“Like a log,” Mrs. Gable replied. “Poor thing was exhausted. I’ve never seen a child so happy about a bath. She played with the bubbles for an hour.” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “If you don’t mind me asking, who is she?”
David sighed, pouring himself a coffee. How could he explain what he didn’t fully understand himself? “Someone who needed help, Mrs. Gable. I found her at the restaurant last night. She was alone, abandoned.” “Good heavens,” Mrs. Gable whispered. “What about her parents?”
“Her father left her after her mother died.” Mrs. Gable shook her head in disgust. “How could anyone be so cruel? She’s just a baby!” “I know,” David agreed. “That’s why I brought her here. I couldn’t just leave her.” “You did the right thing,” Mrs. Gable said firmly.
“So, what’s the plan?” That was the question David had been avoiding. What *was* the plan? “For now, making sure she’s safe and fed. After that…” he trailed off. Mrs. Gable looked at him with a knowing smile. “Have you thought about adoption?”
The word hung in the air. “Mrs. Gable, I barely know her,” David protested, though a part of him already knew there was no going back. “Sometimes life puts people in our path for a reason,” she said. “I’ve never seen you bring anyone into this house like this. And then you bring home a stray child.”
David didn’t have an answer. It was true. His home had always been a private sanctuary. A small sound interrupted his thoughts. Maya was standing in the kitchen doorway, rubbing her eyes. Her bare feet were almost invisible on the hardwood floor. “Good morning,” she said softly.
“Morning, Maya,” David said, feeling a surge of happiness at seeing her. “Sleep well?” She nodded. Her eyes wandered around the kitchen. “I’ve never slept in a bed that soft. It was like a cloud!” Mrs. Gable smiled. “I’m making pancakes, honey. Do you like pancakes?”
Maya shrugged. “I’ve never had them.” The simplicity of the answer struck David again. How many normal experiences had she missed? “I think you’re going to love them,” Mrs. Gable promised. “Why don’t you sit with Mr. Miller while I finish up?”
Maya climbed onto the barstool next to David. “Your house is really pretty,” she said, looking around. “Thanks. It’s a bit big for just one person, actually.” “Do you live here all by yourself?” Maya asked. “Don’t you have a family?” The directness of the question stung.
“I have a brother in Seattle, but we don’t talk much. My parents passed away a while ago.” “They went to heaven too?” Maya asked with the simple logic of childhood. “Like my mom.” “Yeah,” David agreed. “A long time ago.”
“Do you miss them?” David thought for a moment. “Every day.” Maya nodded understandingly. “I miss my mom every day too. Sometimes I see her in my dreams.” Before David could respond, his phone rang. It was his executive assistant, Sarah.
“Good morning, David. I’m calling to confirm your 10:00 AM with the investors. Mr. Henderson flew in from New York just for this.” David had completely forgotten. He looked at Maya, who was watching him curiously. “Sarah, I need to reschedule. Something personal came up.”
“David?” The surprise in Sarah’s voice was evident. In five years, he’d never canceled a meeting for personal reasons. “Are you sure? This is a major round of funding.” “I’m sure,” David said firmly. “Move it to Monday and clear my schedule for the rest of the day.”
He hung up to find Mrs. Gable and Maya staring at him. “You don’t have to cancel your work for me,” Maya said, looking worried. “I can stay here and be quiet.” The adult-like concern in her voice broke David’s heart. “It’s not just for you, Maya. Well, it is, but not in a bad way.”
“I think we need to handle some important things today. Like finding you a school.” “School? I can go back to school?” Maya’s eyes lit up. “Of course you can. Every kid should be in school.” Mrs. Gable set a plate of pancakes with syrup in front of Maya.
“Is this all for me?” “All for you,” Mrs. Gable smiled. While Maya ate, David made a few more calls. The first was to his lawyer, Mark. “Mark, I need your help with a delicate situation. I found an abandoned child and brought her home. I need to know the legal steps to get temporary custody.”
There was a long silence on the other end. “David, are you telling me you just picked up a kid off the street and took her home without calling the authorities?” “It’s complicated, Mark. She was starving and alone. I couldn’t just leave her.” “I get that, but there are procedures. She should have been turned over to Child Services.”
“And what would have happened to her?” Mark sighed. “She’d likely go into the foster system while they look for relatives. If they don’t find any, she’d be up for adoption or stay in the system until she’s eighteen.” David looked at Maya, who was enjoying her pancakes, and felt a fierce protectiveness.
Comments are closed.