Page 26 (1/2)

"Oh, okay," she said "Can you tell him I called?"

"Sure, sweetheart"

"Thank you," she said quietly, suddenly feeling queasy She bit her lip, trying to hold it back as she said good-bye and hung up the phone She had a long day ahead of her and needed to keep it together

She grabbed her things and headed back out to find Kelsey in the living roos on the wall "What do you see?"

Juirl who needs to get laid," she said sarcastically as she surveyed Haven again "She also needs sos under her eyes and a pedicure if she’s going to wear flip-flops"

The girls departed, taking a taxi the few blocks to the Rainbow Art Center Every semester they were required to do five hours of volunteer work, whether in a gallery or library or out in the community Haven was excited about the opportunity to help, while Kelsey see

Kelsey pulled the lid off her cup and gulped her drink as she started toward the entrance of the building "Reain"

"You said they were easier to deal with than the artsy-fartsy intellectual types who spoke in haikus and took the her exact stateht" Kelsey smirked "Never trust a ay or a con artist Trust me on this"

Haven shook her head, not even wanting to know the story behind that

Chaos reigned, screeching voices and thunderous footsteps do The ht for Haven She braced herself as a little girl slas Snotty nosed and wide-eyed, the child stared up at her with a mixture of confusion and fascination

She sly, her thick dark hair fanning in her face and partially shielding her view "Uh, hey, sweetheart"

The little girl said nothing, just continued to stare

"They’re anihed when she saw she had two little boys running around her legs, hindering her ability to walk "It’s a good thing I like the zoo"

A lady approached theled the children "You irl away "This is Emma, by the way"

"Hello, Eirl s away and joining the others The teacher, Mrs Cle the class to order with a loud whistle The noise echoed through the roo everyone immediately

"In your seats," she declared They started to oblige and Haven ju hand out the art supplies

The Rainbow Art Center was attached to the local coht free art classes for underprivileged children The naht or colorful about the place The walls were a drab gray color and the paint was chipping, the building falling apart

Most of the kids who came to the center had no families, every one of the and innocent, Haven knew they were all only one step away fro the life she had once lived

They spent two hours painting and draith the kids By the tiivers trickled in to pick thehtly as she held her paintings

"I hed and took it, gazing at the distorted stick figure with the abnore redup half of the sky

Haven smiled "Beautiful"

"You can keep it"

"Thank you," she said "It’s really good"

Emma’s eyes lit up "Can I be an artist like you?"