Page 32 of Keeping Kara

The little girl was adorable, and her thoughtfulness made Kara want to cry again. “Thank you, Bowie.”

“You’re welcome. You have a nice voice. It’s soft. And sweet. I like it.”

“I like yours too.”

The little girl beamed.

“Where is she staying? With you?” Zita asked Arrow.

Kara stiffened. Honestly, she had no idea what the plan was for her living situation. She wanted to stay with Arrow, but she didn’t want to be presumptuous. It wasn’t as if she could insist she’d stay at a hotel, because she didn’t have any way to pay for it. The innocent question hit home that she was completely at the mercy of the man at her side. And she hated that.

As if Arrow could read her mind, he shifted until his hand was resting on the small of her back. His fingers pressed lightly, seemingly trying to comfort her without making a big deal out of it. “We haven’t figured out all the details yet. For now, I’m going to take her to my house and let her shower and change. We’ll go from there.”

“You’re more than welcome to stay with us,” Penny said. “We have an extra room in the apartment.”

“We’d love to have you, but we don’t have an extra room,” Mandy said with a frown.

“We do. You can stay in our apartment with us,” Laryn volunteered. “At least until the babies are born. Then I’m sure you’ll definitely want to be somewhere else, so you don’t have to deal with crying newborns!”

“My place is the most obvious,” Jen said. “I have a spare bedroom, it’s just me and Fred, and the apartment complex has security.”

Kara was overwhelmed all over again. These people didn’t even know her. She was a complete stranger. And yet they weren’t hesitating to open their homes to her. All her life, she’d felt as if she was an afterthought. A burden. A nuisance. And these women weren’t even hesitating to offer her a place to live.

“Thanks, everyone. I’m sure Kara is overwhelmed. Let’s give her a moment to breathe. I’ll talk to her and figure something out and let you know.”

“Thank you,” Kara said breathlessly. “I…it means so much that you’d even consider letting me stay with you. I don’t want to be a burden⁠—”

“You aren’t!”

“No way.”

“Everyone needs a helping hand now and then.”

Again, their support was blowing Kara away.

“I put the stuff the women got for Kara in your car,” Pyro told Chaos.

“Thanks. All of you.”

“Girls’ night out? Or in? Soon?” Mandy asked. “I feel as if it’s been too long since we’ve gotten together. I want to talk babies. And weddings. And jobs.”

“Yes!”

“I’m in!”

“We can use my place, since I’m the only one who won’t have to kick out a significant other for the night…and Fred doesn’t count,” Jen said with a grin.

“Sweet!”

Kara’s head was on a swivel, going from woman to woman as they made plans.

“Kara, you too. We want to know all about this jerk you were with so if he dares show his face, we’ll know and can get him locked up,” Laryn said.

All she could do was nod.

“PT tomorrow. Oh-five-thirty,” Casper said, as everyone began to head for the doors.

There were groans and good-natured complaints, but Kara could tell that no one really minded. She was an early riser herself, liking the calm of the morning before the world woke up. In her “pre-kidnap” world, she’d pour a cup of coffee, sit on her tiny little deck and enjoy the morning before the sun came up.