1970s, California

𝒜aron has lived at St. Eleanor’s Home for Children since he was six years old. It's a quiet residence where both boys and girls, ages 5 to 17, live.

He's the oldest—well, Lou is the same age but a few months younger. Because Aaron's the oldest, he takes care of many of the chores, helps the younger ones, and looks after them.

So, Aaron is in charge of many of the household tasks, especially those that require going out.

Like any other day, he went out to run errands with Lou and Stevie, a fourteen-year-old boy. They bought bread, fruit, vegetables, candy for the girls, and all the other boring things. Aaron didn't even notice, but Lou kept a carton of expensive cigarettes for himself, and as always, got away with it.

They walked back to the home with the bags of groceries. Upon arriving, they noticed an unusual scene: everyone was sitting on the sofas in the main room, talking.

“What are you gossiping about?” asked Stevie, approaching the group of girls, whose ages ranged from 8 to 14.

“A new girl joined!” said one of the girls. “And she’s older, the same age as Aaron and Lou.”

The two turned around, their eyebrows raised.

“Our age?” asked Aaron.

“And she pretty?” added Lou.

“Very pretty!” said one of the girls excitedly.

It was always a joy to have one more girl, even though some were bothered by it because it was just one more mouth to feed, but for Aaron and Lou, they would finally have the opportunity to talk to a girl, a girl their own age, and a pretty one at that!

“She’s in the kitchen, eating soup. The poor thing was very hungry.”

And with that said, Lou and Aaron shot off toward the kitchen, shoving each other to get ahead, but as always, Aaron won. He crossed the threshold of the kitchen door, pushed aside by Lou.

The girl lifted her head from her soup bowl, her beautiful eyes wide and her hair bouncing as she looked in their direction. The boys froze, as if hypnotized by a mermaid's song, or in this case, gaze.

Aaron took a step forward.

"I'm sorry, we didn't mean to scare you." he said, smiling. "May I?" He gestured toward the chair next to the girl, who still looked like a confused deer.