Katie snickered while Margie laid into him. “Boy, you use that language in my house again, you’ll be eating that broccoli outside. And finish what’s in your mouth before you open it. You think a lady wants to see that?”
Rodney hung his head for all of one minute.
Jasmine nudged the little girl she sat next to who’s name we’d learned was Willow. “You like it?”
Willow nodded but didn’t speak. She’d said only a few words since we’d been there, shier than most who’d come through the home.
Katie wrinkled her nose and pointed to the cabbage mixed in with the broccoli. “Be honest, Willow, that isn’t really that good.”
Willow smiled a little and looked up at Katie. “It’s okay.”
“Nuh-uh. Vick steamed it until it was too mushy,” Katie said back.
Ollie jumped in. “Hey! I helped and I think it’s,”—she took a bite and made a face—“just fine.”
“Oh really? Take another bite then,” Katie egged her on, noticing that Ollie had finished most of the stuff on her plate.
Too stubborn to admit it, she took another bite and tried to say yum but it came out like more of a grunt.
Margie snickered, and Simon chimed in, “The cabbage is terrible!”
Vick started laughing too, and I couldn’t hold it in either.
Ollie glared at the whole table. “These vegetables are good, and you all better clear your plate.”
Willow looked a little horrified, but Margie corrected Ollie. “Ollie, you know you get to eat as much as you want here. What do I always say?”
Ollie looked to the sky and grumbled, “We don’t force-feed. If you want it, eat it. If you don’t, leave it.”
Margie eyed me seriously. Her little lesson was a reminder that these children came here for refuge, not fun.
“Brey, come sit with me in the living room for a bit.”
“She’s in trouble,” Rodney whispered.
Katie grabbed the children’s attention. “You’re about to be in trouble too, if you don’t help me clear this table. And the faster we clear it, the longer we can play Hot Lava in the basement.”
Margie and I walked to the next room and sat on the couch together. She took the long coarse hair of her braid and flipped it casually over her shoulder while she smirked a little. “Well, should we celebrate?”
“Celebrate what?” I squinted at her.
“Don’t act like you don’t know!” she exclaimed.
“Know what?”
“Well, I’m building out the kitchen to four different work stations for the children and adding on an Education Wing to my home.”
I almost sprung off the couch. “What? That’s amazing!”
She practically vibrated with energy. “It should be done in six months and the contractors are going to work around the children. So, no shutting down for the remodel.”
I wanted to ask how it was all possible. Since my mother passed, I’d given annual donations, but there was no way that money could have covered an expansion. I knew my contribution only helped Margie keep things running. I hoped soon enough I would be able to do more, but it seemed someone else already had.
I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “I know you’ve been hoping for something like this for a long time. The kids will really benefit from it. I’m so happy for you all.”
“Well, we have you to thank.”
“Me?”