Isla's feet felt like lead, as she followed him back into the diner. She hadn't agreed to anything, but once he told the children, it would be too late to back down. Did a safe place to sleep appeal to her? She felt like a foster child going to a new home. Each time had come with the promise that it would be better. It never was. She had left the safest place she had ever lived. Her reasons were confusing even to herself. Like in the foster homes, she never really belonged. The Nelson family had been kind, but she didn't belong with them either.

Riley looked at her with a wide smile. "Really?"

She nodded. Leo said, "Riley has driven away every nanny we have had in the last year, but not you."

"Why me?" She felt an odd sensation in her chest. It was similar to what she felt occasionally when she prayed.

"Because I picked you, and you're not old and smelly or young and creepy."

"Not old or young?"

Riley nodded. "Just right."

Leo asked, "Why were some creepy?"

She shrugged. "They asked weird questions about you."

"Me?" Leo looked surprised. Isla diverted her eyes.

"Yes, like if you had a girlfriend."

He frowned. "Really. It's a good thing Isla isn't like that."

Isla stared at her pancakes. Why were men so complicated? The church didn't recognize divorce, meanwhile Isla wondered if her employer would bring home a woman. The day before, she had expected one.

As she rode towards the house, she wondered what her day would be like. When she woke she had expected time in the library and outside on a park bench. Isla had planned to use some of her pay for dinner. "Should I plan the weekend meals?"

"Oh, um. I hadn't thought that far ahead."

"Daddy, Isla cooks better than you."

"I won't argue with that." Once he parked the car in the driveway, they climbed out. "You can show Isla her room but come back upstairs. Let her get settled."

"Okay, Dad."

Isla followed Riley down the stairs with Cody behind her. She didn't realize the house had even more space. There was a room with a lot of bookshelves, boxes, and a desk with papers on it. Riley pointed to a door. Inside was a room with a large bed covered in a pretty quilt, a wooden chest of drawers, and an overstuffed chair. It was nicer than any room she had ever slept in.

"Here." Riley opened a door within the bedroom to reveal a bathroom complete with a small shower.

"Oh my!" Beautiful.

"We hid from a nanny in here. The door locks and she couldn't open it. Daddy wasn't happy when he came home."

Isla frowned. "You know your mischief isn't very kind. I would worry you were unsafe."

"We won't do it to you. We don't want to get rid of you, and this is your room now."

Cody said, "Where will Grandma and Grandpa sleep?"

Riley said, "I don't know. Dad will know. Come on, Cody."

The older sister pulled her brother's hand. Isla was alone, as she looked around. Besides the bathroom door, there was another for a small closet. She closed the door and pressed the lock Riley had mentioned. Safe. From what? Sleeping at the shelter? Her past? Being under the same roof as a man?

Isla had faint memories of grandmother. She took care of her while her mother was out doing things Isla couldn't imagine. Her grandmother had raised her mother single-handedly. Unlike her mother, Gran kept her safe. Isla felt safe until Gran got sick and died. Even as an adult, she didn't know what killed her. Sister Agnes said, "God needed her home." Isla needed her when she bounced between foster homes. She faced challenges from other children. Some didn't like how she quietly kept to herself. Some would torment her for not joining in mischief.

Riley's stories were tame compared to the things she saw. In some homes, her quiet demeanor resulted in her becoming a maid or babysitter. Hard work was not new to her. Ironically, her current job wasn't hard at all. She was used to working six days a week plus meal preparation on Sundays. It wasn't the work that made her leave.

She took her other skirt out of her backpack. She could buy hangers when she shopped on Monday morning. It didn't take long to put the rest of her clean clothes in a drawer. The bottom drawer would work for her dirty clothes, instead of a basket.

It felt good to have a place for her belongings. She put her word search and Bible on the bedside table. Other than shampoo, a hairbrush, and toothbrush with paste, she had nothing else. Her needs were meager. She sat on the bed. It felt comfortable after night after night on a narrow cot. To sleep in a bed too big for one felt frivolous.

Isla slipped off her shoes and stretched out on the bed. The ceiling was a cross work of squares held up by metal strips. It was like a doctor's office, not that she had been to one in years. Water traveled through pipes overhead with a whoosh. She heard footsteps above, but it was quieter than the shelter in the middle of the night.

She woke with a start and momentarily forgot where she was. Looking at her clock, she had slept for four hours. Stretching, she felt rested for the first time since long before she boarded the train. Her restlessness within had kept her from sleeping well for months.

She sat up with a start. "I have to make dinner."

In the small bathroom, she fixed her hair, before leaving the comfortable room. The upstairs was quiet. She wondered where the family had gone. She went to the kitchen to see what she could make for dinner. It was cleaner than she had left it on Friday night. She had already thought of it as her kitchen.

Isla sat down and started to write out a shopping list. Would the car return in time for her to shop? She felt uncomfortable about dinner. The refrigerator contained nothing to make a meal. There were leftover meatballs, but Riley didn't eat them.

She had just completed a list when the door burst open. Riley carried in a big box of snacks.

"Isla! Hi! We shopped without you."

Snacks weren't on her list. Cody followed with a box of yogurt cups. Also not on her list. Leo carried juice pouches. She didn't know anything about the needs of a family.

He looked at her a moment too long. "I texted you and called, but you never answered."

"Texted?"

He knitted his brows. "On your phone."

"Oh. My phone? I've never had a phone."

"Never? How is that possible?" Her shrug made him frown. "If you get it. I'll show you."

"I'm worried about dinner. I need to shop."

Leo said, "We planned on pizza. I need the car on Monday, so you can shop tomorrow."

"On Sunday?"

He nodded. "Did you have other plans?"

"I. It's Sunday. So working is limited to meals."

He looked like he might laugh. "Like the day of rest? I didn't think anyone bothered anymore."

"I do, but if it'll make it easier for you..."

"No, no, it's fine. We could go to the grocery store now."

"We?"

"So you learn about what we need for breakfast and lunches."

"But you bought those." She pointed to the boxes."

He laughed. She hadn't meant to be funny. "Kids eat a lot. Come on guys, food shop so we can rest tomorrow."

Riley smile. "We get to stay home all day tomorrow?"

"No. You have class."

The girl frowned. There was so much Isla didn't understand. She liked to shop alone, but forced a smile and went to get her coat.

She hadn't expected an overflowing cart. She only shopped for dinners and picked up a few things each day. Even in her previous home, she never purchased as much. Did she find a new home? He said it was for his business trip. Would he take her back to the shelter when he returned.

"Come on, Isla. Time to check out."

The kids helped put things on the belt. She was slow to look away as she watched Leo lift a large pack of water bottles. He made it look easy.

Leaving Philly had opened her eyes. Although college was never an option, she had done well in school, but felt ignorant about so many things. She didn't even think through what would happen when she stepped off the train. She hadn't run away to be homeless, but she also never expected to live with a family.

The children disappeared, so she unpacked the bags he carried in. "Where does all this go?"

There were more snacks beyond the ones the children had carried in earlier. There were also quite a lot in the trunk of the car.

Leo opened the pantry. "Down there. They pick one for their morning snack and one to go with their lunch."

"Who makes their lunch?"

"I make their sandwiches and fruit. They pack it up. You'll see Monday morning."

"What time?"

"Seven-thirty. After breakfast. You can use the alarm on your phone. Right, I was going to show you how to use your phone. After dinner, except it's movie night."

Isla hadn't watched a movie in years.

Movie night meant the siblings bickered over choosing a movie. Their father's deep voice reminded Riley her brother was younger. They settled on a movie where a princess found herself lost and confused in the city. Isla wasn't a princess, but she felt as adrift as the woman in the beautiful dress. She was acutely aware that only Cody was between her and Leo. As the princess fell in love and kissed the handsome father, she stood and went to the kitchen for water. She took her time drinking it, allowing her heart rate to slow down.

She should have stayed in Philly. Why had she left? To seek the one thing that scared her most.

She jumped. "You missed the ending." Leo stood in the doorway. "You've probably seen it before." She took another sip. "They're going to get ready. After they're tucked in, I'll show you your phone."

"Can it wait until tomorrow? I'm tired."

He chuckled. "I thought Sunday was your day off for rest."

"It will be fine. Goodnight."

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