“Yes.” Adley beams at Chloe. “He’s very proud of you and your accomplishments. He told me you’re graduating soon with your degree in early childhood education. Is that right?”
Chloe nods. “Only one more final to go. I cannot wait to be done. I’m so burned out on school.”
“Tell me about it. I just finished myself, and I feel like the last four years have lasted forever. Do you know what grade or subject you’d like to teach?”
“To be honest, I’d just like a job. I figure I should get my foot in the door somewhere first. Then I can find out what I love and work my way toward that.”
“That’s a great plan.”
“What about you? Linc says you’re going to be a nurse. There are lots of different areas for you to get in to.”
“I don’t know. I really like labor and delivery.”
Adley’s arm drifts around me while she talks, as if it’s the most natural move in the world for her, and something about the three of us standing here shooting the shit feels so…right. I should’ve introduced them sooner.
“Hell yeah,” Chloe agrees. “Who wouldn’t want to hang out and hold babies all day long?”
Adley laughs. “There’s a lot more to it than that, but getting to hold the babies is definitely the best part.”
“Excuse me.” Our conversation is interrupted when a little girl tugs on Chloe’s shirt.
Heather Durham ended up in the foster care system a year ago when her mom died of a heroin overdose. S
he was extremely shy when we first met her, but she’s slowly opening up. Mostly to Chloe.
“Hey, Heather.” Chloe crouches down and tugs gently on one of Heather’s pigtails. “These are super cute.”
“Thank you. Miss Lori put them in for me,” she says, referring to one of the regular mentors. “I really wanted braids, but Miss Lori doesn’t know how to braid. Do you?”
“I do. Would you like me to braid your pigtails?”
Heather’s little head bobs, her eyes wide with excitement. “Yes, please. But I want my hair to look like Rachel’s.” She points to another little girl in the room, and Chloe frowns.
“That’s called a French braid, and I don’t know how to do that. I’m sorry, Heather. But I can still braid your pigtails, if you’d like.”
The little girl’s face falls, along with her arms at her sides, and Adley takes a step forward, lowering herself beside my sister.
“Hi, Heather. My name is Adley. I’m a friend of Lincoln and Chloe’s.”
“Hi,” Heather replies sadly.
“I know how to French braid.”
The little girl turns her frown around. “You do?”
“I sure do. Would it be all right if I French braid your hair?”
“Sure.” Heather thrusts her hairbrush into Adley’s hand. “But can I have two braids instead of one?”
“I think I can manage that. Let’s go find a chair.”
“Do you mind if I join you?” Chloe asks.
But the question isn’t directed at Heather so much as it is Adley.
Adley grins. “Absolutely. And I can teach you how to French braid, if you’d like.”
“I’d like that a lot.”