JESSICA

She’s asleep now. Her long arms and legs tangled among the covers and hanging off of the bed. She came to us, a light brown child, so young and tender. A baby, really. A piece of clay, ready to be molded into a family who loved her. She was hungry. Hungry for food and a better life. The dark circles under her eyes lessened in time.

I picked her up and swung her around. took her skating and swimming. We opened her mind. She is grounded now. Mature beyond her years, knowing that she belongs to God and she will follow his plan. The little brown child that we carried up and down the stairs and read stories to, learned colors in slow agonizing steps. She is fourteen now. A perfect year-round tan. A spirit so sweet, we can feel it shine through this old house. She tells us about science, English and her good grades. She watches out for me when we cross the street, and holds my hand. I look up and see her beautiful long body towering above me.