Deserted - Cara Dee Page 0,56
watching TV on one of the couches.
On the way up the stairs, he whispered to Gray, “This doesn’t look like a shelter to me.”
Because it was private and run by a woman who knew how to raise money. Just last year, she’d talked her way into an invitation at the mayor’s private summer party, and she’d raked it in. As far as Gray knew, the woman didn’t take much of a salary for herself either. She didn’t have to, considering that Lincoln was well known in the music industry.
On the walls hung colorful pictures of past residents, some happy and in the middle of various activities, some somber and beautiful.
“Right in here.” Adeline stopped at a doorway leading to the TV room, and she wore her usual motherly smile. “It’s just gonna be us for a bit. Most of the residents are in the cafeteria.”
Jayden would like the cafeteria, Gray hoped. It was an extension to the original house, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the backyard.
Darius got comfortable on the couch facing the flat screen on the wall, and Jayden and Gray followed.
Adeline chose the smaller couch and reached forward to the tray she’d set on the table earlier. “What kind of juice do you like, Jayden?” There were a few juice boxes on the tray. In the meantime, she knew the grown-ups liked coffee, and she poured two mugs for Darius and Gray.
“I like all.” Jayden shrugged. “But not vegetable juice. Gray tried to give me juice with spinach in it when we were in Colorado, and Mom put booze in her tomato juice. That’s fucking gross.”
Adeline masked her reactions like a professional, as opposed to Gray, who couldn’t stop himself from flinching at the nightmares of Jayden’s past. Even Darius clenched his jaw.
“I agree,” Adeline replied. “Vegetables just don’t belong in juice.” She slid Jayden a grape juice instead. “My son Abel—Gray’s best friend—puts spinach in his juice too. Couple of weirdos, huh?”
Jayden let out a chuckle. “Yeah.”
There was a spark of satisfaction in Adeline’s gaze. “So! Gray has told me very sternly that you don’t want anyone to know you’re here for a while. Luckily, we’re great at keeping secrets. Sometimes, you need a really good hiding spot.”
Gray was gonna buy her the biggest bouquet of flowers this week. She was an angel.
“Gray says you don’t like the system,” Jayden said.
Adeline nodded slowly, amused. “He’s right. Well, I used to hate it. Now I’ve become pretty good at using their own silly rules against them.”
Jayden smirked and took a pull from the straw on his juice box.
“Currently, we have four children—including you, Jayden—who are here without parents,” she continued. “Two girls, two boys. You will share a room with Justin. He’s very sweet. He doesn’t speak much, and he’s a bit shy at first, but I think you two could be good for each other.” She shifted her gaze to Darius. “You mentioned your sister when we were in Florida—she has autism and selective mutism?”
Darius inclined his head. “It’s how her anxiety manifests itself.”
Adeline nodded. “Justin’s only four, and we’ve determined it’s best to hold off on any investigations for him. He appears to develop easier with us. He’s been here six months and has made great progress with William, our counselor.” She smiled at Jayden. “You’ll get to meet William too, but there’s no rush.”
“He’s a head doctor?” Jayden lifted his brows. “There’s nothing wrong with me.”
Gray was starting to wonder how much influence Darius had on the boy. Head doctor was such a Darius term.
“Of course there isn’t,” Adeline chuckled. “But it’s always good to have someone outside the family to talk to. Sometimes it’s easier.” She hesitated. “And you recently lost your brother, didn’t you?”
Jayden nodded stiffly.
Gray cleared his throat and sat forward slightly. “He hasn’t processed it outwardly.”
Adeline acknowledged it with a subtle dip of her chin before moving on. “As I said, there’s no rush. William doesn’t only speak to children who carry trauma. Sometimes, it’s to make sure a child is ready for a certain activity or to determine a level of education. The more we know about our residents, the better we can help.” She paused to check her notepad on the table. “We’ll save schooling for later, I think. Hobbies are much more fun.” She lifted her chin and addressed Jayden again. “Do you have any hobbies and interests, Jayden?”
For the next twenty or so minutes, Adeline showed them over and over that she was amazing at what she did.