Page 59 of House of Kallan
Toby had made a huge fan.
I left Solana’s den open and noted his name in the book,crossing out the number. Turning the page, I asked for seventy-six and we stopped in front of a den in the middle row. She was slight and mostly cast in shadow until I opened the door and she came forward. It was only then that I saw the wings on her back, folded tightly to her body. There were traces of downy feathers just beginning to grow.
“Do you have something you’d like to be called?” I asked.
She shook her head, her pretty eyes turning to Toby.
“I got one,” Toby said, leaning forward and offering his hand. The little girl placed hers in his and looked at him bashfully. “Jinnah. It means glorious, splendid wings.”
Her wings flexed on her back as she looked at him with wide eyes. “I like that,” she said quietly. “My name is Jinnah.”
“Beautiful,” Toby said. “Would you like some clothes too, Jinnah?”
Jinnah nodded. Toby left the room and came back with blankets and a dress. One that was specifically made for wings.
As he got Jinnah settled, I crossed out the number and wrote her name in the book.
“So when someone asks you what your name is, what will you answer?” Toby asked with a wide grin.
“Jinnah,” she said.
“Who is seventy-six?” Toby asked.
Jinnah shook her head. “Don’t know. She’s gone.”
“That’s right,” Toby said, gently touching her hair. “That girl is long gone. Only Jinnah is here now, and Jinnah will smile and have a good life. Right?”
She bit her lip, but nodded. “Yes.”
We spent the rest of the morning doing this. Mostly, I just wrote their names down as Toby did all the work. It was wonderful to watch him engaging with the kids. The kids, getting younger and younger as we worked our way through the book, were excited when it was their turn.
We’d gone through the blankets a while ago and I called anurse to restock. When it was time for my meeting with Lydia, I said, “I have to run out real quick. Want to take over?”
Toby nodded. “Is that okay? No one is going to get mad at me?”
I kissed his lips and he beamed. “No, Toby. I’ll make sure the nurses know. You’re doing great with the kids.”
His smile was soft as he looked at me with big eyes. “They need someone to love them.”
Wrapping my arm around his waist, I pulled him close. “They do. And we’re going to find them families to love them. Finish up with their names and I’ll be back as soon as I can. Okay?”
He nodded. When I stepped back, he looked at the kids. “And when Miss Tatum returns, we’re going to tell her all your names, right? No more numbers.”
It was the first time that I’d heard multiple sounds in the room since they were brought in. There were many, many voices of affirmation. Maybe even a little excitement.
Leaving Toby, I stopped at the nurse’s station to make sure they let him be, but get him more blankets or clothes if he needs them.
I found Lydia and Tate in a large room that had been set up as a conference room and we converted it into a family meeting room. There were three couches, a few chairs, and a bookshelf filled with odds and ends. There was also a child’s corner with a mini recliner, some books, and a few toys.
Lydia’s look of relief assured me that I made the right decision to be here today. Taking a seat next to her, I took her hand and gave her an encouraging squeeze. “Remember, if for any reason they make you uncomfortable, you can say so to me at the end, and we’ll look for another family. Okay?”
She nodded and looked at Tate. “What if they’re what’s best for Tate, though?”
“This isn’t just about Tate. It’s about you too.”
“Okay,” she said and relaxed a little.
Of course, that comfort lasted for only a short while, andthen the door opened with Taylour leading the House of Delphine. There were four men, all rather large in stature, which I imagined might be a bit intimidating.
