An Ember To Bear (Fire Bear Shifters 5) by Sloane Meyers

pass Sophia off ?
    “I’m great, how are you?”
    “I’m fantastic! Thanks for coming by. I think you’re going to love Sophia. She’s a little shy, but she’s a sweet child.”
    Mindy knew she might be jeopardizing her chances of taking Sophia home if she pressed Mr. Stewart for details, but she had to know what had caused his sudden change of heart. She took a deep breath and looked him squarely in the eyes.
    “Mr. Stewart, I really appreciate the opportunity to potentially foster and adopt Sophia. But we both know that you have been strongly opposed to my adopting. What made you change your mind?”
    Mr. Stewart leaned back and stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I think Sophia is a sweet child, but she needs more one on one time than I can give her here. I think she would thrive much better in a home environment than here.”
    Mindy frowned again. “That’s true of all the kids here.”
    “Well, yes, but I think it’s true of Sophia specifically,” Mr. Stewart said, and waved his hands dismissively. “Why don’t you come meet Sophia and see for yourself what you think?”
    Mindy knew Mr. Stewart was hiding something from her, and she didn’t appreciate being brushed off. But she couldn’t turn down a chance to meet Sophia. So she nodded and followed Mr. Stewart out to the backyard. He looked around a moment, and then pointed toward the swingset.
    “Ah, there she is,” he said. “Sophia! Could you come here please?”
    Mindy watched as the little girl who had been staring at the ground slowly raised her gaze to where Mr. Stewart stood. Even from this distance, Mindy could see that the girl was strikingly beautiful. Her dark hair hung sleek and straight around her shoulders, and her eyes were such a bright blue that Mindy could see the color from across the playground. She wore a pair of black leggings and a pale pink hoodie. Her feet had black canvas sneakers on them, and she kicked herself slowly back and forth on the swing. She seemed to contemplate what Mr. Stewart was saying, and then slowly shook her head.
    “I’d like to stay here,” she said.
    Mindy raised her eyebrows in surprise at how clearly the girl spoke. Most of the kids her age here struggled quite a bit with their pronunciation.
    Mr. Stewart didn’t seem impressed with Sophia’s clear diction. He let out a frustrated sigh, and once again admonished the girl to leave the swing set.
    “Sophia,” he said. “When I ask you to do something I expect you to do it.”
    Sophia gazed at him calmly, and then shook her head again. She went back to looking down at the ground, rocking herself slowly back and forth on the swing with her feet.
    “Sophia!” Mr. Stewart said. His voice took on a sharp tone that made even Mindy cringe.
    “It’s okay,” Mindy said. “I’ll go over there and talk to her.”
    Mindy walked to the swing set and sat on the swing next to Sophia.
    “Hi, Sophia,” she said. “I’m Mindy. Is it okay if I sit here?”
    Sophia shrugged, and kept swinging.
    “How do you like it here?” Mindy asked
    Sophia shrugged again. “It’s okay, I guess. But I probably won’t be here very long. Every time I get used to a place, they decide they don’t like me and move me.”
    Mindy frowned. “What makes you think they don’t like you?”
    “I cause trouble,” Sophia said simply.
    “What kind of trouble?” Mindy asked.
    “I’m not supposed to say,” Sophia said. “They told me if I say why I’m different, that nobody will want me.”
    Mindy’s heart broke a little at the matter-of-fact tone in Sophia’s voice. Clearly, something about Sophia was different. The fact that the girl had been bounced around so much, and that even Mr. Stewart didn’t want her, signaled that there was something deeper going on. But, Mindy wanted to give the girl a chance. Sophia seemed to have a sweet, mellow spirit, and there was a certain intelligence in her eyes that went far beyond her years.
    What would you think of coming home