“I’m trying,” Jen said, giving Sasha’s arm a squeeze, “but it’s tough.”
“Aw, c’mon, babe, I’m a perfect angel and you know it,” Sasha protested, and Jen ruffled her hair. They were so cute it was sickening.
“You didn’t tell me you’d found a woman who would actually go out with you,” Val teased.
“Shut up. Kind of happened fast, right, babe?” Sasha said, wrapping her arm around Jen’s shoulders.
“Yeah. Once she met me, no other woman stood a chance,” Jen joked and gave Sasha a peck on the lips. The peck quickly turned into a full-blown kiss, tongues included.
“Um, still standing here,” Val said, and the two women broke apart, giggling with embarrassment.
“Sorry,” Sasha said. “See what she does to me?”
“I’m going to find the restroom. Get me a rum and Coke?” Jen caressed Sasha’s arm and walked away.
“Girl, you’re so done,” Val said with a grin.
“Holy fuck, Val. This woman’s got me twisted. I wanna marry her and have her babies.”
Val laughed out loud. “I have never seen you so caught up. Is she for real?”
“Yeah, she’s amazing. I met her when we were deployed. I got it bad, Val. Never thought I’d say this, but she could change my ways.”
“What, no more bar hopping with me so you can flirt with all the ladies? What am I going to do?” Val put her hand on her chest in mock distress.
“Maybe you should find yourself a good woman. You can’t be alone forever.”
“You, too?” Val rolled her eyes.
“What?”
“You’re the second person today who’s told me I need to date.”
“Well, maybe it’s a sign. It’s been a long time since you’ve been with anyone. What about Dutch? She seems interested.” Val turned and saw that Dutch had taken a seat farther down the bar and was still staring at her. So creepy.
“Oh, please. She’s looking at me like she’s starving and I’m prime rib. No, thank you.”
Sasha laughed and took a swig of her beer. “Yeah, Dutch is intense, but she’s a good person, though I admit, probably not your type.” She laid a hand on Val’s shoulder. “Seriously, though, I worry about you sometimes.”
Val could feel her anxiety growing. “Sash, you know better than anyone why I don’t go there.” She’d had a handful of hookups over the years, but she never let anyone too close. Go to their place, leave before morning, and no exchange of personal details. That was how it had to be.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. People suck, they always end up hurting you, and they always leave. I felt that way, too, Val, but what happens when you meet someone who doesn’t suck? Someone who actually wants you for you? I thought I was happy playing the game, but meeting Jen made me realize that I’ve just been empty, trying to fill myself up the wrong way. Now I actually feel like I can let some of that past stuff go, you know?”
Val nodded but couldn’t really relate. She only trusted two people in this world, Sasha and Connie, and she didn’t see how that was ever going to change. “I’m really happy for you, chica, and I hear you. I just might take a little longer to get there.” Maybe her future lunch date with Paige would be a step in the right direction, but she just wasn’t ready to share that with Sasha. That way, when she crashed and burned, no one would be the wiser.
“Well, I won’t give up on you, woman. Somebody besides me ought to know how amazing you are. Now c’mon, let’s go shoot some pool and show those amateurs over there how it’s done,” Sasha said.
Val gave Sasha a huge hug. “You’re on.”
Chapter Nine
Val was on the couch sipping her second cup of coffee when Sasha stumbled out of the guest room. She blinked in the morning sunlight shining through the sliding glass door and groaned.
“You look a little rough,” Val said, chuckling.
“You should not have let me do shots with that crazy chick,” Sasha accused, rubbing her head.
“Hey, you agreed to the terms. You didn’t think she could beat you at eight ball. Serves you right for being cocky.”
“Whatever.” Sasha flopped down on the couch and flung her arm over her eyes. Val went to the kitchen and brought back a steaming cup of coffee, black.
“Here you go, soldier. Better start the recovery process, or it’ll be a long drive back to Fort Drum. Jen still asleep?”
“Yeah. That woman sleeps like the dead. I’ll wake her up in a bit.” Sasha sipped the coffee and closed her eyes. “Oh, that’s good. Thanks.”
Val regarded her friend thoughtfully. “You really like her, don’t you?”
Sasha opened one eye and smiled. “I really do. She’s sweet, smart, tough when she needs to be, and a freaking goddess in bed.” She waggled her eyebrows and grinned. “But you know what makes her so special? We can talk for hours about anything. I told her all about my past, and she gets me. She’s the only person other than you that I’ll go there with, you know?”
Val didn’t know, but she was truly happy for her friend. Again she thought of Paige and how easy she was to talk to. She was amazed and, if she was honest, a little upset at herself for sharing as much as she had. She barely knew Paige. Mentally shaking herself, Val tried to bring her focus back to Sasha. “I think you guys are great together. Bring her around more often so I can tell her all your embarrassing little stories.”
“What stories?” Jen walked into the room, adorable in an oversized T-shirt and socks, and Sasha’s face lit up. She patted her lap and Jen sat, snuggling into her lover’s arms. They gazed at each other with so much emotion, it was almost hard for Val to watch.
“Listen, I’m going to go catch up on my email. Jen, there’s more coffee and muffins in the kitchen, and I left you shower towels in the bathroom. What time do you have to be back, Sash?”
“I go on duty at fourteen hundred. I hate weekend shifts,” Sasha whined.
“Suck it up, Sergeant,” Jen commanded. “Leaders lead whenever there’s a need.”
“Yeah, well, all I wanna do is lead you back to bed and—”
Val stuck her fingers in her ears. “Lalalalalalalala.”
The others laughed, and Jen stood. “Go get in the shower while I get my caffeine fix,” she said, pulling Sasha up from the couch.
Sasha saluted, kissed Jen on the forehead, and headed off to the bathroom.
Jen rolled her eyes. “She’s crazy.”
Val smiled. “Crazy about you, I’m thinking.” Jen seemed great, and Sasha was clearly over the moon. Val felt a little pinprick of fear that she could lose Sasha to this new relationship, then an equally sharp feeling of guilt. She would never begrudge Sasha her chance at love and happiness. Still, the sense that things were about to change was strong.
Jen blushed. “It’s mutual. Sorry we didn’t get to chat much last night, though. Sasha talks about you all the time.”
“She does, huh?” Val said. “All good, I hope.”
“Definitely. You’re her family, she says. I couldn’t wait to meet you.”
“I’m happy to meet you, too. Anybody who makes Sasha this happy is cool with me. What happened to your other friends last night? I didn’t see them leave.”
“Dutch had to work this morning, so they drove separately and headed back. Next time we come down, let’s do dinner.”
“Good idea,” Val agreed. They chatted for a few minutes, then her phone rang, so she excused herself to take the call.
“Hello?”
“Val, it’s Connie. Are you home?”
“Yeah…what’s up?”
“Two little ones were just removed from their mother and we need to place them. Can you take them today?”
“Whoa, really? Um, yeah, but what do I need to do?” Val’s heart started racing. Things just got real.
“First, relax, then just be ready to focus on them. They’re scared and the removal wasn’t pretty, according to the CPS worker. She’ll fill you in when they get there.”
<
br /> “When are they coming?” Val was pacing now, her mind a whirlwind. Two little kids, coming to my house, relying on me for their every need. Oh my God. What if I fuck this up?
“In about an hour,” Connie said.
“Holy shit, Connie.” She was close to hyperventilating.
“You’ve got this, kid. I have to go, so we’ll talk later on, okay?”
“Okay…bye.” Val dropped the phone from her ear and just stood there for several moments. Her heart was trying to pound its way out of her chest, and her hands were shaking.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Sasha, freshly showered and dressed, looked at Val with concern. “You look like you’re in shock.”
“I think I am. That was Connie. I’m about to get my first foster kids.”
“No way. Damn…you okay?”
“This is what I went to the training for, so yeah, I’m okay. Scared out of my mind, but okay.” Val took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Get it together—the kids are gonna need you to help them. She shook herself and started picking up the kitchen.
“Can we help?” Sasha asked. “We can stick around for a little while longer.”
“Nah, it’s probably best if it’s just me here when they come. Don’t want to freak them out with too many strangers.”
“Makes sense. When are they supposed to get here?”
“In an hour.” Val took another deep breath and let it out with an audible whoosh.
“What’s in an hour?” Jen said, entering the room with their overnight bag in hand.
“The arrival of Val’s new foster kids,” Sasha replied, with a slightly awed tone to her voice.
“Oh, Val, that’s fantastic!” Jen dropped the bag and enveloped Val in a warm hug. Stepping back, she took Val’s shoulders in her hands. “You’re doing an amazing thing, you know.”
“Thanks, Jen. I hope so. Right now I’m not sure if I want to jump up and down or puke.”
“Well, if they’re coming in an hour, you don’t have time for either. Get a snack ready for them and find some kids’ shows on TV. They’ll need to decompress when they get here,” Jen said.
“How do you know so much about foster kids?” Val asked.
“Not foster kids per se, but scared kids in general. My mom ran a daycare out of our house for years. A snack and the TV almost always helped the ones who were having separation anxiety when their moms dropped them off.”
“Got it. Oh my God. I need to shower, and get the guest room ready, and…” Val spun around in circles, unsure where to start.
Sasha put her hand on Val’s arm. “Breathe, woman. We already stripped and remade the bed in the guest room. And the kids, all they’re really going to need is to feel welcomed and safe. You remember, don’t you?”
Tears of gratitude came to Val’s eyes, and she wiped them away with a smile. “Yeah, I remember. Thanks, you guys.”
“Call later and fill us in, okay?” Sasha said, retrieving the dropped bag. With her other arm, she pulled Val into a hug. “Love you, chica. You’re gonna be great.”
Val hugged her back, then squared her shoulders with determination. Sasha’s confidence in her, as well as Connie’s, helped immensely. “Wish me luck.”
“Already done,” Sasha replied, and then they were gone.
Val checked the time—in forty-five minutes, she was going to be a foster parent.
“Abuelita, pray for me,” she whispered, then she sprinted to the shower.
* * *
Paige rang the doorbell as Shelly, the CPS worker, murmured reassurances to the children behind her. The door opened quickly, and Val stood there, wide-eyed and looking nervous. It was so good to see her again. Paige wished she was here on a social call, but she had a job to do. Val smiled, then glanced down at the children. Her jaw dropped for a moment, but she recovered herself quickly.
“Come on in.”
Paige entered, followed by Shelly and the kids. She turned around when she heard the little girl gasp.
Val was down on her knees. “Hey, Lily, Ian,” she said gently. Lily let go of Ian’s hand and fell into Val’s arms, sobbing. Ian stared for a moment, tightly clutching the hem of his grubby T-shirt, then promptly sat down on the floor at Val’s side.
Paige exchanged glances with Shelly, who shrugged. “Val, you know these children?”
Val looked at her over the girl’s head, eyes moist. “Yep. Lily and Ian are my story hour buddies at the library, huh, guys? I’ve been missing them lately.” To the children, she said, “I’m really glad to see you. Welcome to my home.”
Lily sniffled and reached out again for her brother’s hand. “Look, Ian, it’s Miss Valerie. We’re okay now.”
Paige fought valiantly to hold it together, but her eyes teared up as she watched the poignant scene before her. This had never happened before in her experience. She looked again to Shelly, who just wiped her own eyes and smiled.
Val stood then. “Come on, guys. I’ve got a little snack for you over there on the coffee table, and I found a good movie on Netflix. Would you like to watch it?”
Both children nodded, and Val led them into the living room. On the table, two small plates held grapes and Goldfish crackers. The children quickly moved toward the food, then stopped and looked at Val.
“It’s okay. Eat,” Val said, as she started the movie. The children dug in like they hadn’t eaten in days. “Slow down, now. Don’t want you to choke.”
Paige beckoned Val over toward the kitchen. “Val, this is Shelly, from CPS.” The two women shook hands. “It’s unbelievable that you already know the kids. That makes things so much easier.”
“I can’t believe it, either. At work, we were just talking about how we hadn’t seen them in a while, and I was worried. What happened?”
“Their mother was high on heroin, drove across somebody’s lawn, and crashed into their front porch. The kids were in the car,” Shelly said.
“Oh God,” Val said, glancing at the children. “They weren’t hurt?”
“No, thankfully. They were buckled in their booster seats, and the car wasn’t going that fast. The mother was passed out cold, though.”
“I’ve seen her. She hangs out at the back of the library parking lot sometimes. She would always wait outside when the kids were at story hour with me,” Val said.
“Yeah, we’ve heard that’s a known spot for dealers,” Shelly said.
“What happened to her?” Val asked.
“They had to give her Narcan, so they took her to the emergency room.”
“Jesus,” Val said softly.
She walked over to the children. Speaking gently to them, she asked if they wanted a drink and if they liked the movie. As she went to get them some cups of water, Paige couldn’t help but watch. She was touched by Val’s kind attentiveness to the children, but she’d be lying if she said there wasn’t more to her feelings. Val looked incredible, in worn soft-looking jeans, a light green T-shirt with a picture of a tree frog on the front, and dark brown moccasins on her feet. Her wavy black hair was pulled back into a loose braid. She looked comfortable, warm, and approachable, and Paige was drawn in. Remembering Shelly, Paige pulled her gaze away from Val and cleared her throat.
Val returned to the kitchen. “So now what happens?”
“We’ll need you to come down to the county office building tomorrow morning to go over some things. Shelly was unable to get anything from the home, so you’ll need to get them some clothes and essentials right away. We’ll issue your first clothing allowance check tomorrow, and we have some things that you can borrow, like booster seats for your car.”
“Those are out in my back seat,” Shelly said. “I’ll go grab them for you.”
“Thanks,” Val called after Shelly’s retreating figure. When she heard the front door close, she turned to Paige. “Definitely didn’t expect our next meeting to be under these circumstances. This is kind of surreal,” she said, glancing over at the children. Ian was snuggled up close to Lily, a
nd they both looked exhausted, even though it wasn’t yet noon.
“I know,” Paige replied. “I was actually planning on texting you tomorrow about lunch. Now we’ve got more important things to deal with.” She gave Val a sympathetic smile. “Just focus on them, and you’ll be surprised how quickly you fall into a rhythm. They already know you, so that’s a huge bonus.”
“I hope so. You’re their case worker, then?”
“Yes. That means you can call if you need anything, and I’ll come do home visits every month,” Paige said. So much for their lunch date. Damn.
“Every month? How long do you think they’ll be with me?” Val began twisting the hem of her T-shirt, and Paige put a comforting hand on her arm. Val’s skin tingled at the touch.
“It’s hard to say. I’ll have to pursue relatives and try to find their birth father to see if anyone is willing to take them. Once their mom goes to court, we’ll have a better idea of what we’re looking at. In the meantime, yours is the best place for them to be. It’s going to be fine—you’ll see.” Paige gave Val’s arm a squeeze. “And I’ll check in to make sure you’re doing okay.” Paige caught Val’s eye, her smile filled with caring and warmth, and she slowly removed her hand. Val immediately missed the touch that had calmed her so quickly. What was it about this woman that affected her so much? She was like the antidote to her mental hamster wheel of worry. But it was more than that. Paige was becoming important to her.
Glancing again at her little story hour buddies turned foster children, Val saw that they had fallen asleep. A wave of protectiveness washed over her, so strong it nearly made her gasp. “Yes,” she whispered. “Everything’s going to be fine.”
Chapter Ten
Val checked the time, feeling more and more anxious as eight o’clock approached. The first night in a new place was always hard, and she remembered how terrified she had been when she was first placed in a foster home.
She had taken the kids to McDonald’s for dinner, then to Walmart to get them some pajamas, toothbrushes, an outfit for the next day, and at Lily’s suggestion, Pull-Ups for Ian. She tried to make shopping fun for them, like they were all on an adventure together. Once they had taken a bath and put on their pajamas, Val downloaded a couple of her favorite children’s books to her tablet, then sat between the kids on the couch and read to them. Ian had yet to speak, but he followed Val’s every move with his big dark eyes. Lily, ever his protector, had barely left his side all day.
Taking Chances Page 5