Cammie stares off into space for a moment.
We can’t just tell them to feel safe and loved.
“I want one like that, too.”
Don’t we all? But promises not within your power to keep should never be made to a kid here…or anywhere. “I want that for you, too.”
“Do you have a family?”
“Other than all of you?”
A smile sneaks up on her. “Yeah.”
“I have Daria. That’s enough for me.” The family I’ve made will always be enough. Why would I even dream about anything else?
Cammie nods as if I uttered words of wisdom. Then walks away.
Kids do that all the time here. You say something, and they wander off to process it like their minds just went into overload.
Time to face Max. Though hiding away for the rest of the day sounds like a much better idea.
And I would have done it if I wasn’t sure he’s going to show up tomorrow too. It’s going to be a long while until he trusts us with his daughter…if he ever does.
Patience, I have plenty of.
Courage, on the other hand, I seem to be completely lacking. All you need to do is walk up and ask him if he’d like a drink or something to eat. You’ve done it thousands of times for strangers and friends.
Max is neither of those. Screaming in his face twice hardly makes us friends, but it also got rid of the strangers option.
Should I apologize? That’s something I tell my kids to do all the time. But what do I apologize for? Being scared? Shouting in his ear because he caused me severe pain? Almost getting him shot?
That one sounds like a winner.
Or I could totally pretend nothing happened.
That’s a brilliantly bad idea.
I yearn to embrace the bad. My life is all about showing these kids that your life can get better when you make the right choices, even if they’re hard.
Ugh.
Fine. Do the right thing.
If only that could be running away right about now. Couldn’t Maddox suddenly have an urgent problem for me to take care of?
Maybe a new kid who showed up…
Fruitlessly searching the bakery for any minute problem would just be prolonging the torment.
GAH!
Put on your big girl panties and get it done.
Does the fact that I’m not wearing any exempt me?
Now you’re just grasping at clouds.
Coward!
