“And when she didn’t move, what happened?”
“I bit her on the arm. Then she moved.”
Savannah clamped her lips tight to avoid laughing. There wasn’t anything humorous about this. It was hard not to smile at Wren’s matter-of-fact truth-telling. Or her confidence in her own flawed way of solving the problem.
“Wren, when Levi gets here, you’re going to have to tell him more about what happened.”
Wren gasped and her eyes grew wide. “No, you can’t tell him.”
“Sweetheart, I already have,” Savannah said.
Suddenly, Wren scampered off the swing and ran toward the jungle gym.
“Wren, wait.” Savannah trotted after her. “You can’t run away.”
Wren climbed inside a purple cube-shaped tunnel. Just out of reach.
Savannah slowed her steps and sat down on the nearby stairs. Close enough so that Wren could hear her but far enough away that hopefully she wouldn’t feel threatened. “I had to tell Levi. He’s the grown-up who’s in charge of you right now, so he needs to know what’s going on.”
“Why can’t you be in charge of me?”
“Well, foster care doesn’t work like that. Sometimes I help when Levi has to do other things, like work at the store.”
“I don’t like the store. It’s boring there.” Wren’s voice filtered out through the small holes dotting the tunnel. Through the openings, Savannah could see the little girl poking around with a twig.
“Wren, it’s summertime, and the grown-ups have to do our jobs. As often as we can, we will plan fun activities for you, like story time and the parade.”
“And eating fun snacks,” Wren added. “The snacks at the three-legged race were really good.”
“True. The Jacksons have a nice home, and the party food was great.” She didn’t really want to talk about the race. Candace and her husband had won. Not that she was bitter or anything. “Levi will be here in a few minutes. You’ll need to come out of there and speak with him.”
“No, I need you to stay with me,” Wren whined.
“I need to work on the float for the parade.”
“Where’s Lee-by’s mom?” Wren asked. “I want her to get me. She has the bestest snacks.”
Savannah didn’t bother to correct the mispronunciation. They had bigger issues to deal with—starting with how Wren evaluated people based on the quality of snacks provided. “I can’t make you come out of there, but I wish you would tell me why you’re so upset.”
“Because I’m in big trouble. Trouble means I’m a bad girl.”
“Wren, that is not true. You made a choice, and it wasn’t a great choice. Biting is not okay, but that doesn’t mean you’re a bad kid.”
“That’s not what my mommy said. Or the mean lady at the big church.”
Oh dear. Savannah’s heart pinched. She hated that this little girl had endured so much.
But what could she do? How could she ease her heartache and help her understand that she wasn’t alone in her struggles?
Adrenaline pulsed through his veins as he pulled into the nearest parking spot in front of the library. He couldn’t stand the thought of someone biting Wren. That must’ve been so traumatic. He turned off the engine and quickly exited the vehicle. Hadn’t Savvy’s last text said they’d meet him outside? Shielding his eyes from the bright morning sunlight with his hand, he turned in a circle, then checked the benches by the front door and the picnic table under the tree on the lawn. No sign of Wren or Savannah.
Why hadn’t he listened? Savannah had tried to tell him story time wasn’t a good idea. And he’d pushed back, so determined that he knew what was best when an actual professional—a teacher who’d spent way more time with kids—had tried to offer her perspective.
Dude, you’re an idiot.
He pulled out his phone. A message from Savannah popped up on the screen.
I see you in the library parking lot. We’re across the street by the jungle gym.
“Oh, thank You, Lord,” he whispered. “Please give me the right words and the courage to be humble.”
He pocketed his phone, looked both ways and then jogged across the street. The stricken expression on Savannah’s face halted his steps. “What’s going on?”
“Wren is inside the purple tunnel, refusing to come out. She’s concerned that she’s in trouble.” Savannah pinned him with a long look. “I have reassured her that you would never punish her and you are not angry.”
He winced. Maybe a little angry. Hadn’t someone just been bitten? He opened his mouth to object, but Savannah’s expression grew fierce. “Because you need to hear the whole story. Right?”
He quickly got the hint that Wren could hear every word. “Right.”
Savannah tilted her head toward the small tunnel in a silent prompt for him to take over. He walked over and sank down on the ground beside the purple cube. “Wren, are you okay? I heard you had a rough time at the library.”
“Go away.”
The words came out barely above a whisper.
“Wren, I—I can’t leave you here alone,” he said, bracing his elbows on his knees.
“Sabby stays.”
