Page 30 of Wed to the Devil

Dare blinks in surprised confusion, his cheeks turning a deep red. He hesitates only for a moment before wrapping an arm around Solana's shoulder while offering her a gentle smile of reassurance. I watch as he tries to appear composed and confident despite clearly being out of his comfort zone.

"It's okay," Dare whispers, "Everything will be alright."

Solana seems to relax a bit, although she still looks away shyly. I can’t help but stifle my laughter at the sight; here is this towering figure trying to comfort this young girl, both of them clearly so uncomfortable yet still managing to find some solace in each other.

Solana gazes at Dare, her eyes brimming with admiration. Dare is taken aback by the intensity of her stare, but he welcomes the feeling all the same; not quite understanding it, but embracing it all the same.

"What do you want me to help you build first?" He asks as he sits down next to her.

She throws him a coy smile and points towards a pile of wooden blocks. "This tower!" She exclaims confidently, despite her obvious insecurity.

Dare chuckles at her enthusiasm and begins assembling the pieces. An undeniable warmth fills the room as they interact; his kindness radiating off him in waves. I can't help but smile, watching them come together.

Solana inches closer to Dare, her gaze locked intensely on him. She watches in awe as he deftly places the blocks of the tower. She hastily begins to mimic his actions, grasping a block and carefully setting it atop the structure.

Dare abruptly notices, throwing an astonished look of surprise before swiftly grinning back at Solana. "I'm glad you're enjoying it," he whispers softly.

"Hey, I'm just playing with blocks." I bite my cheek to keep myself from grinning and stack a few blocks.

He takes it in stride and begins talking to Solana.

"What kind of things do you like?" he asks.

Solana blushes and replies, "I like reading and playing piano."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Dare inquires.

The shy girl shakes her head slowly and answers in a whisper. "Just my mom and dad."

Dare smiles warmly. "That's cool. I have a twin brother, but when he was annoying me as a kid, I would kind of wish I was an only child. You get all the attention and you don't have to share your stuff."

She gives him a grave look. "Maybe."

He shifts the topic.

"What are some of your favorite places?"

Still whispering, Solana says, "I like the park near my house and the library where I go for story time."

Dare listens intently as she talks about things that matter most to her, never interrupting or judging.

I can't help but feel emotional myself; such moments make me remember why I do this work— why we choose to volunteer at shelters in our spare time despite our busy schedules— because these brief opportunities matter more than anything else when it comes to giving back to those who need it most.

"What else do you like to do?" Dare asks, trying to make small talk.

Solana's face lights up. "I love gymnastics!" She spins around and begins doing cartwheels across the playroom floor. Dare watches in amazement as she performs one complex move after another. When she finally finishes, he applauds thunderously and grins giddily at her accomplishment.

I step back and laugh, marveling at the scene before me. This is why we chose to volunteer at shelters— to be able to share these kinds of moments with others.

At one point, Solana looks up at me with a huge smile on her face and says "Dare's cool!" I can't help but chuckle at this; it warms my heart to see how much she is enjoying their conversation.

Dare's gentle demeanor brings out the best in Solana, and watching them together fills me with hope for the future. If he's this great with kids he doesn't know, I can't wait to see how good he is with the baby I'm carrying.

We spend some time conversing with Solana, and I'm eager to join in.

"So, what do you want to be when you grow up?" I inquire.

Solana's face brightens and she answers energetically. "A doctor, an astronaut, a detective..." She motions around the room at her toys and grins. "I can do whatever I want, because I'm brave!"

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