kids feel more included. It seemed odd to put them to work to welcome them, but it was a strange world that we lived in.
I found the two oldest children sitting right where we'd left them on arrival, waiting obediently in the truck with the animals and the younger kids. They looked at me in surprise when I opened the door beside them.
" Hey guys, I need help with something," I told them. "You want a job to do?"
" Yes!" Priya agreed immediately, followed a moment later by Maddy. The Yousefi boys were more reserved; the younger three regarded me silently with large, solemn eyes, but Matt, the eldest, nodded hesitantly.
" Awesome. Now, I'm going to split you into two groups. Matt, Priya, and--" I hesitated for a moment, then looked at the second oldest boy, a scrawny kid of about eleven. "What's your name?"
" Javed," he answered shyly.
I smiled at him and nodded. "Javed. Cool. Okay, Matt, Priya, and Javed, I want the three of you to go over to that old house over there and see if you can find some dry firewood." I turned and pointed past our campsite, at the ruins of the homestead that had once occupied the rear half of the enclosure. "Be careful not to cut yourselves, okay? Bring back whatever you find, and put it somewhere that the rain won't make it wet."
" Okies," Priya agreed happily, practically leaping out of the car. She raced off towards the ruins, leaving the boys staring after her. They exchanged a look, then climbed out and raced after her. Once they were gone, I turned and looked at the three remaining kids.
" You guys are a bit young to go digging around in there, but I have a job for you, too," I explained. Maddy smiled and nodded, but the two younger boys just stared at me. Suddenly, I realised that they were frightened of me – possibly of all of us. It had been a rough few days for all of them, and I was a stranger. "Aw, hey, don't be scared, sweeties. I won't hurt you."
Maddy's smile widened knowingly. "I'm glad you noticed, Miss Sandy. They're very, very, scared."
" I haven't been around kids very much, but I'm learning," I admitted sheepishly. "You hear that? My name is Sandy. That's not a scary name, is it?"
The youngest child just stared blankly, but the older boy was around Maddy's age, old enough to understand what I was trying to say. He shook his head slowly. I smiled at him in return.
" It's not a scary name, because I'm not a scary person." I hesitated for a moment, and decided to channel my inner child a bit. "I'm only scary when the bad monsters come and try to eat you, and then I'm scary to them. I go 'grrr!' and chase the bad monsters away! Remember?"
This time, the boy smiled a little bit and he nodded again. Beside him, Maddy giggled.
" Miss Sandy is very nice, I promise," she added in my defence, then pointed at the boys. "The big one is Barry, and the little one is Ommie. Don't worry, Miss Sandy – they're my friends, so we'll help."
" That's great." Relieved, I reached over and patted the top of the little girl's head. "Thanks, Maddy. What I want you guys to do is start spreading plastic sheets on the ground. No one wants to sleep on the wet ground. The plastic sheets should be in the back of this truck."
" Okay!" Maddy agreed cheerfully. She picked Tigger up out of her lap and set the kitten on the seat beside her, then hopped up and scurried off. Sure enough, the two boys climbed out and followed after her. Once they were gone, I left Tigger to sleep and went off in search of my sister.
I found her few minutes later, sitting on the tailgate of one of the trucks, staring intently at the tip of her left index finger. Curious, I went over to her to see what had her so fascinated. Just as I was getting close, I heard her issue a deep, soulful sigh.
" What's the matter, baby sis?" I asked, suddenly concerned. There hadn't been much time to talk recently, so I had no idea how she
I found the two oldest children sitting right where we'd left them on arrival, waiting obediently in the truck with the animals and the younger kids. They looked at me in surprise when I opened the door beside them.
" Hey guys, I need help with something," I told them. "You want a job to do?"
" Yes!" Priya agreed immediately, followed a moment later by Maddy. The Yousefi boys were more reserved; the younger three regarded me silently with large, solemn eyes, but Matt, the eldest, nodded hesitantly.
" Awesome. Now, I'm going to split you into two groups. Matt, Priya, and--" I hesitated for a moment, then looked at the second oldest boy, a scrawny kid of about eleven. "What's your name?"
" Javed," he answered shyly.
I smiled at him and nodded. "Javed. Cool. Okay, Matt, Priya, and Javed, I want the three of you to go over to that old house over there and see if you can find some dry firewood." I turned and pointed past our campsite, at the ruins of the homestead that had once occupied the rear half of the enclosure. "Be careful not to cut yourselves, okay? Bring back whatever you find, and put it somewhere that the rain won't make it wet."
" Okies," Priya agreed happily, practically leaping out of the car. She raced off towards the ruins, leaving the boys staring after her. They exchanged a look, then climbed out and raced after her. Once they were gone, I turned and looked at the three remaining kids.
" You guys are a bit young to go digging around in there, but I have a job for you, too," I explained. Maddy smiled and nodded, but the two younger boys just stared at me. Suddenly, I realised that they were frightened of me – possibly of all of us. It had been a rough few days for all of them, and I was a stranger. "Aw, hey, don't be scared, sweeties. I won't hurt you."
Maddy's smile widened knowingly. "I'm glad you noticed, Miss Sandy. They're very, very, scared."
" I haven't been around kids very much, but I'm learning," I admitted sheepishly. "You hear that? My name is Sandy. That's not a scary name, is it?"
The youngest child just stared blankly, but the older boy was around Maddy's age, old enough to understand what I was trying to say. He shook his head slowly. I smiled at him in return.
" It's not a scary name, because I'm not a scary person." I hesitated for a moment, and decided to channel my inner child a bit. "I'm only scary when the bad monsters come and try to eat you, and then I'm scary to them. I go 'grrr!' and chase the bad monsters away! Remember?"
This time, the boy smiled a little bit and he nodded again. Beside him, Maddy giggled.
" Miss Sandy is very nice, I promise," she added in my defence, then pointed at the boys. "The big one is Barry, and the little one is Ommie. Don't worry, Miss Sandy – they're my friends, so we'll help."
" That's great." Relieved, I reached over and patted the top of the little girl's head. "Thanks, Maddy. What I want you guys to do is start spreading plastic sheets on the ground. No one wants to sleep on the wet ground. The plastic sheets should be in the back of this truck."
" Okay!" Maddy agreed cheerfully. She picked Tigger up out of her lap and set the kitten on the seat beside her, then hopped up and scurried off. Sure enough, the two boys climbed out and followed after her. Once they were gone, I left Tigger to sleep and went off in search of my sister.
I found her few minutes later, sitting on the tailgate of one of the trucks, staring intently at the tip of her left index finger. Curious, I went over to her to see what had her so fascinated. Just as I was getting close, I heard her issue a deep, soulful sigh.
" What's the matter, baby sis?" I asked, suddenly concerned. There hadn't been much time to talk recently, so I had no idea how she
Similar Books
