All That I've Got

Aaronlyn was by the sink, cleaning dishes. Beside her, William was holding a small toddler, with dark skin and bright eyes. She was eating cheerios out of William’s hand and looking completely content.

Both of the adult greeted Frank, Natalie, and Alex who’d followed them (only for the food, he’d insisted).

In the breakfast nook, Frank was surprised to see another kid. A girl, who looked about four, with short blonde hair. She was focused on getting a too-full spoon of Captain Crunch into her mouth, but when she saw Frank she stopped.

“Hey,” Frank said timidly when the girl wouldn’t look away from him.

“Hi,” she said finally, little-kid voice all high with shyness.

Frank wasn’t used to kids, he knew that much for sure. Still he kind of stepped closer to the girl while Natalie busied herself with making food.

“What’s your name?” Frank asked after a moment.

“Lucie,” she answered, pride written across her features.

“I’m Frank,” he said, and she smiled at him, showing tiny, kid teeth. Milk was dripping down her chin, and Frank grinned back.

“Lucie, why don’t you tell Frank how much you like his belt,” Alex nudged in. He sat across from the girl.

Lucie’s eyes got wide when Frank lifted his hoodie to show her the pink of the belt.

“Oh,” she squealed, “It’s like the one Alex has, and it’s pink!”

Frank laughed and went to sit by Alex. Natalie brought over Frank’s own Toaster Strudel, and his own icing to match. Frank garffed it down, listening to Lucie babble to Natalie.

Alex was busy with his own pastry, but that didn’t stop him from trying to drink the juice Natalie had given Frank.

Frank was fine with sharing, but Natalie would smack Alex’s hand away each time he reached for the glass.

The meal ended when she knocked his hand a bit too hard, and it smashed into the cup, and orange juice ended up all over the food and in Lucie’s cereal (she ate it anyways).

Aaronlyn chided them, then went to open the kitchen window and let the city noises into the room.

Cool autumn air wafted in, too, and Frank couldn’t keep the feeling (happiness?) from bubbling up as he helped clean up the sticky mess.

----

The next day, Natalie and Alex took Frank shopping. They both insisted the Batman shirt had to go, but Frank managed to strike a deal where he’d get to keep it if he bought some other clothes.

They took him to a few of the upper-level tourist shops, like Brooks Brothers and Polo. They dragged him down street by street, and Frank had fun darting across teeming streets, and feeling the city on his skin.

He managed to convince them to take him out to the Marilyn Monroe statue, and then to an old bridge and then back across town for lunch.

Natalie finally gave him a stern look, and Frank had to actually shop. He left the Macy’s at the end of the day with new t-shirts, boxers, jeans, and socks. Alex let him keep the pink belt, though.

-----

For a few days, they all just stayed in. No one left, not even Chris. Frank had no idea how any of them were making money, but he let it go.

He ended up playing board games with Lucie, and sitting on the balcony with Natalie, who’d tell him about the places in the city. Alex would join them, and he’d tell Frank about Boston, where he was from originally.

One day, he offered to dye Frank’s hair pink too, but Frank insisted the belt was enough (that made Lucie upset, so he had to play an extra log game of Chutes & Ladders with her).

Frank learned he’d missed his birthday, which was Halloween, when he was in transition- or whatever the fuck you call losing seventeen years of your life.

Natalie and Alex threw him a spooky-themed party, and his cake had eighteen little spider-candles on it.

Chris finally emerged from his office near the end of the week, and informed Frank that he was registered at the public school Alex attended.

Frank had whirled on Alex then. “You go to high school? You’re nineteen, though!? Why’ve you been home all week?” Frank couldn’t keep his voice from going all high and embarrassing.

Alex made a sheepish face, and scrubbed his crazy pink hair. “Yeah, I got held back a few years ago. . . I was in the midst of moving here.” He looked pained, and Frank wanted to take back his words.

“But, about this week,” Alex continued, “Chris said I could stay and help you get- what was the word?” He turned to Chris.

“Acclimated,” Chris sighed endearingly. Before he turned to leave, he gave both of them a stern look. “You’ll both be going to school Monday morning, so be ready.”