Saving a Legend(11)

“Like she’ll stop in the middle of the sentence if it’s the one hundredth page?” Kieran asked.

“Exactly.”

“Is that why she wears the earmuffs? Or whatever they are?” he asked.

“Well, that’s the sensory overstimulation part of it. Noise can be a very tough thing for some autistic children, and the headgear tends to limit the number of meltdowns she has. Helps keep her calm.”

“Wow.” He made a mental note to keep an eye on the child around the center and make sure no harm came to her. He wondered again why her mother had placed her here rather than with other autistic kids and better resources.



“You’ll meet her guardian later this afternoon. She comes and teaches a class a couple times a week. They’re both sweethearts, so I’m sure you’ll get along. There’s no need to treat Shea any differently because of this, either. Like I said, she’s a perfectly smart and capable child, sometimes even beyond her age.”

“Of course,” Kieran assured her.

“Perfect.” Nora stood and moved to the door. “So, are you ready for a tour and to get started?”

Kieran just nodded and followed her, happy to find he was already enjoying his time here and he hadn’t even started yet. Maybe community service wouldn’t be so bad.





Chapter 3

“Seriously? An ex-con?” Fiona’s mouth fell open as she perched her hands on her hips and stared back at her oldest friend in the world.

“It’s not that serious, Fi.” Nora waved her hand like it was nothing.

Fiona frowned, glancing at where Shea sat on a bench across the yard reading her book for the day. “It is most definitely serious. Can I even leave her here with an ex-con on staff?”

“He’s not on staff, just helping out for a few months. I will make sure someone has eyes on him anytime he is here. He’s been doing great so far.” Nora handed her a bucket full of gardening supplies from a small storage shed out behind the center.

“I know you’ll watch out for her, but I just worry, you know? I had to jump through so many hoops to get custody of her. I’m always nervous that something could happen to take her away from me.”

“Fi, they gave you custody because you were the best person to care for her. Bottom line. The social worker knew Shea would be spending time here, despite all the at-risk kids we have. Try not to worry about it. It’s going to be fine. He really seems like a great man and has a good record, minus the whole prison thing. Plus, his family pretty much runs this town, so they can do whatever they want.” Nora followed her over to the community garden Fiona had helped the children build over the last few months.

“You’re right, you’re right. I trust you, but I definitely don’t trust him. So help me, Nora, if he lays a finger on her, I’ll end up in prison.”

“I’d be sitting in the cell right next to you.” Nora wrapped an arm around Fiona’s shoulders and squeezed comfortingly. “Have you thought any more about getting Shea into a different school with full-day programs? Maybe somewhere more suited to her needs than here?”



“She does need that, and I’m trying. I’m saving up, so maybe next year…” Fiona trailed off, guilt overwhelming her because she knew she wasn’t doing enough. She was doing the best she could with the few resources she had, but she still fell short. Currently, Shea went to public school during the day, which was severely lacking in the special-education department, and then spent afternoons at the center with Nora. The all-day private school Fiona wanted for Shea focused not only on academics but also on different types of inclusive therapies.

She’d started her own business before she’d known she’d have a child to care for. College had never been an option for her. She got her first job while she was in high school to help support her mom and Shea and had been working ever since. She had finally been able to convince a bank to extend to her a small business loan so she could start the flower shop, something she’d dreamed of doing since she was young. Now she was hoping the shop might help her give Shea everything she deserved.

“I know, Mama Bear. Don’t feel bad, we’ve got this.”

Fiona nodded, still feeling uneasy, as Nora headed back inside. Within a few minutes, several kids ranging in age from middle school to high school had joined her. She had tried to invite Shea to join them, but the younger girl had yet to show any interest. A few times a week, while keeping Shea within her line of sight, Fiona taught gardening classes to the other kids at the center. The classes really were more of a group activity, and she loved spending time with the children. Regardless, she enjoyed digging in the dirt and giving the kids the opportunity to be responsible for something living.