell a girl out to others? Let alone just give money to sleep with her? He shock his head, feeling his mind kick back in gear as he saw the look in her eyes. "You're certainly not a prostitute, I could see that the moment I looked at you." He told her, letting her know that. "And I have no intention of forcing you into something you don't want." He added, looking down on the ground next to her, it had never been his attention to just abuse her when life had been cruel to her already. "And if you want to know why I want to hire you, or some other random people, why don't I buy you something to eat then? You're obviously hungry, and I think I owe you an explanation as to why I want to hire someone, even if it is a random person off the streets." He told her, extending one hand in a gentle gesture to help her back up standing.

She raises one of her eyebrow as she hears him out. When he offered her food, that does grab her interest. She thought if he wanted to offer her food just to listen to him she could do that it was a free meal. " Sure why not. If you are fronting the bill". Pressing her hand to the ground she lift herself up with out his assistance. Putting her money in her pocket and picking up her bag turning to face him waving her hand for him to lead the way.

"Don't worry, I'll pay for it. All you can eat." Marcus told her with a soft chuckle, seeing her getting up from the ground herself and then the gesture. He nodded, walking back towards the main street. He found a chinese restaurant soon, one that offered a large buffét to select from as he told the waiter to bring her a large soda of her choice and access to the 'all-you-can-eat' selection of the menu. He got himself a cup of coffee, already having eaten. "Dig in, you can fill your plate and think over my offer while you listen to me." He told her softly.

Her brown eyes watches him before she decide to leave her bag with him at the table. Tabitha goes around piling for on to her plate before siting down across from him. Picking up a fork she starts to eat. There was dirty all over her face, hands, and hair making her look much older then what she really was. Looking up from her plate she looks at him waiting for him to talk

Waiting for her to begin eating, Marcus had seen her walking around picking out the food. It pleased him that she'd gone with him there to listen to him as he looked at her. "I guess I should begin." He said, taking a sip of his coffee before leaning back in his chair. "Two years ago, my wife died. She lost her footing on the way down the stairs and snapped her neck." He explained. "Ever since I've grieved her, thought about her and wished she was still here. But the past few months, my friends and co-workers have been pressuring me, saying I should move on and find myself a new girl." He said, taking a light break there. "I refused stubbornly. And for myself, I've decided that if I wanted anyone in my life to live with me, I would hire a housekeeper. I don't want to commit myself emotionally or sexually to another person. But I won't mind the company, someone to talk to, someone who will clean my house and cook my meals. Of course I'll pay and take care of the one it ends up being." He explained. "I'll give her new clothes if she wants to, I'll let her become educated, let her have friends outside the house, hell, I might even throw her a party once in a while." He explained.

Tabitha at this point had stop eating and listen to what he decide what kind of job this person would have to do. Thinking to herself this would be a ideal job because her uncle had force her to do all the cooking and cleaning. Realizing that she was thinking as if she was going to take the job. She called herself all kinds of fool for falling for his lies. Beside even if he wasn't lying she couldn't because as soon as she let herself known her uncle would find her . Stabing her food she goes back to eating," well I hope you find that person then"

Hearing those words as she went back to eating, Marcus sighed softly. "I was hoping you would be the one." He told her in a soft tone, though he decided not to push it. "But if you'd rather live on the street, I won't bother you, it's your own choice in the end. I just thought I'd do something good for another person when I got the chance." He told her, trying not to show that he was a bit disappointed with himself.

She slowly looks up at him hearing the sincerity in his voice, her brown eyes searching his face. She sees something that she hadn't seem in a long time. Someone who really wanted to help her. Tabitha decide to talk to him." Look I believe you that you really wanted to help and god know I don't want to stay on the street but I can't take the job. If I do there know way you can help or protect me" Tabitha gazes back down to her plate and start to eat again.

"Protection?" Marcus asked, looking a bit confused. Though he soon bit his lower lip, knowing she had a history from that single word as he nodded lightly. "What do you need protection against? I will gladly provide you anything you might need, even if it means bringing a gun into my home. Something I'm usually very much against." He told her softly, obviously serious about it.

Tabitha was taken back at the lengths he would go to help her. Someone he doesn't even know, why would he go so far? Now it fell on her if she could trust him with her secrets. Chewing on her bottom lip Tabitha thought she could and in a worst case scenario she could runaway again. Taking a deep breath she tells him. " My uncle, a little over a year ago my parents were killed by a drunk truck driver. After the life insurance and law suit I would gain about 125,000 when I turn 18. But since I not 18 i was went to live with my mom's brother. Soon after he would start to beat me and tried to force himself on me. It wasn't until the last beating did he tell me he knew about the money and if I didn't let him have sex with me. That he would just get rid of me to get the money. So I just ran away, I've been living on the streets for about three months now.

Listening to her story, Marcus nodded. He couldn't believe her uncle had been like that. But there was nothing to do about it now. "I see." He said softly, sipping on his coffee before making up his mind fully. "I will do it. I will protect you." He said softly. "If you wish to buy a firearm to defend yourself with, I will provide you with one and a permit. However it must only be used on your uncle, and you must only shoot him from the waist and down." He told her softly, letting her know the only conditions he would put on a gun. He didn't want her uncle killed. He wanted him punished for the rest of his life.

She sat there and waited to hear his answer. When he tells her he would protect her, she felt like there was a weight lifted off her shoulder. Tabitha even cracked a raw smile when he told her about the gun. Then it hits her, he doesn't know how old she is. " Before it goes any farther I can't get a gun permit, because I'm only 16 years old" Tabitha waits to see how he would react to her news

Hearing her mention she was only sixteen years old, Marcus nodded for a bit, biting his lower lip at the thought. She'd looked much older than that with the dirt in her face, but it could be true underneath it all. "I see." He said softly, thinking about it for a moment before he came to his own conclusion. "I will get the permit then, if you use it for self-defence after accidentally finding it, there's nothing they can charge you with." He told her softly. "So we'll arrange a hiding spot where it'll be, just in case." He suggested, knowing his mind would get him as far in that matter as it'd gotten his career.

Tabitha lets out a breath she didn't even know she was holding in when he gave her his answer.She nods in agreement not believe that this was all happening. " SO what happens now? If you're talking about school and stuff, if my uncle finds me he does have the law on his side and I don't want you to get in to trouble for helping me.

Marcus heard her question, knowing she was right about that as he nodded a bit, leaning back in his chair after finishing his coffee. They had to find a way around her uncle, especially since he did have legal custody over her. Even if they wrote a contract, it wouldn't be binding unless her uncle signed it as he looked out the window. "Either you go to school under a different name and we change your clothes and your hair and colour, or I arrange for private tutoring?" He suggested, thinking those two alternatives were the only way she could get an education.

She thinks it over but then looks to him for the answer" What do you think would be best. I know if I change my name my records would be different when I turn 18 and might to go to college. But then doing a private tutor I know that might cost you a lot and I don't want to do that do you since you are helping me." She covers her mouth to cover a burp blushing a little.

Seeing her covering her mouth, Marcus could tell she was blushing lightly. His female colleagues did the same whenever they blushed. It made him smile softly. "If it's your wish, I can pay for it. I have enough money as it is and I hardly spent any myself." He told her softly. "So if it's private tutoring, I will gladly pay for you to be educated while I'm at work, or in the afternoon when I'm around." He said, shrugging lightly at the thought of the money going away on her.

" ok I'll do whatever you feel is best. When I turn 18 and get the money I'll make sure that I pay you back" Tabitha tells hm making up her mind in that. She pushes away her plate since she was food and looks at him to see if he'll like to leave now.

Hearing that, Marcus knew it was something he might have to change her mind about over time, but that could be settled later. "When you're 18, it's your money after all, so you can do with them as you please." He said, smiling gently to her as he noticed her having finished her food. "Come, lets go, before it gets too dark." He said, pulling out his wallet and placing the money for the meal on the table next to her plate before leaving, having gestured for her to follow him.

She waits until he pay before she stands up. For the first time in a long time she felt like everything was going to be okay. When he pays she start to head to the front of the door to walk out. Once out there she turning to him " SO what happens now? do we go straight to your place?"

Looking at her, Marcus nodded. "Yea, unless there's someplace else you'd like to go first." He told her, leading them down the street at a gentle pace.

His house was about half an hour from the street, a rather silent and empty neighbourhood as he moved up in front of a large, two-storey house. He pulled out his keys, inserting the main door key into the lock and unlocking it, letting her in first, he walked in after her, quickly turning some lights on. "Well, this is it." He told her, gesturing around. The entré was large, though not overly, there was a shoerack with a few different set of shoes and a place to hang your coats. "Come, I'll show you around." He said, leading her through the house, showing her the large livingroom with the couches and table, the television wasn't too expensive either, obviously he hadn't bought a new one for a few years. Into the kitchen, a large, open workspace with lots of possibilities. He explained everything to her on the way, that she could use anything she pleased, even if she wanted to eat in the middle of the night, she could do that. Into the small dining room, it was covered in white sheets, he never really used it anymore. "I usually eat in the kitchen or in the livingroom." He explained, giving her a soft smile. "So you don't have to clean in here unless we are having guests over." He said, leading her back to the entré. "Ready to see upstairs?" He asked softly.