Will walked out of the community center, leading Terra toward his truck. He picked up three boxes from the back and gave one to Terra to carry.

Terra grinned. "Ginny is, shall we say, unique? I like her. I have to know, does she have a long-term relationship with anyone?"

Will shook his head. "Never anything long-term, and I think you saw why. But there have been lots of boyfriends. She used to go through men like napkins at a pig roast. I am not sure, but I think there have been a few girlfriends too. Really don't want to know what all goes on behind her closed bedroom door." He turned to Terra with a grin. "I think I am going to have to keep you away from her. She could be a bad influence."

Terra giggled. "Now I definitely want to spend some time with her."

Will firmed his face, turning serious. "She gives me a hard time, and I return the favor, but she was there for me after my parents died. I might have wasted away if not for her." His alluring smile came back, and he pointed at himself. "And look at me now. A successful, yet clueless, man."

They rounded the brick sided school building, passing under a long wooden portico with a traditional bell tower extending from the arched peak, then coming to a double glass front door. "Here we are."

As they entered the administration office and stacked the boxes in a corner, a young woman in a short black skirt ran up and wrapped Will in a hug. Her heavy makeup and carefully styled long blonde hair seemed a bit more appropriate for a nightclub than the school office. The woman pulled back from the hug, but only slightly, staying close with her hands on his arms and smoky eyes gazing up into his.

She purred, "Oh Will, it is so good to see you. I've missed you so much."

Terra gawked. Can she be any more obvious?

Will stammered a reply. "Umm, hi Starr. Here are the supplies you wanted, and some books for Moya's classroom."

A short, middle-aged woman with streaks of gray in her brown hair came out from an inner office. She smiled warmly and gave Will a hug.

Does everyone around here hug?

"Thank you so much! Moya and the kids will be happy to see you again."

Will motioned Terra over beside him. "Terra, this is Starr, the school administrative assistant, and Emma, the principal."

Terra dipped her head. "Pleased to meet you both."

Emma shook Terra's hand warmly, but Starr narrowed her eyes, returning only an icy nod.

As Will walked down the hallway carrying one box, Terra grinned as she put her hand on his arm. In a mocking, shrill voice, she said, "Oh, Will, it is so good to see you!"

His head tilted to the side. "Huh?"

"Starr. I think she wants you."

He shrugged. "I don't know. She has always been friendly."

Terra dropped her chin. "Will, she was in full flirt mode! Didn't you notice that? Maybe you are clueless."

Will shrugged again as they reached the classroom door. Terra peeked in to see about twenty young children, probably six to ten years old, with heads down at communal tables completing some sort of writing task before them. Moya, the dark-haired teacher per the name placard on the door, sat at a scuffed desk and watched her students intently. Will knocked softly to catch Moya's attention and walked into the room. The principal came up behind them.

All at once, several shouts of "Mr. Sall!" rang out, and the children rushed him. Will staggered backward and fell, slumping to the floor within a writhing mass of kids. Moya rolled her eyes with a sigh. Her hard-won classroom discipline was gone in an instant, but from her smile, she seemed not to mind so much. Terra leaned against the door frame with a hand to her mouth to suppress laughter.

Children love him!

Moya rescued Will from the pile and reestablished some degree of order, speaking in a firm voice. "Children, sit down in a circle and maybe Mr. Sall will show you what he brought for us."

Will sat down cross-legged on the rug within a semi-circle of children, then opened the box and peered inside. "I have a special surprise today. I brought an elephant!" He shuffled through the box, furrowing his forehead in mock confusion. "He must have gotten out. Did anyone see an elephant running around here?" A smattering of giggles broke out.

Terra scanned the room. It was a typical classroom with a whiteboard and educational posters tacked to scuffed walls, although somewhat dilapidated. Cracks traced walls and windows, some lights didn't work, and several ceiling panels were missing. Nonetheless, the room had a cheerful ambiance, fitting to its purpose.

A lone boy within a shadowed corner drew Terra's gaze. Skinny with shaggy brown hair, maybe six or seven years old, he sat motionless and expressionless on the floor with head bowed down. Why is he so alone? As she continued to study him, he raised his head, catching her gaze. The deep despair in his nearly vacant dark eyes, as if his soul drowned in hopelessness, raked her heart, so much so that she turned her eyes away.

One child jumped up from the semi-circle and pointed at Terra. "Is that your girlfriend?" Giggles erupted again.

Will replied with a half-grin. "This is Ms. Lorr. She is a girl, and she is my new friend. So does that make her my girlfriend?"

"No. A girlfriend where you kiss." The child replied, spurring more giggles.

Moya used her teacher voice. "Sit down and be quiet now!" She glared at Will, tilting her head toward the box. "Mr. Sall, do you have a book you could read for us?"

"Right. Oh yes, I do. I have a special book written a very long time ago called Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss."

A chorus of "Eww" rang out.

Will opened the book with a flourish and read, opening the pages such that the children could also see the illustrations.

"I am Sam

Sam I am

That Sam-I-am!

That Sam-I-am!

I do not like that Sam-I-am!

Do you like green eggs and ham?

I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

I do not like green eggs and ham..."

As Will continued the story before a rapt audience, a tug at Terra's hand caught her attention. The sad boy from the corner stood beside her without expression and lifted a sheet of paper with two stick figures drawn on it. "Is this for me?" She kneeled down and took the sheet from him. "Is that a picture of you and me?" He nodded, and a crooked smile crept on to his face. "Thank you," Terra gushed.

Moya and Emma looked at them, widening their eyes in apparent astonishment. Terra stood up, confused by the reaction. "What is it?" she whispered so as not to interrupt the storytelling.

Emma motioned Terra outside the classroom and spoke in hushed tones. "We have been very worried about Benjamin. His family was killed in the fighting, and he now lives in the orphanage, as do several of the children in this room. This is the most interaction we have seen from him in six months. Somehow, you are reaching him."

"How is that?"

"Hard to say," Emma replied. "Would you help us with him? I do not want to lose this opportunity."

"What do I do?"

"For now, just sit down with him and listen to the story. We can talk more later."

Terra went back over to Benjamin, crouched down to his level, and held out her hand. "Let's go listen to the story. I will sit with you." He took her hand, and they joined the circle.

Will noticed and smiled, pausing from the story. "Ah, Benjamin. Welcome. Now, where was I?"

He continued:

"Would you eat them in a box?

Would you eat them with a fox?

Not in a box.

Not with a fox.

Not in a house.

Not with a mouse.

I would not eat them here or there.

I would not eat them anywhere.

I would not eat green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am..."

Once that story and another ended, it became time for lunch. At the children's insistence, Will and Terra joined them in the lunchroom, squeezing down into a bench-table not designed for adults, and dining on cheesy pasta, beans, and apple slices. Benjamin sat next to Terra, and they ate together.

Moya came back and kneeled down next to Benjamin. "Ms. Lorr needs to go. She has some things she needs to do."

Terra clutched the drawing Benjamin gave her earlier. "I could see you again tomorrow. Would that be okay?" He nodded with vigor. "Maybe you could make me another picture. Goodbye for now."

As the teacher led Benjamin back to the classroom, Emma took Will and Terra into a small conference room where the school counselor, a kind-looking older man with a gray beard, waited.

After greetings, the counselor spoke first. "This is wonderful! Benjamin has been largely unresponsive for so long. There is new hope now."

Terra wrinkled her forehead and asked, "But why did he respond to me?"

"We cannot be sure," the counselor replied, shaking his head. "You may remind him of someone he knew before, or maybe you are a new face that was there when he was ready to come out. Something about you appealed to him, though."

Emma, the principal, leaned forward. "Ms. Lorr, will you help us? Help Benjamin? You are not required to, but..."

"What do you need me to do?"

Walt's going to give me hell if he finds out I am doing this.

The counselor replied, "Terra, thank you. Come back in the mornings and spend some time with him. Not all day, just part of the morning, or whenever you can. I'll have Moya prepare some tasks that the two of you can work on, but really, anything he wants to do would be fine. I will see him as well in the afternoons." A cheerful grin rose on his face. "Oh, this is good!"

Hugs happened all around as they parted.

This place definitely has a thing about hugging.

As they walked back to their apartments, Terra noticed Will grinning at her. "What?"

Will's grin grew wider, letting out a chuckle. "You continue to astound me, Terra Lorr. I am so glad I let you take me prisoner."

"Oh, so you let me?" she replied in mock outrage. "You know I could still rough you up if you do not behave."