He stops all of a sudden, making me bump right into his side. He smiles down at me, scooping my hand in his. “This is it.” He looks in front of us.
I follow his eyes and look at the door, where we stop.
My new room’s door.
Mydoor.
I choke down the sting that is working its way up my throat. I am going to cry, and I don’t want to cry in frontof Samuel on the first day here. What if he thinks I am a wimp or sissy girl like my other foster brothers and sisters thinks about me? What if he stops looking at me like I am his sister? I don’t want to see that look in his eyes. The one that makes me feel bad for myself, the one that would make him not love me. What if he is already regretting his choice?
Samuel lets my hand go. “What’s wrong?”
The absence makes my heart ache. But he quickly places it under my chin, lifting it to turn his way.
I can feel his eyes on me, but I can’t look at him, not with tears wanting to roll down my cheeks. Why am I being such a baby? I am ten now. I shouldn’t be such a little girl about this.
“Eden.”
I scrunch my eyebrows, forgetting for a second that it is my new name. It is going to take me some time to get used to it.
“Tell me. It’s okay. I am here for you.”
I take a deep breath and look up at him, pointing at the white door. “There’s a door.”
Samuel looks at me, confused. “Okay . . .”
“It’s just—” I sigh, getting ready to tell the truth. “The room, it has a door.”
I know it doesn’t make sense, but I can’t get the words to come out right.
He chuckles slightly. “Yes, they usually do.”
I try to keep the feeling of embarrassment down. My cheeks are getting hot.
“Not always... and sometimes, it’s not aroomyou get. Sometimes, it’s a closet.” I peek up at him.
His smile is gone in an instant.
“What?” His face is blank, but his eyes look like he’s mad. He grips my hips, causing me to whimper. He softens his hold, dragging one hand down his face. “Did they keep you in that closet all the time?”
I nod.
I don’t want him to look at me differently.
“The one I found you in? In their room?”
I nod again.
He touches my cheek, and I can’t stop myself from flinching. His hand stop in its tracks.
“I would never hurt you, Eden.” He gently pulls me closer to him. “And they will nevereverbe able to do anything to you ever again. Not when I am around.”
I am about to wrap my arms around him to thank him for letting me into this family, for being my big brother, for saving me. But before I can, he swings open the door to my new room, and my jaw drops at just how beautiful it is.
This is all mine?
I smile, full of excitement, and look at Samuel, who is watching me with a matching smile.
The walls are a faint pink with white daisies painted on the walls. There are toys lining one wall with a huge dollhouse and play kitchen. A bed bigger than I have ever seen before is in at the middle of the back wall, with purple sheets covered in ruffles.
