Chapter 16 Elyse
ELYSE
Iwas answering emails at the kitchen table when the doorbell rang. Eden immediately sprang from her spot under my feet, racing to the door with her tail wagging furiously. Holly, who had been arranging a stack of freshly folded towels in the linen closet, poked her head around the corner.
"That must be Allison and Noah," she said, her voice betraying a mix of excitement and nerves.
I closed my laptop and gave her a reassuring smile. "Ready for your first official babysitting gig?"
"I think so," Holly replied, smoothing down her t-shirt. "I made a list of activities like you suggested. And I've got all the emergency numbers in my phone."
The doorbell rang again, followed by a small voice calling, "Miss Eyeese! Eeeeeeeden!" through the door.
"Coming!" I called, hurrying to answer it before Eden's enthusiasm knocked something over.
When I opened the door, Noah immediately dropped to his knees to wrap his arms around Eden's neck. His dark curls bounced as Eden licked his face, making him giggle uncontrollably.
"Careful, Noah," Allison said, adjusting the tote bag on her shoulder. She looked exhausted but managed a warm smile. "Thanks again for doing this, Holly. The preschool closing for teacher training today of all days..."
"It's no problem at all," I assured her. "Holly's been looking forward to it."
Noah finally tore himself away from Eden and looked up at Holly, his big brown eyes assessing her carefully. "You're the girl with the pink and purple hair," he said solemnly.
Holly crouched down to his level. "That's right. I'm Holly. And you're Noah, the boy who knows all the cool facts."
His face lit up. "I know lots of facts! Did you know octopuses have three hearts?"
"I did not know that," Holly replied with perfect seriousness. "That's very interesting. Maybe you can tell me more facts while we play today?"
Noah nodded enthusiastically, then turned to his mom. "Can I go play with Eden and Holly now?"
Allison knelt down and straightened his little dinosaur t-shirt. "Yes, but you need to listen to Holly, okay? And be gentle with Eden."
"I will," he promised, already edging toward the living room where Eden had retreated.
"He's had lunch, but there's a snack in his bag," Allison explained, handing the tote to Holly. "And a change of clothes just in case. He's fully potty trained, but accidents happen, especially when he's distracted or excited. Or in this case, both."
"Got it," Holly said, taking the bag with a confidence that surprised me.
"We'll be fine," I added. "Take your time, Allison. I know this orientation is important for your schooling this semester."
After a few more instructions and a tearful goodbye from Noah (who recovered approximately three seconds after Allison left), Holly led Noah to the living room where she'd already set up an impressive array of activities.
"Would you like to build with blocks first, or should we color?" she asked him.
"Blocks! I'm gonna build a castle for Eden!"
I retreated to the kitchen, ostensibly to give them space, but really so I could watch Holly's natural abilities unfold without making her self-conscious.
From my vantage point, I could see them in the living room spreading blocks across the floor.
Holly was letting Noah take the lead but offering gentle suggestions when his tower threatened to topple.
An hour passed in what seemed like minutes.
I moved around the house, checking in periodically while pretending to do chores, but really I was fascinated by how easily Holly had slipped into her role.
When Noah knocked over his block tower and burst into tears, Holly didn't panic.
She sat beside him, validated his feelings ("It's really disappointing when that happens, isn't it?
"), then suggested they build something together that might be sturdier.
By mid-afternoon, they'd moved on to an elaborate game involving dinosaurs, action figures, and Eden, who patiently allowed herself to be dressed in a cape made from one of Holly's shirts.
During snack time, I snapped a quick photo of Holly carefully cutting Noah's apple into small pieces while he recited what sounded like every dinosaur fact he'd ever learned. I sent it to Sarah with a message:
Holly is a natural with Noah. So patient and nurturing. I'm impressed.
Sarah: Not surprising. Kids who've experienced abandonment often become incredibly nurturing. They give others what they wished someone had given them. Plus, she's had great examples in her grandparents, you, and Drew. She's going to be an amazing caregiver.
I glanced back at Holly, who was now listening intently as Noah explained something about pterodactyls, her chin resting on her hand. There was something in her expression, a gentle attentiveness that reminded me of how my mother used to listen to me as a child that made my throat tighten.
After snack time, Holly suggested they go outside to the backyard.
"We could hunt for bugs," she proposed, and Noah's eyes widened with delight.
"Can we?" he asked, looking to me for permission.
"Of course," I said. "The magnifying glass is in the drawer by the back door."
I watched through the kitchen window as Holly helped Noah put on the sunscreen Allison had packed. She was methodical, making sure his ears and the back of his neck were covered, all while keeping up a conversation about what kinds of bugs they might find.
My phone buzzed with another text from Sarah:
Sarah: How's it going? Has Noah worn her out yet?
Actually, I think she has more energy than he does! They're on a bug hunt now. She made sure he had sunscreen, a hat, AND water. She thought of things I would have forgotten.
Sarah: That doesn't surprise me at all. Holly's had to be very observant and self-sufficient. She probably notices things most teens don't.
I hadn't thought about it that way before, but Sarah was right. Holly had developed a heightened awareness of others' needs—a survival skill that was now translating into genuine caregiving abilities.
Outside, she was helping Noah examine something in the grass, the magnifying glass between them. His excited squeals carried through the window, and I could see Holly's face lit with genuine delight at his discovery.
When Allison arrived to pick Noah up, he was sitting at the kitchen table with Holly, coloring a picture of what appeared to be Eden wearing a dinosaur costume.
"Mama!" he exclaimed when he saw her. "Look what me and Holly made! And we found FIVE bugs! And Holly knows how to make dinosaur-shaped sandwiches!"
Allison raised her eyebrows, impressed. "Sounds like you had fun."
"We did," Holly confirmed, helping Noah gather his artwork. "He taught me all about dinosaurs."
"Only the meat-eating ones," Noah clarified seriously. "I'm saving the plant-eaters for next time."
"Next time?" Allison looked at me, her eyes lit up with hope.
"Holly would be happy to watch him anytime you need," I said, catching Holly's eager nod. "They got along wonderfully."
After Allison and Noah left—with Noah insisting on a high-five, a hug, and a fist bump with Holly—we collapsed onto the couch, Eden immediately jumping up to lie across our laps.
"That was fun," Holly said, sounding surprised at her own admission. "He's a cool kid."
"You were amazing with him," I told her. "You're a natural."
Holly shrugged, but I could see she was pleased. "He's easy to talk to. He doesn't expect anything, you know? He just wants someone to listen to his dinosaur facts and help him build stuff."
"Sometimes that's all any of us want," I said softly.
She nodded, absently stroking Eden's fur.
"When I was little, Mom would sometimes forget to make lunch.
Or she'd be sleeping when I got home from school.
" Her voice was matter-of-fact, without self-pity.
"I used to pretend I had someone who would ask me about my day and cut the crusts off my sandwiches. "
My heart twisted. "Holly—"
"It's okay," she said quickly. "Grandma and Grandpa did all that stuff when I stayed with them. And now you and Uncle Drew do too." She looked up at me, her expression suddenly vulnerable. "I just want Noah to always have someone who listens to his dinosaur facts, you know?"
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, feeling the weight of her trust. "I know exactly what you mean. And I think you're going to make sure lots of kids feel that way."
We sat in comfortable silence for a while, Eden's gentle snores the only sound in the room. I thought about texting Drew to tell him about Holly's successful first babysitting job, but decided to wait until he got home. Some moments were better shared in person.
"Aunt Elyse?" Holly said finally.
"Hmm?"
"Do you think I could maybe babysit for Sarah's kids sometime too? Or maybe even sign up for that babysitting certification course at the community center?"
I smiled, seeing the spark of something new in her eyes—purpose, perhaps, or the discovery of a talent she hadn't known she possessed.
"I think that's a wonderful idea," I told her. "We can look into it this week."
Holly nodded, clearly already making plans in her head. I watched her, this remarkable girl who had taken all the hurt and neglect in her young life and somehow transformed it into a capacity for extraordinary care.
Sarah was right. The nurturing Holly showed wasn't despite her past; it was because of it. She was giving others what she had once desperately needed herself. And in doing so, she was healing parts of herself she probably hadn't even realized were wounded.
As if reading my mind, Holly straightened up slightly. "I was thinking maybe I could start saving up the money from babysitting. For college or something." She hesitated. "I don't know how long I'll be staying here, but..."
"Holly," I said, choosing my words carefully, "no matter what happens with your mom, you always have a place with us. You know that, right?"
She nodded, but I could see the uncertainty in her eyes.
"I mean it," I continued. "Uncle Drew and I have talked about it, and we want you to feel secure here. This isn't temporary unless you want it to be."
Holly's fingers traced patterns in Eden's fur. "What if Mom comes back and wants me to come home?"
The question hung between us, loaded with years of disappointment and false hopes. I took a deep breath.
"If that happens, we'll figure it out together. But honey, your mom needs to be stable and healthy before that's even a possibility." I squeezed her shoulder gently. "And you deserve to make choices about your own life, too."
She nodded slowly. "I've been thinking about the arts program at Clearwater Community College. They have photography classes and a darkroom and everything."
"That sounds perfect for you," I said, remembering the stunning sunset photos she'd taken with her phone last week. "We can look into the program whenever you're ready."
Holly smiled, a real smile that reached her eyes. "Thanks, Aunt Elyse."
The front door opened, and Drew's voice called out, "Hello? Anyone home?"
"We're in here!" I called back.
Drew appeared in the doorway, his face lighting up at the sight of us curled up on the couch. "This looks cozy. Did I miss anything exciting?"
"Holly's first official babysitting job was a rousing success," I told him. "Noah is now her biggest fan."
"He taught me about carnivorous dinosaurs," Holly added. "And we found bugs."
Drew dropped his briefcase next to his carry-on suitcase and came to sit in the armchair across from us. "Sounds like a full day. Any good bugs?"
"A really fat caterpillar and some kind of beetle with pinchers," Holly reported. "Noah named them all after Avengers characters."
Drew laughed. "Smart kid."
"Holly's thinking about taking a photography class at the community college this summer," I said, watching Drew's face carefully.
His eyes met mine, understanding the significance immediately.
"Photography, huh?" Drew leaned forward, looking genuinely interested. "You've got a good eye. I've seen those sunset pictures you took with your phone."
"You think so?" Holly asked, a rare vulnerability in her voice.
"Absolutely. In fact," Drew said, warming to the subject, "I've got an old Nikon DSLR gathering dust in the closet. I used to be into photography before work got so busy. If you're serious about it, it's yours."
Holly's eyes widened. "Really? A real camera?"
"Really," Drew confirmed. "We can dig it out after dinner. I probably still have the manual somewhere."
I watched the exchange with a full heart. This was what Holly needed—not just a place to stay, but a sense of belonging. Of the future. Of permanence.
Drew caught my eye and smiled, clearly thinking the same thing.
"Speaking of dinner," I said, standing up and displacing a disgruntled Eden, "I was thinking we could try that new Thai place that opened downtown."
"Thai food?" Holly wrinkled her nose.
"Trust me," Drew said, "you'll love it. They have these spring rolls that taste like heaven."
"And real vanilla bean ice cream for dessert," I added, knowing her sweet tooth.
Holly pretended to consider this. "Well, I guess I could try it."
As we gathered our things to leave, I watched Holly texting—probably telling her friends about her successful day babysitting.
She seemed lighter somehow, as if a weight had been lifted.
Making plans for the future had done that, I realized.
For perhaps the first time since she'd arrived, she was allowing herself to imagine a life here with us that extended beyond the immediate crisis.
Drew caught me watching her and wrapped an arm around my waist. "You okay?" he murmured.
I nodded, leaning into him. "Just thinking about how much I love having her here."
"Me too," he said softly. "It feels right, doesn't it?"
"It really does." I hesitated. "Do you think we should talk to her about...you know, making it more official? She's brought up school a few times."
Drew glanced at Holly, who was now taking a selfie with Eden. "Let's give her a little more time to settle in. But yeah, I think we should. Soon."
The idea of formally adopting Holly had been growing between us, unspoken but increasingly tangible.
If Rachel truly intended to terminate her parental rights, as my father suggested, the path would be clearer.
But even if she didn't, we were prepared to fight for what Holly needed: stability, security, and the chance to grow up without constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Ready?" Holly called, already at the door with Eden at her heels.
"Ready," Drew and I said in unison, and followed her out into the warm Florida evening, the three of us—feeling and behaving more and more like a real family.