The next morning Diana gathered Jessie, Avery, and Amy to go shopping. “Isaac honey?”

“Yeah Mom?”

“Could you come with us? I need another mature person. And I’d kinda like to let your dad stay home with Zoë.”

“Sure mom.”

When they got to the mall, Isaac pulled his hair into a hat. They got out of the van and Avery and Jessie held their mother’s hand. Amy held her bear very tightly to her and walked behind.

Isaac slowed and walked next to her. “Hold my hand. Just so you don’t get hurt.”

Amy looked around. She figured that he was talking to someone else. She realized that he was talking to her. His hand was outstretched, and she slowly put her hand in his.

She was aware of how warm his hand was, she also felt as if no one could harm her as long as he had a hold of her. He didn’t try to pin her to the floor by her hands like her real brother did. He simply held her hand as if to protect her from all the evil in the world.

They got into the store and Isaac realized that Amy didn’t want to let go if him. He realized that she needed support and if holding his hand helped than he would hold her hand forever.

“Amy, do you like this shirt?” Diana held up a white shirt with Pooh-bear on the pocket.

Amy loved it. It was something pretty. It’s probably for her girls. “Yes, it’s pretty.”

“Come here.”

Amy looked up at Isaac and reluctantly let go of his hand and went to Diana, who held the shirt up to her. “Isaac, do you think this will fit her?”

He knelt down in front of her and scrutinized the shirt. “Yeah, I think so.”

Amy was shocked that this pretty store-bought shirt was going to be for her. Diana spent about two hours trying to find clothes for her.

She bought new shoes, a hairbrush, hair things, and a whole bunch of clothes for her and Jess and Avie. Amy made sure to have her hand in Isaac’s as much as possible. She liked him. He made her feel special.

They finally got home and Isaac went in the direction of the garage. Amy tugged on his shirt. He turned around and looked down at her. “What Amy?”

“Thank you for holding my hand.” She turned and followed the girls up the stairs, which left Isaac to ponder the ‘thank you’.

Diana, Avery, and Jess helped clear space in drawers and closets for Amy.

“Mrs. Hanson, thank you very much for everything. I don’t deserve this.” She said.

“What don’t you deserve?” She sat on Avery’s bed next to Amy. Jess and Avery joined her.

“Such nice clothes, or such good food. I’m a waste of skin and organs.” She said sadly picking at her teddy bear.

“Amy, every little girl deserves food and clothes.” Jess said putting a hand on her shoulder.

“They also deserve love.” Diana added

“Nobody can or will ever love something like me.” She said and folded a pair of jeans.

Later that night Sophie called Diana.

“Hey Di.”

“Hey Sophie.”

“How’s Amy doing?”

“Okay.”

“Do your kids like her?”

“Yeah. Jess and Avery hare enjoying teaching her how to play games. Isaac and her have developed a peculiar bond. She looks at him like he’s going to save her from everything. She’s the sweetest girl, Sophie.”

“I know that’s what I thought.”

“I can’t believe those people hurt her so bad. She said that she doesn’t’ deserve good food or clothes. That she’s a waste of skin and organs.”

“I know, I’ve met these people.”

“It’s a good thing I haven’t met them. I might just have given them a piece of my mind.”

“Well Diana, they said that they are willing to completely give her to you guys,”

“I’ll check with Walker but I’m pretty sure we’ll keep her.”

The next day Diana started lessons for the week. She had Amy sit with Jessie and Avery during literature and history. Then she turned Amy over to Walker to work with her on reading writing and math.

“Amy, can you sing your ABC’s?” She sang them for him. “Good job. Now do you know how to spell your name?”

Amy slowly shook her head no.

Walker pulled a pencil and a piece of paper out. He wrote her name on the sheet of paper. “That says Amy. Here you try.”

She took the pencil in her left hand and tried to copy the letters. She, after several times, managed to write it.

“Very good, Amy.” He hugged her. “That’s my girl.”

Amy smiled at the affection shown to her. After several hours of writing letters. Walker told Amy they were done, and that she could go and play with the others.

“Can I do this again tomorrow?”

“You can do it every day, sweetie.”

“May I have a piece of paper and a pencil to use tonight?”

Walker got up and grabbed a blank notebook and sharpened a new pencil.

“Amy, I’m going to have you start writing in this when you learn how to spell and read.” She nodded he also handed her some blank loose-leaf paper. “This is for you to practice writing your letters.”

Amy was so excited she ran upstairs and started practicing her name.

“How did it go, Walker?” Diana asked. She was in the living room feeding Zoë.

“I’ve never seen a child so eager to learn in my life. She just soaks everything up like a sponge. She never yawned once. Her eyes were wide and she listened.”

“Sophie said they didn’t think she was bright enough to go to school so they didn’t send her.”

“That child is very bright.”

“She also said that they are willing to sign over custody of her.”

“I’d be glad to call her my daughter.”

“That’s what I think.”

Later that evening Amy went downstairs to ask for a glass of water. The piano caught her attention the lid was open to reveal the white and black keys. She had never seen a piano up close. She went over to it and put her hands on the keys and she pressed one of them hesitantly.

“You ever played?” She spun around to face Taylor. He was carrying sheet music. Amy suddenly felt panicked.

“I’m sorry, I won’t ever touch it again. I promise.”

Taylor saw the fear in her eyes. He sat on his knees in front of her. “It’s okay. We all are allowed to play it. That includes you. As long as we don’t bang on it we’re allowed to play it.” He smiled at her.

She looked a little less scared. “I was working on a song. Do you wanna help?”

“I don’t know how to write a song.”

“Well, sit down next to me and tell me if it sounds dumb.”

“Okay.” She sat with Taylor for an hour ‘helping’ him write his song. She had no idea that this was part of her song.

A few weeks passes and Walker gave Amy her first writing assignment to put in her notebook.

She wrote:

Things I lik. I lik Mr. Hanson and ms. Hanson for tecing me how to red and right. I like Izac for protekting me. I lik Jessy and Avy becase they play with me. I lik Zac for making me laf. I lik Taylor for tecing me music.

She smiled at the paper and handed the notebook to Walker. Then she left the room, Walker read it and smiled.