You said move on, where do I go?

After breakfast with Drew, I told him I was running to work while he took a shower. I had just wrapped up another summer at camp and had taken the rest of August off. I had planned to spend some time in Indiana with Drew and the gang after Jason’s wedding, but since I hightailed it out of there, I figured I could at least catch up on some paper work while I was home. I told him about the trip to Cincinnati and Ikea, and figured especially if Jason and Kayla were coming, I should get a new futon sooner rather than later. I told him I’d be back in an hour or so, and then we could trek on down.
It was funny how much the scenery changed in the mere twenty minutes I drove to work. Trees became scarce, houses became more and more boarded up and shabbier looking. People got shabbier looking. The kids who were out unaccompanied got younger and younger. I turned onto the street that my office was. As I got out, I locked my doors. I had to chuckle at that, I didn’t lock my car doors anywhere.
I used to be a lot more trusting, even in a neighborhood like this. But, one day, while teaching a program in one of the after school groups, my cell phone went missing. I didn’t even think of accusing one of the six year olds, assuming instead that I had mis-placed it once again. I searched my office, my car, the room I had been working in… Turned up nothing. I thought maybe I had left it at home, and couldn’t remember actually using it that day. When I got home and turned up nothing, I finally decided to suspend my service, thinking that if one of the kids DID take it (and I was now assuming it was an older child who may have seen it lying around earlier,) that they wouldn’t have done anything more than use my minutes.
Wrong. When I called my cell phone company, I had been informed that already one hundred and fifty dollars had been wracked up in downloads.
They took the bill off and suspended my account, but when I got my bill later that month, I had seen that the calls made from my phone after it had gone missing was to a bunch of kids in the 6 year olds group. One of those little brats stole my phone.
Anyway, every since then, I had been WAY more careful about where I left my purse, my keys, my phone, and locking my car. We were already forbidden to go to anyone’s homes by ourselves, and if there was a negative reason for a phone call home (such as a fight or a child being unruly during group or an outing) we had to have someone else from the agency listen in on the call. Any threats made by the parents were taken seriously, and the police were always called.
Not all the parents were like this, more often than not we couldn’t even get a hold of parents. Some were at work, school, or in between the two, others were just… Gone. Lots of times we’d call and get a disconnected number.
I loved my job. But it was tricky at times, and difficult all the time. When I started out in the afterschool program we had to check kid’s school bags on the way out. Kids were stealing our after school program lunches to bring home. Because it was the only food they’d get, other than school lunches. We had to take them back, which broke my heart, and more often than not I’d “forget” to check bags. It’s true, we needed to keep count of lunches due to the funding we got (which was ALWAYS getting cut.) But I just couldn’t take food out of the mouth of a child. A lot of our parents busted their asses and still couldn’t make ends meet. Sometimes it was nobodys fault but circumstances.
Other time we got foster children, and that was hard because I wanted to take them all home. I had one girl stop coming to group. Her three little sisters still were, so I asked where she went.
“Oh, they sent her to another home.” Was their answer. I just couldn’t fathom how they could take her away from the only family she had.
Then at Christmas, that same family came to our Holiday Party. We had a Santa who handed out donated presents. The kids got to sit on his lap, get a picture taken with him, and then tell him what they wanted for Christmas.
When I asked one of the little foster sisters what she wanted, she stated simply “a Christmas.”
“What do you mean?” I prodded.
“I want a real Christmas. With a tree and presents and a family, and my sisters all back together again.”
I went behind the tree and cried.
Worse yet, we had children with serious issues. I was a preschool sub, and because of that I had to sit in on meetings occasionally so I knew what was going on with the children in the room. I was shocked one fall when we had a little girl who we needed to watch and make sure she ate, and also accompany her to the bathroom. When I asked why, they told me the little girl was anorexic/bulimic. She was four years old.
Still, I loved my job. As hard as it was, there were equally rewarding moments. Watching a child change because of your influence. Seeing how happy a child gets when they succeed at something. Having a mother thank you for being there for her child when she cannot.
I walked into work, my mind somewhere else, when I heard Betty’s voice ring out “Ella! Is that you?”
Betty was our receptionist. She was not a very nice person, and I didn’t enjoy talking to her most of the time. Still, she had her moments, and I hadn’t seen her all summer. She was also older, heavier, and had recently lost her daughter. I suspected most of her mean-ness came mainly from being lonely.
“Hey, Ms. Betty, how are you?” I said, popping my head into the front room where she sat. I noticed a group of people sitting at the table, waiting, probably for my boss, who was constantly late.
“I’m doing just fine Ella. How’s your vacation goin?”
“Boring. I came in to pick up some paperwork.”
“You miss us already huh?” She cackled. “Hey, do me a favor. Kenny’s late and these people came all the way from Illinois to meet with him. They’re part of an inner city program there. They’ll be sending some people up to work with us.”
I could see hear beaming a little bit. We were all proud when we had been awarded the Casey Grant award for excellence in child care. A couple other agencies asked if they could send a few workers up to learn from us. We had agreed.
I looked at my watch. “I can give them a quick tour, Betty, but I gotta get out of here. I’m supposed to be heading to Cincinnati with a friend in a little bit.”
“Yeah, why don’t you do that? Kenny should be here any minute.” She said, hefting her body up to look out the window.
“Back locked up?” I asked, heading to her desk. She nodded. I opened the drawer and grabbed the keys.
“Hi everyone, I’m Ella McLean. I’m one of the social workers here, and I kind of float around and fill in where I can. Which, is what I believe is one of the key factors in our success. You never really hear anyone here saying ‘that’s not my job.’” I said, smiling at the group. “And your names are?”
“Kasey, I’m the director of the agency. This is Jared, Matt, Stacey, and Adriana. They’ll be observing you guys.” A tall, older man said, shaking my hand.
“Oooh, we get two guys. That’s one thing we’re short on: men. Which is really important. A lot of our kids don’t have male role models in their lives. So we pounce on the guys.” I said, smiling. I looked from Jared to Matt. However, when Matt’s and my eyes met, I blushed a little, thinking of the sexual implications of the word pounce.
I have never really felt such a connection to a person. Matt was tall, I would put him at literally seven foot or so. His blonde hair was spiked, and his blue eyes were just as piercing as his hair. He flashed me a wide grin. I paused for a minute, then realized they were waiting for me to continue.
“Oh, um. Not saying Adriana and Stacey won’t be put to work. We need all hands on deck. Adriana, I think you’re actually slated to stay with me while you’re here. That’s why I’m headed to Cincinnati, to pick up a bed. My futon right now is lovingly referred to as the death trap.”
Adriana smiled shyly. She looked kinda mousy, with curly black hair that was cut straight at her chin. She had soft brown eyes, and a quiet voice. I knew the kids were going to eat her up.
I gave them the tour of the building, showing the upstairs where we held most of our afterschool programs, the library, and the computer room. I took them down our maze of stairs (we have four different ways to get upstairs, it can be quite confusing.) And showed them the theatre, the food pantry, the gym, the showers we allowed people to use during certain times, the kitchen, and the back office and pre-school, the only two rooms that were air conditioned.
“And these are the two rooms you’ll want to be in the most, but will most likely be in the least.” I said smiling. “That’s pretty much the building. I’m sure little things will pop up along the way that you won’t know where they’re at, but just ask. Any questions?” I asked, stopping outside the door to the back office.
“Where will the rest of us be staying?” Jordan asked. He was pretty tall too, but still shorter than Matt. His head was shaved, as was his face. His skin was dark and smooth looking, and he had deep brown eyes.
“Ummm…. I’m not exactly sure. I think Matt will be with Kenny and his family, Stacey will be with Michelle and her family and you will be with James. But don’t hold me to that.”
“When will you be back from vacation?” Matt asked. His voice shocked me. He had the most adorable, slight speech impediment. Barely enough to pick up on, but for such a big guy, it gave his voice a slight child like quality.
“Probably start of September. Here, you never know though. I’m not doing much so who knows? I could end up back here sooner. Kenny ends up working the majority of his vacations too.” I said, laughing. I felt myself turn a little red as Matt continued to look at me.
“OK.” I said, clapping my hands together. My palms were sweating. “Back to the back office!”
As we walked into the back office, Kenny was sitting there and the desk, typing some things up.
“Hey, Ella. Thanks for giving them the tour for me.” He said, distractedly.
“You’re welcome. Call me if you need anything.” I said, grabbing my paperwork from my mailbox.
On the way out I bumped into Matt. Our eyes caught and I felt a small shock. I smiled, mumbled an apology, and ran out to my car.
I drove home, once again distracted and feeling slightly flustered.
“Well.” I said to myself, running a hand through my hair. “You wanted a distraction.”
It’s true, the whole ‘be careful what you wish for’ thing. I had wanted a distraction, but a work distraction? Not a good thing. Besides, I didn’t date where I worked, I made that mistake with Chris, and it was never a good idea.
I chewed my thumb nail. Matt was pretty cute though. And he would be gone in a couple months. How much trouble could I possibly get into?