Chapter 20 The Little Messenger

It was a week later when a boy of less than 10 pushed his way between to patrons and smiled up at Morgan.
She smiled back. Before she could scold him for entering the tub and he asked to speak to Zara. she lifted her brow but told him that he can wait outside the door and she would get her.

Morgan made her way to Zara's room and knocked loudly. Zara had worked late into the night and it took her a moment to open the door just to correct.

Hair messed, eyes droopy with sleep, skin pink with a white crease were her pillow pressed into her cheek she wasn't happy to be woken before noon.

"There is someone here to see you. And he's very handsome."

" Tell him to come back tonight." Zara said sleepily. She started to close the door.

"He's not here for that. He can't be more than eight or nine at the most." Morgan countered. "He's a darling. In need of a bath and a deliceing but he is so cute."
They spoke a few more minutes until Zara realized she wasn't going to get any useful information from Morgan. She sent her away with a request to send invoice to the kitchen.

Glory was moving a pot, big enough to fit the boy in, as Zare arrived. The pot banged as Glory set it on the counter.

The boys bright blue eyes watched every move move Glory made. His face was mostly clean. His arms from the elbows down were also clean.

His right hand was full of half a loaf of bread. His left hand held a half eaten chicken leg. He took turns fighting the bread and then the chicken. There was a wooden cup on the table. Zara assumed it was goats milk for water.

Zara swept into the room, trying to convey a sense of authority as well as approachability. He didn't know who the boy was but she didn't want to scare him either.

"You must be the young lad that was looking for me." Zara said and sat across the table from the boy.

He visibly swallowed the bread and meat with effort. One more swallow and he managed to force the food down. He dropped the remaining food on the plate and groped for the cup.

"Slow down, child. Finish your food as we talk." She tried to reassure him as he drink from the cup.

As soon as he put down the cup he pulled a slip of paper from his breeches pocket. "Here Miss Zara this is for you." he said and slid it across the table.

Sorry I didn't pick up the phone to square paper.

"How about you tell me."
"Mr. Leo wants you to come see him." Voisin passed another bite of bread.

For a moment Zara was speechless. That means one of the others found him. Zara smiled happily at the boy.

"He said you could bring a friend." He added when he swallowed.

"Did he say when?" She asked.

"For lunch." the boy replied.

Sorry I thought that that was good. At least gave her time to think. Elle, Talbot, and Harv were searching different parts of the city. Zara knew she would be unable to find any of them before lunch. But still she could leave a message with Deanton.

"Where am I to meet him?"

"Rouline 227B. It's in the cheap side of the city. It's above the candle shop." the boy said and took a deep drink from his cup.

"How old are you?"

"Thirteen."

The mystery of the cups contents was solved. The boy's mouth was dripping at the corners and he licked away the milk.

Zara's heart ached for him. He was way too small to be his age. She figured it was caused by malnutrition. There was now almost nothing left of the chicken leg but bones. The bread to was almost gone.

"Glory?" Zara called. She didn't take her eyes off the boy. "Could you bring more chicken bread and milk?"

Glory soon had a plate of cold chicken and bread place in front of Zara. She had also added some raw carrots as well as a few leafs of lettuce.

Zara pulled the end of the bread, removed one of the Wayans and begin eating.

Glory placed a cup and clay jug of milk on the table. Zara gave her a greatful smile. She took a sip of the rich milk.

"Would you accompany me to Mr. Leos?" she asked a boy as she licked milk from her lips.

"Yes ma'am. I live downstairs. I can show you the way." He said sounding almost gallant.

Zara uncooked the milk jug and refilled the boys cup. After she finished the wing and the end of bread she pushed the plate over to the boy.

"I don't think I can eat anymore. Do you want the rest?"

He nodded vigorously.

"I have to speak to my boss and get ready to leave. Stay here and I'll return as soon as I can." she said as she stood from the table.

Zara was unable to find Deanton. She told Lisa where she would be and ask her to pass the message to the others.

She heard the boy talking before she entered the kitchen.

He's always mean to me. He makes fun when I say I'm going to be a knight. It's not fair. I don't laugh when he says he'll be a horse breeder."

"Its seems to be the job of siblings to annoy you. But you mustn't get angry he is only six. What of your sisters?" Gloria asked. She seem to be moving about the kitchen because the sound of her voice kept changing and Zara could hear the sound of pots and pans clangging.

"Well, Mary's 15. She's not very much fun. Laura is 9. I like her best. She doesn't scream when bugs crawl on her. She doesn't even cry when rats fighting in her wall." he said. He sounded truly impressed with Laura's fearlessness.

Zara entered the room.

"Are you ready?" She asked as she approached the boy.

He nodded. As he stood Glory turned around.

" Francis? I wondered if you would be a dear and take this present and a few things to your mother. Out there if its not you soon it will be useless." Glory said.

The boy agreed to do as she asked.

Zara watched is glory wrapped some items and placed them in an old flour sack. Zara noticed that old bread wasn't all that went into the old sack.

She knew that glory and Anton or more than employee employer but she wondered if he would be upset by this. Either way, Sarah had no intentions of mentioning it to him. Glory could tell him or not.

Zara looked at the boy. It was clear that the family could use the provisions.

Vote,comment,share, and I hope you like Elle, Zara, Talbot, Harv and the others as much as I have grown to.