04-16-2015, 03:52 PM
Things were back and forth. Some days Marta was fine and other days she was reclusive. She was changing, but still fighting her past. Ricky kept up the praying. He had that much to give her at least. It was difficult though.
Marta was growing more mature, both physically and mentally. Already she had added a couple of inches to her height, and she was beginning to become a woman. The girlish features were beginning to disappear, replaced by more womanly ones. The little girl he had rescued was disappearing.
And she needed an education. There was so much to worry about. Ricky had sent her to school, but had pulled her out after she came home in tears the first day. She was several grades behind the kids her own age and even the younger ones called her stupid. They didn't understand that she hadn't had the opportunity to learn as they had. Kids could be so mean sometimes. Ricky decided she wasn't ready for a public school and instead enrolled her in an online school.
Whether it was to prove people wrong or she was just gifted, Marta took to learning like a fish to water. She worked everyday and showed great progress. It was what she was doing today while Ricky was blowing off steam practice shooting.
Roberto hadn't come back yet, and Ricky hadn't found him either. It was nerve wracking, but Ricky wen to his pastime of shooting. Marta sat on the porch with the tablet Ricky had picked up for her to do her schoolwork on. Twelve shots fired and most were on target. No matter how much one practice, no one ever achieved perfection. As Ricky reloaded, he noticed Marta had set her tablet aside and was watching him.
"How did you get so good at that?"
Ricky smiled as he reloaded. "Lots and lots of practice."
As Ricky watched her, he could see the intrigue in her eyes. This was something he needed - an activity that caught her attention. She had been working hard and needed a break anyways. "Do you want to try it."
Confusion marred Marta's features. She didn't understand why he was offering, but she stood up and approached, nodding as she did so. There was a sort of joy that sparkled in her eyes for a moment. Ricky had found yet another method of breaking through her shell.
Ricky handed her the empty revolver. "I'll show you how to hold it before I load it, but first of all. Never point this at anyone, okay?"
Marta nodded in understanding and then Ricky showed her how to hold the weapon, aim it, and fire it. He handed her six bullets and showed her how to open the chamber and load the rounds into it before instructing her to take her first shot. Marta did so, her bullet straying far from the target.
There was a look of failure in her eyes. Ricky didn't have long. "That's okay - everyone misses their first time. My first shot was worse than that one."
The look disappeared. Ricky inwardly sighed at the averted crisis.
"What did you do wrong?"
Ricky asked her.
Marta thought for awhile. She was a smart girl, and figuring this out on her own would not only help her learn the lesson better, but it would help build her self confidence. "I think I closed my eyes before I shot."
Ricky smiled and nodded. "Don't do that!"
His tone conveyed humor and Marta giggled. It was like music to Ricky's ears. He was glad that today was one of her good days.
He instructed her to take more shots, and progressively they got better. Marta was beaming. She was a natural to it - just like she was to learning. "Can we do this again sometime?"
She asked, her voice hopeful.
"Of course we can. For now though, you better get back to your studies."
Marta gave him a smile and handed Ricky the gun back before getting back to work on her schoolwork. It had been a very good day.
Marta was growing more mature, both physically and mentally. Already she had added a couple of inches to her height, and she was beginning to become a woman. The girlish features were beginning to disappear, replaced by more womanly ones. The little girl he had rescued was disappearing.
And she needed an education. There was so much to worry about. Ricky had sent her to school, but had pulled her out after she came home in tears the first day. She was several grades behind the kids her own age and even the younger ones called her stupid. They didn't understand that she hadn't had the opportunity to learn as they had. Kids could be so mean sometimes. Ricky decided she wasn't ready for a public school and instead enrolled her in an online school.
Whether it was to prove people wrong or she was just gifted, Marta took to learning like a fish to water. She worked everyday and showed great progress. It was what she was doing today while Ricky was blowing off steam practice shooting.
Roberto hadn't come back yet, and Ricky hadn't found him either. It was nerve wracking, but Ricky wen to his pastime of shooting. Marta sat on the porch with the tablet Ricky had picked up for her to do her schoolwork on. Twelve shots fired and most were on target. No matter how much one practice, no one ever achieved perfection. As Ricky reloaded, he noticed Marta had set her tablet aside and was watching him.
"How did you get so good at that?"
Ricky smiled as he reloaded. "Lots and lots of practice."
As Ricky watched her, he could see the intrigue in her eyes. This was something he needed - an activity that caught her attention. She had been working hard and needed a break anyways. "Do you want to try it."
Confusion marred Marta's features. She didn't understand why he was offering, but she stood up and approached, nodding as she did so. There was a sort of joy that sparkled in her eyes for a moment. Ricky had found yet another method of breaking through her shell.
Ricky handed her the empty revolver. "I'll show you how to hold it before I load it, but first of all. Never point this at anyone, okay?"
Marta nodded in understanding and then Ricky showed her how to hold the weapon, aim it, and fire it. He handed her six bullets and showed her how to open the chamber and load the rounds into it before instructing her to take her first shot. Marta did so, her bullet straying far from the target.
There was a look of failure in her eyes. Ricky didn't have long. "That's okay - everyone misses their first time. My first shot was worse than that one."
The look disappeared. Ricky inwardly sighed at the averted crisis.
"What did you do wrong?"
Ricky asked her.
Marta thought for awhile. She was a smart girl, and figuring this out on her own would not only help her learn the lesson better, but it would help build her self confidence. "I think I closed my eyes before I shot."
Ricky smiled and nodded. "Don't do that!"
His tone conveyed humor and Marta giggled. It was like music to Ricky's ears. He was glad that today was one of her good days.
He instructed her to take more shots, and progressively they got better. Marta was beaming. She was a natural to it - just like she was to learning. "Can we do this again sometime?"
She asked, her voice hopeful.
"Of course we can. For now though, you better get back to your studies."
Marta gave him a smile and handed Ricky the gun back before getting back to work on her schoolwork. It had been a very good day.