~ Charity Day ~
Today is already turning out better than anyone could have hoped. Kids are wandering all over with their families, beautiful laughter filling all our ears. Silas is making a fool of himself at the eating contest station, shoving a whole hotdog in his mouth like the caveman he is while Cecilia shakes her head. But at least the kids are enjoying it.
Noah and Gabe are getting their whole bodies painted, as well as their clothes, by some of the children. There’s a makeup artist on the spot, but I’m guessing this was more fun for them. Clay and Morgan are farther in the back with the younger kids, making puppets out of socks and putting on a silly show. Veronica and Aubrey couldn’t be here since they were both working but will be attending the gala tonight as Gabe and Noah’s plus-ones.
We decided not to bring the kids along with us today, wanting to focus on the ones present here since it’s a day made especially for them. So my dad is watching Gracie with Amanda.Yes, that’s still going on and is still a little weird.We’ll get to see her a bit later on when we go home to get ready for tonight’s event, but they will be keeping her all night long. And from what Cecilia told me, John and Mira are watching Dante for the night as well.
I look around for Greyson and find him taking funny pictures with some of the children at the photo booth. I walk closer but stop short when I notice a little girl sitting nearby, looking at Grey like he hung the moon. Her expression nearly makes me giggle, but I suppress it as I join her on the bench.
“Hey.”
Her eyes flick to me quickly but then fall back on Greyson. “Hi,” she says with a tiny voice.
“Why are you sitting here alone? Don’t you want to go take some pictures with him?”
My eyes roam over her tiny, fragile frame as I take her in, noticing her very thin brown hair and the dark circles under her dull-looking blue eyes that are such a contrast to her pale complexion. Then to the small bruises on her hands and inner arms from where she must have been poked at with needles. A tightness forms around my breaking heart as my throat constricts, but I swallow down my emotions and force a smile back on my face.
She turns to me again, this time keeping her eyes focused on me before dropping them down to her fingers that play with the hem of her dress. “I’m too shy.”
“There’s no reason to be shy, honey. He’s very, very nice. I can promise you that.” I nod my head, reassuring her.
“He’s like McDreamy from the show my babysitter watches,” she whispers.Oh, this cutie. She can’t be older than seven.She finally looks up from her hands and stares at me. “I’ve seen you on TV. He always talks to you before the game. And you have a baby. Are you the baby’s mommy?”
“I am.” I smile.
“So, you’re his girlfriend?” she asks, smiling back.
“Yes.”
She looks down at her feet this time. “I wish he was my boyfriend.”Oh God, my heart.
“Well, I think you may be a little too young to have a boyfriend just yet. But who knows, maybe one day you’ll have one who’s even cuter.”
She looks up with wonder, excitement and hope shining through her voice. “You think so?”
“I absolutely do.” I stand from the bench and hold my hand out for her to take. “Come on, let’s go say hi and get you a picture with McDreamy.” She hesitates for a moment, not reaching for my hand. “I’ll stay with you the whole time if you’d like. And if he’s mean, I’ll put him in a very long time-out.” I wink.
Her eyes go wide, like the idea of time-out scares her. “You’d do that?”
“Of course I would. Girls need to stick together. Plus, we’re friends now, and I won’t tolerate anyone being mean to my friends.” I smile when she finally stands and takes my hand.
We walk slowly over to Greyson just as he finishes with the last child waiting in line. The closer we get, the more I feel her stepsslowing down. When we’re finally standing in front of Grey, he smiles lovingly at me, then down at the little girl.
“Hey, Wolf. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
The girl instantly tugs on our joined hands. I look down at her and she waves at me, asking me to come closer. I crouch down beside her, placing my ear beside her cupped hand around her mouth.
“His name’s not Wolf,” she whispers in that childlike way that they think is quiet, but really everyone can hear.
Greyson comes down to one knee before her with that sexy smile of his. “Hi, sweetheart. What’s your name?”
“Maddison,” she says quietly with a tiny blush creeping on her pale cheeks.
“Maddison, that’s a beautiful name. Does your mommy or daddy ever call you Maddie?” Grey asks her.
She nods her head enthusiastically. “My daddy calls me Maddie. Mommy died when I was a baby.”Oh… this poor girl. And her father… I can’t imagine going through so much pain. First his wife, and now his daughter battling her own disease.
“Well, you see, Maddison, just like your dad calls you Maddie, Emma calls me Wolf, and I call her Bunny. It’s our little nicknames for each other.”
