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Without waiting for Tasha to ask what, Hannah continued, “I make silly faces, and it usually breaks the ice. What do you think?”
Hannah stuck her fingers in the sides of her mouth and pulled, rolling her eyes and sticking her tongue out.
A tiny giggle shook Nita’s skirt, and Hannah pulled her fingers out of her mouth, smiling.
“You know what I can’t find? The Play-Doh. If only there was someone who could show me where it was.”
“What do you think? Do you want to be Miss Hannah’s special helper?” Nita asked.
Tasha hesitated, still hanging onto her aunt’s skirt. Then, she nodded.
“Great! Let me put some sanitizer on my hands since they were in my mouth, and you can help me set up the Play-Doh before everyone gets here.”
Tasha was already making her way over to the cupboard, and Hannah pulled her little container of hand sanitizer out of the pocket of her skirt.
“Thank you for trying to make her comfortable.” Nita was an athletic woman in a pair of black slacks, a tan shirt, and black cardigan. She was beautiful, like her niece, but Hannah could see the lines of stress around her eyes and mouth.
“Of course, it’s important for children to feel safe at school.”
“Yes, it is.” Tasha’s aunt appeared to have tears in her eyes, but in the next second, they were gone. “Anyway, thank you for taking the class. I need to get back to the office, but I’ll be back to get her after school.”
Hannah watched the two say good-bye and then held a plastic container of cookie cutters and shape makers.
“Hey, Tasha, what are these things? Do you think we can use them with the Play-Doh?”
Tasha studied what was in her arms, nodding. As Hannah opened it and held it out to Tasha, asking her what the different shapes were, Nita disappeared.
Other students arrived as Hannah and Tasha finished setting up, and when Hannah stood up, Tasha latched onto her hand.
Hannah looked down at the little girl and squeezed her hand. “Do you want to show me where your seat is?”
The relief on Tasha’s face made Hannah smile and long for a permanent teaching position. Where the students were hers and she was able to help them long term, not just for a day.
Once Tasha was seated, Hannah pulled a pack of stickers from her skirt pocket and handed Tasha one with Elsa from Frozen.
“Thank you for all of your help.”
In a tiny voice, Tasha replied, “You’re welcome.”
BLAKE SAT IN the lobby of Dr. Stabler’s office, waiting for his mandatory therapy to start. If there had been a way out of it, he would have tried again, but Sparks had been adamant.
After this appointment, he had a meeting with General Reynolds, and Blake had a feeling that might be more torturous than the therapy. At least in therapy, he could refuse to speak.
“Sergeant Kline?” A woman in her forties appeared from down the hallway, her black hair laced with silver and her face only slightly lined.
Blake stood up. “Dr. Stabler?”
“That’s right. Come on back, and we’ll get started. Can I get you anything to drink?”
“No thank you, ma’am.”
Blake followed her into a small room with three comfy-looking chairs, and as she took the one on the other side of the room, Blake went ahead and sat across from her.
“So, Sergeant Kline, tell me a little about yourself.”
Blake rubbed his hands over his face, finally settling them on his knees. “I’m sure you read the file, Doctor.”
“Yes, I’ve read your military file, but I mean who you are personally. For instance, why do you want to continue to work at Alpha Dog? Is it because of the work with search and rescue dogs you were involved in with your father?”
