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“Different in what way?”
Bobby seriously mulled it over. “Well, I guess it makes you more...human?Imperfect?”
“And that’s a good thing?”
“It makes me less self-conscious around you,” she explained. “That’s all.” She gave him a sweet smile – something Leandro doubted Bobby would do if he didn’t have his glasses on. “I’m really sorry about this. We took in several new charges just yesterday and all of them fell sick within a few hours. The doctor told us it was chicken pox.” She let out a big sigh. “Unfortunately, we’re also understaffed right now, with one of the caregivers on leave and another down with the flu.”
“So you need to be here just in case they need an extra hand?”
She nodded, adding, “And to keep things calm and make themthinkthey have a leader here.”
He told her bluntly, “Youaretheir leader and from what I can see, you’re doing more than well, championing this foundation’s cause.”
She flushed with pleasure at his words. “Thank you for saying that. It’s...high praise, coming from you.” She bit her lip, wishing she could say all the other things she wanted to say to him but felt so stupidly shy to do so.
“Shall we, umm, have dinner then?” Bobby gestured towards the mini dining room in her office. It basically served as her studio apartment since the office also had a mini kitchen and a sofa bed.
“I’d love to.”
He followed her to the table, taking a seat at her request. He offered to help her prepare the food but she waved the suggestion away, telling him that guests were never to be made to serve.
She served them pasta and salad,Mediterranean style,she had told him proudly. When he took a bite, he grimaced and slowly reached for his glass of water. Someone had to tell Bobby that Mediterranean was more salty or spicy than sweet.
“So...how did this start?”
The question was something frequently asked of her, and Bobby was used to answering it. More than that, she actually enjoyed answering such questions, and so she happily took her time telling Leandro about Voiceless Haven, which operated as an orphanage for children with hearing impairment.
“I was sixteen when my parents made me a part of the committee, and believe me, the older ladies didn’t want me. They did everything they could to block my membership, thinking that I’m the poster child for New Jersey Shore.”
He said straight-faced, “I think its name isJersey Shore.”
Bobby smacked her forehead. “Oh yeah. I keep forgetting that. But you get what I mean, right? Well, the first day I came here and I was dressed likethis,one of the board members mistook me as one of the help and got me to help the milkman carry boxes of milk into the kitchen. They were horrified when they found out what happened, but I thought it was hilarious. Five months after that, they gave me this office,” she said proudly. “I want to be really hands-on and stay as close to the kids as possible.”
“And the kids? How do you find them?” He was genuinely interested to hear what she had to say, but more than that, he wanted to watch Bobby’s expressive face as she talked about the foundation. She was so passionate about it, and she was only eighteen years old.
“The usual. The government sends them our way, but we’ve also put the word out of the street and because of that, we have a higher walk-in rate than usual.”
His eyebrow raised at that. “Do you mean the children come in here on their own?”
“The older ones, yes. And sometimes, the parents themselves bring them here. Other times, local parishes tell us about deaf children being mistreated or neglected in other orphanages and we negotiate for their release into our care.”
“So you bribe them.”
“Or blackmail them with bad publicity,” she said cheerfully.
His lips curved. “I approve.”
She laughed. “I thought you would.” She then realized she had been talking all the time and her cheeks turned red.Yikes!He must think she was such a self-centered chick. “I’m sorry for rambling,” she said, cringing.
Leandro was bemused by the apology. “You weren’t. I liked listening to you.” At her doubtful look, he rolled his eyes and said, “Do you have to doubt everything I say?”
“Only when you say something that’s too good to be true.”
“You’re too cynical.”
She quipped, “It’s because I want to be like you when I grow up.” His laugh made her stomach do somersaults, and Bobby knew she was blushing again. It was strange, the way Leandro didn’t seem to mind how snarky or outspoken she was...
Something might have shown on her face at the memories Bobby was suddenly tryingnotto remember because Leandro asked, “What is it?”
