Page 54 of Damian & Jun, Episodes 9-12
“She still loves him.”
“Kids often do.”
“If you give permission, I’m going to have my people run a background check on you and the house, and I’ll ask Welwick what it would take to get Betti placed with you.”
“I assume they’re trying to place all the kids together? I thought that would be the biggest barrier to finding them homes, you wanting to keep them together.”
Damian shook his head. “My job doesn’t keep me in one place, and I don’t keep a separate house here. My partner has legal battles right now getting out of a bad situation. Even if I wanted to, I don’t have the free income or the bandwidth to take on six kids, especially with what these kids need. As my mentor keeps telling me, I need to lean into whatever community I have or, in this case, whatever community the kids have.”
“You said partner?”
“Gang Junseo. He’s been helping me look after the kids, but he needs to get back to work.”
“We have space for Betti, but beyond that, I’d be doing Ruby a disservice. We can only take her.”
“I respect that. We’re only talking about Betti. What I do ask is a commitment to help her stay in relationship with any of her siblings that are healthy for her to stay in touch with, as defined between her social worker, you, and myself, should she be placed with you.”
Armada and Betti arrived with Hypatia. The two friends flew across the room to each other and wrapped each other up in their arms. Ruby’s demeanor changed from timid to leadership in an instant. She was checking Betti’s hair and looking at her clothes and firing off questions.
Damian turned to May and raised an eyebrow.
May smirked. “Betti is good for Ruby. What she won’t do for herself, she’ll do for her.”
Ah.
Jun came in, Habibi on his chest in the carrier, coat half open in the front to make space for the infant, and a bag in one hand. His legs below the hem of his skirt were the stuff of fantasies in plum-wine tights all the way down to a pair of brown ankle boots.
“Cedric said you were in here. Oh.” Jun came to a full stop.
Damian stood. “Miss Kirkpatrick, my partner Jun. Jun, May Kirkpatrick, mother of Betti’s friend Ruby.”
Jun glanced across the room to where Armada, Betti, and Ruby were clustered together, their backs to them, being watched over by Hypatia. He moved his bag to his left hand and extended his right to May. “Good to meet you. Betti’s missed you.”
May’s eyes flittered over Jun, pausing at his hands and taking in the baby strapped to his chest, the skirt, and the hat over his hair.
“Pleasure.” She extended her hand and met Jun’s. “You have an accent.”
Jun snorted delicately. “You have an accent. I speak proper international English, thank you.”
May laughed outright.
“Do you want to sit?” Damian asked Jun.
Jun waved Damian off. “You sit, please. If I sit, Habibi will wake up. He just fell asleep.” Jun set down his bag and braced himself, putting an arm under Habibi. “He’s going to need a diaper change soon, but until then, let’s hope he gives us some peace.”
“I’ll take him when he wakes.” Damian pulled the bag toward himself and waved May back to her chair.
“Damian said you’ve taken time off work to help with the kids,” May said.
Jun made a waffling motion with his head. “Not entirely. I was working today. Habibi just came along for the ride.”
“How did it go?” Damian asked.
Jun grimaced. “Remodeling the parsonage is looking better and better.”
“You’re working on the church?” May narrowed her eyes and turned to Damian.
“We’re putting together the money and investors to see what we can do.”
