Seven of Diamonds

The new family hit the road immediately, not wanting to waste a single moment for the long road ahead. It didn't take long for Sunset to fall asleep, five minutes in fact. She laid there, with her head against the window peacefully snoring away. Trixie looked back, cracking a little smile and snapped a picture of the sleeping little one.

"You think that'll make a good addition to the scrapbook?" Trixie whispered

"Of course. It's the first photo we have of our new daughter. And a perfect one at that."

"I'll make sure to put it in."

"If we find one at one of the rest stops, I'm getting you a new camera."

"Speaking of rest stops, how long will it take to get there anyway?"

"The next rest stop in about an hour, out first attraction in about five, and the hotel in close to nine."

"And what about our final destination?"

"Two days."

"Two days? Well we're going to have plenty of time for memories then huh?"

"You bet. We're going to stop at a hotel halfway through the journey. If we went straight through we could make it in twenty eight hours, but no thanks."

"I don't blame one bit."

The drive was in complete blissful silence for over three hours until Sunset woke up with a yell, causing both of them to turn jolt around. Anon nearly instinctively slammed on the breaks doing so. Sunset was pale as a ghost and covered in sweat with tears in her eyes. She was breathing like she had just done the fifty meter dash.

"Sweet girl." Trixie cooed "What happened?"

Sunset merely shook her head, hiding her eyes behind her hands. Trixie gave him a concerned look.

"Pull over for a minute." she said

He does so and Trixie climbs out of the car and into the back seat.

"Sunset sweet heart. What's the matter?"

Sunset simply covers her face in her hands and shakes her head. Trixie put her arms around the now shaking little girl but she just couldn't be consoled. Whatever she was dreaming about, it really startled her. Something troubling crossed Anon's mind.

"Trixie?"

"Yes?"

"Do you have Sunset's medical sheet?"

Trixie went silent for a moment, a look of worry crossing her face

"Yeah it's in my purse" she paused "why?"

He took Trixie's purse form the center console, a worn, rugged blue and white bag that had certainly seen better days. He riffled through it until finding a medium size yellow envelope. He began to read the papers inside.

"So she's allergic to peanuts and peanut butter, that's a shame."

Trixie giggled

"Allergic to her own mom's favorite food? Well that's just a crime."

Rain began to pitter patter against the window from the black clouds above and a large clap of thunder rang throughout the car, causing Sunset to go into a new level of panic. As the thunder boomed she let out a loud yell and began to violently shake in her seat. Trixie held her tight, doing her best to reassure her but the poor thing we completely consumed in fear.

"As far as physical ailments go, other than the peanut allergy she's squeaky clean." he said

He flips to the next page and reads the next few lines, covering his mouth.

"Anon." Trixie whispered "What is it?"

"You were right Trixie. She does have something."

"What is it?"

"Complex PTSD and well as several scars on her stomach. It says here a good Samaritan found her after she was found on the street nearly starving to death."

Trixie gritted her teeth. It was a pain she knew better than anyone, having been raised on the streets of a period of time herself. Had she not met Anon things may have very well stayed that way.

"Sunset sweetie." she said calmly "Look at me."

Sunset did so, still in a state of high panic. Trixie looked at her with a smile.

"It's ok. You're safe now."

Sunset's face changed. It was as if, for the first time in her life, she had finally be allowed to just be ok. To rest. Tears ran down her face and she grasped her mother's waist tight.

"Shhhh." Trixie said, running her hand through Sunny's long, golden-red locks "there, there my child. Mommy's here."

The rain pelted the car hard while she sat there, the crying little girl in her arms. It took nearly an hour for Sunset to finally calm down again.

"You all better now sweet heart?"

Sunset just buried her head between Trixie's breasts, not saying a word.

"I'll tell you what honey." Trixie said "If you can be brave for me and sit in the car, we'll get you some nail paint and a toy. How does that sound?"

Sunset's ears perked up and she looked straight at her mommy.

"You mean it?"

"I mean it. Any toy you want, you name it. But you have to be brave and strong until we get there ok?"

Sunset stiffened her upper lip and sat back in her seat

"Ok." she said, rather smugly "But you also have to teach me a magic trick too."

Both she and Anon couldn't help but giggle

"Quite the barterer I see. Deal."

Sunset had the biggest, smuggest smile on her face, as if she was a car salesman who had just completely conned a poor man out of his money. Trixie climbed through the car and back into the front seat and the two of them smiled at one another.

"She's one tough cookie." Trixie said

"She is. She really is."

Anon started the car again and a away they went, stopping at a gas station a mere fifteen minutes away. They arrived in a small town with barely more than twenty buildings within it. Trixie and Sunset went inside while Anon watched the pump. Lucky the was a roof above the gas pumps or he'd be being pelted with rain. Sunset held Trixie's hand firmly as they walked down the nail polish isle.

"What color do you want sweet heart?"

Sunset scans the row of small bottles filled with all the colors of the rainbow, even glittery colors with her thumb in her mouth. She, of course, chose pink. They went down through the small toy isle next. It was pretty slim pickings. A gas station is nowheresville, Indiana certainly wasn't the ideal place for toy shopping. But Sunset's child-like wonderment didn't care. She saw this as the most amazing thing in the world. And for someone who spent most of their life on the street, it probably was.

Trixie picked out, rather surprisingly, not a stuffed animal or a toy car or a doll, but a bright blue clip on bow for her hair. Trixie picked out a few snacks and beverages before making her way back out to the car. Sunset had already put the ribbon in her hair. It was amazing how she went from completely distraught to 100% smiles in a matter of fifteen minutes. As they two come into Anon's view, he smiles wide.

"Well look at miss America over here." he said

Sunset giggles the most cute giggle then bows, doing a little curtsy.

"You look absolutely gorgeous,my love." Trixie said, helping her back into the seat

The rain had started to dissipate now and the sun peaked out from behind the clouds. It really was he most perfect metaphor. It seemed that none of them had be dealt a good hand in life; Anon, the good for nothing drop out, Trixie, the gang member, and Sunset, the orphan. But the storm was over and the clouds were clearing. The rain may come again, but together they were stronger than any storm that could ever come.

"And don't forget about the magic trick!" Sunset exclaimed