Page 67 of 3 Daddies to Go
I try to mask my shock. As far as I knew, the move was a done deal. “That’s great, Cayden! I’m so happy for you!”
“I heard them talking when I left. Apparently, someone invested anon … anonymi … anonymously,” he says, struggling to say the word. “The restaurant can stay open, and we can stay in Boone!”
I pull Cayden in for another hug.
“That’s amazing news, Cayden. I’m glad you get to stay.”
“Thanks, Ms. Kendall!” he says. Cayden immediately runs off to tell his friends.
An anonymous investor,I think, shaking my head. A small smile plays at my lips. I have a pretty good idea of who that investor is. If the guys did it anonymously, they must not want anyone to know. I’ll have to thank them without being obvious about it.
The program is peaceful with so few kids running around. More will show up later in the afternoon, but the morning crowd is thin. I almost prefer having hundreds of kids to occupy my thoughts.
I might fall asleep if I stand still any longer. There are plenty of volunteers watching over the breakfast tables, so I make my way inside to one of the painting rooms. There are three teen girls working on canvases.
“Hi, Ms. Kendall,” they call out, barely looking up from their work.
I stand behind them to take a look. All three girls are really talented. The one furthest to the left is painting the park I visited with the guys last night. One of the less-creepy statues sits in the foreground, with the trees in the back. A few people walk down the pathway. She painted a couple holding hands, their backs to the viewer.
“That’s great, Dana,” I say, patting her back.
“Thanks, Ms. Kendall,” she responds. She dips her brush into some green and works on the treetops.
I move on to the next girl, a thirteen-year-old named Patricia. Her painting is more abstract, with thick, black lines separating squares of color. It looks like something you would find in a famous museum. “Excellent work, Patricia!”
She nods her thanks, never losing concentration.
The last girl is a sixteen-year-old named Shannon. She’s a recent addition to our roster. Her older sister got pregnant, and that put a major strain on the family. I think she likes coming here for the quiet. She confided in me a few times that, with the new baby due soon, there has been a lot of yelling in the house.
I’m surprised to see Shannon’s canvas has a realistic painting of a newborn swaddled in a pink blanket.
“Wow, Shannon. You’re really talented.”
She looks away from her canvas and beams at me.
“Thank you, Ms. Kendall. Guess what?”
“What?”
“My sister had her baby!” she says, her smile wide. “Her name is Lana, and she’s perfect. She barely even cries! I don’t know what my parents were so worried about.”
I’m glad Shannon is blissfully unaware of how stressful a new baby can be. Her sister is only eighteen, so her parents are helping out a lot. At least things are settling down a bit at home now, and hopefully, there won’t be as much yelling. No one wants to wake a newborn baby.
“Want to see a picture?”
“Of course!” I say. She opens her locket, revealing a photo that looks nearly identical to her painting. “She’s adorable, Shannon. Tell your sister I said congratulations.”
“I will! Thanks, Ms. Kendall. For everything.”
She returns to her painting, and I excuse myself from the room. Normally, talking with the kids can leave me kind of down. Today, though, my heart is full. Cayden gets to stay, and things are going better for Shannon.
I know that all the kids are going through something rough. They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t. It’s nice to hear from them when things go okay. It makes it a lot easier to listen when they’re struggling, because I can tell them with confidence that it’ll get better.
Margot appears out of nowhere, a huge smile on her face.
“Sandra is here. You ready to shine, beautiful girl?”
I nod. The painting girls flipped a switch in me. The idea has been brewing for years, but it’s time to make my dream a reality. I know it won’t be easy to set up my non-profit. I need to put in the work. I’m finally ready to do that.