The first person to receive their ice cream was Noah. He held the cone with both hands and immediately began eating.Not licking, not a tentative bite, but a real bite, as if he would devour the ice cream right away.
“Good?” I asked as I took my cone.
He nodded, focused on the ice cream.
Marcus paid, and the three of us started walking in the direction we’d come from. Back at the same location, Marcus and I sat down on a bench next to each other, but Noah continued standing, clearly enjoying his treat.
“This is the most I’ve seen him eat in four days,” Marcus said in a low voice, staring in amazement.
“You just needed to find the right thing. Ice cream isn’t exactly nutritious, but it’s a start to get him eating again.”
When Noah finished the ice cream, he licked his sticky fingers and then went back over to the swing. He sat down, and this time he rocked a little more than before as he watched the other kids play on the slides and the merry-go-round.
“While he’s busy, time for a candid conversation. How are you handling all of this?” I asked.
Marcus laughed, which softened his features, wiping away the somber expression that had dominated his face since we met. My heart did an odd little flip-flop. Okay, he was attractive and definitely my type, but this was not the time to become distracted by a fine man. He was grieving the death of his best friend, and his “child” was technically a client. Crossing that line would be tacky at best, unethical at worst.
“Real talk? I feel like I’m drowning. I have no idea what I’m doing, and I’ve had to cut back my hours because I’m so concerned about him. Luckily, I have three great assistants and the kind of job where I can do some work from home, but I’ve had to get some of my fellow real estate agents to help me with some of the work so that I don’t completely blow off my clients. I don’t know what he needs or how to talk to him.”
A real estate agent. I’d probably seen his face on a billboard or sign, which was why he looked familiar.
I heard the frustration in his voice, but I also heard that he wanted to do better. “You’re here. You’re present. That counts for a lot. What’s going on with his aunt in Tennessee? Will she be coming to pick him up?”
He frowned for a moment. “She and I talked the other night. She’s Brandon’s sister, and she has kids and a husband and a stable home. She definitely wants him.”
I sensed hesitation. “But?” I prompted.
He shrugged. “I’m not ready to ship him off yet. I want to make sure he’s mentally in a good place. That’s my responsibility right now, and I don’t think he needs more disruptions at the moment.”
“I have a list of therapists that I can recommend. Talking to a professional might do him some good.”
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
“When I get back to my office, I’ll text you the names. What about you? Do you need someone to talk to, to help you until Noah’s aunt takes over? I have a list of guardian support groups I could recommend.”
He shook his head. “No, I’m good.”
“If you change your mind, let me know. As for Noah, if you need help narrowing down the list, I can help. That’s what I’m here for—to help. You don’t have to bear this burden alone. If you let me know which school he attends, I’ll talk to the administration and offer guidance on how to handle Noah when he returns to school.”
“That would be very helpful. I really appreciate what you’ve done so far. The ice cream idea... I would’ve never thought of that.”
I smiled. “I didn’t actually come up with it on my own. I let him tell me what he wanted. As adults, we often think we knowwhat’s best, and we base our decisions on those thoughts. But children will also let us know what’s in their best interest. What makes them happy. What makes them comfortable.”
“Like the Robin costume,” he said.
“Exactly. Give him time, and go easy on yourself. Taking care of a child is a huge responsibility, and you’re doing much better than you think. Noah is lucky to have you.”
He looked doubtful but also appreciative of the compliment. It was clear he needed reassurance, to know he wasn’t completely screwing up.
“I’m going to head back to the office. It was really nice to meet you and see you. I’ll check in again in a few more days to see how the two of you are doing.” I stood.
Marcus stood too. “How long do you typically work with clients?”
“It depends on the case and the end goal. If I’m offering short-term crisis support, my assistance is only required for a few months. If a child is in a high-risk environment, I monitor the situation for a year or longer. In your case, the goal is to finalize guardianship, which shouldn’t take long since Noah has an aunt willing to take him.” I turned my attention to the little boy. “Noah, I’m going back to work. It was nice to meet you.”
He jumped off the swing and stood beside it, his expression uncertain. Then he slowly walked over to the two of us. “You’re leaving?”
I nodded. “I have to go back to work, but I’ll be in touch in a few days to check in on you and Uncle Marcus.”
