"Our lives improve only when we take chances-and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves"
Unknown
Greg waited anxiously for shift to end. He wanted to call Sara and see if his 'Anti-Monster Spray' had worked. He wondered if Sadie was still having nightmares. He wondered what they were doing today, and if he could come along. Walking out to his car he dialed Sara's number.
"Sidle," Sara picked up the phone.
"Hey Sara, it's Greg, I was wondering how the 'Anti-Monster Spray' worked out."
"Well, it worked out well till she told me that the bottle did not say 'Anti-Monster Spray' but actually said 'Oust Air Sanitizer." Sara replied.
"She can read?" Greg asked shocked.
"Apparently, hey do you think you could do me a favor?" Sara asked.
"Sure, what do you need?"
"Well, would you mind coming over and watching Sadie for a little bit, I've got some things to think about and would like to go for a run." Sara asked.
"Sure, I'm just leaving the lab now, I'll be over in a few minuets."
"Thanks Greg, you've been a great help." Sara replied gratefully.
When Greg arrived, he saw Sadie sleepily seated on the couch watching cartoons. Greg headed over to join her. Sara told Greg she was going to run around the apartment complex a few times, since the complex was rather large. Greg just nodded and was just as entertained as Sadie watching the cartoons. About ten minuets after Sara had left Sadie started to get agitated.
"Where's Sara?" Sadie asked Greg.
"She went out for a run, she'll come back." Greg tried to calm the little girl.
"But she said I could stay with her." Sadie said, as she was about to cry.
"You are staying with her, she just needed a little time to herself, and she'll be back." Greg tried harder to calm the girl.
"But she said I could stay with her forever!" Sadie whined.
"Forever? Wait, when did she say this?" Greg asked shocked.
"When she got rid of the monsters last night. She said I could stay with her forever." Sadie said impatiently.
"Wow," Greg said trying to absorb the new information. He knew Sara had already become attached to the little girl, but taking her 'forever' was huge.
"Where's Sara?" Sadie whined again.
"I told you, she's out running. How about we bring some water downstairs, and hand it to her when she runs by." Greg suggested. Just as he and Sadie had made it down stairs, with water bottles in each hand, they saw Sara coming around the corner going a full speed. It wasn't until Sara was right in front of them, did she realize someone had been calling her name.
"Two more laps," Sara yelled out, as she grabbed a water bottle from Greg. She waved to Sadie and the little girl waved back. Sara wasn't the only one out running that day. Other people walked and ran by the steps where Greg and Sadie were sitting. Sadie waved to all of them. A few minuets later, Sara could be seen coming around the corner again. Sadie jumped up and started waving frantically at Sara. Sara slowed down her pace and met up with Greg and Sadie. She took the water bottle the little girl offered her and drank.
"Ok, guys, I just want to do one more lap." Sara said and began to run off. Sara hear little foot steps joining her as Sadie followed.
"Can I run too?" Sadie asked. Sara smiled and nodded. She looked back to Greg and said.
"Are you coming too?" Not in the mood to run, or dress for it, Greg still volunteered. He figured that eventually they would all slow down so Sadie could walk. They made it almost a quarter of a mile before Sadie slowed down to a walk. By this time Sara had enough time to think through everything that was going on, and matched Sadie's pace. Eventually Greg met up with them. The three of them walked the rest of the route to the way home. Sadie held both Sara's and Greg's hands as they occasionally picked her up and swung her. She giggled every time.
After the three had eventually made it back to the apartment, they were all hungry. Sadie agreed to help Greg make breakfast, while Sara took a shower. While Sara was in the shower her cell phone rang. Greg noticed the caller ID read 'Willows' so he figured he'd see if he could tease Catherine again.
"Paco' Taco's, how hot do ya like it?" Greg answered.
"Greg!" Catherine yelled.
"The one and only," Greg answered smoothly.
"Why are you answering Sara's phones again? And where is Sara?" Catherine asked.
"Sara's in the shower. She asked me to come over for a bit and watch Sadie while she ran and showered."
"Oh, ok, well would you tell her I called and have her call me back." Catherine asked.
"Can do!" Greg said as he pretended to write a message in the air. Greg sat down and opened the Sunday Morning News. "Ohhh the funnies," Greg said as he flipped through the newspaper. "Hey Sadie do you want to read the paper with me?" Sadie studied him for a bit before climbing into his lap to read with him. Greg was surprised at how well Sadie could read. The oven dinged as Sara was walking into the kitchen. Sara watched Greg and Sadie reading the paper before she decided to get the cinnamon buns out of the oven before the burnt. Sara placed them on a plate and joined Greg and Sadie at the table. Greg and Sadie put down the paper and began to eat with Sara.
"Sadie was showing me her reading skills." Greg said.
"Really, it sounded like she was showing off her giggling skills to me." Sara mocked.
"We are reading the cartoons, they're funny." Sadie replied and they all laughed. After they had finished eating Sadie asked if she could watch Nemo.
"Again?" Sara asked confused. Sadie had seen the whole thing at least once, maybe twice or even three times this weekend already. But Sadie looked so excited that Sara couldn't turn her down. Sara started the movie and joined Greg who was sitting at the table still reading the paper.
"Oh yeah, Catherine called while you were in the shower." Greg replied when Sara sat down.
"Did she leave a message? Don't tell me you tried to aggravate her when you answered the phone." Sara asked worried.
"I would never do anything like that." Greg stated. "She just told me to tell you she called and to have you call back. That was it, no juicy gossip." Greg laughed. "But Sara, I do have a question for you." Greg said.
"Go for it." Sara just commented.
"What did you say to Sadie after you got her to bed the second time. She got really agitated when you left to go running, because she said you told her she could stay with you 'forever'." Greg said getting right to the point.
"She told you that?" Sara replied shocked.
"So is it true?" Greg asked.
"I think so. I mean she did ask me again last night if she could stay 'forever'. And I did say yes in way." Sara said.
"So you're considering seeing if DCFS will let you keep her? Sara that's awesome!" Greg said with a huge smile on his face. "So what made you decide?" Greg asked.
Sara paused for a minuet trying to collect her thoughts. Greg watched the emotion flash through Sara's eyes and he reached out and squeezed her hand that was lying on the table. She looked up and smiled at him.
"She's too young to survive in a group home. I know." Sara swallowed hard. "I know because I've been there." Sara paused again. "I've been there because I've been through exactly what Sadie is going through, but I was older. They sent me to a group home for four years, until I graduated high school early and left for college. Greg, it was awful, everything I had was either stolen or broken. I got shoved around all time and ignored." Sara spoke quietly as a tear rolled down her face. Greg was struggling to process everything Sara had told him. Greg went right over to Sara and held her. Sara relaxed in his arms and let him hold her. Greg whispered in her ear.
"I don't think there is anyone better to take care of her than you. I'll do whatever I can to help."
Sara smiled genuinely and whispered back, "Thank you." Greg realized after a while, as much as he wanted to stay here with Sara in his arms, he was tired. He slowly untangled himself from Sara and gathered his things and said good-bye to Sadie. He looked over at Sara and said.
"Hakuna Matata." And kissed her on the forehead before leaving. Sara sat down on the couch with Sadie and gave the little girl a hug.
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