Little Fury: Book 1 of The deadly Little Thing Trilogy
Little Fury: Chapter 8

I turn around to see who she’s speaking to just as a man approaches the porch. He’s a bit older than my dad is, a bit older than my dad was. Was, because my dad is dead now. He has a head of short red hair and a full beard to match. He’s big.

Harry sinks down to one knee, bringing his green eyes in line with my grey ones. “Hello, little Ava, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He says extending his hand to me. I shake it, always polite. “I’m really happy to have you here. There is a lot to do and learn, and I think you will thrive here.” I cock my head to the side, replaceing his words odd. He lets my hand go and stands up.

He looks at Beth. “It’s good to see you, Beth. You’re looking lovely, as always,” He says with a smile.

“Knock it off. I’m not some random woman who doesn’t know exactly who you are, so just keep your smile and twinkly eyes to yourself,” Beth tells him matter-of-factly.

“You think I have twinkly eyes, Bethy?” he winks at me when he says it, and I hear her huff out a breath.

“You wound me. You know I’ve always been on my knees at your feet, lass.” Harry says it all of a sudden with an accent.

“No! Harry fuck off! Put that Scottish brogue right back on ice where it belongs. I’m not about to lose my head for you just because you think no woman can resist your charms.” she tells him as she turns to grab my bags and moves further into the house.

“I think she likes me. Don’t you, little Ava?” Harry asks me with mischief in his voice. “I don’t know, Bethy, you did just drop an F-bomb in front of our little guest, so maybe you aren’t so immune to me after all?” He calls after her, a laugh behind his words.

I pause to look at him cocking my head again, “Not sure about that sir, I think maybe she just thinks you’re an ass to be honest.”

Harry throws his head back and lets loose a sound that startles me a bit. It’s the biggest laugh I’ve ever heard. When he is done laughing, he looks at me and wipes actual tears from his eyes. “Well, shit. That may be one of the funniest insults anyone has ever thrown at me.”

That made me smile for the first time since all this started. “Thank you,” I said to him with a small grin. It’s the first real smile I’ve given since the accident. It makes me feel like a tiny piece of me has moved back into place.

“Ava, come this way, and I can show you your new room and bathroom. Let that jackass carry the rest of our bags this way.” Beth calls from the top of the stairs.

I follow her voice. Harry picks up the bags and follows along. We replace her in front of a door just down a short hall. She opens it and I get the first look at my new bedroom.

It’s a lot smaller than my room in my old house, but it has a set of doors leading out to a deck. The room is pale blue with darker blue accents. The bedding is a deep navy with light blue and white pillows. The carpet is a plush grey. A closet is on one side of the room, and a desk is on the wall by the door. The bed is large, like the bed I used to have. A chair in front of the glass doors and a nightstand on either side of the bed. There are some shelves are on the other wall, but everything is bare.

“I wasn’t sure what colour you would like, so I just painted it in a colour I thought was nice. Sorry, it’s not pink, but I just can’t do pink,” Harry says from behind me.

“I don’t like pink, this is perfect. Blue is my favourite colour. Thank you.” I see Beth look over me towards Harry, and I glance over my shoulder to see why. But Harry is just staring at me. “Did I do something wrong?” I’m not sure how to read the faces they’re making.

“No, you didn’t do anything wrong. We just weren’t expecting you to say thank you. Your entire life has been upended, so we were expecting something, ah, different.” she tells me.

“Well, I guess I could throw a tantrum if it would make either of you feel better.”

Harry laughs again behind me, and Beth smiles at me.

“No, I think we can do it without a tantrum. There is no sense in forcing one if you’re not feeling it,” she laughs.

Looking at me and she pats me on the shoulder. “OK, let me show you the bathroom, and then we will leave you alone for a bit? Let you settle in? I’ll be downstairs in the kitchen. So, if you need anything, or you don’t want to be alone, or you need help putting your stuff in drawers or in the closet, please come and ask. I want to help you, Ava, as much as I can. So please ask me for help.” she tells me, and I can see that she is being honest.

“Thank you, Beth. I will.”

“All right, the bathroom is one door over. It’s all yours, I have one on the main floor in my bedroom. Let’s go, give her some space.” Beth insists and pulls him behind her as she leaves the room.

Unsure of what to do with myself, I look at the room again and realize I really do like it. It’s similar to my room back home. So that feels good.

I open my bags and start to unpack. I put my clothes in the drawers and hang the one dress I brought with me in the closet. I put my shoes in the bottom closet and place the photo of me and my parents on the table beside the bed. Just like I had it at home. I grab Miss Mushroom and Mr. Waffle and set them on the bed. I take my toothbrush and hairbrush to the bathroom and wash my face and hands.

This is home now. So be at home.

Heading downstairs to look around, I hear voices coming from the kitchen. I walk in just as I hear Beth say, “She’s only 7? Why isn’t she a mess? How is she so calm and composed?” I see her hands in the air as I enter.

“Sorry, Ava. We aren’t trying to be mean and talk about you when you aren’t in the room, but I’m concerned with how well you’re taking everything,” she says to me.

I shrug “not really sure how to take it differently. I miss my parents, and I think this place is weird, but I’m still me.” Harry raises an eyebrow and looks at me.

“Well said, Ava. You sure don’t talk like any other seven-year-old I’ve ever met before,” He tells me.

“I turn 8 next week, so maybe I sound more like an 8-year-old, and that’s why I don’t sound like the other 7-year-olds you know.” He isn’t the first adult who’s told me that. My school told my parents that I was gifted and that I would need special things. Maybe that’s what Harry means?

Beth asks if I’m hungry, and I tell her I am. She opens the fridge and pulls out cheese, butter and bread. Grabbing a frying pan from inside the oven, she gets to work making me a grilled cheese. When it’s cooked, she places it on a plate before me and pours me a glass of milk. I inhale the sandwich and milk, barely pausing to breathe. When I’m done, I say goodnight. Harry says goodnight and will see me tomorrow.

Beth comes upstairs with me asking if I need any help. I tell her I don’t. ‘Leave your dirty clothes in the hamper in the bathroom, and I’ll collect them tomorrow when I do the laundry,” Beth tells me as I head into the bathroom to change and brush my teeth again.

Back in my room, Beth has the blinds closed on the glass doors and the blankets on the bed pulled down, waiting for me to get in. Once I settle in, Beth pulls the blankets up around my chin and hands me Mr. Waffle and Miss Mushroom, putting one on each side of me.

“Thank you,” I say to her.

“You are very welcome, Ava. I hope you like it here. It’s a beautiful place to live, and Harry has a lot to offer you.” Again, I don’t understand what her words mean. But I smile at her anyway. She leaves, turning off the light and closing my door behind her.

I wake up the next morning, forgetting where I am for a moment, but it quickly returns to me. I do my morning stuff and then head downstairs. Finding Beth sitting in the kitchen reading a newspaper. “Morning, Ava,” she said cheerily. Did you sleep well?”

“I did,” I tell her, and it’s the truth, I did sleep well.

“Are you hungry?” she asks. I nod my head. Opening the oven and bringing out a plate of pancakes with sausages, she grabs two plates, some knives, and forks and sets about making us each a plate. We sit together at the island and eat.

“So, what happens now?” I ask.

“What do you mean?” Beth asks me back.

“Well, why am I here? And what about my school? I like my school. Will I go there? Who will I live with?” I ask her rapidly. A little bit of panic setting in.

“Harry will explain it all. But yes, I will be staying with you if that’s ok with you? I want to help you in any way I can. But if you don’t want me, that is also ok, and we can replace another person.”

“I don’t want anyone else,” I say, and she smiles at me, going back to her pancakes.

“Eat up, Harry wants to see you as soon as you’re fed and ready for the day.”

We finish eating; and I head upstairs to get dressed. I pull on a pair of jeans and a shirt, socks and my sneakers. I grab my favourite sweater. It’s a panda bear design with ears on the hood. Once I’m dressed Beth leads me to the big house we saw last night. “Harry lives here,” she tells me, pointing to the large house. It’s all wood and stone with huge windows and a porch that wraps all the way around. It has flower beds all along it. Beth walks right into his house through the big glass doors that are standing open letting a lovely morning breeze flow through the house.

Harry is sitting at the kitchen table with a couple other men, they stop talking when we enter.

“That’s all for now, guys,” he says, and they all get up together and leave. “Hello ladies,” Harry calls to us.

“Morning,” I call back to him, and Beth just stares at him, apparently annoyed already with the red-haired man.

“Look at you all sweet on me this morning, Bethy.”

“Jesus Fuck Harry, don’t call me that, I’m not 6!” she tells him with even more annoyance.

“I know you ain’t Lass, but you still look like a Bethy to me, and I love it when you drop an F-bomb on us,” Harry says, sending a wink in my direction.

I smile at his wink despite myself. I like how much he pokes fun at her. He makes her swear, and I think it’s funny to hear her. She seems so gentle all the time until he’s around.

“All right, Ava, this is where I leave you; you two have a lot to talk about, and I’m going to town to grab a few things. Give me your truck keys.”

“Now now Bethy, that is not how we ask our nice friends for favours!” he tells her in a fake scolding tone.

“Harry, please don’t make me hit you in front of Ava. She doesn’t need to see you get your ass beat by a lady this early into her first day here.” She says, her words dripping in fake sincerity.

The big man chuckles and points to the table by the door. She walks over, grabs the keys, turns to wave goodbye to me, and heads out the door.

We sit at his kitchen table facing each other. “Want something to drink?” Harry asks me.

“Got a beer?” I ask just as he takes a sip of his coffee that he promptly spits all over the table.

“I’m sorry?”

“Don’t be sorry. My dad always said that to my mom when she asked if he was thirsty. Water please.” Harry is just staring at me now, and I start to think my joke was not funny and that maybe I’m in trouble. I’m just about to apologize when he lets out another of his big laughs. I can’t help but smile at that sound. I like this man; I feel like I shouldn’t like it’s too soon after losing my parents, but I can’t help it. My mom would like him, I think. My mom liked to laugh, and I think Harry would have made her laugh.

He gets up to fetch me a glass of water, sets it in front of me and goes back to his chair. Placing his hands on the table, palms down, arms straight out in front of him. ‘So, Ava, how did you sleep?”

“Good,” I tell him.

“Good, good,” he repeats back to me.

I give him a small smile, hoping to make him feel better. He seems scared, and I don’t want to make anyone feel scared. He sees my smile and returns it, shaking his head slightly.

“I know this whole situation is messed up, and you have no idea what’s going on. You know you were adopted, yes?”

“I do.”

“Well, your birth mother had a very unique type of job. It is not the type of job that would allow her to raise you. Does that make sense?”

“I guess.”

He nods at me, “So before you were born, she set up some rules and safety-type things when it came to how you were raised. She picked your parents very carefully. She wanted to make sure you had the best life possible.”

I don’t say anything, I look at him, and I don’t know what to say.

“When your parents died, it triggered one of the safety nets she had put in place. That safety net was me, this ranch and a unique education.”

“So, my mother knows I’m here?”

“She does.”

“And she doesn’t want to see me?”

“She does, Ava, she just cannot. It’s not something she can do safely.”

“Oh.” The word is quiet as my brain keeps working, trying to figure out this puzzle.

“Ava, I need you to trust me. I know that is a lot to ask, but I promise you that as you get older, I will tell you more and more. I also think you are a brilliantly smart young lady who will figure things out for yourself long before I need to explain anything.

“Another thing I want to tell you is that there is a boy the same age as you, who will also be coming to live here. To learn alongside you,” he says.

“Did his parents die as well? I ask him.

He sighs and shakes his head. “Unfortunately, no. His father is just a really crappy one and decided that Marcus should come here.” Harry says very tightly. I’m happy there will be another kid here with me, I wonder if we will be friends.

“Ava,” he says, drawing my attention back to him. “There are a few more things I need to explain to you. When people come here, they come here to learn certain things. None of those things are things I’m willing to teach someone your age. But there is no way I’ll be able to keep it away from you 100% of the time, So for the next few years at least, you and Marcus will attend regular school and learn some things here on the ranch. I know you’ll see stuff, that can’t be helped. What happens here, what you learn is never to be used or spoken of in the world outside this place. Do you understand?”

“I do. The Ranch is private.”

“Yes, that’ll do.”

Talking over we climb into a golf cart so he can show me the ranch that isn’t a ranch. There are a lot of buildings on the ranch. There is a barn that keeps the couple horses, and Harry tells me that the barn and the horses are the only parts that are even remotely close to normal ranch things. We stop in front of one, and Harry tells me it’s the gym as we go inside and take a look. There are machines, the floor is spongy, and there are two people in there clanking things and grunting. It also smells in here, and I don’t like it.

From there, we head to the mess hall. We go inside and I’m surprised to see a bunch of people eating. With the name mess hall I was not expecting food. There is a cook on all the time and staff to help if you’re hungry. I won’t be eating here much because I have Beth. We head over to where the food is. Harry swipes a couple of brownies, and we head back out the door. Climbing back into the cart, he gives me one of the brownies, and I take it happily.

We eat in silence for a minute before Harry starts the cart, and we’re off again. We drive past a few other buildings that Harry tells me house a bunch of different things I don’t understand or remember. Then he shows me the best thing here.

A pool! Inside the building, there is a huge swimming pool. It doesn’t have the slide or any of the fun things my pool at home did, but I’m still excited.

“That may be the first honest reaction from you since you got here. Like pools, do you?” he asks me with a grin on his face.

“I do!! I’m a good swimmer! I had a pool at home with a diving board, a slide and a bunch of pool toys! It was great!!” I tell him excitedly.

Harry is watching me, still smiling, and I think laughing at me a little bit, but I don’t care. I just want to jump in there and float.

Once the tour is over, I’ve seen the barn where the three horses are kept, and met Bill, the old guy who looks after the horses and the yard. We see Beth has returned, so we head back to my house.

We walk inside and see Beth putting things away in the kitchen. She hears us enter but doesn’t look our way; she keeps doing what she’s doing.” What’s your favourite thing to eat, Ava?” she asks me from inside the pantry.

“Burger and onion rings and a milkshake,” I reply.

“We had burgers yesterday. Do you want them again tonight?” she asks.

“I always want a burger, but mom wouldn’t let our chef make them for me every day because she said people need variety in life.” I smile a bit at the thought of my mom, but the memory hurts, so I put it back in its box and leave it there.

“Well, how about I make something else tonight, and I make sure we have burgers once a week. Seem like a fair plan?” she asks as she looks at me. I nod my agreement to Beth.

“There is some cheese and fruit in the fridge if you want a snack. Dinner will be in a couple of hours.” I didn’t realize how much time Harry and I had spent talking and him showing me the ranch.

I’m a little hungry, but. I hesitate a bit, still unsure what I’m supposed to do, how I’m supposed to behave, how comfortable I’m supposed to be.

You need to just do it. This is your home now.

I walk to the fridge, open it, and grab the cheese and fruit on the top shelf. I see juice boxes, so I grab one. I bring the food out and bite my lip, trying to decide if I should ask for help replaceing a plate or just open cupboards myself. I see a step stool, so I make the decision and start looking for plates.

I can feel their eyes on me as I get my search.

I open three cupboards before I replace the plates. “Does anyone else need one?” I ask, turning around. They both nod, so I grab three and head to the island. I climb onto a stool beside Harry. I take one plate and begin to put some cheese and fruit on it. “Are there any crackers?” I ask.

“Yes,” Beth says. I thank her, place some on my plate, and begin to eat. I have a mouthful of grapes when I look at the two of them and realize they aren’t eating. I chew fast and swallow.

“I’m sorry, do we have to say grace before we eat? We never did at home, but we went to dinner once at someone’s house, and none of us could eat until we said grace. It was weird, but I don’t mind doing it if that’s how it works here.” I say, worried I didn’t wait for them to tell me it was ok to eat, worried I broke a rule.

“No, Little Ava, we don’t say grace here. Beth and I were just being silly. Hand me a plate, please, Bethy,” Harry says, the laughter back in his voice.

Glaring at him, she puts food on her own plate, and starts eating. Harry chuckles quietly to himself and winks at me when he reaches over the island to grab the last plate. With everyone snacking, Harry asks Beth how town was. She tells him it is fine. She was able to get most of what she needed but would probably have to drive to Billings next week to get the rest. She looks at me.

‘Maybe you can come with me, and we can do some shopping. We didn’t really bring you a lot of toys or anything, so we could pick some up.”

“Sure! I’d like that. But I don’t have any money.”

“You do. Your parents left money for you.” Harry informs me.

“Oh. Okay.”

Again, they fall silent. When I’m done, I take my plate and put it in the sink. “I’m going to my room. I want to check on Miss Mushroom and Mr. Waffle,” I tell them, head up the stairs. I stop before my door and sink to the carpet.

“Fuck Harry!!! She’s fucking seven, and she has more composure than most adults would after what she’s been through.” Beth says quietly, but not so quietly I can’t hear.

“She’s smart as a whip, she’s observant and seems able to compartmentalize without even trying,” he says with a little chuckle, which also sounds a little sad.

“So, what now?” Beth asks him, “Shouldn’t she be more upset, crying, angry, scared?”

“I don’t know. She has amazing self-preservation skills. I see a lot of her mother in her. Her mother is highly intelligent and very good at her job. I’m starting to see that Ava is a lot like her,” Harry replies and then Beth says something that I can’t hear.

“I don’t know, Beth, that’s all I can tell you about why I think Ava’s responding the way she is. Regardless, Enzo Rossi is sending Marcus here so there will be two of them. I spoke to the school in town, and they’re both good for the fall to start. Both of them are going into third grade.”

“Don’t even get me fucking started on this whole Marcus shit. What kind of monster tells people they either take his son and do something with him or he will put a bullet in his head and be done with it? What the hell kind of world is this?” She asks him, her voice shaky.

“This is my world. This is the world you are sitting in the kitchen of. It is ugly, and dark. It hurts people without any care of who they are. I’ll understand if it’s too much and I’ll make other arrangements for the kids. You do not have to be a part of this.”

“I may not be one of your graduates or have ties to any of the Mafia families you train for, but my father drove for Walter English and his father for years. So, I’m not completely ignorant to this life. But I don’t think what Enzo is doing has ever been done before.”

“It has not. Enzo Rossi has always been a piece of shit, but he’s a powerful piece of shit. Liked or not, he has one of the biggest criminal organizations in the country, and that allows him a lot of leeway without consequences.”

“It’s still not right,” she sighs.

I hear him sigh. “I wish I had something for you Bethy, but lass I dinny know what else t’tell ye.”

“Fuck off, Harry, you and your Scottish accent,” she says to him, but I can hear her smile.

I open my door and walk in. Going to my bed I grab my two stuffies. Mr. Waffle is a very grumpy squirrel who only likes Miss Mushroom. Miss Mushroom is an incredibly happy goat. Miss Mushroom keeps Mr. Waffle in line. She doesn’t let him get away with being grumpy. She also always convinces him to have a tea party with us. Unfortunately, I don’t have our tea set here, but I can pretend. So, I do.

Unsure how long I play with the duo of grumpiness and sunshine. I hear Beth call that dinner is ready, so I head downstairs for. She grabs a plate and starts dishing out the food. She gives me a scoop of mac and cheese and a chicken drumstick. There is also salad and bread.

I wait until they have their food, and then I dig in. It’s good! It’s really good. We are all quiet as we eat, and I can hear my mom say, ‘Well, it must be good if everyone is quiet.’ I look at Harry and see him shovelling the food into his mouth, and that makes me giggle. Harry looks up at me and asks, “What’s so funny, little Ava?”

“I’m pretty sure she’s laughing at you for the speed at which you are filling your face,” Beth says with her own chuckle.

“Is that true, Little Ava? You laughing at me?” he asks with fake hurt.

“Um, well, she isn’t exactly wrong.” I giggle again.

Harry is just about to say something when a car pulls into the yard in front of the big house. He is instantly on his feet and heading for the door. I see him grab something from the drawer on the table by it.

I look at Beth, who shrugs her shoulders and goes back to her food, seemingly unbothered by any of it. I see a few more people heading towards the main house. “Ava don’t worry. Harry will deal with it. You should finish your dinner,” she tells me.

I go back to eating, and we hear raised voices. I look at Beth, asking if she knows what’s going on. “Harry’s dealing with it. Nothing to worry about.”

Not worried so much as curious. I nod and finish my food.

“It was really good Beth,” I tell her.