Page 15 of Kian's Devotio
She ate everything on her plate and when she finished, she brought her plate to the sink like everyone else did.
Kian was at the sink and he turned and winked at her and took her plate.
Her little heart knew that this was what a family was.
And she wanted it more than words could say.
As she grew older, Lenora didn’t care that she was over at Emery’s more than she was at home.
Karalee didn’t think her mom even knew what was happening most of the time.
Ailith had gone out that first night and had bought her clothes. Which she kept in her own drawer in Emery’s dresser.
She also started having sleepovers, so Ailith had also bought her a bed.
It matched Emery’s and they even had matching bedspreads.
Ailith bought her toys and she had her own special soap in the shower, along with a comb and brush, as well as a toothbrush.
Ailith also took her to the doctor, and to the dentist. She was there through it all when Karalee had to get shots and had to get something called a ‘cavity’ filled.
And Karalee fell in love with the family that had rescued her from her life of sadness and pain.
When she did have to go home, it hurt. She hated it there. It was cold. And she never had anything to eat, and Lenora would hit her.
Was jealous that she had someone who wanted her. And would tell her that she was only a charity case, and that they were just using her.
That was all. No one really wanted her. No one really loved her. She was just something that made other people feel good about their good deeds.
And Karalee would feel her small heart break. She wanted so badly to be part of that family. To be accepted and loved.
She had told Kian this and he wasn’t happy.
For the next few years, Karalee did her best to keep her distance from her mom.
And it worked. Lenora did what she did. Drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, everything. Spreading her legs to anyone who would pay her in cash, drugs or food.
It didn’t matter. And Karalee stayed away. She was clean, was well fed and felt loved.
Emery became her best friend, as did Kian. He was never far away and would always listen to her talk, and never judged her for anything.
And as the years slipped by, she fell in love with the quiet, sweet kid that always had her best interest at heart.
He was overprotective to both her and Emery and didn’t stand for anyone bullying her in any shape or form.
When she started to develop breasts, she knew the boys all looked and they would make fun of her. Say things about her mom and so did the girls.
It hurt. She didn’t choose her mom, didn’t want the life that her mom did. But everyone treated her as if she did.
One day the teasing got so bad, she ran to the bathroom and cried. Sobbed so hard she was almost sick.
Emery had come in and hugged her close. She called Ailith, and Ailith had taken them home.
But after that, the teasing had stopped. No one said a single word to her, and she didn’t know quite what to think.
Except that Kian started to distance himself from her and when she would come in the room, he would clam up and not talk as much.
He wouldn’t come out and talk to her at nights anymore and when she would talk to him, he would give her clipped one-word answers.
