The Complete Legacy Series: Books 1 - 6

by Paula Kay

  “I just think that she would have really liked to be a part of this—to do something pretty great for these kids.”

  Gigi looked at Douglas, who had a very funny expression on his face. “What’s that face for?”

  “Well, I’m just trying to picture Ari here—at the orphanage.” He laughed. “Not really the Arianna that I knew.”

  Gigi laughed too. “You’re right. It would have been way out of her comfort zone for sure.” Gigi was quiet for a few seconds. “But you know what?”

  Douglas nodded for her to continue.

  “I have to wonder…Arianna had changed so much—at the end, I mean. I’ll be the first to admit that she was very much a spoiled little rich girl for most of her life. But I’d like to think that at the end—if she’d had more time, I mean—she would have actually come to a place like this. And I know that she would have cared about these kids, even if she couldn’t have handled sleeping on a mattress in a hut—”

  “—with a mouse in the corner of the room,” Douglas interrupted, winking at her. “I know what you mean and I agree with you. Ari had changed. A lot, actually.” He leaned over to kiss her. “And I do think it’s a great idea—to donate the building in Ari’s honor.”

  The two sat for a few more minutes, each lost in their own thoughts as the roosters crowed and the morning light started to show through the worn curtains of the small windows of the hut.

  Stepping outside a little while later, Gigi was surprised to see how much the weather had changed.

  “Wow, it looks like we might have a storm coming our way.” Douglas said what Gigi had been thinking as he looked up at the dark sky. “I wonder how equipped they are to deal with a lot of rain.”

  “I guess we’ll find out soon enough, by the looks of that sky.”

  The two rushed over to the dining hall to get started with the breakfast preparations.

  “Hi, how did you two sleep your first night?” Tori greeted them with a smile on her face as she stirred something in a big pot on the stove.

  “Great.” Gigi returned the smile.

  “Well, we do seem to have a little critter sharing our space with us.” Douglas winked and then laughed at the look on Tori’s face.

  “Oh no. I can only imagine what that might be.” Tori laughed. “I hope it hasn’t changed your mind about staying.”

  “Not in the least,” Gigi said, crossing over to give Tori a quick hug. “It was just a little mouse, nothing I haven’t seen before.” She looked into the three large pots that Tori had going on the stove. “What are you making there?”

  “Oh, it’s just a type of porridge. It will be good for a morning like today, I think. It got cold during the night, didn’t it?”

  “It did,” Douglas said. “Looks like maybe we have a storm coming our way.”

  “Oh, speaking of—Silvia wanted me to be sure to tell you that she’s sorry for missing you this morning. It looks like I’m going to be starting out with you on your tour today, and hopefully she’ll be able to join us later.”

  “I hope everything’s alright?” Gigi didn’t know why exactly, but she felt a touch of worry.

  “Oh, yes. Everything’s fine. Silvia is worried about the kid’s dorm. The roof needs to be patched and with the storm coming—”

  “I assume that what you mean by that is that she has someone on the roof fixing it for her?” Douglas said, and the look of concern on his face did not go unnoticed by Gigi.

  Tori looked like she wasn’t sure quite how to respond to Douglas’s question.

  “I know, I know, Douglas. It’s not ideal, but Silvia’s not one to wait around when something needs to be done.”

  “This is not going to be okay with me. Either I’m going to get up there or we’ll get someone else to do it. I’m not going to have Silvia up there where it’s not safe. That’s the last thing the kids need, right? Silvia with a broken leg?”

  Tori was nodding her head, and Gigi was quick to interject.

  “Honey, I don’t want you getting up there either. I’m sure we can get someone in to help.”

  Tori was laughing a bit and Gigi guessed she was trying to lighten the mood. “Listen, you two, we don’t need to worry about this right this minute. Silvia’s off to get some supplies. Yes, it is an issue of timing because of the storm coming. That’s all. But if we have to, we can manage with the kids in the other buildings tonight, so let’s not worry about it until we talk to Silvia later, deal?”

  “Deal.” Douglas winked. “Sorry to give you a hard time about it. I know you’re only the messenger, so to speak.”

  “Well, it’s just that I know Silvia well—how she operates around here. If there’s something to be done and she can do it herself, it’s hard to stop her—safe or not.”

  “I get that from the little bit of time I’ve spent with her too,” Gigi said. “And I understand Douglas’s concern.” Gigi walked over to put her arm around her husband. She loved that he was always so concerned about others. She’d never fault him for trying to assert himself when she knew that it had do with the well-being of another person. She suspected that he and Silvia might end up butting heads a bit over such things before they left, but maybe Silvia would surprise them all if she were given some other options—options that Gigi and Douglas wanted to let her know about sooner rather than later.

  The morning chatter of the children filing into the dining area interrupted any serious talk among the three for the time being. Gigi and Douglas helped to get all of the children served and then found their place among a group of kids that they’d not yet gotten a chance to speak with.

  Gigi was quite surprised that most of the kids seemed to have a pretty good grasp of English. When Douglas asked one of the older boys about their studies, he told the couple all about Ms. Pamela, their teacher, who was also from America. All of the children nodded their heads, loudly proclaiming how much they liked school and Ms. Pamela.

  Douglas winked at Gigi while the kids chattered around them, and she knew that he was probably having a thought similar to her own. Silvia was doing a lot of things right around here. And the team that she had helping her might be small, but they seemed to be highly effective in the way that they were running things and in the positive impact that they were having on these children.

  “Ms. Gigi.”

  Gigi heard a quiet voice behind her at the same time that she felt a little hand on her back. She turned around, knowing before doing so that the sweet voice belonged to Jimena.

  “Good morning, lovely girl.” Gigi turned her body around on the bench where she sat so that she could reach out to give the little girl a hug, but Jimena beat her to it, wrapping her arms tightly around Gigi’s neck the moment she turned around at the table.

  Gigi laughed and gave the little girl a quick kiss on the cheek. “Did you want to sit here and eat your breakfast with us?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Gigi lifted her onto the bench to sit beside her, winking at Douglas, who seemed to be enjoying the interaction across the table from where he sat.

  Before long the other volunteers had whisked the children off to brush their teeth and get ready for a day of school. Gigi and Douglas were helping with the clean-up, and then Tori was going to give them the tour that they had been anticipating since their arrival. Gigi felt that she had a very good idea of the orphanage, but they still hadn’t seen the school and a few of the other main areas in action.

  Chapter 24

  Gigi and Douglas were following Tori as they made their way to the big garden beyond the dining hall.

  “So, they’ve had this garden for about ten years now. Some volunteers put it in as a big project and it, along with the cows and chickens we have now, has helped immensely in terms of the food budget for the orphanage.”

  Gigi was nodding her head as she looked around at the well-kept space of land. There was a large-sized field of corn growing just beyond that, and she could see where the cows and chickens were kept.

>   “Some of the older kids help out with the gardening, and we do have one local person that is our main source of help when it comes to the garden and the animals.”

  “I think it’s really great that the kids play such an active role in everything around here,” Douglas said.

  “Yes, the kids know that we’re just one big family, and in families, everyone pitches in to help,” Tori said, flashing a wide grin. “Let’s head over to the kids’ dorm now, and maybe Silvia will be about ready to join us.” Tori’s eyes went to the sky. “I’m not sure how much more time we have before the rain comes.”

  Douglas took Gigi’s hand as they followed Tori towards the kids’ dorm. She could feel his grip tightening on her hand as they got closer and she could make out that Silvia was on the roof of the building.

  “Oh, God,” Douglas said under his breath.

  “Honey, just remember that Silvia isn’t used to having a lot of options around here. At least I don’t think so, is that right, Tori?”

  “Yes, exactly. I have to really admire her. And I always will. I’ve never seen a more hardworking woman.”

  “Well, she might be all those things, but I’m not ever going to be comfortable with her up on an unstable roof like that.”

  Gigi looked at Tori and shrugged her shoulders as Douglas walked ahead of them over to the building, below where Silvia was pounding nails into the roof.

  As they got closer, they could hear what Silvia was saying to Douglas as she got ready to climb down the ladder.

  “Oh, I’m fine. And I’m finished now. Well, not finished, but it will hold for now. I hope.” She laughed lightly as she made her way down the ladder.

  “Yeah, and if you should fall? Honestly, it’s not worth it,” Douglas said.

  Gigi saw a look on Silvia’s face that she’d not seen before. “Oh, it’s worth it. The kids are always worth it to me.” She took a deep breath as if trying to pull pack on the anger that seemed about to erupt.

  Oh, she’s a mama bear, Gigi thought to herself. Ready to defend her cubs always. She couldn’t help but smile as she watched the exchange between Silvia and her husband. She loved the woman’s passion for the kids most of all.

  “I’m sorry, Silvia. I just meant that—if something happened to you—well, the kid’s would be worse off, that’s all.”

  Silvia leaned over to give Douglas a quick peck on the cheek. “It’s okay. I know what you meant. I don’t worry about such things, Douglas. God is looking out for me and if something were to happen, well—I trust that it’s all in His time.” She grinned. “That’s all. In the meantime, I’m what the kids have, so if a roof needs to be patched to keep them dry, so be it.” She laughed. “Anyways, I’m done now. It’s not perfect but I think it will hold for tonight.”

  They all walked around the building to enter the dorm, and Gigi could hear Douglas up ahead with Silvia telling her about their desire to have a new dorm built right away. She smiled when Silvia stopped to give first Douglas, and then Gigi, a big hug.

  “Thank you both. That’s a wonderful gesture, and one that the kids and I appreciate very much.”

  Douglas caught Gigi’s eye and she nodded for him to continue. “Silvia, we’d like to do much more. After the tour, if you have some time, Gigi and I would like to sit down with you to go over some things.”

  “And we’d like to tell you about a friend of ours,” Gigi said as she reached over to give Silvia a hug. She wanted Silvia to know the full story about the large donation that they were going to make. She wanted a chance to tell her about Arianna.

  Chapter 25

  Gigi sat with Carlos by her side, the music loud and the children’s laughter even louder. Her gaze went to Douglas, out on the makeshift dance floor with Jimena in his arms, her head thrown back as she laughed and sang to a tune that the kids seemed to know by heart. The children had wanted to throw them a party on their last night, and she couldn’t have thought up a better way to end the time that they’d had at Casa de los Niños.

  Her eyes filled with tears as she thought about the week that they’d had and leaving the kids that she’d grown to love. It had all gone so fast. They’d worked hard alongside Silvia and the volunteers, but they’d also played a lot more than probably any other time in their adult lives. She smiled as she remembered the conversation that she’d had with Douglas that morning when they talked about leaving. She believed it had been one of the best times of her life and not something that she’d forget any time soon. Douglas had commented that she’d never looked happier and he couldn’t believe the difference that the kids had made in her life. He’d even promised her that they’d try to get back one more time, after they finished at Place of Hope.

  She watched him now, Jimena still in his arms and Carlos now by his side as they walked towards the refreshment table for some food. It had been rare during the whole week to see Douglas without Carlos nearby. The little boy had taken such a liking to Douglas, and she’d not ever seen him grow so close to a child so fast. Even though he hadn’t expressed it as fully as Gigi had, she knew that he had to be feeling some sadness about leaving the little boy—about leaving all of them.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by the plate of snacks that Carlos thrust into her hands, while at the same time Jimena did her best to find space on Gigi’s lap without sitting on top of the food.

  “Hold on there, kids.” Gigi laughed, placing the plate of food by her side so that the child could sit on her lap. “You sure look like you’re having fun out there on the dance floor.”

  “It’s so fun. I love the music, don’t you, Ms. Gi?” Carlos said, his grin wide.

  Gigi nodded her head as Jimena quickly interjected.

  “Mr. Doug is a very good dancer.” Her eyes shone, and Gigi watched her husband look over at the small girl.

  “As are you, my dear,” he said, causing her grin to grow even wider.

  “I don’t want you to leave,” Carlos said suddenly. And when Gigi turned towards him she could see the tears streaming down his face as he looked at Douglas.

  Douglas looked like he was holding back some sudden emotion himself as he scooped the boy into his lap, something the child hadn’t always been agreeable to, but he didn’t resist it now.

  “I know. Gigi and I are sad that we’re leaving too, but you know what?”

  “What?”

  “We’re going to come back again in a few weeks—to see you before we go home to the U.S.”

  “You are?” Jimena’s eyes were wide. “I don’t want you to leave either.” She leaned her head down against Gigi’s chest, and as Gigi looked at Douglas over the child’s head, she felt her heart breaking.

  “Mr. Doug?” Carlos’s tears had stopped and the look on his face seemed very serious as he looked up at Douglas.

  “Yes?”

  “Can I call you Papa Doug?”

  Gigi couldn’t stop the tears, and just as quickly, Douglas was swiping at his eyes with his hand, pulling the little boy in for a hug. “Yes, Carlos. You sure can, buddy.”

  It was Douglas’s turn to glance over at Gigi, and the look on his face with the tears coming now said it all.

  Casa de los Niños had changed them both forever.

  Chapter 26

  The journey back to Antigua had been a quiet one. Gigi had suddenly felt very tired once she was in the car and her emotions were all over the place. Their goodbyes on the dock that morning had been hard—much harder than even she would have imagined a week ago. Her thoughts turned towards the conversation that she’d had with Silvia over breakfast.

  “I have a strong feeling that you two will be back soon,” Silvia had said, giving Gigi a big hug.

  Gigi had laughed, telling her about their plan to return in a few weeks before they headed back home. And just as quickly the mood between the two women had gotten serious as Gigi told how much the time had meant to her and Douglas, and just how much they thought of her. Silvia’s love and passion for the children and her life’s w
ork was special—anyone who spent any amount of time with her could see that—and Gigi deeply admired her for it.

  “Penny for your thoughts.” Douglas leaned over to kiss her on the cheek, startling her back to the conversation that he’d been trying to have with her for the past few minutes.

  “Oh, sorry, honey.” Gigi smiled as she continued to unpack her clothes from the suitcase.

  They’d been back at Place of Hope for a few hours and she needed to get her mind prepared for the week ahead.

  “No worries, love. I was just wondering if you wanted to go with the volunteers to dinner. I met the new couple earlier and they mentioned that a group of them were going out to try a new restaurant later.”

  “You know, I’m not really that hungry. I think I’ll just make a sandwich or something here. But you should go ahead if you want to.” She flashed him a smile. She was trying to lighten her mood. She knew that no matter how upset she was feeling about leaving the jungle, she had to try to make the best of it while they were here.

  “I’m not hungry either,” Douglas said, coming over to put his arm around her waist. “I do think it might be interesting to catch up with the volunteers this week. I really can’t believe that Sarah has left.”

  “I know. That surprised me as well. When I asked Loretta about it earlier, she said that Sarah had decided to move on with her travels. She didn’t seem particularly bothered about it, so they must be feeling pretty organized with everything.”

  “We’ll find out tomorrow, I guess.” Douglas winked.

  They’d promised Loretta that they would be around all week to help with whatever needed to be done. Gigi guessed there would be more stuffing envelopes, but maybe if she was lucky she could convince Loretta to let her spend some time with the older kids after their studies were done for the day. Without meaning to, she heard the sigh escape her lips.