The Second Esther

Prologue

The street was dark. Most streets are at 11 o’clock at night, but this street was abnormally dark. The man stood on the corner, twiddling his thumbs. He’d been waiting a while, but he could tell she’d arrive soon. Sure enough, 10 minutes later, the gentle footsteps could be heard. A small light flickered on from about 2 metres away. The woman approached him cautiously, torch aloft. The man, however, wasn’t paying attention to her. He had his eyes glued to the small bundle in her arms.
“Is that her?” he asked quietly, stepping forward.
“Y-yes. Her names…” the woman began, but the man cut her off.
“I do not need to know her old name,”
The woman nodded nervously.
“Did you bring the money?” she asked.
“I did. Show her to me first,” the man said. The woman stepped closer to him and held out the bundle.
Two large, golden eyes caught him in their gaze, and he blinked in surprise. How long had it been since he’d seen those? He could see brown ringlets poking from under the blanket, chocolate coloured swirls. They matched her long, thick lashes. She had a small round face and rosy cheeks. The face he knew was angular, although in age she’d mature.
The man made sure not to show his excited emotions on his face. He merely nodded and pulled a stack of folded bills from his coat.  She eagerly grabbed them, and his lip curled in disgust. You’d think that people would show some dignity. He gently took the baby girl from the woman.
“As of today, she is no longer yours. If you ever attempt to contact her or myself, I will kill you. Now leave,” he whispered murderously. The woman nodded, still beaming at the cash, and sprinted away.
The man looked down at the golden eyes looking up at him. They had the same look he remembered.
Understanding, curious. Loving.
“Hello, Esther,” he said softly.