Executive Protection(18)

Lucy took a seat on the stool and waited for the buzz of children’s voices to go silent.

“Before we read from the book you each have in your hands, I’m going to tell you a story,” Lucy began, capturing the attention of ten young faces. Stirring their imagination was her favorite part. “It’s a true story about a girl from New York. She lived a long time ago, long before any of you were born. She was an orphan who wanted to learn all she could about the world.” Lucy saw Sophie listening with wide eyes, immediately connecting to the girl in Lucy’s story. It’s what Lucy had intended. “Imagene Evertine ran away from her mean stepmother and went to live in a library. At the library, she could read all the books she wanted and could learn about the world. She taught herself how to read, and read she did. She read and read and read.”

Lucy paused and met each one of the children’s faces. “Imagene lived a long and happy life. She got married and had kids of her own, who she taught to read and took to the library where she grew up. Like all people, one day Imagene became old and, at last, God said it was time for her to come to Heaven. He had a calling for her. A job. So after she passed here on Earth, she took over as Heaven’s chief librarian. She’s still there today, happily making sure all children have books to read.” Lucy held up the one she was going to read tonight. “That’s where these came from.”

Murmurs spread across the tables, and some of the parents exchanged knowing smiles. Thad sat back on his chair and smirked at her.

“Did she give them to you?” one of the boys asked. He was about six.

Lucy nodded. “Yes. I know Imagene very well.”

“Does she really give you books for us?” a little girl asked.

“Oh, yes.” Lucy nodded.

“She was an orphan?” Sophie asked.

“Yes, except she grew up in a library, not a foster home. And no one adopted her.”

Sophie mulled over that, too serious of an issue for a child.

“But she was very successful and happy her whole life,” Lucy said, giving the girl more to ponder.

She didn’t let her ponder too long. She began reading from the book. On words she suspected would be difficult for this crowd to read, she spent extra time pronouncing them and used a whiteboard to write them out and explain what they meant and why they were spelled the way they were before moving on in the story.

* * *

Two hours later, Lucy’s mouth was dry and she sipped from a bottle of water Edith had given her. After closing the book, she looked up to see Rosanna sitting at one of the tables in the back with all the other parents. Kids dispersed, meeting up with their parent or both parents, depending on who’d brought them here. Rosanna went over to the table where Sophie sat. She hadn’t gone to her foster mom.

Lucy went over there.

Rosanna smiled. “You do such a fantastic job with these kids.”

“Thank you. I enjoy teaching them.”

Thad stood. “I especially liked the true story.”

Lucy didn’t miss the way he said “true story” and smothered a smile and introduced him to Rosanna.

“What do you think, Sophie, you ready to go home?” Rosanna held out her hand to the girl.

Sophie didn’t take it and stood, turning to Lucy. “I was thinking. Imagene lived in a library, why can’t I live where I want?”

Rosanna looked at Lucy, perplexed. She hadn’t been here when she’d told the story.

“Where do you want to live?” Lucy asked, keeping her wariness out of her tone.

“Well...” Sophie hedged. “I was thinking maybe I could live with you.”

“Me?” Lucy was shocked. Where had this come from? Her story about Imagene? Lucy checked on Rosanna, who seemed hurt.

“The people who brought you to me won’t let her, honey,” Rosanna said. “Let’s go home and make chocolate milk.”

That worked to lift Sophie’s spirits some.

As Rosanna met Lucy’s gaze, Lucy wondered if she’d imagined the somber self-awareness in the foster mom. Was something bothering her and had Sophie picked up on it? Sophie had never behaved this way before, as though she dreaded going home with Rosanna.

“Come on.” Rosanna took Sophie’s hand.

Sophie looked sullenly back at Lucy, whose heart melted with the sight.

Thad moved to stand beside her.

Lucy shook her emotions back into line and gathered her purse. “Ready?”

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“What do you mean?” Had he noticed what she had?

“Is Sophie okay? Is there something going on with her mother?”

“That’s not her mother. Rosanna is a foster mom. Sophie’s mother died in a car accident almost two years ago, and her father wouldn’t take responsibility for her. She doesn’t have any other family. Her mother had no siblings and her parents aren’t alive anymore.”

Lucy waved to Edith and walked with Thad out of the room.

“That’s tragic,” Thad finally said.

He seemed at odds with learning that news, as though it had touched him but he wasn’t sure what to do with how it made him feel. Lucy suspected he needed to feel more when it came to kids and love. He probably hadn’t been exposed to much of either.

“Is anyone going to adopt her?” he asked.