"Ohdear, of course. I'll get on it right away. I know of a room rightdownstairs that would be perfect for you two. Let me call Mr. Downerto make the arrangements. That poor girl," Mrs. Cunninghamutters.
"Thank you, Mrs. Cunningham, this means so much to me.I promise she won't be any trouble. This is all new to me too, so Iask for patience but we will get this sorted out. I'll even have herhelp me with some volunteer work. I know it will be good for her,"I insist.
She nods in agreement,
"Of course, whatever yougirls need."
Ben and Burke are kind enough to carrywhat little furniture I have to our new apartment downstairs. Mrs.Cunningham gave us another bed that was generously donated, alongwith a few sheets, blankets and a pillow. It seems as though thismight all work out. The downstairs apartments have large slidingglass doors that open out into the court yard. The yard wasn't muchto look at, but it has great potential. I think Izzie will have agood time planting flowers and playing in the grass. It's importantto keep her contained, but fresh air and grass have their placetoo.
Izzie is shy, she has been hiding behind Aira most of thetime. She watches the others fret over what goes where, and here I amuseless. With me being 6 months pregnant, no one will allow me tocarry anything. Secretly I watch Izzie from afar. I don't want tooverwhelm her, but then the time comes when everyone is ready toleave.
"Izzie, this is Anna. You're going to stay with herfor a while. Remember, we talked about this? She's a very nicelady. You will have lots of fun with her," Aria chimes.
"ButI want to stay with you." Izzie pitifully objects.
"I know,but here you will have your own room! There's a yard outside you canplay in. You will like it here, I promise. You can call me any timeyou wish, and I will come to visit you often okay?"
"Okay,"she pouts.
"That's a brave girl," she responds with a quickpeck on the top of her head.
"We'll see you guys later. Enjoyyour new home," Aira exclaims before pulling me to one side.
"Contain that fearful energy your putting off. Everyone feelsit, especially Izzie. She does not feel secure here, and with youradiating negative energy its feeding her fears. Relax, everything isgoing to be fine. Call me if you need anything, we are not far,"she whispers.
Her soft, cool hands held my hot face firmly.
"You've got this. This is a good thing. Don't worry. She's a goodkid, er adult. She's just had it rough. Show her its okay to trustothers," reasons before letting me go.
She herds everyoneswiftly out into the hallway and says, "Alright everyone, lets givethem the chance to get settled in."
With a quick wave goodbyeshe closes the door. The silence becomes stifling. I stand across theroom by the big sliding glass door, not sure what to do next. Izziestares at me with her large, fearful eyes. I summon the courage totake a step toward her.
"Hello," I say quietly.
"Hi,"Bella squeaks.
"My name is Anna."
"I know. Mrs.Woodacre told me. I'm -"
"Izzie, I know. Aira told me aboutyou too."
I impulsively grind my toe into the floor, feelingcompletely over my head in this matter. My head begins to poundfiercely as I try to summon a subject to ponder with her. I beginripping the skin off the sides of my nails nervously.
"I liketo color," she offers.
"Me too! Well, I like to draw. Do youwant to color with me," I offer.
"Yes," she respondssheepishly.
"I have a small collection of crayons and markerssaved from some posters I was asked to make. Ill go grab them and Iam sure I have some paper laying around here somewhere..."
Wespend the rest of the evening coloring. Well, I draw things and shecolors them in while making small talk. Airea had warned me not todig into her past, most of it she doesn't remember and that sends herinto a panic. What she does remember seems to be scenes from moviesor a recited script. So I dance around that subject clumsily. Sheasks me what my favorite colors are, what animals I like, and what myfavorite game is. I ask her what she wants to be when she grows up,what foods she likes while she tells me the intricate details on howto correctly host a tea party. With some effort, we get along fineand get to know each other well enough. Airea also warned me thatIzzie sometimes has night terrors, so I put our only lamp in her roombefore tucking her in. After exhausting myself from checking on herevery twenty minutes, I give up and sleep on her floor to ease myworry. She sleeps through the night without indecent.
Astime goes on we grow closer. Airea calls less and less. Now she onlycalls once every other day and visits once a week. We spend a lot oftime outside in the lifeless court with bare feet. The grass is brownand crunchy with very little green, but there are patches of cloverswhere we look for luck. We talk about what we could do to make thisplace beautiful come spring time. I notice an older lady a few doorsdown watches us every once in a while. One morning she pokes her headout of her sliding glass door and says,
"I thought you ladiesmight enjoy these. They are old, I've had them since my grand kidswere babies. They're all grown up now so I have no use for them. Yougirls are welcome to have them."
I walk over to her and takethe dusty cardboard box from her brittle hands. Lifting the witheredlid I peek inside to see twelve fat, pale sticks of chalk that laycozily along the bottom. Two looked semi-used. The others wereuntouched.
I smile to the old woman and thank her warmly beforereturning to my confused sister.
"Check this out!" I exclaim,opening the lid to her.
We spend the rest of the eveningdrawing hearts, flowers, and stick animals. I teach Bella how to playhopscotch until our shadows grow long and begin to fade away into thenight.
