Part 9:
That was once, and it actually was an emergency. Sure, Mara. I’m just saying, don’t promise if you can’t follow through. She left before Mason could respond. Elena watched the frustration cross his face. She doesn’t mean it, she said quietly. Yes, she does. Okay, she does. But only because she’s scared you’ll disappoint her. I disappointed her once.
Once is all it takes when you’ve already been abandoned. Elena rinsed her bowl. Her mom died. Her biological parents gave her up. Every adult in her life has left somehow. So when you miss something, even with a good reason, she hears, “You’re not important enough.” Mason was quiet for a long moment. How do I fix that? Show up tonight and keep showing up consistently until she believes you’re not going anywhere.
That simple? that hard. The morning passed in controlled chaos. Elena drove Sophie to school for her field trip to the aquarium, stayed to help chaperon because the teacher was short volunteers, and spent 3 hours explaining starfish to overexited six-year-olds. Sophie held her hand the entire time. “This is the best day ever,” Sophie announced, pressing her face against the glass to watch jellyfish drift by.
“Better than your birthday?” “Way better. Birthdays you expect to be good. This is surprise good. Elena smiled. Surprise good is the best kind. Yeah. Sophie looked up at her. Like when you came to live with us. That was surprise good. Elena’s throat tightened. You think so? Duh. Before you came, Daddy was always tired and Mara was always mad and Ethan was always quiet.
Now everyone’s better. I don’t think I did that. You did. Sophie said it with complete certainty. You make everything less scary. One of the other mothers approached before Elena could respond. Your daughter is adorable, the woman said. Elena froze. Oh, I’m not. She looks just like you. Same eyes. Actually, but the woman had already moved on, chasing after her own kid.
Sophie was staring up at Elena with wide eyes. She thought you were my mom. Yeah, sorry. I should have corrected her. I don’t mind. Sophie’s voice was small. “Do you?” Elena crouched down to Sophie’s level. “No, sweetheart. I don’t mind at all.” Sophie threw her arms around Elena’s neck. “Good, because I kind of think of you like that anyway.
Is that okay?” Elena hugged her back, blinking away tears. “That’s more than okay.” She texted Mason on the drive back. “Sophie just called me her mom in front of other parents. Thought you should know.” His response came immediately. How do you feel about that? Elena stared at the question, terrified and happy. Mostly terrified.
Welcome to parenting. That afternoon, Mason called from the science fair. Ethan won second place, he said. Elena could hear the pride in his voice. That’s amazing. He’s convinced he should have won first. Of course, he is. I’m trying to explain that second place out of 40 projects is incredible. He’s not buying it.
He says the first place project was just a bigger volcano. Elena laughed. He’s not wrong. No, but he’s also missing the point. Mason sighed. Can you talk to him when we get home? He actually listens to you. He listens to you, too, Elena. Fine, I’ll talk to him. When they got home, Elena found Ethan in his room glaring at his second place ribbon.
Hey, I don’t want to talk about it. Okay. Elena sat on his floor. Want to talk about something else? Like what? I don’t know. School friends. That book you’ve been reading? Ethan was quiet for a minute. Then why do you stay here? The question caught Elena off guard. What do you mean? I mean, you could leave, get your own place. You have a job now, sort of.
So, why do you stay? Elena chose her words carefully. Because I like being here. That’s it. Is there supposed to be more? Ethan picked at his bedspread. Most people leave eventually. Fosters, parents, social workers, teachers, they all say they care, but then they move on. I’m not going anywhere, Ethan. You don’t know that. You’re right.
I don’t know what the future holds. But I know I’m not planning to leave. Plans change sometimes, but not this one. Ethan finally looked at her. Promise? Elena held out her pinky. Promise. He hooked his pinky with hers. Okay, he said quietly. I believe you. Good. Now, about that ribbon. I don’t want to talk about it, Ethan.
Second place is I know what it is. It’s not first. It’s better than third. That’s what dad said because it’s true. Ethan flopped back on his bed. I just wanted to win something for once. You win things all the time. Like what? Like being a good brother? Being kind. Being brave enough to keep trying even when things are hard.
Those aren’t real wins. They’re the realest ones there are. Ethan was quiet. Then you’re weird. Thank you. That wasn’t a compliment. I’m choosing to take it as one. He almost smiled. That evening, they all piled into the SUV for Mara’s art show. The high school gallery was packed with parents, students, and teachers. Mara’s work hung in the back corner, a series of charcoal drawings that made Elena’s breath catch.
They were portraits of Caroline. Different ages, different expressions, all from memory. I didn’t know she was working on these, Mason said quietly. She’s been drawing in her room for months, Ethan said. She wouldn’t let anyone see. They approached slowly. Mara stood beside her work, arms crossed, defensive. “Hey,” Mason said. “Hey, these are beautiful.
