Lights Will Guide You Home

Claire

It had been a dull Monday. I'd spent all morning poring over reports, downing mug after mug of coffee. God, I was so bored, cranky and annoyed. I couldn't focus on the reports anymore, my mind kept wandering, shifting from one topic to another.

Michael was making progress. Ever since the suicide attempt, I had people keeping a close watch on him. He seemed happy, and he was getting along with the other kids quite well. A lot of questions were raised regarding his bandaged arms. The children were told that it had been an accident – the little ones believed it, the older ones knew better. It was touching how they never questioned him though, or treated him like an outsider. All these kids had seen sorrow, although they had each been subjected to different levels of it. They know that each person has their own battles to fight, and that they do so in their own ways. The readiness with which they accept each other never fails to leave me speechless. If only we were all capable of that too – acceptance with no judgement.

My phone rang, snapping me out of my reverie. It's Maria.

"Hey Marie!"

"Claire, honey there's a woman here to see you. She says it's really important. I did try to explain to her that you're away at work but she's really desperate."

"Oh...I'm not that busy anyway," I lied, ignoring the stack of files still waiting to be read. "Um, I'll be there in ten." It was almost lunch hour anyway. "What's her name?"

"She simply won't tell me! And oh," she dropped her voice, "...she looks kind of shady. And she's really upset. You better get here soon, dear."

Oookay. "I'll get there soon, Marie."

I slipped on my shades as I walked out the building and into the sunny afternoon. I was out of there! Finally! I wondered who the lady could be, smiling at Maria's description of her – "shady". I loved her choice of words.

As I drove to Braveheart, my thoughts shifted to Rae. She'd been so preoccupied since she had come back from Barrington. Which is pretty understandable – she had been very attached to her mother, being a constant support since her father had left. It was also where the Marcus incident had occurred. I was worried that going back there had revived those memories, giving her something else to deal with. And there was absolutely nothing I could say to make things better for her. I decided I'd bake her a nice cake this evening before she got home from work. Then I remembered the last failure of a cake I'd made... the kitchen isn't exactly my region of expertise. On second thought, I could just take her out for dinner, I sighed as I pulled into the driveway of the orphanage.