They walked slowly back to the trailer. They weren’t in any rush to go back. Morgan felt her body relaxing the further they got away from the little cafe. Her emotions were mixed up. She was happy that her stomach was full and that they had both had a decent meal, but on the other hand she was apprehensive as to why the woman in the cafe was trying to help them. She turned it over and over in her head, but no matter what she thought she just couldn’t make any sense of it.
They arrived back at the trailer. The place was a mess. The gloom hit them as they walked in. Morgan stood there and looked around, her heart slowly sinking as she remembered her old bedroom at home. Adam put his arm around her shoulders; he could tell by the look on her face what she was thinking.
“We can clean it up you know.”
She looked back at him and nodded.
They spent the day cleaning up. Adam bagged up his fathers discarded cans and papers, while Morgan washed some sheets in the sink. She had managed to find a bottle of surface cleaner, it wasn’t perfect but it did the job. The water was cold and most of the stains didn’t come out, but they smelt better than they had before. She hung them out side to dry in the sun shine.
They spent the next couple of months surviving by stealing at least one meal a day and making it last between them. They made sure that they didn’t go into the same shop over and over again, but spreading their food hunts out into as many different places as they could find. Their stomachs constantly rumbled and occasionally they felt to dizzy to move, but they spurred each other on. They had running water in the trailer, and they were thankful for that. There was no heating inside though and they had to rely on each others body heat at night. When the nights had grown really cold they warmed them selves on mugs of boiled water and sugar, heated over a small bonfire outside.
They went for their usual weekly visit to the café. When the hunger got too much Morgan would let Adam take her there, even though she still didn’t feel comfortable. She couldn’t understand why the woman was helping them. She brought them over a generous helping of toast and bacon. They both ate it as quickly as possible, getting it into their stomachs before it went cold.
Morgan finished her breakfast and excused her self.
The owner watched as Morgan went to the bathroom to clean up. Cautiously, she walked over to Adam; she didn’t want to scare him off. She had watched them over the last two months. The boy seemed approachable, but the girl looked constantly on her guard, she had never spoken to them properly, nothing more than a ‘how are you,’ but today she wanted to push it a little further, she hoped she had made the right choice.
“Excuse me?” She said.
Adam looked up at her.
“How old are you?”
She saw Adams expression change. “Its, ok I am not prying. Its just I need a hand here at the café, and you look about old enough to work. I was wondering if you would want to.”
Adam looked at her trying to weigh her up. Was she serious? No one was this nice without wanting something in return. All the food she had given them and now a job offer, but she looked like a harmless woman. He could try it. There wasn’t anything she could really gain from him.
“Ok.”
She smiled at him. For a moment she thought he was going to refuse.
Morgan came out of the bathroom and froze when she saw them talking. She rushed over to them, not wanting Adam to tell the woman anything about them.
“You can start tomorrow if you like.” She grabbed his hand and placed three ten pound notes into his palm. “Buy yourself some clothes for tomorrow. I’ll see you at seven thirty on the dot.”
Morgan watched in horror. She had to stop this, she didn’t know how, but how could he so easily trust someone. What did this woman want?
Adam saw the look on Morgan’s face and got up from his chair. He thanked the woman, before escorting Morgan out.
“What are you doing?” she said to him, her voice holding onto the edge of anger.
“She offered me a job. I took it.”
“But why, you can’t take it. What…”
Adam knew exactly where this was going and cut Morgan off before she had chance to argue. “We need money Morgan. We have no money left. We can’t live on nothing.”
Morgan ground her teeth. She wanted to scream at him, but he was right. She knew it, but she did not like it.
She didn’t speak to him all the way back to the trailer.
“Are you going to talk to me?” he asked as they walked into their lounge.
“About what?” She snapped a little harsher than she had meant to.
“I don’t know." Adam tried to ignore her tone, he really didn’t want to get into a fight with her. "Anything. You’ve ignored me all the way home.”
“I didn’t.”
“Yes you did." He said. "What's the matter?”
“Nothing. I am fine.”
“Yeah ok.” He scoffed. She was frosty and snapping. He had got to know her moods over the last couple of months; she always did this when there was a problem.
“Morgan. Nothing, doesn’t work.” He said emphasising the word nothing.
“You wanna know what the matter is?” she stared at him, straight in the eyes, her gaze fuelled with anger.
“Yeah I do.”
“”You. The woman at the café. You getting a job”. Her voice started to grow louder as she spoke.”
He was taken a bit back at her remark. He had assumed that she would be pleased that they would have money coming in. At least then they would be able to eat honestly. “You’re not glad I got a job?”
“No." She said. "What's with that woman?”
“Morgan your being stupid now. We need the money. I have gone too long without decent food. I am not going to live like my father.”
“And how did your father live?” she shouted. “You never tell me, you always clam up.”
“You want to know about my father?” He said emphasizing the word father to her.
“Yes I do.” She crossed her arms and sat down waiting. He ground his teeth; he didn’t want to do this.
“My father was a drunk. He beat me every chance he got. I don’t have a mother because she walked out and left me with him. “His voice was raised when he spoke and he seemed to spit the end of every sentence out as he spoke. “He dumped me by the side of the road and left me for dead. So now you know. Happy now?”
Morgan fidgeted. She hadn’t meant to upset him. Angry tears brimmed in his eyes. She got up to go over to him.
“No don’t. I don’t want your pity.”
“Adam I’m...”
“You’re what? Sorry. Don’t be.” He said. He looked down at the floor, his voice a little calmer. “I am taking this job to make a better life for us.”
