"Hotdog and chips?" Tobias asks me, already pulling out his wallet. I shake my head, reaching forward to place my hand on his arm.
"You've paid for too much. Let me pay for the food." I say to him firmly, giving him a grateful smile. He rolls his eyes, pulling out a note from the numerous in his wallet despite my protests.
"How about I give you the money and you hand it over? Will that make you feel better?" He smirks, leaning against the wall. I give him a blunt stare, looking unamused. When he holds out the money towards me, I pluck it from his hands. A smug smile plasters across his face and he opens his mouth to speak but before he can say anything, I stuff the money into his mouth.
"I'm paying." I repeat, letting out a small laugh at his stunned face. I turn around and pull out my card, paying for the food before Tobias has a chance to refuse. When I turn around with the food in my hands, he shakes his head at me, a fond smile on his lips.
"You're very stubborn Trish Lockwood."
"Deal with it Melvin." I hit back at him, sticking my tongue out. He lets out a low chuckle, walking beside me as we find a seat. I settle for the one away from others, hidden in the corner. When I slide into the booth, my eyes land on a group of toddlers giggling and stuffing food into their mouth. All of them wear a small party hat on their heads and I notice a little boy wearing a happy birthday crown.
A small smile settles on my face as I watch him, his blonde hair reminding me of Leroy's tufts. His eyes light up as his friends fuss around him, giving him attention on his special day. The empty ache in my stomach begins to grow and I realise my eyes begin to fill, glazed over with tears.
Leroy will never have another birthday.
"Trish?" Tobias says beside me, his voice soft and quiet. His eyes follow my line of sight and when he notices the group of children, he lets out a small sigh. I hear the scraping of his chair as he shuffles closer towards me, draping an arm around my shoulder.
"Should we go over and say Happy Birthday?" Tobias asks softly, his voice a comfort down my ear. I nod my head, already standing up out of my seat. The children's supervisor/parent smiles as we approach them and I give her a small wave. I walk up towards the Birthday Boy and bend down so I'm at his height level.
"Hey buddy, is it your birthday today?" I ask him. He nods his head, blonde curls flying all over. When he smiles, he reveals an adorable toothy grin.
"I'm six today!" He grins, his smile becoming infectious. I act surprised, letting out a gasp.
"Six? No way! High five?" I ask him, holding up my palm. He lets out a yell of excitement before slapping his little hand with mine. He whirls around, running over to his friends and leaves me standing there with a warm feeling inside my stomach. It's been so long since I've felt the feeling of a child's love and happiness.
"You're great with children."
I turn to face the adult looking after the children. She's stood next to me, her arms crossed over her chest with a fond smile on her face. I smile back and stand up slowly, rubbing my palms on my jeans. I feel Tobias' hand rest on my waist from behind me, his presence close.
"Thank you, I love kids."
The woman's eyes light up at my words and she briefly scans over me before glancing at Tobias.
"Do you have any of your own? Or ever thought about kids?" She asks, directing the question at both of us. I feel Tobias still behind me but I nod my head, creating conversation with her.
"I definitely want children when the time is right."
"That's great, I have a feeling you'll make great parents. My name is Natalie, I work at the care home for young children." Natalie says, her words softly spoken. My eyebrows rise slightly in surprise but I nod my head, glancing over at the group of six year olds.
"So all of the children are in care? With no parents?" I question, unable to believe how many children are abandoned.
"That's right. Our main focus is giving them routine and safety whilst looking for a foster home." Natalie responds, her eyes lighting up. I can't put my finger on what she's thinking but I can practically see fireworks going off behind her eyes. When she pulls out a card and hands it over to me, it finally makes sense.
"When you're ready, give us a visit." She says quietly before wondering over to the children. My eyes widen as I glance down at the card in my hands. The care home name and contact details are printed at the front —
"Does she seriously think I could adopt?" I question out loud. Behind me Tobias carefully plucks the card from my hands. He glances at it, his eyes scanning over the details.
"Why not? You love kids, adoption is a career and a damn rewarding one too."
I didn't quite know what to say back to that.
Would I make a good foster parent?
"I haven't really given it much thought." I mumble, chewing on my bottom lip. I briefly turn and notice the crowd of six year old's walking away. The birthday boy that reminded me so much of Leroy waves at me with a wide grin. I immediately wave back, a warm feeling settling inside my stomach.
"It's just an option Trish." Tobias says, sliding the card into my jacket pocket. I nod my head, watching as the little boy disappears into the distance.
"Yeah . . . Just an option I guess." I say quietly however my words are only loud enough for me to hear. The entire ride home I remain silent, pondering with my thoughts. My fingers find the card inside my pocket and I trace over it, the paper feeling smooth under my fingertips.