Page 58 of As Long As You'll Have Me
Looking down, I kick a foot out and look. The socks I’d picked out are a warm camel color to match my pants but have frills on the top of them like the socks you see little girls wearing. I have them scrunched down around my ankles, poking out above my loafers.
“Thank you for noticing them. They’re my favorite pair.” When I look back at him, his smile has grown. He shakes his head at me like he can’t believe this is what I’m wearing but doesn’t question it.
“You ready to go?”
“Yep, let me finish grabbing my stuff,” I respond, flicking my thumb over my shoulder. I take a few steps inside and he follows me in. “So, where are we going after lunch?”
“It’s a surprise,” he says slowly, glancing into my bedroom as he passes it. “Did a bomb go off in your closet?”
I feel my cheeks start to warm and awkwardly laugh. “Uhh, let’s go with yes. I couldn’t figure out what to wear since I don’t know where we’re going. Putting together the perfect outfit becomes infinitely more challenging for a girl when they aren’t sure where they’re being taken, you know?”
“Doc, I’ve seen you curled up on the floor in your pajamas,” he comments, taking a few steps closer to me.Of course he brings that up right now. “Unless you were so concerned about what you were going to wear because you’re hanging out with me for the day?”
He rests a hand on the edge of the kitchen counter, peering down at me with a half smirk and raised brow. When he leans into his hand, he gets even further inside my personal space. I feel my brain starting to feel all fuzzy like it gets when he’s too close so I take a protective step back. The last thing I need is to get caught up and do something stupid. Like touch him. Or kiss him.
That second one is definitely out of the question.
“No,” I lean into the word and adjust my bag so it’s fully on my back. I press my glasses back up onto my face since they’ve slid down my nose and clear my throat. “I just didn’t know where we were going today and that made the dressing process unusually cruel.”
“Well, I can promise you you’ve hit the mark.” He clearsthe space I’ve created between us and rests a hand on my waist. “And you look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I speak shyly into his chest, unable to lift my eyes to his.
“Come on, we have places to be.” He tips his head to the side to encourage me to follow him.
Once we’re out of my apartment, he waits for me to lock my door and we walk next to each other the entire way to the elevator. When we reach where he parked his truck, he walks to the passenger door and opens it for me. Then, he offers me his hand and helps me in, waiting for me to buckle myself in before closing it behind me. Finally in the seat next to me, he turns and speaks.
“How do you feel about food trucks?”
“I mean, who wouldn’t love a million food options all in one place and getting to eat food someone made in a truck.”
This pleases him and I get another one of his oversized smiles. “I knew I liked you.”
Smiling back at him, I settle into my seat and wait anxiously to see where he takes us.
The ride out of the city is nothing short of breathtaking. I’ve lived in Charleston my whole life and even now, I’m still not over how pretty it is. Tall, old oak trees line the streets blanketed in Spanish moss and the sun is doing what it can to break through. When it does, the shadows the trees paint across the road seem to dance and chase one another as we drive. Eventually, we pull down a side street and then take another right into the driveway of an older looking home. Ivy crawls up the wrought iron gate at the end of it. Beyond it, several food trucks are parked closer to the front of the house. I’m about to ask where we’re going when we pass a sign that answers my question.
FRESH START: THE LOWCOUNTRY’S ONLY GROUP HOME FOR KIDS IN NEED
My brows push together as we make our way closer to the end of the driveway. I didn’t know such a place existed in Charleston. Maybe Rae knows about it and hasn’t mentioned it? I feel like a place like this would be somewhere she knows about seeing as how she works directly with family services. I’ll have to ask her about it next time I see her.
When we get further up the driveway, I realize we aren’t the only cars here. There’s probably twenty or thirty other cars with lines of people waiting at the various food trucks. I’m surprised by the crowds, seeing as how I didn’t even know this place existed. But that’s how the city goes sometimes, there’s so much going on it’s almost impossible for you to know about it all.
“Welcome to Fresh Start,” Miles says after pulling into a parking spot.
“What is this place?” I ask, not wanting to assume just based on the sign.
“It’s a group home for foster kids,” he starts to explain, looking out the window of his truck. “The kids here, they’re at the end of the line. After this, they either age out or get sent to juvenile detention.”
Shock and rage mix in the back of my throat and I suddenly feel sick to my stomach. The thought of a child being sent to a place that’s essentially a prison is sickening.
“What got them landed here?” I look around and the more I take in the scene outside his truck, the more I notice all of the kids running around and playing. Some are sitting at picnic tables and others are playing on the playgroundout in the yard. A group of older looking boys play touch football in the field across the parking lot.
“Most of them got turned out by one too many foster homes for poor behavior. After a while, they build a reputation for themself and no one else will take them. Some are here because they’ve gotten in trouble with the law. But all of them are kids who have been given an unfair start to life.”
He seems to be lost in a memory, eyes glazing over as he watches the boys toss the football around and roughhouse.
“Sam and Patti, they own this place, are angels walking amongst humans. There isn’t a kid who’s come to them that they haven’t been able to reach. Many of the kids who come to live here go on to graduate from high school and get a four year degree at a top college or trade school. Whatever they prefer. Sam and Patti help them get back on track and get a fair shot at a real life.”
