By the time Colin reached Sibyl, it looked like some of the girls’ parents were also standing around them.
“Can we keep the outfits?” the girl named Katie asked, her eyes shining up at Sibyl.
“Of course, they’re yours,” Sibyl replied with a sweet smile and the girls shrieked their delight with such ferocity, Colin winced and feared the glass in the windows would shatter.
“Really, we couldn’t –” one of the men was saying and Sibyl turned laughing eyes to him, effectively cutting him off.
“I can hardly wear them, Phil,” she responded with a teasing tone to which it would have been impossible to take affront.
“Hey, Mr. Morgan,” Katie called, upon noting his arrival.
“Hey, Mr. Morgan,” Emma echoed.
“Hey, Mr. Morgan,” Cheryl, not to be outdone, repeated.
“Girls,” Colin greeted them and this caused another series of shrieks and giggles as Colin finally made it to Sibyl’s side. He dared not kiss her (which he very much wanted to do); the girls’ high-pitched screeches might be the final death blow to the rundown building and bring the roof crashing down on their heads.
Sibyl introduced Colin to the girls’ parents and, after a brief conversation; they all peeled off toward home, taking their loud daughters with them. Except one, who stood alone, no parent behind her. She looked acutely uncomfortable and was trying to put her eyes anywhere but on Colin or Sibyl.
“I’m going to go home now, Miss Sibyl, I’ll see you next week,” she muttered and started away.
“Wait a second Flower, where’s your mother?” Sibyl put a gentle hand on the girl’s shoulder to keep her where she was.
“She’s out tonight. My brothers are with Nan. I was supposed to be there too but I talked Nan into letting me come tonight.”
“But tonight’s the Talent Show… your mother –” Sibyl started.
“She forgot,” Flower quickly explained with a deftness borne of practice.
“But, how did you get here?” Sibyl asked.
“I walked,” Flower answered
“By yourself?” Sibyl enquired, the last syllable higher than the others, a tone that showed her irritation.
Flower nodded.
Colin regarded the young, awkward, but pretty, girl. He hid his reaction to her words and the thought of any parent or grandparent not only not remembering a Talent Show but not being there to witness it.
Sibyl, however, did not hide her reaction. Her lips thinned, she turned angry eyes to Colin and he saw the warning light of emerald fire.
“Sibyl,” he murmured as Scarlett approached.
Sibyl whirled back to Flower. “Where are you staying tonight?”
“With Nan.”
“Go and get your things, honey. Mr. Morgan and my sister, her name’s Scarlett, are going to drive you home. Once you’re inside, I want you to go to the window and wave to them that everything is okay. You must remember to go to the window and wave because he’s going to be waiting. Can you remember to do that?”
Flower looked uncertainly between Sibyl, Colin and Scarlett and nodded her head slowly, clearly not used to anyone taking care of her.
“Good, honey, now go and get your things,” Sibyl urged gently.
The minute the girl ran off, Sibyl turned to Colin and belatedly asked, “Do you mind?”
Her tone, her face, the way she held her body indicated her barely contained fury.
He did the only thing he could do in the face of her oncoming wrath, he shook his head.