Two | Little Thief

The morning sun hung high in the sky, casting a soft golden light across the park. The air was crisp, still holding a touch of the night’s chill, and dew clung to the grass, sparkling like tiny jewels. It was peaceful, quiet, save for the occasional sound of footsteps on the path and birds chirping in the trees. Abby sat on a bench, her oversized shirt and jacket doing little to keep out the cold. Her tattered jeans and worn sneakers barely drew a glance from the few early morning joggers and dog walkers.

To most, she was invisible — just another soul blending into the backdrop of the city. But Abby wasn’t here to be seen. She was here to work.

Her sharp eyes scanned the sparse crowd, calculating. She had honed her skills over the years, reading people, their movements, their behaviors. She could sense vulnerability from a distance.

“Not him,” she muttered to herself, watching a man in jogging gear, his phone strapped to his arm. “Too alert, he’s focused on his run.”

Her gaze shifted to an older woman walking slowly with a cane, her purse dangling carelessly from her shoulder. Abby frowned. “Easy pick, but… nah. Not today.”

She took a sip of her canned iced coffee which she got from a vending machine earlier,  the cold drink contrasting with the warm morning air. As she scanned the park, a beggar shuffled onto the bench beside her. It was an old woman, her clothes torn and dirty, her face lined with exhaustion. She settled down with a groan, rubbing her tired calves for relief.

Abby glanced at him, her instincts telling her to keep her head down, but something stopped her. She knew what it felt like to be at rock bottom.

“Hey,” she said quietly, holding out the canned iced coffee in her hand. “Here, have this. "

The old woman blinked in surprise, looking at her with tired eyes. “For me?” he asked, his voice weak and raspy.

Abby nodded, offering a small smile. “Yeah. I just took one sip, don't worry, it's clean. "

The woman took the cup, her fingers trembling as she lifted it to her lips. She drank slowly, savoring the coolness of the drink. “Thank you,” she said after a moment, her voice thick with gratitude. “Not many people would bother.”

Abby shrugged, feeling a bit shy . " Well, it is what it is, don't thank me, it's just coffee."

“No,” the old woman insisted, hee voice growing stronger. “Kindness, always makes a difference, child. ”

Abby shifted in her seat, glancing away. “Yeah, I guess so--- " she said softly, almost as if speaking to herself.

The beggar nodded, her eyes reflecting years of hardship. “ Your kindness will always be repaid with kindness. Don't lose faith. "

Faith. Abby had lost faith years ago. Her faith didn't feed her. Her faith did not save her sister from cancer. Her faith never spared her from a lifetime of struggle. Her faith was useless.

They sat in silence for a moment, the morning stillness wrapping around them. Abby felt a pang of something she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in a long time — guilt, maybe? Or was it a yearning for something better? She couldn’t dwell on it.

Abby wanted to look the beggar in the eye, but just as she was about to, the sunlight pierced her vision, making her look away. Darn this sunlight!  she could only hissed internally. Why would I care to look in her eyes? She's just a beggar Abby! Have a little heart! Fucking-

“I’ve gotta go,” Abby said abruptly, standing up and brushing her hands against her jeans. “Take care, okay?”

“You too,” the old woman said with a smile, his eyes watching her with a quiet understanding. "In life, hard choices are made to survive. But choices come with consequences, so tread carefully, My child."

Abby felt the weight of the old woman's words, but she just shrugged it off,  giving a brief nod before turning her back and walking out of the park.

The city streets pulsed with a chaotic energy, a symphony of honking horns, chattering voices, and the rhythmic clatter of footsteps. Abby navigated the throngs with practiced ease, her movements fluid and almost imperceptible.

Then, she spotted him — a man in a sharp business suit, walking briskly along the path with a phone pressed to his ear. He was too absorbed in his call to notice much around him. His wallet bulged in his back pocket, an invitation Abby couldn’t ignore.

“Perfect,” she thought, her heart picking up pace.

Adjusting her cap to slightly cover her face, shewalked toward him, adjusting her stride to match his path. When they were close enough, she executed her move with precision — a light, practiced bump, her hand slipping into his pocket, retrieving the wallet in one fluid motion. It was a move she had perfected over years of navigating the city's underbelly,

“Hey, watch it!” the man barked, barely sparing her a glance as he kept walking.

“Sorry,” Abby mumbled a feigned apology, keeping her head down, already walking away, disappearing into the crowd like a wisp of smoke. The city swallowed her whole, leaving behind only the echo of her fleeting presence. Her fingers closed around the wallet, feeling the weight of cash inside.

_______________

A few moments later, Abby found herself  in an empty alley, with a lollipop on her mouth. 

Its not even lunch yet, but the sun is already scorching high. She was only able to pick pocket a few wallets since early. Abby lets out a sigh of disbelief and frustration.

Crouching down, She took out three wallets from her pouch, One was green, that she had taken from a woman by the bus stop, The other was leather from the  smug businessman,  A pink one--- Abby rolled her eyes. Pink. She hates pink.

Flipping the wallets open one by one, she took the bills out, every last peny, and discarded the empty wallets on a bin near her. She counted the money meticulously, Every dollar counts. With an exasperated sigh, Abby choked from the thought,  That the money she had was only enough for food, and medicine for her sister Violet, but it may only last for a day or two.  She must work harder, to make ends meet.

Abby's mind snapped back to reality, when her phone buzzed in her pocket, startling her. Abby pulled it out, her heart sinking when she saw the name on the screen. It was the hospital.

“Hello?” she answered, her voice tight with anxiety.

“Abigail?” a woman’s voice replied. “ It's Sylvia . Violet just finished her tests and sessions today, you can come and pick her up, and ---” Abby's friend, Violet's doctor paused briefly. " And I also need to talk to you, About Violet's condition. There have been complications. " in a hushed tone, the female doctor continued.

Abby’s blood ran cold. “Complication? Is she—?” Her voice broke, her breath catching in her throat.

“ I'll explain it to you when you get here ” the doctor said gently. " Hurry up, don't make your sister wait too long. "

Abby’s heart pounded in her chest. She hung up, her hands shaking as she shoved the phone back into her pocket. She didn’t have time to think — only to act.

With the stolen money hidden safely inside her pouch.  Abby broke into a run, her mind focused on one thing: getting to Violet.

......................

Abby walked briskly, Her stomach twisted with fear as she neared the hospital.

Is it worse? she wondered, the thought gnawing at her. Is there more we can do? More treatment? More money?

As she approached the hospital entrance, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She ignored it. Nothing mattered right now but Violet.

Inside, the hospital smelled of antiseptic and the familiar mix of sterilized air and coffee. Abby hated this place, hated how often she had to come here. It always felt like time slowed down when she stepped inside, the air too heavy, the lighting too harsh.

At the reception desk, she spoke quickly. "I’m here to see Dr. Sylvia Hoffler."

The nurse gave her a quick glance and smiled. " She's waiting in her office, Ms. Kane. "

Abby’s heart pounded as she made her way through the sterile halls. Memories of past visits flickered in her mind — the first diagnosis, the rounds of chemo, the unbearable waiting for test results. She hated it all, but she couldn’t let that show. Not in front of Violet.

Sylvia's office was just ahead. She knocked once, hesitating before stepping inside. The doctor, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a tired face, was sitting behind her desk, reviewing charts.

"Abby," she greeted her with a small nod, her voice calm but serious. Sylvia paused, her eyes scanning Abby's distraught expression,  " Did you run? "

" Y-Yeah" Abby replied, nodding her head, feeling her throat tighten. "What’s going on with Violet? Is something wrong?"

Sylvia sighed and gestured for her to sit. Abby stayed standing, too restless to sit still. " Abby, Violet’s condition is worsening," she said gently. "Her cancer... it's becoming more aggressive. The treatments we’ve been using aren’t working as well as we’d hoped."

Abby’s stomach dropped. She felt like the air had been knocked out of her. "What do you mean? Is there anything that we can do?"

"We need to change her treatment plan," Sylvia explained, her expression heavy. "There’s a new medication that’s shown promise for kids in Violet’s situation, but it’s experimental--- "

Abby bit her lip, struggling to maintain her composure. "How much?"

Sylvia hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the question. " A lot-- Abigail this will cost ten or a thousand to millions but this is the only hope we have, " the doctor stated, with sincerity in her eyes.

Abby’s heart sank. Tens of thousands to a million?! She had barely a few hundred from the stolen wallets, just enough for their immediate needs. This was beyond anything she could manage, even with her street skills. She could feel panic clawing at her chest, but she couldn’t break down. Not now.

"I... I’ll find a way," Abby muttered, her voice thick with emotion. " Set the treatments, I'll make sure to bring the money."

"Abby---," Sylvia said, her voice softer. " You don't need to worry, I'll make sure that everything will be set, and I'll find us a sponsor too. "

Abby nodded, though her mind was spinning. She couldn’t let Violet down. She wouldn’t.

"Can I see her?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Of course. She’s just outside in the waiting area, drawing, She's been waiting for you." Sylvia said with a small smile, as though trying to find some light in the darkness of their conversation.

" Thank you, for everything, Sylvia. " In a low shaky voice, Abby muttered.

Sylvia nodded with a faint smile, a deep understanding etched on her face.

Abby swallowed the lump in her throat and turned, walking out of the office and into the waiting room. There, sitting on a small chair with her sketchbook open in her lap, was Violet. The seven-year-old smiled at her as soon as she saw her big sister. She was pale, her eyes a bit sunken, but her bonnet was perched on her head, as always, and her bright smile was unmistakable.

"Abby!" Violet chirped, her voice filled with innocent excitement. "Look! Look! I drew us again!"

Abby forced herself to smile, pushing down the ache in her chest. "Yeah? Lemme see, Vi."

Violet held up the sketchbook. She had drawn them both as superheroes again — Abby with a cape and Violet in her signature bonnet, standing on top of a building. The words "We can do anything!" were scrawled at the top of the page in colorful crayons.

Abby crouched down beside her, brushing a strand of hair out of Violet’s face. "You make us look like we’re ready to save the world, So cool." she said, her voice trembling with affection.

Violet giggled, her small hand slipping into Abby’s. "That’s ’cause we are! You always say we can get through anything, right?"

"Right," Abby whispered, squeezing Violet’s hand tightly. She didn’t trust herself to say more, not without her voice cracking.

Violet leaned closer, her big eyes sparkling with the innocence only a child could have in the face of something so terrible. "Abby, can we get a cake today?"

Abby swallowed hard, forcing a bright tone into her voice. "Yeah,! Anything for my Vi, How about we go home and buy the best chocolate cake ever? "

" Chocolate cake! " Violet beamed, her energy flickering for a moment. Abby stood, fighting the overwhelming sense of helplessness. She had to find a way. For Violet’s sake, she had no choice but to keep going.

As they left the hospital, Violet’s tiny hand in hers, Abby made a silent promise. Whatever it takes, she thought, glancing down at her sister. I’ll save you. I don’t care what I have to do.

......................

Once  Abby and Violet reach their small apartment-

Abby's phone buzzed in her pocket again.

It was Liam.

She glanced at Violet, then at the phone.

Violet met her eyes, almost with a pout.

" Are you leaving for work again? " Violet softly tugged on the sleeve of her jacket, lips pressed together, " Can't you stay today? "

The child's earnest plea tugged Abby's heartstring, as she forced a smile, gently caressing Violet's hair. " No..Who told you I'm going anywhere today, if it's my princess Violet's birthday? I can't do that, can I? " Abby softly appeased the child,  " Uncle Liam just wants to say hi.. So how about you head inside and take the cake with you, and we'll eat it together, Huh? I won't take long, I promise. ” Abby said handing Violet the small box of newly bought chocolate cake from a bakeshop near their apartment.

Violet nodded, giving her a wide grin, careful with the box of cake in her hands, then disappearing up the stairs,  Abby answered the call, her voice cold and determined.

“Liam,” she said, her breath steadying. “Do you have anything for me? I- I need the money.”

Liam’s voice came through low and serious. “ I do. That's why I called. How is she? "

" She's--Getting a new treatment..." Abby's voice choked, as she held back her tears.

" Abby--- " Liam hesitated for a moment. " We'll get through this. I have something that might help a little, Can you meet us at the usual place, tonight? " Sighing heavily, Liam stated. Liam had known Abigail's struggles, even if she hadn't talk about it much. He knew that deep inside, Abby was a scorned woman. A woman who silently carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.

" I'll be there. " Abby exhaled, the weight of her decision sinking in. This was her chance, her only chance.

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