Imani had worked out the first time she saw her that Aria was homeless and that she was underage. But she also knew that calling the police was not the solution. “You just gotta love ’em,” she thought in her head. That first time, Aria had been with Luke. Imani had seen him in the line before. She knew him to be a man who could be counted on to take advantage of all the benefits the church could offer. Like nearly everyone else, she could tell that he had chosen to be homeless and because of this, his entitlement drove her crazy. Still, she hoped that because Luke had been the one to lead Aria there, he would bring her back and gradually, she might be able to connect Aria with the necessary resources to get her off of the street.

Imani had no way of knowing whether Aria would do anything with the connection she’d tried to make, or whether she had been too damaged at this point to recognize opportunity when it was handed to her. But Imani could rest in knowing that she had done what she could do for now. She also knew that the best way to get Aria to trust her was to put absolutely no pressure on her at all. These kids who had no home to go to were like stray animals. You had to be patient and not react or trap them, and stay consistent while they tested you again and again. Sometimes Imani felt like they were actually trying to get her to act in such a way that they could prove to themselves that no one loved them. It was like playing a game of chess where what these kids didn’t get was that winning this game meant killing their own best interests.

The slurry of flavors scalded Aria’s nose before she had even tasted it. It was not the best bowl of chili. It probably wasn’t even good. But Aria’s current circumstances elevated her appraisal of it. The way the sharp musk of cumin coated her throat, and its heavy sustenance, made her feel cradled on the inside.

Taylor and Aria ate without talking. A warm meal had been so hard to come by that it was a pleasure worth the silence. Having become accustomed to one meal a day and some days none, Aria struggled to finish the chili. By the time she fished the last bean from the bowl, her stomach was sore. Taylor, who finished before she did, announced he was going to take a short nap and to wake him up whenever she was ready to go. He lay down in the grass and covered his face with his jacket.