Two Nights Later...

"Papi?"

"Valentina?", I whispered sitting up slightly in the dark. "Tesoro, what are you doing up?" Hugging her stuffed Border Collie whom she'd named Delia, she shrugged.

"It's late, darling", I told her. However, when I reached up to feel her forehead and cheeks, she was no longer hot to the touch. In fact, she seemed not to have a fever at all. My eyes widened. She was getting well!

"I'm thirsty, Papi", Valentina said aloud.

"Sssh, I'll get you some juice...but let's be quiet, okay?", I whispered. She nodded.

Moments later, as I stood with her on my hip, Valentina rested her head on my shoulder and slowly drank from her sippy cup. I smiled, brushing her dark bangs from her eyes as they fell shut. When I laid back down, she curled up between Kiera and I before either of us could say otherwise and was fast asleep.

In the morning, Ben, James, Anthony and Sullivan joined me in the city. There were many times, you see, when we scavenged and panhandled as a group. Because they were like uncles to Valentina, they were very happy when I told them she was improving.

By the middle of the day, we'd settled outside of what I recognized as the department store I'd sung in front of before Christmas.

"Do you think we'll have any luck here?", Sullivan asked. I shrugged.

"I don't know for sure", I admitted, adjusting my blanket around myself.

"It's worth a try though", said James. Anthony and Benjamin nodded, agreeing. Then, a few hours later, as we were about to move on, a familiar voice caused me to stop.

"Emile Bosco...I had a feeling I'd see you again."

"Rowan?", I asked, as the five of us turned around. "

"So nice that you remembered me", he said. "How is your daughter doing?"

"She's almost completely recovered", I replied. "Thanks so much for helping my family." Rowan grinned.

"I'm glad I ran into you again", he chuckled. "Who are your friends?"

"This is Benjamin, James, Anthony and that's Sullivan", I said, gesturing to them all. Then suddenly, as he had done when we met, Rowan flashed his familiar smirk.

"You're out begging again, I see", he said. "Perhaps, you need my help again?"

"Well, none of us have had much luck today", Anthony piped up. "We usually just scrape together what we can." Rowan nodded.

"Have all of you ever sung for the passersby as a group?" He asked. We shook our heads.

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"I've wanted to play my banjo and sing out here but I can't afford a permit for it", I replied, hanging my head.

"Hmmm, sounds like a dilemma I may be able to help with", said Rowan. "Of course, you'd need to do as I told you...and your friends would as well." James raised an eyebrow.

"You mean we'd be singing as a quintet?", he asked.

"Yes", said Rowan.

"How long would we be performing each day?", Ben wondered.

"Until I allowed you to stop", Rowan replied.

We knew it would be hard work to do for several hours. Still, if it kept our families from going hungry, it was worth it.

After Rowan paid the licensing fee for the five of us to become street performers, he put us to work singing anywhere we were allowed to. So, when we weren't performing, we were wandering. However, since each day's earnings had to be split six ways, there was never much to go home with. Thus, our struggles continued.

Kiera's POV

"Mamma, milk? Please?", asked Valentina as she crawled into my lap.

Though Valentina was well past infancy and could eat solid food, she wasn't fully weaned. I still nursed her several times a day both as a form of nourishment and comfort. This also helped to keep Valentina fed when there was little else to give her.

Draping a blanket over myself and Valentina for modesty as we sat on Emile's pallet I listened as her soft suckling filled the tiny room. Humming a quiet, nameless tune, I barely heard the rustling of the tarp as Emile came in.

"Ciao, amore mio", he said, putting down his things and leaning down to kiss my cheek, then to stroke Valentina's back.

"Ciao, piccolo mio", he told her gently.

"How are you feeling?", he asked me. "Do you need anything? I shook my head.

"I'm okay right now but...", I began. Then, as it had for several days, nausea hit me once more.

Very quickly, I pulled Valentina away from my chest, pulled my shirt down and handed her to Emile to hold. Hearing her began to cry, I rushed outside to a bush behind the hovel and threw up. I'd been very tired and throwing up for days whether it was in the morning or not, in fact. On top of that, I'd missed my time of the month.

Emile had brought up that I might be pregnant again, but I hadn't wanted to believe it. As much as we loved Valentina, caring for her under our circumstances was very, very difficult. How would we possibly raise a second child as well?

When I came back inside, Emile had managed to soothe Valentina's cries just enough so that she was only sniffling. As I plopped back down onto the pallet, he frowned.

"I'll get you a pregnancy test to take tomorrow, okay?", he said. A part of me wanted to argue, but I knew it was best to know sooner rather than later if another baby was on the way.

"Thank you", I replied.

Emile's POV

Lucky for me and the others, Rowan was kind enough to allow us weekends off from performing. so, that Saturday, I went into the city to buy Kiera's pregnancy test. When I returned, Mamma and Papa offered to stay with Valentina while we headed into the woods to a more private spot.

When we were far enough away from the encampment, Kiera stepped behind some bushes to take the test. Standing with my back turned, I could feel myself holding my breath so to speak as I waited. It wasn't that I didn't want to be a father again. I was just worried and frightened like she was. Still, the result was positive. Valentina would soon have a little brother or sister.

Listening to Kiera's sobs and trying not to cry myself, I wondered just how we would keep this baby fed, clothed and cared for. We were barely able to do that for Valentina now! What I really wanted was for our soon-to-be family of six to be able to have a better life overall someday. I just had no idea if it was possible to achieve such a thing for us.