We would figure this out.
The lights in the living room flashed, alerting me that someone was at the front door. I wasn’t expecting anyone but it could possibly be my neighbor Caroline who sometimes came over to borrow things. She was sweet and we often looked out for each other but Caroline typically texted first to see if I had what she needed.
I glanced at Rylee who placed the iPad down and crossed the room, heading in my direction with her little brows pinched.
“Someone is here.”
The first night Rylee was here with me and learned about all the accommodations I had in order to function independently, she became fascinated with learning how things worked. The lights signaling different things, the phone which translated calls, and even having closed captions onscreen for TV. I also had speakers built into the walls that allowed me to feel the vibrations when I played music.
It hurt my heart that she’d lived in silence for so long with her mother. And yes that sounded strange for a deaf person, but life didn’t have to be silent. Rylee existed without accommodations that would make her life more functional and that had to make her feel isolated.
“Yes, let’s see who,” I signed back and we headed toward the door. I tapped the camera and smiled when I noticed my best friend Marlee on the porch. Once I turned the lock and stepped out of the way, Marlee entered and kneeled in front of Rylee, speaking to her first.
“Hey, kid. What you doing?”
Like always, Marlee spoke clearly and signed as well. Rylee was still learning to read lips. She was decent but not the best. Reading lips wasn’t as easy as most thought. Marlee was helping me fine tune her skills by always speaking to Rylee as she signed to her.
“I’m coloring. Do you want to see?”
“Of course.”
Rylee ran back to the living room to get the iPad while Marlee greeted me, speaking without signing. I had been reading lips since I was a child and did well with it most of the time.
“Still nothing?”
“No,”I signed.
“Have you applied to foster her yet?”
I shook my head. I glanced at Rylee who had her attention on the iPad as she made her way back to us.
“She has a brother. They’re going to contact him to see if he can help.”
“Help as in get custody?” Marlee signed.
“Not sure, maybe.”
“Is he hearing?”
“I don’t know. They haven’t told me anything about him. It’s weird that they’re being so secretive.”
She frowned briefly but smiled when Rylee shoved the iPad her way. I glanced at the screen, which was a cluster of butterflies Rylee had colored beautifully. All of them in different shades of purple, her favorite color.
“You did good, Rylee,” I signed.
She grinned, bouncing in place. “Thank you.” But she was more interested in what Marlee had to say. So when she tucked the iPad under her arm and signed, “This is so good. Can you send it to me?”Rylee beamed and shook her head.
“No, it’s in an app. You can take a picture with your phone.”
“Let me do that because I have to keep this.” Marlee spoke and signed before she placed the iPad on the counter, dug her phone out of her pocket, and snapped a picture. She then cropped it, saved the image, and made it her screensaver, which warmed my heart. Marlee was the best.
When she held it up to show Rylee, we were blessed with that beautiful smile of hers. I yanked one of her braids, then signed, “Go watch TV or color a bit more. I’m going to make dinner.”
“Burgers?”she signed giddily.
I nodded and signed back, “Smash burgers with extra cheese.”
“My favorite,”Rylee responded.