Chapter 11: Donation
The next morning, Kurt and Siobhan listened to the radio for the news broadcasts, just in case sightings of Siobhan had been reported. Kurt had reluctantly replaced the batteries, but not before extracting a promise off Siobhan to refrain from singing along to any more tuneless songs.
A report of a girl matching Siobhan's description had been made, but as they listened for more, they discovered that girl was dead. Obviously not Siobhan. The identification of the body had yet to be confirmed.
"I wonder if Mommy has been told Daddy's dead?" Siobhan asked, knowing Kurt had no idea, but wishing to break the silence after the grisly report.
"I do not know." Kurt replied, relieved that Siobhan had not been recognised, but shocked that a different girl had lost her life. "To tell you the truth, little one, I had thought of disguising you so you would not be recognised." He switched off the radio, not wanting to hear any more details.
Siobhan perked up. "Could you disguise me anyway?"
"Why? You are pretty the way you are."
"But my hair! It's all tatty and different lengths." Siobhan jumped up and down with excitement. "Hey, I've an idea! Carlotta never took me to a hairdresser; she says it's too expensive. We can have another day out!"
Kurt shook his head. "Nein, not today." Siobhan opened her mouth to protest but Kurt put a finger to her lips. "I am not saying this because of what happened yesterday. The American Express card I have been using, it is nearing expiry date."
Siobhan pouted. "Can't you get a new one? How did you get one anyway?"
"A friend in the circus applied for it in my name. I do not have any other way to access my funds in Germany."
"Does that mean you're broke?"
"Well... I do have cash from the ticket I sold plus a little bit of money put away for emergencies. But not for getting little girls a haircut!"
"Oh... Ok... I guess." Again Siobhan did her subject changing act. "Want to look at my letters?"
--
Looking through Siobhan's letters, they discovered her mother lived in a place called Tenby in Wales. It sounded very picturesque, especially when compared with Siobhan's former residence. Kurt had been hoping for a telephone number too, so Siobhan could perhaps phone her mother.
"So what do we do now Kurt?" Siobhan asked.
"I really do not know. You could write to your mother to let her know you are ok, but the letter could take weeks." Kurt considered something else. "Also, if she is not allowed in America, she cannot pick you up."
"So all this is a waste of time..."
"Nein! I made a promise, Siobhan. The money I have for a rainy day, I will use that to get you a ticket to the U.K."
"No! Its not fair, you've already spent loads on me." Siobhan was clearly having doubts, she looked anguished and her voice broke with emotion. "Tickets cost a bomb, you'll be left with no money at all!"
"Ah, I only have to write to my friend in Germany..." Kurt began to say, but he could see her point, tickets were costly and his passport could cause some trouble with officials at the airport.
Siobhan fidgeted and put a comb through her mass of curls. Kurt sat deep in thought, in a classic 'The Thinker' pose. Then he got up suddenly in one fluid movement and opened a chest of drawers, shaking out one of his bizarre coats. Searching through the pockets, he found what he was looking for.
"We are going to make a phone call, Siobhan." He said, as he picked her up and teleported.
--
In a nearby phone box, Kurt realised he probably should have applied his disguise. Fortunately no one was about and Siobhan made herself useful as a lookout. Kurt looked at the piece of paper with Barry's number written on it, perhaps the man would be willing to help, the man had said to give him a call if Kurt needed anything after all.
A young female voice answered the phone. Kurt presumed it was the daughter Barry had talked about. "Hello, is your father there?" he asked politely. The girl shouted something Kurt couldn't pick up, then Barry's deep voice said "Hey, who's callin?"
"Ah, Guten tag, Barry, this is Kurt Wagner. I, ah, I need your help with something."
"Well spit it out and I'll see what I can do."
"Ja well, the little girl, Siobhan, I still have her with me. She wants to go home, but it will be very costly."
Barry gave a small chuckle down the phone. "Don't sweat it, friend, you wouldn't guess who Gonzo's next of kin was, all the money he made is my wife's. We're loaded, man."
"Ah, that is good!" Kurt sounded relieved. "Siobhan is better off with her mother, but there is a problem, she lives in the U.K."
"And you want ol' Barry to come to the rescue. Don't worry, I'll hook you up with whatever you need. Tickets, passports, the lot. Just say the word."
"What word?"
"...Never mind. I'll have what you need in a week, two weeks tops."
Siobhan nudged Kurt, "People coming!" she hissed.
"Danke! Come any night of the week!" Kurt said hurriedly.
Barry figured out the conversation was about to be cut short. "Cya" he managed to say, before the phone was put down.
--
Just over a week later, late at night, Kurt noticed a light just beyond the locked gates leading to the church. Taking a closer look, he realised it was Barry and with him was a little girl with a tennis ball. The girl was obviously Barry's daughter, as the tennis ball was glowing in the dark and she looked like she was ready to throw it at a window, perhaps to gain his attention. Waking Siobhan up, they teleported to the gate just in time.
The girl had straight, fair hair like her father and Siobhan successfully hid a look of jealousy. As Kurt unlocked the gate, Siobhan greeted the girl, "Hi, I'm Siobhan, you must be Tammy." Introductions made, Kurt led them up to the spire and Siobhan played hostess, making coffee for Kurt and Barry and pouring out lemonade for Tammy and herself.
Tammy's expression was one of awe as she gazed at Kurt, her hands almost reaching out as if to touch the tip of his tail, Kurt noticed none of this however. Siobhan felt uncomfortable with Tammy staring at her friend that way, so came up with the suggestion of showing Tammy around. The girls left, leaving Barry and Kurt alone.
"Perceptive, isn't she?" Barry remarked, as he heard Siobhan ask Tammy to show her the 'night-light trick' as the two girls walked down the stairs.
"What do you mean?" Asked Kurt.
"I brought Tammy round cos she's never met another mutant. Looks like your little girl caught on quick and doesn't want to share."
Kurt laughed. "You are probably right, though she is not my little girl."
"Is she not? You're the one who's been takin' care of her." Replied Barry. "Plus, loosing a parent is hard on a child. You must have helped her cope with that."
Kurt looked thoughtful. He still remembered the day she had referred to him as 'Uncle Kurt', he had asked her about that and she'd said "I don't have any uncles, so you'll have to do." She made that sound like he was just a substitute until she found someone else, but the twinkle in her eyes and the hug she'd subjected him to afterwards made her message clear.
"Maybe." Modesty was perhaps a fault with Kurt, he wasn't about to take all the credit for the way Siobhan had handled her situation so far. "But she needs a mother. Do you have the tickets?"
--
Downstairs, Siobhan and Tammy had run out of things to say and do. Tammy had impressed Siobhan with her instant lighting power and Siobhan had impressed Tammy with her cartwheels, but they didn't show it, there was no feeling of friendship between them. Both girls felt they had nothing in common.
"I am like, so glad I don't look like your friend." Tammy eventually said to Siobhan.
Siobhan flicked a curl away from her forehead and came to Kurt's defence. "He's a fun guy once you get to know him."
"..I'll take your word for it."
"Look girl, your Uncle Gonzo was a lot worse." Siobhan said, her anger rising. "He killed my dad!"
Siobhan and Tammy glared at each other, Tammy looked away first, she was a guest and this was Siobhan's home. She remembered an unwritten rule; you don't diss a girl's turf when you're standing on it, not unless you be wanting to pick a fight. Same with a girl's friends.
"Whoa, hey believe me I know. If my dad hadn't killed Gonzo, if it'd been the other way round, I know what would've happened to me. No disrespect to the blue guy, but I'm just saying I'm glad I'm just a human light bulb."
Siobhan suppressed a laugh at that last sentence.
"Aw c'mon girl you know I'm just trippin' with you. I'm sure the blue guy is nice and all, to be takin' you in AND with no favours asked." Tammy held out her hand. "Friends?"
"Ok..." Siobhan made a visible effort to smile at the girl. "But your Uncle Gonzo still killed my dad. Tell you what, your dad got revenge for me big time by killing that pervert, so that makes it all even. So I guess we can be friends."
They shook hands very formally, then burst out laughing.
"We are like, so sad."
"You said it."
--
Kurt looked at the fake passport, it appeared very authentic and the photo inside did look vaguely like himself. The photo of the man would mean Kurt would have to get a different pair of contact lenses, something he was going to do anyway, as there was no way he could withstand such strong lenses for long. This man's eyes were green, Kurt wondered if this was deliberate on Barry's part, perhaps in an effort to make Kurt and Siobhan look related.
"This is very impressive. You think it will work?"
"Sure, the guys who do this ain't ever been caught. Anyway, here's the tickets, got them myself. Return flight, so if it don't work out, you can always come back.
"Ah, I hadn't thought about that."
"Didn't think you would sonny boy. But here's the best bit. $5,000 cash, the cash Siobhan's dad paid to Gonzo night he was killed. It's yours."
"I cannot accept this!" Kurt said, clearly surprised by the man's generosity.
"You can, you will. Think of it as a donation to the church. Save the children fund, y'know?"
"Ja, I get it, the save Siobhan fund." Kurt smiled. "I cannot thank you enough for what you have done."
"Heck well. I was christened here in the early 70's just before this place shut down. I'm just a sentimental fool who hates to see this go to ruin."
"You are full of surprises, Barry."
"I'm in good company then."
They finished off the coffee and talked about the trials and tribulations of looking after small children, Kurt trying to gain some tips from Barry. He told Barry about Siobhan's car theft and Barry laughed, mentioning that Kurt should feel real lucky Siobhan doesn't know how to drive. Kurt had a mental image of Siobhan zipping around in a car on busy streets and grimaced.
The girls eventually came back and together, they walked Barry and his daughter to the car.
As Siobhan and Kurt waved them off, Siobhan said "I wish my hair was straight like hers."
"Well if you're extra good, you can get a haircut, we can afford it now thanks to Barry."
"He ain't as bad as I thought."
"And his daughter?" Kurt asked, he had a feeling the two weren't about to be instant play pals.
So-so." Siobhan said and Kurt gave her a look. "I'm jealous of her hair, ok? Do you have any idea how hard this is to brush?"
Little did they know that Barry and his daughter were having a similar conversation, in Tammy's case, she was wishing her hair was curly. In contrast to Kurt, Barry held up against his daughter's pleading when she asked could she get her hair permed.
Siobhan smiled inwardly. Kurt had once again given into her without any resistance.
--
Note: Thanks to the reviewer who pointed out my mistakes in Spanish - your review isn't showing up for me here yet, but fortunately I do receive review alerts to my email address - could you possibly email me with the correct words so I can make the necessary changes?
Everyone, your reviews make this all worthwhile. Keep reviewing!
Chapter 12 might take a while.
The next morning, Kurt and Siobhan listened to the radio for the news broadcasts, just in case sightings of Siobhan had been reported. Kurt had reluctantly replaced the batteries, but not before extracting a promise off Siobhan to refrain from singing along to any more tuneless songs.
A report of a girl matching Siobhan's description had been made, but as they listened for more, they discovered that girl was dead. Obviously not Siobhan. The identification of the body had yet to be confirmed.
"I wonder if Mommy has been told Daddy's dead?" Siobhan asked, knowing Kurt had no idea, but wishing to break the silence after the grisly report.
"I do not know." Kurt replied, relieved that Siobhan had not been recognised, but shocked that a different girl had lost her life. "To tell you the truth, little one, I had thought of disguising you so you would not be recognised." He switched off the radio, not wanting to hear any more details.
Siobhan perked up. "Could you disguise me anyway?"
"Why? You are pretty the way you are."
"But my hair! It's all tatty and different lengths." Siobhan jumped up and down with excitement. "Hey, I've an idea! Carlotta never took me to a hairdresser; she says it's too expensive. We can have another day out!"
Kurt shook his head. "Nein, not today." Siobhan opened her mouth to protest but Kurt put a finger to her lips. "I am not saying this because of what happened yesterday. The American Express card I have been using, it is nearing expiry date."
Siobhan pouted. "Can't you get a new one? How did you get one anyway?"
"A friend in the circus applied for it in my name. I do not have any other way to access my funds in Germany."
"Does that mean you're broke?"
"Well... I do have cash from the ticket I sold plus a little bit of money put away for emergencies. But not for getting little girls a haircut!"
"Oh... Ok... I guess." Again Siobhan did her subject changing act. "Want to look at my letters?"
--
Looking through Siobhan's letters, they discovered her mother lived in a place called Tenby in Wales. It sounded very picturesque, especially when compared with Siobhan's former residence. Kurt had been hoping for a telephone number too, so Siobhan could perhaps phone her mother.
"So what do we do now Kurt?" Siobhan asked.
"I really do not know. You could write to your mother to let her know you are ok, but the letter could take weeks." Kurt considered something else. "Also, if she is not allowed in America, she cannot pick you up."
"So all this is a waste of time..."
"Nein! I made a promise, Siobhan. The money I have for a rainy day, I will use that to get you a ticket to the U.K."
"No! Its not fair, you've already spent loads on me." Siobhan was clearly having doubts, she looked anguished and her voice broke with emotion. "Tickets cost a bomb, you'll be left with no money at all!"
"Ah, I only have to write to my friend in Germany..." Kurt began to say, but he could see her point, tickets were costly and his passport could cause some trouble with officials at the airport.
Siobhan fidgeted and put a comb through her mass of curls. Kurt sat deep in thought, in a classic 'The Thinker' pose. Then he got up suddenly in one fluid movement and opened a chest of drawers, shaking out one of his bizarre coats. Searching through the pockets, he found what he was looking for.
"We are going to make a phone call, Siobhan." He said, as he picked her up and teleported.
--
In a nearby phone box, Kurt realised he probably should have applied his disguise. Fortunately no one was about and Siobhan made herself useful as a lookout. Kurt looked at the piece of paper with Barry's number written on it, perhaps the man would be willing to help, the man had said to give him a call if Kurt needed anything after all.
A young female voice answered the phone. Kurt presumed it was the daughter Barry had talked about. "Hello, is your father there?" he asked politely. The girl shouted something Kurt couldn't pick up, then Barry's deep voice said "Hey, who's callin?"
"Ah, Guten tag, Barry, this is Kurt Wagner. I, ah, I need your help with something."
"Well spit it out and I'll see what I can do."
"Ja well, the little girl, Siobhan, I still have her with me. She wants to go home, but it will be very costly."
Barry gave a small chuckle down the phone. "Don't sweat it, friend, you wouldn't guess who Gonzo's next of kin was, all the money he made is my wife's. We're loaded, man."
"Ah, that is good!" Kurt sounded relieved. "Siobhan is better off with her mother, but there is a problem, she lives in the U.K."
"And you want ol' Barry to come to the rescue. Don't worry, I'll hook you up with whatever you need. Tickets, passports, the lot. Just say the word."
"What word?"
"...Never mind. I'll have what you need in a week, two weeks tops."
Siobhan nudged Kurt, "People coming!" she hissed.
"Danke! Come any night of the week!" Kurt said hurriedly.
Barry figured out the conversation was about to be cut short. "Cya" he managed to say, before the phone was put down.
--
Just over a week later, late at night, Kurt noticed a light just beyond the locked gates leading to the church. Taking a closer look, he realised it was Barry and with him was a little girl with a tennis ball. The girl was obviously Barry's daughter, as the tennis ball was glowing in the dark and she looked like she was ready to throw it at a window, perhaps to gain his attention. Waking Siobhan up, they teleported to the gate just in time.
The girl had straight, fair hair like her father and Siobhan successfully hid a look of jealousy. As Kurt unlocked the gate, Siobhan greeted the girl, "Hi, I'm Siobhan, you must be Tammy." Introductions made, Kurt led them up to the spire and Siobhan played hostess, making coffee for Kurt and Barry and pouring out lemonade for Tammy and herself.
Tammy's expression was one of awe as she gazed at Kurt, her hands almost reaching out as if to touch the tip of his tail, Kurt noticed none of this however. Siobhan felt uncomfortable with Tammy staring at her friend that way, so came up with the suggestion of showing Tammy around. The girls left, leaving Barry and Kurt alone.
"Perceptive, isn't she?" Barry remarked, as he heard Siobhan ask Tammy to show her the 'night-light trick' as the two girls walked down the stairs.
"What do you mean?" Asked Kurt.
"I brought Tammy round cos she's never met another mutant. Looks like your little girl caught on quick and doesn't want to share."
Kurt laughed. "You are probably right, though she is not my little girl."
"Is she not? You're the one who's been takin' care of her." Replied Barry. "Plus, loosing a parent is hard on a child. You must have helped her cope with that."
Kurt looked thoughtful. He still remembered the day she had referred to him as 'Uncle Kurt', he had asked her about that and she'd said "I don't have any uncles, so you'll have to do." She made that sound like he was just a substitute until she found someone else, but the twinkle in her eyes and the hug she'd subjected him to afterwards made her message clear.
"Maybe." Modesty was perhaps a fault with Kurt, he wasn't about to take all the credit for the way Siobhan had handled her situation so far. "But she needs a mother. Do you have the tickets?"
--
Downstairs, Siobhan and Tammy had run out of things to say and do. Tammy had impressed Siobhan with her instant lighting power and Siobhan had impressed Tammy with her cartwheels, but they didn't show it, there was no feeling of friendship between them. Both girls felt they had nothing in common.
"I am like, so glad I don't look like your friend." Tammy eventually said to Siobhan.
Siobhan flicked a curl away from her forehead and came to Kurt's defence. "He's a fun guy once you get to know him."
"..I'll take your word for it."
"Look girl, your Uncle Gonzo was a lot worse." Siobhan said, her anger rising. "He killed my dad!"
Siobhan and Tammy glared at each other, Tammy looked away first, she was a guest and this was Siobhan's home. She remembered an unwritten rule; you don't diss a girl's turf when you're standing on it, not unless you be wanting to pick a fight. Same with a girl's friends.
"Whoa, hey believe me I know. If my dad hadn't killed Gonzo, if it'd been the other way round, I know what would've happened to me. No disrespect to the blue guy, but I'm just saying I'm glad I'm just a human light bulb."
Siobhan suppressed a laugh at that last sentence.
"Aw c'mon girl you know I'm just trippin' with you. I'm sure the blue guy is nice and all, to be takin' you in AND with no favours asked." Tammy held out her hand. "Friends?"
"Ok..." Siobhan made a visible effort to smile at the girl. "But your Uncle Gonzo still killed my dad. Tell you what, your dad got revenge for me big time by killing that pervert, so that makes it all even. So I guess we can be friends."
They shook hands very formally, then burst out laughing.
"We are like, so sad."
"You said it."
--
Kurt looked at the fake passport, it appeared very authentic and the photo inside did look vaguely like himself. The photo of the man would mean Kurt would have to get a different pair of contact lenses, something he was going to do anyway, as there was no way he could withstand such strong lenses for long. This man's eyes were green, Kurt wondered if this was deliberate on Barry's part, perhaps in an effort to make Kurt and Siobhan look related.
"This is very impressive. You think it will work?"
"Sure, the guys who do this ain't ever been caught. Anyway, here's the tickets, got them myself. Return flight, so if it don't work out, you can always come back.
"Ah, I hadn't thought about that."
"Didn't think you would sonny boy. But here's the best bit. $5,000 cash, the cash Siobhan's dad paid to Gonzo night he was killed. It's yours."
"I cannot accept this!" Kurt said, clearly surprised by the man's generosity.
"You can, you will. Think of it as a donation to the church. Save the children fund, y'know?"
"Ja, I get it, the save Siobhan fund." Kurt smiled. "I cannot thank you enough for what you have done."
"Heck well. I was christened here in the early 70's just before this place shut down. I'm just a sentimental fool who hates to see this go to ruin."
"You are full of surprises, Barry."
"I'm in good company then."
They finished off the coffee and talked about the trials and tribulations of looking after small children, Kurt trying to gain some tips from Barry. He told Barry about Siobhan's car theft and Barry laughed, mentioning that Kurt should feel real lucky Siobhan doesn't know how to drive. Kurt had a mental image of Siobhan zipping around in a car on busy streets and grimaced.
The girls eventually came back and together, they walked Barry and his daughter to the car.
As Siobhan and Kurt waved them off, Siobhan said "I wish my hair was straight like hers."
"Well if you're extra good, you can get a haircut, we can afford it now thanks to Barry."
"He ain't as bad as I thought."
"And his daughter?" Kurt asked, he had a feeling the two weren't about to be instant play pals.
So-so." Siobhan said and Kurt gave her a look. "I'm jealous of her hair, ok? Do you have any idea how hard this is to brush?"
Little did they know that Barry and his daughter were having a similar conversation, in Tammy's case, she was wishing her hair was curly. In contrast to Kurt, Barry held up against his daughter's pleading when she asked could she get her hair permed.
Siobhan smiled inwardly. Kurt had once again given into her without any resistance.
--
Note: Thanks to the reviewer who pointed out my mistakes in Spanish - your review isn't showing up for me here yet, but fortunately I do receive review alerts to my email address - could you possibly email me with the correct words so I can make the necessary changes?
Everyone, your reviews make this all worthwhile. Keep reviewing!
Chapter 12 might take a while.