26. Chapter 26
Elowen
The roads are empty as I drive home from the adoption fair. We stayed until late, helping Beatrix clean up. The kids didn’t mind, and instead, they turned it into a game. Now, I’ve got that kids’ Barney tune about cleaning up stuck in my head.
In the rearview mirror, I can see both children slumped against their seatbelts, heads tilted at angles that would cripple an adult but somehow look perfectly comfortable on them.
Ah, to be young. The day’s excitement has finally caught up with them, including their father showing up, caring about animal welfare and manual labor.
I still can’t quite process it. Julian Plaza, carrying bags of cat litter without complaint.
Julian Plaza, taking direction from Sarah without pulling rank.
Julian Plaza, asking about coming back to help at the next adoption fair.
Something’s changed in him, but I only wish it had happened sooner.
We pull into our apartment complex, and once parked, I cut the engine.
“Leo,” I whisper, turning to look at my son. “We’re home, buddy.”
He doesn’t stir. Darn. I hoped he would have woken so I wouldn’t have to carry both of them.
Being older, Leo is getting too big to hold.
Feeling guilty for keeping them up past their bedtime, I decide not to wake either child, and instead, will just juggle them.
After all, I’m a single mom. I’m used to juggling.
By the grace of these arms, I manage to carry both children safely inside. Once inside, I set Leo on the couch, then carry Meredith to her room and place her on her bed. Then I return for Leo and place him in his.
“Night, my babies. Love you.”
“Pepper,” Meredith murmurs when I reach her bedroom door to return to the living room. She’s referring to the kitten she’d bonded with at the shelter today. “Can keep her.”
“We’ll talk about it tomorrow,” I whisper.
“Orange one, too,” she insists, despite being ninety percent asleep. “Need both.”
I smile as I shut her door. Even in sleep, she pushes boundaries and asks for more. I’ve grown to cherish this early sign that she won’t be easily limited by others’ expectations.
I press a hand against my sternum, feeling the excitement I’ve been containing all evening.
Beneath the maternal softness required for bedtime routines, there’s a current of energy that has nothing to do with Julian’s surprising appearance at the shelter.
Beatrix answered my dreams tonight. After working so hard on the grant for a new cat sanctuary, she’s allowing me to be the director, under the wing of SKCAS.
Though I should head to sleep, I decide that in order to calm these excited nerves, I’ll spend a few minutes making a “to-do” list for the sanctuary.
I open my notebook from my bag and spread it across the small table.
On the first clean page, I write “Director’s List” in big letters across the top.
Step one: Secure the grant
Step two: Secure the location
I go on and on until I’m sure I have everything down in the correct order.
Feeling calm, I close the list and finally go to bed.