Cap

“She thanks him for the loan.” River said as she carefully held the folded cap out to Jayne on open palms.

He quickly snatched away the cap, gently checked the knit for damage.

“Better notta hurt it none.” Jayne glowered at the girl.

River dropped her hands and took a step back.

“She would never harm his cap.”

About to make a nasty comment about knives, Jayne stopped as River dipped her chin to her chest and wrung her fingers. Confused, he glared at her down bent head.

“Whaddya want my cap fer anyway?” He really wanted to know but didn’t figure she’d be able to explain.

River gazed at him through the fall of her hair. Seeing he was sincere, she replied, “Cap is mother’s love.”

“Yeh.” Now, he was really confused.

Cautiously, River reached toward Jayne and caressed the wool in his hands with one small fingertip. Smiling shyly, she said, “When she wears the cap, she feels mother’s love.”

River took another step back and began turning away from the frowning mercenary.

“She can pretend her mother loved her.”

She’d said it so softly that Jayne barely heard her. But his body tensed when he did.

“Crazy?” called Jayne to River’s retreating form.

She stilled, looking over her shoulder at him.

He didn’t know why but he told her, “Iffen ya ask first, and don’t stab me ‘r nothin’, ya could borrow my… the cap sometimes. Mebbe.”

Her bright smile made him blink.