Dakota shows me into the house, delivering me to the humongous living room. Two leather couches face each other, a table in the center flanked by upholstered armchairs. A mammoth floor-to-ceiling fireplace takes up residence behind one couch, the logs inside unlit.
"Hi, everyone," Dakota waves, collecting the attention of all the people in the room. I recognize Jo, Travis, and Wyatt, along with Beau and Juliette. She introduces me to Wes, who has Colt on his lap. Next up are Warner and Tenley, and I try my best to act like meeting Tenley Roberts (Hayden?) is not a big deal. I meet their kids, too, but make the assumption the older two are from a first marriage. The goings-on in Hollywood were never my thing, but Brea loved Tenley's movies, and I specifically remember her feeling scandalized a while ago when Tenley's boyfriend cheated on her. The last introduction is an older man, and when Dakota calls him Leroy he waves a hand and says, “Call me Gramps. That’s been my name for so long, it’s how I sign my checks.”
Wes snorts. “You don’t sign checks.”
Wyatt snickers. “Who uses checks anymore?”
“Gramps, when he goes to the grocery store.” Warner gets in on it.
All three Hayden boys are met with an old, wrinkled middle finger, and they laugh.
"So," Dakota says loudly, breaking into the exchange. "As you know, Colt has his cochlear implant surgery soon. But even with the implants, he may not gain full hearing capability. Which means we need to consider additional measures to help ensure Colt is able to communicate with us, and us with him. Sawyer Bennett"—she gestures my way, and many pairs of eyes train on me—"has offered to teach me some ASL. And you guys too, since you kind of Hayden’d your way into it." She stares pointedly at Wes.
Tenley and Jo snicker, and Beau's eyebrows pull together. "Hayden’d?"
Dakota nods. "It's when you step into a situation and begin to command it."
He evaluates her. "Is this a bad thing? Or good?"
She dips her head side to side. "That depends on the circumstance."
He scowls good-naturedly. His gaze swings my way, and our eyes lock. The teasing playfulness disappears. Something in him shifts. He places a hand on his wife's thigh. It's the oddest thing, and I can't explain why the room suddenly feels thick.
"What's ASL?" someone asks.
It's instant relief when I pull my awareness from the head of the Hayden family and find the source of the question. Charlie, if I'm remembering correctly, Warner's son. "American Sign Language," I answer.
"How do you know sign language?" It's Warner's oldest, Peyton, asking from her place on the floor beside her brother.
"I knew someone who was completely deaf. It's the only way she communicated." I prepare myself for the searing pain that flashes across my heart every time I refer to Brea in the past tense. It does not show up, and I don’t have time to question it.
We start with the basics. I've never taught ASL before, so I'm calling on what I remember from my own classes. For the purpose of the Hayden family, I think it best they learn what Colt will learn first. This means words that will help him ask for what he needs. I start withsleep, eat, drink, hungry, more, all done, up, and down.
Dakota and Wes have moved to the floor and sit with Colt, working with him as they learn. I try to keep my attention on all the Haydens, helping as we go, but I’m watching Jessie more. The tip of her tongue presses against the center of her upper lip as she concentrates, and it’s the cutest damn thing. Wyatt makes a joke about her habit of doing it, and she gives him the chin flick, a middle finger equivalent. "How's that for signing? Pretty clear communication."
Wes rolls his eyes and Warner fights a smile. Tenley, Jo, and Dakota laugh openly at her. Tenley makes a joke about how the brothers can dish it out but they can’t take it, and Jessie tosses her head back in laughter. Her hair cascades down her back, her cheeks full and round, and her eyes are closed. She obviously loves getting a rise out of her brothers.
I like watching her here, in her element. She is the center of gravity, a magnetic force. Everyone in the family is drawn to her, and it's easy to see why.
She is effusive, a light, capable of bringing a smile to someone's face. I know so, because right now, I'm wearing a dopey grin.
The lesson continues, mostly with me calling out the words we've covered and helping the family to remember the corresponding sign. Despite the fact I'm addressing different people, my body is aware of everything Jessie does.
The way she sweeps her hair back from her shoulders, bounces her heels on the ground, and her frown when she gets a sign wrong.
"Try not to feel discouraged if you can't remember, or if certain signs are harder to recall than others. At this point in our lives, our brains are set in their ways. The language center doesn't like to be challenged." This is almost an exact quote from the woman who taught my classes.
After a few more minutes, I decide to wrap it up. There's only so long a person can practice. What they really need to do is use it in real life. Like most things, it's better absorbed in real time.
I nod at Dakota and Wes. "Continue with Colt at every opportunity. He'll pick up these signs quickly. Look how fast he learnedball."
I wave at the Hayden family politely, smiling and sayingyou're welcomewhen they thank me. I go to leave, and Juliette, who's been the quietest of the entire group by far, speaks up.
"Would you like to stay for dinner?"
For some reason, I glance at my watch. As if I have anywhere else to be. It’s an excuse for a pause while I gather myself, so I don’t show the surprise I feel. Juliette has given me the distinct impression she doesn’t care for me.
She nods encouragingly, like she’s nudging me on to say I’ll stay. “It’ll be ready in thirty minutes. I'm sure my boys are ready for happy hour, though." She looks at each son, and they sit up straight when her gaze lands on them.
