Stray Cat
Serena was considerably shorter than Cyd, and still - in her own opinion - built more like a boy than a girl with any curves where there should be curves. Cyd’s jeans hung on her and covered her feet, and she had to roll them a few times to keep from tripping on them. Isaac’s old tee-shirt though fit pretty well. And as Cyd had said, there was plenty of hot water. Now her two pigtails hung down low like well cooked spaghetti noodles.
“You clean up well.” Mathias joked chewing as he struggled to get his tie on one hand, the other refusing to put down his protein-paste breakfast.
“Thanks!” She said brightly. “The hot water did most of the work. I just helped a little.”
“Good.” Mathias said mouth full, sliding on his plain clothes coat. “I gotta head to work. So I want you to take this …” He tossed her a cred stick with 5 credits in it. “... play it smart you’ll be able to get a good lunch …” He paused for a moment. “ … and if you need a place to sleep tonight … Issac gets home at five. Sometimes. But I should be back a little after five if not.” He offered.
“So… not for just one night and me hopping my merry way?” She asked, repeating his words from the night before as she clutched the credstick in both hands. Her eyes were wide and hopeful.
“You can hop on your merry way if you want, no one is tying you down. But if you happen to up on back here … no one will turn you away.” Mathias explained.
“Until I don’t kinda suck at pickpocketing?” She asked.
Mathias gave a non-committal shrug. “Or longer if you want but let's get past today first he?”
“Okay,” Serena said, looking towards the door. “But if I wanna sit outside the door, that’s okay too?”
Mathias let about breath, yea this kid was such a country mouse. “Yea, that’s fine. There’s also a park you can hang out in, mostly safe. Just don’t play in the sandbox.”
“Practice pickpocketing?” She asked, making a face.
“Let's revisit the pickpocketing talk when I get back.” Mathias suggested.
“Okay,” She said, flinging her arms around his waist for a hug. “Thank you! Thank you an’ Cyd an’ Isaac. I’m so glad I tried to rob you an’ that I kinda suck at it.”
That got a laugh out of Mathias. “Okay … go entertain yourself. I got work. I’ll see you tonight okay?”
“Yes, definitely! And I’ll be quiet, I promise, you won’t even know I’m around. And I’m small, so I don’t take up a lotta room, an’ I won’t even use hot water, honest and swear!” She told him, crossing her heart for emphasis.
“Alright don’t go that far. Never turn down a good hot bath.” Mathias said opening the door to let them out.
“I won’t!” Serena promised, “An I’ll stay outta the sandbox, on account of cats.”
“Oh, it’s so much worse than that.” Mathias said cryptically closing the door behind him. “Don’t get into to much trouble he called back as he padded off to work.
Like a stray cat that’s found a meal ticket, Serena was waiting on the steps when Mathias came home. If Isaac or Cyd came home first, Serena would still wait on the step for Mathias, because he’d let her practice picking his pocket. Not his red jacket - that for some reason was off limits, but he always had a chocolate or hard candy for her to find.