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“One of the other girls came over and sat on the beanbag next to her. She held her hand and calmed her right down. But, you’re right—I should have called you. I didn’t want to disturb you at work if she was no longer upset.”
“I’m sorry for the disturbance,” I say and explain the recent changes in my niece’s life.
“Situations like these happen. I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, but I wanted to make you aware. I’ll keep a closer eye on her and if she continues to struggle, it may be a good idea to refer her to our school counselor.”
I agree to keep the option open before retrieving Rainey, who’s playing tag with her remaining classmates who are waiting on their parents. With her hand in mine, we walk past the school’s entrance. As we pass back by her teacher, I ask, “Which student helped Rae today?”
“Her name’s Maggie. She’s very shy, but she was so sweet to Rainey.”
My heart warms hearing Maggie’s name, and I squeeze my niece’s hand.
I don’t bring up what happened at school; I’m not sure what I would say if I did. Instead, I create an evening of fun dedicated to Rainey. The things she’s lived through and seen can’t be fixed. I can’t force my brother to sober up and be the parent she deserves. All I can do is love her and make sure she never has to doubt I’ll always be here, even if her dad isn’t.
“Rae?” I bellow upstairs from the living room, anticipating her face when she sets eyes on the surprise I’ve cooked up. When there’s no response to my second attempt to get her attention, I bound upstairs in concern. I swing Rainey’s door open and find her laying in the middle of the small bedroom fast asleep on the floor with her toys scattered everywhere. The day’s high emotions zapped her energy. I’m tempted to let her rest, but remember I have to get her into a routine to ease her morning tantrums.
I gently shake her. “Time to get up, baby cakes. Looks like you took a nap.”
Blonde whirls and frizz stretch out from her head and Rainey stretches her arms up to match, an enormous yawn roaring from her lips.
“Come downstairs. I’ve got a fun evening planned.”
Sitting up, she scrunches her forehead in disbelief. “You do?”
The kid already has the skepticism and snark of a pre-teen, making me nervous about how her adolescent years will play out. She leans toward me and rests her chin in her hand. In her most serious voice she whispers, “Tell me more.”
Webster’s should plaster Rainey’s face next to the wordresilience. Emotionally distraught just hours ago, she’s right back to her spunky ways—my heart can barely take it.
“Follow me downstairs, ma’am, and I’ll show you.”
“OKAY!” Rainey screeches as she jumps and takes off down the stairs, doubling my heart palpitations. She’s going to be my saving grace or the cause of my first pulmonary event—which one is yet to be determined.
“Rae, slow down,” I beg. “You’re going to break a leg on those stairs.”
My plan is simple, but Rainey loves it. First, we decorate the sweatshirts I snuck and picked up at Walmart on our last grocery trip. Hot glue, sequins, glitter, glow-in-the-dark stars, an assortment of gaudy faux jewels, and puffy paint are the weapons of choice. Afterward, I have pre-made cookie dough ready to bake. Everything goes according to plan, and if she has any lingering thoughts about the school day, I feel assured they’re long gone. She agrees to a bath only after I promise my last surprise requires a clean six-year-old girl.
I turn my back and allow her to undress herself. She’s still developing her comfort level with me and I don’t want to push her. Once she lets me know she’s in, I take a seat next to the large, oval bathtub. Rae’s objections to baths all but ended when I let her use my jacuzzi tub. After I turn on the bubbles, she likes to throw her head back onto the edge of the tub. The sigh she lets out when her head hits the tub is reminiscent of a middle-aged woman who’s worked all day at the office and came home only to have to look after the kids. It’s one of the funniest things she does and I’ve etched it permanently into my memory in case I never get to see her again.
“Bubbles?” she asks.
“No jets tonight,” I say, pulling an oversized bath bomb from a small bag on the floor. Her sheer amazement, as the tie-dyed globe floats, fizzes, and bubbles with every color of the rainbow swirling in the bathtub, reveals she’s never experienced this before. Rainey’s baby blues look straight at me. “Is this . . .” Her eyes bulge, and she opens her mouth even wider, her small, pink lips forming a giant ‘o.’ “Aunt Noah? IS THIS MY SURPRIIIIIIIIIISE?” She tosses her hands into the air, sending bubbles and water all over the floor and walls surrounding the tub. It’s a simple joy, but one of many my brother has never given her.
“What do you think?” I side-eye her and wait for her to be the first to blink. She doesn’t, so I admit defeat.
“Alright, alright. Your last surprise is in your bedroom.”
She clamors to climb out of the tub, but I remind her she has to dry off. I reach into the now tepid water and release the stopper to allow the water, beautifully colored at first but now a weird shade of green, to drain. I hold up a towel and help Rainey step safely out of the tub, keeping her back to me for privacy. I turn my back while she dries off with the soft towel, offering several reminders to go back and make sure she didn’t miss any spots.
I hand Rainey a pair of pajamas when she’s fully dry. She shrieks at a pitch that reminds me of a whistling kettle, and I turn to make sure she’s okay. She stands, covered by her towel, glancing at her brand-new set of Jojo sleepwear.
“Excited?” I ask.
“Oh myGod, Aunt Noah. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I love them. Can I sleep in them every night?” Words spill out of Rainey’s mouth faster than they can enter my ears.
“You’re welcome. I thought you would like the rainbow bows on the bottoms.”
“Ilovebows.”
“Alright, baby cakes. Let’s get your pajamas on because that last surprise is still in your bedroom.”
