New World, New Life: I Became A Bigshot In The Ancient World
Chapter 84: DAHLIA’S STORY

Chapter 84: DAHLIA’S STORY

Mister Bailey turned to Dahlia and Dorothy and continued, "This can help you take care of yourselves and the children. Things are finally looking up for you both." He laughed heartily. The girls would finally not have to worry about not having enough.

Aristia turned to him. "The agreement includes confidentiality. This means that they cannot expose my identity. If it is breached there will be dire consequences." She said this to the sisters and the man.

Her words carried a hidden threat, to make him know that Dorothy and Dahlia could be in trouble if they, or even him, were to divulge information. It was also a warning to the sisters to let them know what they were getting into, so that they would be fully responsible for any decision they chose to take.

Master Bailey laughed even more heartily. If not for his face and voice, one wouldn’t believe he was in his thirties at all. "There is no need for that. I won’t get anything from doing that."

Aristia nodded in satisfaction. She just wanted to make sure. She then turned to Dorothy and Dahlia. "So, are you going to sign them?"

This time, there was no more hesitation. They both picked up the ink. "Where should we sign?"

"Here and here." Owen pointed.

Aristia had placed two options. The first was the normal way of signing with the pen. The second was the use of thumbprint, since she wasn’t sure if they could write or not.

"You can choose to sign both ways." She said.

Dahlia and Dorothy signed with the ink pen, then Owen took out a pocket knife which they used to cut their thumbs just enough to bleed a little. Then, they signed the paper.

Aristia took out another parchment. "This will serve as a copy."

They signed it too.

After both parties had signed the agreement, Aristia smiled, "It is done." She rolled up the parchment and handed it back to Owen.

As they left the bookstore, Aristia kept thinking about the man. There was just something about him that she just couldn’t put her finger on.

She turned to Dahlia. "How long have you known Mister Bailey?"

Dahlia answered, "For a very long time."

"He must be very dear to you." Aristia stated.

"He is." Dorothy agreed.

"How did you meet him?" Aristia continued to ask.

"It’s a long story," Dahlia said.

Aristia thought she wouldn’t say anymore when she heard Dahlia say,

"I and Dorothy were just little girls. Our parents were no more..." Dahlia started with a distant look on her face as she reminisced the past.

***

"Sister, what are we going to do? There’s no more food left and we’ve used up all the money. Are we going to die? I miss Mama and Papa." Dorothy, who was seven years old at the time asked a ten year old Dahlia. She was about to burst into tears.

"Don’t cry. We are not going to die, Dorothy. We have to survive. We will survive." Dahlia also wanted their parents. She also wanted to cry, but she had to be strong for her little sister.

They held hands as they walked down the street aimlessly. Dahlia carried some of their clothes that they had wrapped with a blanket on her back. She and Dorothy were each holding a water flask. Dorothy’s stomach grumbled.

Dahlia used the few copper coins in her hand to buy a steamed bun. She held it out to Dorothy.

"What about you, sister?" Dorothy asked, glancing at the bun hesitantly before looking up to Dahlia even though she was hungry.

"I’m not hungry. I’ll only eat a little." Dahlia lied. She cut a little piece for herself and handed the rest to Dorothy. She forced a smile, "I am really not hungry. I will only end up vomiting it and waste it."

Only then did Dorothy eat the steamed bun.

"We will go to any of our relative’s house. They will help us." Dahlia said hopefully.

But, they were turned away. None of their relatives wanted the extra burden. They would direct them to the house of another relative who would also reject them.

At least, they managed to be given something to eat like porridge, bread and some fruits, a drink and even a few copper coins, and were then turned away. For that, Dahlia was grateful.

They would sleep wherever was decent enough and eat the leftovers they had. One relative who was slightly well off even gave them twenty copper coins. It helped them to survive for a few more days.

"Sister, where will we go now? None of our relatives want us." Dorothy asked. They had just been chased out of the house of one of their relatives after being tossed some copper coins and filling their water flasks.

"I don’t know." Dahlia whispered softly. That was the last of their relatives that she knew. She was starting to think of giving up. She began to feel despair.

Most of those relatives had been helped by their parents when they were alive. Dahlia never could guess that they would be treated so coldly by the same people now that their parents were no more.

They had walked so far to meet their relatives. They couldn’t go back to their parents’ house.

She looked at the copper coins in her hand. There were about fifteen of them left. She had been saving some since the first relative gave them money.

She made a decision. She was going to spend it. She would use it to buy food that she and her sister would eat. After they had eaten it, then they would die. There was no one to help them and no one would help them. There was no use prolonging their suffering.

She took her sister to a nearby stall and bought four steamed buns which cost eight copper coins. After that, she bought some cheap fruit with the remaining seven copper coins.

After they had eaten them and drank from their water flasks, they walked further into the street. This part of the street was a little deserted with only a few people passing by, especially in this time of the evening. Dahlia led Dorothy to the side of the street and lay down, ready to die.

"Sister, what are you doing?" Dorothy asked innocently.

"I want to sleep. Close your eyes, Dorothy. Go to sleep. Maybe when we wake up, we will see Mama and Papa." Dahlia said.

Dorothy didn’t quite understand, but she obeyed and laid down beside her sister, closing her eyes and going to sleep.

Dahlia hummed a tune softly and caressed her sister’s soft brown hair. She was humming a song their mother sang anytime they wanted to go to sleep.

She covered herself and her sister with the blanket. As she hummed, her eyes started to get heavier and heavier. Her eyes closed and she went to sleep.

After a few hours, her eyes opened. She stirred and Dorothy woke up. It was nighttime. The hunger had returned now. Maybe they really shouldn’t have eaten fruit.

"Sister?" Dorothy called out.

"Hmm? I am here, Dorothy." Dahlia hummed. In order to distract her sister from her hunger, she pointed at the sky above.

"Look at that star, is it bigger than that one?" She pointed at a star which looked smaller than the other.

"No, sister." Dorothy giggled. "The other one is bigger."

After they had done this a few times, Dahlia asked.

"Then, what about that one?" Dahlia pointed another star.

"That one..." Dorothy yawned. "That one is smaller." Her eyes closed shut.

Dahlia coaxed Dorothy back to sleep. After making sure that she was asleep, she faced upward looking at the night sky and watching the stars.

In no time, she fell asleep. The next time she opened her eyes, it was already morning. She turned first to look at Dorothy and on seeing her awake, she sighed in relief. Her sister was still alive. They were alive. Though she wasn’t sure how long they could last.

Three days later on the streets, the hunger pangs had increased. The two sisters had no more energy left to walk and were still sitting down. They just leaned weakly against the wall.

No one paid them any attention or showed any concern or pity.

"Sister, I am tired." Dorothy said.

"I know. I am too." Dahlia said.

Her voice came out low and weak. She didn’t have the energy to speak. She had given up trying to look strong and brave in front of Dorothy. She had lost all hope.

She sighed and closed her eyes, not thinking about anything at all. The next second, she turned to Dorothy and smiled.

"I love you, Dodo." Tears welled up in her eyes. She moved her hand and held Dorothy’s in hers.

"I love you too, Lia." Dorothy’s eyes watered. She didn’t have the energy to cry anymore.

Dahlia’s head ached and her vision doubled and blurred. She couldn’t think straight anymore.

"Goodness, are you children alright?" A manly voice asked.