The Trouble with Crushes: A Romance (Bank Street Stories Book 2)
Page 14
Spring, 1975
I got a job teaching kindergarten at a public school in Galveston. I was in the process of wrapping up my second year of that.
In general, I loved my job. My first year had been wonderful. I had a great group of kids. This group wasn't bad, but there were a few with challenging personalities or circumstances.
One little girl named Lucy had lost her parents in a car accident in the fall. She and her little brother had been in custody of the state since then. In this one school year, Lucy had lost her parents and moved twice. She and her little brother were in their second foster situation, and this one was even worse than the first.
I had asked for a hearing with Child Protective Services after I noticed a change in Lucy's countenance. At first, I thought it was just the shock of losing her parents, but then it seemed like it was more about her living situation. I asked her a lot about what was going on in her life, and I got the idea that she and Phillip were in a neglectful situation. She also said the adults talked about splitting up her and her little brother.
I hated having a student going through such a hard time. I hadn't anticipated this part of being a teacher, and it made me rethink my whole profession. I wondered, after this experience, how many times over the years I'd be heart-wrenched and up all night worrying over a student.
I had been the one to call Child Protective Services, and today we would have a hearing to see if she and Phillip could possibly be moved again. It was 4:30pm on a Thursday, and I was getting ready to go to CPS offices.
I liked Lucy's caseworker, I felt like she did have the children's' best interest at heart. I wasn't dreading the meeting, necessarily, but I could think of about ten other things I'd rather be doing with my Thursday afternoon.
That car accident had really changed the trajectory of Lucy's life, and I was a pivotal player in her existence, so I had no choice but to intervene. I had no other choice but to worry. She was such an adorable, sweet girl, and it was difficult to witness the chain of events during the last year.
"Where are you going?" Daniel asked, coming into our house as I was getting ready to leave. I was standing in the kitchen, drinking some water and getting my thoughts together.
"I'm glad you caught me," I said, stretching up to kiss him when he came up behind me to greet me.
"When are you leaving?"
"Two minutes."
He kissed me again.
I wore no lipstick because I knew he would be coming home and I knew this would happen. Daniel loved to kiss me on the lips. It did not seem to get old to him. I found that I quite liked it as well.
"I need to leave, but I waited, knowing you were on your way."
"Thank you," he said. He kissed me again. "I might be at the gym when you get back, depending on what time you finish."
I nodded. "I figured you'd be gone. I might ride by there on my way home."
"Is Lucy getting a new home?"
"Not yet. This meeting is about trying to get her out of that other one. But I got this, I won't cry. I like that lady, Lucinda, the social worker. I feel like she's trying to help them out."
Daniel turned me in his arms, holding me close to him, kissing my neck. I leaned just the right way, letting him gain better access.
"It's good that they have you and her looking out for them," he said, hugging me, snuggling up to me.
I nodded as I reached up and absentmindedly touched the side of his face. "I hope we can get it taken care of before summer rolls around. Because then she's just on break, staying home all day. And who knows who she'll have for a teacher next year. She could move school districts with the new family. I might not even be able to check on her."
I took a deep breath, reminding myself for the thousandth time that I was doing everything I could. I made a conscious effort to set aside my worry and transport myself get back into the moment with my husband. I let my hands roam over his arms and shoulders, flirting with him. He leaned toward me and kissed my cheek.
"Just get them and bring them here if you want to. That way you'll know they're being treated good."
"What do you mean, get them and bring them here?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"You can bring them home if you want," he said. "It's up to you, but I'm okay with it."
"Do you mean for us to foster them?"
He shrugged. "Or just go ahead and raise them. Whatever you think. It's up to you. I just wanted to let you know it's okay with me."
I stared at Daniel. I blinked in disbelief. "Could we even raise a kid?"
He laughed. "I thought you said you wanted us to start trying to have one sometime soon."
"I do, but that's different. With that, you start from a baby and grow into it." I stared into space, thinking about Lucy. "I didn't even think about that," I said. "I didn't think we were old enough to raise a six-year-old."
"Well, maybe we're not, but I bet we'd do better than that place she's at now. But like I said, it's up to you. You know what you can handle, and—"
"Yes." I cut Daniel off in the middle of his sentence. "If you think we can, then, yes, Daniel. I want to."
"Okay, well, tell the lady we're thinking about it. Tell her we need a day or two, but ask her if it's even an option, and, you know, find out where we start with the process if we decide to do it."
"Do you think they would give them to us?" I asked.
Daniel squeezed me, smiling. "I did earn the Congressional Medal of Honor," he said. "I'm pretty sure they'd give me any baby I want."
Daniel was extremely humble about his accomplishments—with everyone except me. And with me, he said things like that because he knew I could tell he was joking and I could take it lightly. I loved it when he showed off for me. I squeezed him back.
"You know it's two, right? There's two of them. They come together."
"Yes, I do know that," he said, giving me an amused grin. "You talked about this family all year. I'm familiar with the fact that there's two kids."
"Do you think we can do it?" I asked.
"Yes," he said. His easy smile was so calm and irresistible.
I thought of the responsibility of caring for those children. In spite of it being a crazy idea, it didn't seem daunting to me. The thought of taking the uncertainty out of their futures made a lump form in my throat. I blinked at my husband, holding back tears.
"I'm not sure yet, but I think you might have just become a dad."
He smiled. "Maybe congratulations are in order, then."
"I think it's congratulations to me."
"For maybe being a mom?"
"No. For having the best husband in the whole world."
"That was so sentimental," he said, teasing me.
"You make me that way," I said with a shrug.
"If I didn't know any better, Abigail, I'd think you had a huge crush on me." He shook his head, pretending to be serious.
I smiled at him and leaned up for a kiss, thinking he had no idea how severe this crush of mine was.
The End
(till book 3)
Other titles available from Brooke St. James:
Another Shot:
(A Modern-Day Ruth and Boaz Story)
When Lightning Strikes
Something of a Storm (All in Good Time #1)
Someone Someday (All in Good Time #2)
Finally My Forever (Meant for Me #1)
Finally My Heart's Desire (Meant for Me #2)
Finally My Happy Ending (Meant for Me #3)
Shot by Cupid's Arrow
Dreams of Us
Meet Me in Myrtle Beach (Hunt Family #1)
Kiss Me in Carolina (Hunt Family #2)
California's Calling (Hunt Family #3)
Back to the Beach (Hunt Family #4)
It's About Time (Hunt Family #5)
Loved Bayou (Martin Family #1)
Dear California (Martin Family #2)
My One Regret (Martin Family #3)
Broken and Beautiful (Martin Family #4)
Back to the Bayou (Martin Family #5)
Almost Christmas
JFK to Dublin (Shower & Shelter Artist Collective #1)
Not Your Average Joe (Shower & Shelter Artist Collective #2)
So Much for Boundaries (Shower & Shelter Artist Collective #3)
Suddenly Starstruck (Shower & Shelter Artist Collective #4)
Love Stung (Shower & Shelter Artist Collective #5)
My American Angel (Shower & Shelter Artist Collective #6)
Summer of '65 (Bishop Family #1)
Jesse's Girl (Bishop Family #2)
Maybe Memphis (Bishop Family #3)
So Happy Together (Bishop Family #4)
My Little Gypsy (Bishop Family #5)
Malibu by Moonlight (Bishop Family #6)
The Harder They Fall (Bishop Family #7)
Come Friday (Bishop Family #8)
Something Lovely (Bishop Family #9)
So This is Love (Miami Stories #1)
All In (Miami Stories #2)
Something Precious (Miami Stories #3)
The Suite Life (The Family Stone #1)
Feels Like Forever (The Family Stone #2)
Treat You Better (The Family Stone #3)
The Sweetheart of Summer Street (The Family Stone #4)
Out of Nowhere (The Family Stone #5)
Delicate Balance (The Blair Brothers #1)
Cherished (The Blair Brothers #2)
The Whole Story (The Blair Brothers #3)
Dream Chaser (Blair Brothers #4)
Kiss & Tell (Novella) (Tanner Family #0)
Mischief & Mayhem (Tanner Family #1)
Reckless & Wild (Tanner Family #2)
Heart & Soul (Tanner Family #3)
Me & Mister Everything (Tanner Family #4)
Through & Through (Tanner Family #5)
Lost & Found (Tanner Family #6)
Sparks & Embers (Tanner Family #7)
Young & Wild (Tanner Family #8)
Easy Does It (Bank Street Stories #1)
The Trouble with Crushes (Bank Street Stories #2)