It was so sudden, Don broke off sobbing and Rie had no idea what was going on. Stunned for a moment, Rie stood staring alternately at her and at Pio and the children. Finally she came to her senses. "Don!" she called, and started after her.
She found the girl huddled in a corner, crying her heart out. She looked so forlorn that it almost hurt to look at her: she looked so much like Rie undoubtedly did, huddled by a tree in the pouring rain on the nights when she couldn't afford to stay at an inn on the way from her house. So, worried and sympathetic, Rie knelt beside her. "Don, what's wrong? Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?"
Don muttered something that Rie couldn't understand, and then the redhead realized that she was handling the situation all wrong: it wasn't at all the time for talking. "Come on, Don," she said, and held her arms out. Don looked up briefly and went to her.
This must be what Momma felt like, when I went crying to her, Rie thought as she hugged Don, like this person needs me for comfort. I can make her feel better. Still cradling the weeping child in her arms, Rie looked up at the ceiling. And at that moment, she felt that her father would indeed have been proud of her--and more, if he wasn't, she didn't care. Feeling a deep but inexplicable change in her heart, Rie turned her thoughts back to Don.
__________________
"Oh, my god! I care so little, I almost passed out!" --Dr. Cox, "Scrubs"
|