Chapter 5 ~Four streets away~
"So,Kenneth,"Mrs.Holenwald began as Kenneth returned to the parlor."I suppose you and Tina will probably be needing some dinner,And will want to go to bed soon."She smiled at him. "Oh no,Maam!"He exclaimed suddenly."I'm not goin' ter stay here.Jus' Tina.I only wanted a place fer Tina since she was sick.I'll be leavin' jus' as soon as Tina comes back."He hurriedly explained."Good ol' Peter here misunderstood me.I'll pay you fer' her room an' Meals,Maam,But I aint' gonna stay here.I don't want ter' intrude on you." "Why,Kenneth!You don't mean to say you're going back out in the cold all by yourself and go back on the streets!"She exclaimed."You'll soon be sick too!It's a wonder you haven't gotten ill yet!" "I'll be fine,Miss.I ken take care of myself,But Tina Can't." "well my Boy,We'd love to have you stay with us,Honestly,And you need not pay us a bit.But,If you feel you can't stay with us,we won't force you." Presently Emily appeared in the room with Tina,All fresh,Clean,And smelling sweet of Lavendar.Kenneth thought he had never seen her cleaner. Emily had dressed her in a light pink dress.Her long golden curls were no longer matted but combed nicely,and were fastened back with a small ribbon.And her small feet were cozy in a pain of stockings. She let go of Emily's hand and ran over to Kenneth. "Emily said I may keep these clothes."She smiled up at him.He smiled back and lifted her up into his arms. "I'm goin' back to the old place,But I'll come back and see you tomorrow."He promised her. Tina looked into his face soberly and nodded her head,Then kissed him before he set her back down. Turning back to Mrs. Holenwald he thanked her,then turned around and headed for the door with Peter right Behind him. Mrs.Holenwald stood in the door way and watched them walk down the street."Well,That's one unselfish boy."She thought to herself shaking her head. She was right,in a way.When it came to Tina,Kenneth was unselfish(though he didn't know it.)And in a few other areas too.But you must not think that Kenneth was a good, selfless,Kind,Trustworthy boy all of the time.True,He could Be trusted with work all of the time,But it must be confessed that a great many things had been stolen with his hands.Of course he knew this was wrong,But what could he do?When he and Tina had needed food,And there wasn't any around,the only option left was to steal.(or so he thought.)Of course Tina ate whatever he brought,stolen or found,After all she was only five years old,and didn't understand. Sleeping back in the alley wasn't as easy as he had expected.Peter had kindly offered to stay with him,But Kenneth had waved him off telling him to go on home to his uncle.So Peter had left,and went back to his uncle's shabby apartment. After rolling around restlessly,Sleep still wouldn't come,So he lay awake and let his thoughts wander. "Peter sure is lucky to have an Uncle,An' a place to stay.Even if it is shabby."He thought to himself."If Mam an' Pop hadn't come from overseas we might have some relations too.Might as well accept the fact that we don't."He sighed."Not that I know of anyhow." Little did Kenneth know,that just up the road,four streets away,in a small cottage sat a relation.their only one left.A twenty five year old third cousin,desprately in search of him and Tina.