CHAPTER FOUR
Nicole
SUMMER’S INJURIES HAVE HERoff work for about three weeks. When she felt up to it, we took a trip to Joan’s to meet Maria and Antonio. The introduction was easy. It’s everything after that that’s difficult.
Ben and Antonio are playing with matchbox cars, seeing who can get theirs to race the farthest across the floor. I’m playing tea party with Maria. She’s so beautiful with her big dark eyes, dark hair, and button nose. Her laugh is infectious. I guess I thought she’d be more apprehensive with me. Then again there’s a good three feet between us at the tea table.
I’m sitting next to her when Joan brings in some cookies, setting a special plate at the tea party table. We each take a cookie. Maria takes a bite first. There’s a crumb on the side of her mouth, so I take my linen napkin and lean forward to wipe it off.
She does more than flinch. Her entire body recoils and she lets out a keening wail. She falls off her chair and begins crawling backward away from everyone and into a corner. She begins rocking, her knees locked to her chest and her arms tight around her knees. Her eyes are wide, more than frightened—petrified.
Joan hears and comes into the room.
“I was just going to wipe a crumb,” I tell Joan helplessly. I’m panicking inside, wondering how I could have done things differently. “I should have told her before I reached out. Such a stupid mistake.”
Joan walks over to me. “Relax, Nicole. You were having fun. It’s not stupid. I don’t think either of you expected this reaction.”
“What do I do?”
I look over to Ben whose eyes are filled with worry but continues to play with Antonio, keeping him distracted.
Joan touches my shoulder. “Approach her—slowly. Sit about four feet away, legs crossed, and your hands under your butt. This way she’ll feel safe. It’d take time for you to get out of that position, time she’d use to run. Then you engage her in conversation. Reassure her.”
I nod and do as she tells me. I look into Maria’s wide unseeing eyes and I want to cry for this poor baby. I hope some big guy named Bubba makes him his bitch in prison.
“Maria,” I say softly.
I repeat her name calmly, softly multiple times until she blinks and looks at me.
I smile at her. “Well, there you are. You disappeared for a few minutes.”
She’s still closed off but she’s looking at me now. The wailing has stopped as has the rocking.
“I only meant to wipe a crumb from the side of your mouth,” I inform her.
She quickly swipes her hand across her mouth then wraps that arm back around her knees.
“I’m sorry, Maria.”
She looks up at me warily, confused. I doubt anyone’s ever apologized to her for anything. Another thing I plan to fix.
“I’m sorry. I should have let you know I was going to remove the crumb,” I say.
Her brows furrow.
“I wouldn’teverhurt you, sweetheart. I promise you. Never, ever will you be hurt like that again.”
She stares at me and I remain silent, letting her process what I’ve just said.
Antonio comes walking over, Ben following behind. Ben sits exactly as I am and Antonio sits by Maria.
He cocks his head to the side. “You promise? Mommy always told us you can’t break a promise.”
“We promise. Both of us,” Ben insists. Maria looks at him, inspecting. If she sees what I see, she sees kind eyes. Kind eyes that belong to a man who would never raise a hand to a child.
Antonio looks at Maria. He nudges her with his shoulder and she looks at him in question. He leans in and cups a hand by her ear then whispers something. When he leans back, Maria nods then looks at us.
“Mommy said you need to pinky swear,” Maria whispers. Antonio nods his agreement.
