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“We’re ready.” May’s quiet voice sings out, and I glance up to them from where I sit on the floor.
“You both look lovely. Are you hungry?” I ask as I push to my feet, reaching my hands out for them as they nod before we walk back to the living area.
Caspian, Lionel, southern bell and her husband are in the living room as we emerge from the hallway.
Everyone falls quiet, and I can see four sets of eyes widen as they assess how bad the bruising is on both children.
Avoiding making the girls feel awkward, I adopt the same lighthearted tone I used to have whenever convincing everyone, including myself, that things were fine.
At some point in my life this tone and voice was ingrained in me because of how frequently I utilized it. Teachers, adults at school and other kids fell for it without a second thought.
I was afraid of the consequences if anyone found out what was happening with me. Best to hide it rather than face the result of my actions.
“Everyone, this is Rose,” I hold Rose’s hand up, and she waves shyly with her free hand. “And this is May.” I hold May’s hand up, and she waves with her other hand too.
“Nice to meet you, Rose and May. I’m Stacey and this is my husband Dylan. I made some roast and mashed potatoes if you’re hungry?”
Both girls nod eagerly as Stacey stands up, “Well come with me to the kitchen and let’s dig in! We have chocolate cake for dessert too!”
Rose’s eyes widen in surprise, her excitement evident in the way her gaze darts between May and Stacey. May’s jaw drops slightly, mirroring the astonishment on her younger siblings face.
They turn their attention back to me, and hesitate before taking a step to follow Stacey.
Relief floods through me, and I know there’s an ocean sized pool of emotions I’ll have to process when this is done.
Sitting on one of the couches, I nod toward the kitchen with a warm smile, “Go on, I’ll be right here.”
Dylan, Lionel, Caspian and I watch the trio disappear into another room and I let out a breath before putting my head in my hands.
“You alright, Lara?” I don’t look up, but I nod into my palms.
“What an experience that was after the brunch we had.” Caspian’s tone sounds light as he tries to deflect the subject.
“Caspian, what happened to those girls? They look like someone used them as a punching bag.” Dylan’s tone darkens as he speaks, and I swallow before glancing up at them.
Caspian is staring at me as Dylan waits for an answer, but it’s Lionel that responds.
“I think we all know what was happening to them. I, for one, am happy we got them out of that fucking place when we did.”
Caspian nods and finds his voice, “Those pieces of shit were just cashing in on state funds by fostering kids.” He looks at Dylan and leans back, pausing for a moment. “Will they be able to stay withyou for a while? I think they’re a long term case but I’ll leave it up to you two, of course.”
Dylan’s eyes flick to the direction of the kitchen, then back to Caspian and I put my head into my hands again. “Yeah, we will keep them for quite a few years I think, and if or when they do move on, it would be to a good family that we approve of.”
I shut my eyes tightly and bite the inside of my cheek as tears fall silently into my hands.
“Wonderful. Thank you both for doing this.” There’s a pause before he speaks again, “Do you mind giving us a moment?” His voice is quiet, and it sounds like he’s standing now.
I hear shuffling and a door clicks shut. Lionel and Dylan’s hushed voices murmur in from another room as footsteps stop just in front of where I sit.
“Lara.” Caspian’s voice is close, and I know he’s in front of me, “Lara, look at me.” His hands wrap gently around my wrists as he pries them away from my face, cautious to not put too much pressure on my still healing wounds.
I gaze at him with a sad smile, taking in his relaxed features as he looks at me with a softness I’ve never seen before.
“They’re safe because of you. They’ll never know that kind of treatment again. You know that, right?” He says softly, with all the confidence in the world that these two girls will be okay.
I find myself clinging to that desperate hope as I try to get my bearings. Nodding, I wipe the tears from my cheeks, and he gives me a genuine smile that nearly makes my heart stop.
“Good. Let’s go see our newest friends and see how they’re settling in, yeah?” He says, lacing his hand in mind as he leads me through the doors to the kitchen.
