“Kiyan,” she repeated and nodded, still wearing that beautiful smile. “Well, Kiyan, thanks for opening up your home to us, and I apologize for trespassing on your property yesterday. It wasn’t my intention to interrupt you or to stir up any trouble.”
“No apology necessary.” I glanced her way briefly before grabbing my cup of coffee. “As long as you and baby girl were safe and warm. You drink coffee?” I asked. “I usually have mine black, but I have plenty of creamers and sugar if that’s not your thing.”
Had it not been for my cousin coming over unannounced most mornings, I wouldn’t have any of the extras that people put in their coffee because it would have gone to waste.
“I do, but we should probably get going,” she said.
My brows lifted. “You’re leaving?”
“Yeah, we have to.”
“Why do youhaveto?” I asked.
Her brows furrowed before she answered. “Well, because… we don’t know you,” she answered then quickly followed it upwith, “I really appreciate you opening your doors to us, but that fact still remains. Getting my daughter adjusted and acclimated to new settings is a task, so I need to get ahead of it and find us somewhere that will have a guaranteed bed, heat, and hopefully food, quickly.”
“So let me get this straight,” I set my cup on the counter in front of me. “You want to take her to a shelter with even more strangers, where they may or may not have the space for you, and in the event that they don’t, then what?”
“Then, I don’t know. We figure it out.”
“Would figuring it out include you finding more private property to park on and have her sleeping in the back?” Her big, brown eyes glossed over right before she turned to try and leave, but I moved quickly to catch her wrist and stop her. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be harsh, I promise you I’m not, but I want to understand this fully, and I want you to as well. You’re obviously dealing with something, and I’m offering you help. You don’t have to tell me what’s going on, but why won’t you let me help?”
Our eyes were locked, hers dancing around mine until she answered, “I’ve depended on a man before.” She broke our gaze and shifted it to the ring on her finger. “It’s how I got into the situation that I’m in now.”
I gave the ring a onceover myself then turned my focus back to her beautiful face.
“That’s fair enough,” I nodded. “But you’ve never depended onme. Don’t leave here and take your child the same way you came—defeated and exhausted. Stay here until you have a plan.” She got ready to say something, but I held up my hand to stop her. “Not a maybe. Not a hope. Aplan.”
Again we held eye contact until she finally nodded. “Okay, we’ll stay, but only another day or so until I figure out my next move. I can’t impose on your life and whatever plans you have for the holidays.”
I released her after hearing confirmation that she’d stay and made my way back to my now lukewarm coffee.
“You can stay as long as you need to…” I paused, realizing that I’d given her my name and opened my home to her, but didn’t know her name yet.
“Leila,” she answered. “Leila Montgomery.”
“Leila,” I repeated and smiled. “There’s plenty of space in here, so make yourself comfortable and at home until we figure things out.”
“We’ll most likely stay in the room,” she replied. “My daughter can get busy and?—”
“Leila, myentirehome is open to you two,” I cut in. “I know you have a child, and even though I have none of my own, I know how busy they can be. She doesn’t have to be confined to that bedroom.” I let her know.
“I don’t want her to break anything or mess something up.”
“There’s nothing in here that can’t be replaced.” He shrugged. “Let her play.”
Her gaze left mine and traveled to the laptop that was set up on the counter next to my iPad. “Are you about to work?”
I nodded, looking that way as well. “I have a few meetings, but I have an office that I can close myself into, so don’t worry about that. Just make yourself at home,” I insisted. “I don’t know what kids like to eat, but I got all of that stuff for her.” I pointed to the groceries on the counter. “Knock yourselves out.”
With my coffee in hand, I grabbed my tablet and computer then disappeared down the hall, closing my office door behind me. I busied myself for the next few hours talking with some of the deans that had their requested proposals ready for me and speaking to the donors that I had Mel reach out to.
While in my meetings, I looked Leila up online. I didn’t find anything on google, but I was able to find her social media accounts. Majority of the pictures and posts were of herdaughter and her journey as a special needs parent. I hadn’t been able to get a look at baby girl, but after seeing the post and some of her pictures, it became apparent that she had Down Syndrome. None of that took away from her beauty though. She had a face almost identical to her mothers with only slight differences.
It really made me wonder about her husband, and how he could be okay with his wife and child sleeping in a car. I tried finding him on her page for me to check out, but was unsuccessful, which was equally odd. Leila didn’t have photos with him, nor were there any of them as a family.
After my meetings were done, Mel was calling. I contemplated on not answering, but I knew that would just result in her showing up over here instead.
“What’s up, Mel?”
