girl reached for something immediately. It was a pink plastic toy ring. She slipped it on one of her fingers and looked up at Will and smiled. She held out her hand as if it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
After admiring it for some time, she tentatively reached into his hand for one of the pieces of candy, tore off the wrapper and ate it, remaining perfectly content in his lap.
Elyssa observed this all with conflicting messages assaulting her. He could not behave like this! He was not that type of man! She had expected him to come here and be appalled by what he saw and withdraw, wanting nothing to do with these children. She had half expected him to wait out in the reception area of the school. The last thing she anticipated was for him to take to the children as he seemed to have done.
Once every little toy and piece of candy had been claimed and snatched up, the children all returned to the benches to assess and enjoy their bounty. Elyssa’s attention was drawn back to some of the other children coming up to her to show her their treasures. The joy the children had was contagious and she found herself enjoying herself more than she had in a long time. Even though she spoke very little of their language, she easily conveyed to them how special each one was with her engaging smile.
When it was time for the children to return to their classes, even though they had been with the children for barely an hour, Elyssa found herself reluctant to part with them. There were several children who had easily wound their way into her heart and she realized she really didn’t want to leave. As she leaned over to give hugs to the children or clasp their little hands in hers, she looked across the courtyard to see how Will was faring. She saw that the little girl was still happily seated upon his lap, but his attention was not on his new friend. It was riveted back upon her.
As the children proceeded to line up and bid farewell, Will placed the little girl on the ground in front of him. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Elyssa watched as the little girl’s eyes lit up, giving him an enthusiastic nod, and then she ran to find her place with the other children.
Even more difficult than leaving the children was stepping back outside the walls of this haven and realizing these little ones only spent a few mornings of the week here for only a few years of their life. Elyssa, Will, and Manuel all walked out in mutual silence; unable to formulate the words to describe what each was feeling.
Manuel opened both the front and back seat door. Before getting into the front seat, Elyssa stole a look at Will who was looking up and down the street. Could he possibly be wondering how these children lived here and whether they had any sort of hope for the future? Or was he merely concerned that they stood out and might become easy targets for some unsavory character?
Elyssa looked back at La Casita de Esperanza, Little House of Hope . Maybe there was a little bit of hope that existed within these walls for them. She had to trust that there was.
*~*~*
As they drove away, Will said something to Manuel that sounded like a Spanish name. Manuel responded with a, “Yes, Sir.”
Before long, Manuel was pulling to a stop in front of a restaurant, bearing what she assumed was the name Will had spoken.
“What are we doing here?” Elyssa asked.
“Having lunch. It is way past lunchtime and I am hungry!”
“You don’t have to…”
Will put up a hand to stop her. “I know I don’t, but I am. So there will be no discussion about it.”
Elyssa’s eyes darkened as she saw traces
After admiring it for some time, she tentatively reached into his hand for one of the pieces of candy, tore off the wrapper and ate it, remaining perfectly content in his lap.
Elyssa observed this all with conflicting messages assaulting her. He could not behave like this! He was not that type of man! She had expected him to come here and be appalled by what he saw and withdraw, wanting nothing to do with these children. She had half expected him to wait out in the reception area of the school. The last thing she anticipated was for him to take to the children as he seemed to have done.
Once every little toy and piece of candy had been claimed and snatched up, the children all returned to the benches to assess and enjoy their bounty. Elyssa’s attention was drawn back to some of the other children coming up to her to show her their treasures. The joy the children had was contagious and she found herself enjoying herself more than she had in a long time. Even though she spoke very little of their language, she easily conveyed to them how special each one was with her engaging smile.
When it was time for the children to return to their classes, even though they had been with the children for barely an hour, Elyssa found herself reluctant to part with them. There were several children who had easily wound their way into her heart and she realized she really didn’t want to leave. As she leaned over to give hugs to the children or clasp their little hands in hers, she looked across the courtyard to see how Will was faring. She saw that the little girl was still happily seated upon his lap, but his attention was not on his new friend. It was riveted back upon her.
As the children proceeded to line up and bid farewell, Will placed the little girl on the ground in front of him. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Elyssa watched as the little girl’s eyes lit up, giving him an enthusiastic nod, and then she ran to find her place with the other children.
Even more difficult than leaving the children was stepping back outside the walls of this haven and realizing these little ones only spent a few mornings of the week here for only a few years of their life. Elyssa, Will, and Manuel all walked out in mutual silence; unable to formulate the words to describe what each was feeling.
Manuel opened both the front and back seat door. Before getting into the front seat, Elyssa stole a look at Will who was looking up and down the street. Could he possibly be wondering how these children lived here and whether they had any sort of hope for the future? Or was he merely concerned that they stood out and might become easy targets for some unsavory character?
Elyssa looked back at La Casita de Esperanza, Little House of Hope . Maybe there was a little bit of hope that existed within these walls for them. She had to trust that there was.
*~*~*
As they drove away, Will said something to Manuel that sounded like a Spanish name. Manuel responded with a, “Yes, Sir.”
Before long, Manuel was pulling to a stop in front of a restaurant, bearing what she assumed was the name Will had spoken.
“What are we doing here?” Elyssa asked.
“Having lunch. It is way past lunchtime and I am hungry!”
“You don’t have to…”
Will put up a hand to stop her. “I know I don’t, but I am. So there will be no discussion about it.”
Elyssa’s eyes darkened as she saw traces
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