Page 21 of Small Town Sizzle

“You made this?”

“No, your mom did.” She smiles.

It feels weird to hold something in my hands that my mom had worked on. It’s as if I could feel her. My chest felt tight as I wrestled with the emotions.

“She talked about it all the time,” Maya continues, her voice filled with something almost wistful. “She wanted a place where no kid ever felt alone. Somewhere they could come after school, do their homework, play games, just… be.”

I swallow, my irritation from earlier fading under the weight of her words. I run a hand over the edge of the board, tracing the images, trying to picture what my mom must have seen in her mind when she imagined this place coming to life.

Maya sighs, folding her arms. “She was an incredible woman, Garrett. This project meant the world to her.”

For the first time since all this started, I feel something other than frustration. Maybe it’s admiration. Maybe it’s guilt for not taking this more seriously. Either way, I look at Maya and nod.

“Maybe you’re not so bad after all.”

She arches a brow, smirking. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Chapter Six

Maya

“George is my favorite dog,” Leti, another social worker, giggles as I walk into the office the following day with George close on my heels.

The youth center is a place for the kids of Hicks Creek to come and stay out of trouble, and that’s in the main building. On the same grounds, we converted an old house into an at-risk shelter and office.

While the kids are in school, Leti and I are mostly at the house and then help out at the center next door, too. When Megan was alive, she took care of all of it, and we didn’t do much. We do have volunteers, too. Leti and I are more focused on helping those with domestic violence or issues that would put children in danger. Hence, I transported Grady to his grandmother’s house.

Because the wetlands are part of the property of the youth center, we’re all pretty versed in everything to do with it. The kids and the staff also take part in keeping it clean. Greta wasvery big on making sure to educate as many people as she could about protecting our environment.

George immediately rushes to Leti and puts his giant head in her lap.

“He loves you, too.”

“I think I get separation blues when he’s not here.” She smiles as she pets behind his ears.

“You know,” I giggle, “I couldn’t focus and kept thinking that I was forgetting something all day yesterday, and that’s probably the reason why. I’m glad Mom brought him with her and the kids when she dropped them off yesterday.”

“For sure, yesterday was like the first day in months that he hasn’t been here. I’m glad he was here last night for the kiddos, though. I’m sure they needed him.”

“He was extra clingy at home last night because of it, too.”

“I bet he was,” she laughs. “I stopped by the coffee shop this morning and asked for a pup cup for him.”

She pulls the cup of whipped cream off her desk and puts it in front of his snout. He immediately starts lapping it up.

“You’re probably his favorite human now. The coffee shop employees love him, and he loves them,” I giggle.

“They did ask if it was for him. I think he got extra whip cream.”

“Spoiled rotten,” I cluck my tongue with a giant grin.

“That’s how it should be.”

“Anything new overnight?” I ask her.

“No, just the usual. Cops were called out to the Meregali place again. The kids are with their grandparentsagain.”

“I wonder if Judge Ipsy is going to do something this time.”