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Langston turns to me. “Really? I hadn’t heard this part.”
“That’s because I haven’t told anyone yet.”
“Well, let’s hear it. You’ve got me curious now,” Dolores says.
“I want to start a charity for foster children with it.”
“Jenni, that’s incredible,” Langston says, his eyes tender.
“I’ve thought a lot about it.”
“Have you heard any more about whether you can become a foster parent?” Langston asks.
“I’m still going through the process. It should take about six months before I’ll be ready to have a kid.”
“That’s faster than getting pregnant and having one yourself,” Dolores says. “Are you hoping to get a newborn or an older kid?”
“I’m open to either,” I say. “I just want to help a kid out. In fact, I might even start an orphanage in India or someplace where kids are really in need.”
“That’s amazing, Jenni.” Langston puts his hand over mine. “You really are an incredible woman.”
“What about the charity?” Dolores asks. “What do you want to do with that?”
“I was thinking of doing two things. Maybe I can put together little care packages that helps a kid when they first get placed in a new home. That way, they will for sure have the basics. You know, like toiletries, a teddy bear, a comforting blanket. I’d have a clothing drive so there will be clothes provided for them. The foster parents get some money, but kids are still expensive, and there’s no guarantee they’re spending the money on the kids.”
“That’s a good point,” Dolores says. “Not all the foster parents out there are as kind and selfless as you, Jenni. Whoever you get will be very lucky to have you.”
“Thank you, Dolores,” I say, sipping the soda she’d brought earlier. “One other thing I want to do is to provide help for the kids after they get out of foster care so they can get the training they need to be able to have a decent career.”
“You’re full of ideas,” Langston says.
“I’ve been thinking about this a long time. The more I research the topic, the more excited I get.”
“Best of luck to you,” Dolores says. “Now I’d better get back to the kitchen with your order before Mr. Harvey notices that I’m over here talking my head off.”
After she leaves, I turn to Langston. “I love her. I could talk to Delores all day.”
“Maybe we can have her over to a barbecue sometime.”
“I’d really like that. And then we can be the ones bringing her burgers. Let her put her feet up for once.” I lean in to kiss Langston. “Another reason why I love you so much.”
“I still haven’t told you about the conversation I had with Amanda,” Langston says.
“You talked to her again since she apologized?”
“Yeah, last night. She told me that she’s been struggling with mental illness her entire life. I hadn’t really realized that, but apparently, it runs in her family.”
“That would explain some of her erratic behavior,” I say. “And the fact that her family is all estranged. Mental illness can do that to families.”
“Think of how she disappeared from our marriage without an explanation and never telling me about Hayden. She struggled with paranoia, and that’s why she left in the first place. She was convinced that I was going to abandon her with the baby like her dad did to her when she was little.”
“That’s so sad, Langston. It was really big of her to tell you that. It must have taken a lot of courage on her part, to be so honest.”
“I’ve seen a lot of growth in Amanda. I just hope that she’s able to get the best care possible. I don’t want to see Hayden going through the loss of a mother.”
“I heard that you were offering her money.”
“Yes, all the back child support as well as the alimony she deserves. She was too proud to ask for it before, but she can get better treatment if she has the opportunity. There are some procedures that can be pretty pricey and aren’t covered by insurance. She has a better shot of beating her cancer if she can afford the care.”