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Calling in to say he was taking lunch, Kent took a moment to just breathe and pray for wisdom before he quickly typed out an urgent message to his son.
To Casey: I did something. Nothing bad, I’m just getting involved with an unknown situation so I can’t pick you up for lunch. I’m fine and safe. Okay?
From Casey: You’re picking up another stray. I know you are. There’s no denying it, I KNOW YOU, it’d better not eat my shoes like that dog you rescued last time.
Chuckling at the instant assumption of picking up a stray, he went to dispute the accusation when he realized Casey was half right.
Scrapping a hand through his hair, “You got this, God. Let me do Your will, show this girl and boy Your love, and bless them through it all.” The prayer dissolved any hint of nervousness he may have had. Relief had a slow smile growing as he watched the girl pull into a parking spot near him. She flipped open the small mirror above her head, tidying around with the bangs that had been messed up from her previous crying. Walking quickly to the sidewalk in front of them, he grinned, loosely hooking his thumbs in the sides of his belt. “I figure we should really introduce ourselves.” He said once she stood in front of him, slightly raised eyebrows showing her confusion.
“Okay...” She began, but the boy nudged her with his shoulder. The boy’s curious eyes trailed from him to the girl. Kent watched as his hands swiftly cut through the air, face glowing with joy as he faced the woman.
“He’s a real police officer? That’s so cool!” Kent tilted his head as he waited for her to respond.
Except she didn’t, not at first. She pulled in a shaky gasp, head raised to stare at the sky until a broken sob shook her body. Dread growing, Kent forced a smile as he knelt before the boy. Quickly sighing an affirmative, he added that it was nice to meet him.
The boy’s face lit up as he signed “My name is” and then fingerspelled out J-E-F-F. “That’s my sister J-A-Z-Z-Y! It’s nice to meet you. You know ASL?”
“I’m Kent. Yes, I know ASL.” Kent signed and spoke at the same time so that the girl – eh, Jazzy – knew what was being said only to find her gaping at him with her hands pressed over her mouth. Purse clutched between her arms and chest as she looked at him like he was a miracle. “My son was born Deaf.”
“Cool! I was born hearing, but things happen. You know?” Jeff shrugged off the sad situation with a grin, his bright face turning into a considering look. “Can you teach sign?”
Unsure of why the boy was asking, Kent slowly shook his head. “No. Casey, my son does though. Why do you ask, little man?”
Jeff shrieked out a loud, “Yes!” jumping and doing a fist pump.
Laughing at the boy’s joy, Kent looked to see his sister’s response and was surprised to find she looked content and somewhat hopeful for the first time since he saw her crying. “Is there a reason you need a teacher of ASL?” He asked lightly, keeping his eyes on Jazzy while half of his attention was on Jeff.
“I just finally got to move in with Jazz and she didn’t know how bad my ears were so she doesn’t know ASL. Could your son teach her? Please? Please, could he?” He begged, bouncing on rain boot tiptoes with hands flying so fast that Kent was barely able to keep up.
At the quick words, Jazzy shook her head and leaned down to their height. “Jeff, buddy, I’m sure that Mr. Casey is very busy. I promise I will learn, but let’s not bother our new friend. Okay?”
When the police officer began signing to her little brother, Jazzy thanked God for someone who knew how to clearly communicate with her brother in the way that was most comfortable for him, it only proved to show her where she was failing.
Watching them ‘talk’ she didn’t really follow the conversation though she appreciated the way Kent was speaking to include her or give her a hint of what they were discussing. Shaking off the internal ramblings and mixed-up half-finished prayers, she heard Jeff asking if the officer’s son could teach her to sign. Heartbreaking, she knew she couldn’t even do such a small thing as to take classes to learn how to speak with her brother. She had neither the time nor the money to do so, her freelance job was taking up every spare minute that wasn’t spent with Jeff, helping him do school since she’d pulled him out of the school he’d been in with his foster parents and started teaching him herself with instructions and help from an old friend of her mom’s across the country. Kneeling down, she carefully said, “Jeff, buddy, I’m sure that Mr. Casey is very busy. I promise I will learn, but let’s not bother our new friend. Okay?”
“Actually, Casey does free lessons over at the library every other afternoon. He says he’d get bored if he didn’t have something to do after work while I’m busy.” The man’s happy statement had Jeff spinning to face Jazzy.
He grabbed her hands, looking up at her with a grin. “See! You could do your work at the library and I’ll do school during the day until Mr. Casey does his lessons. We’d always be at the library then, it’d be awesome!” He said swiftly, hands holding hers in a crushing grip from excitement.
“Jeffy,” she started to say when the police officer stood.
“How about we get a treat from the café while I tell your sister about it. See if you two might want to check it out this afternoon. That sound about right, buddy?” He asked Jeff while looking at Jazzy.
“Perfect!” The boy nearly shouted.
“Let’s let your sister decide too, huh?”
With no true reason to refuse and having already followed the man to the café she could only nod to Jeff. “Okay.” She said to Kent when she nearly fell back from the weight of Jeff’s full-body hug.
“Thank you, the very best sister in the world.”