"That's not true at all, Jamie," she said firmly, meeting his gaze. "You're not stupid. Reading is just a skill, like riding a bike or playing a game. It takes practice, but I know you can do it."
She pointed to the first word on the page. "Let's start with this one. What sound does the first letter make?"
Slowly, with Emily's encouragement, Jamie began to work through the word. His face scrunched up in concentration, his lips moving silently as he sounded out each letter. When he finally spoke the word aloud correctly, his face lit up with a smile that seemed to illuminate the entire room.
"I did it!" he exclaimed, his earlier doubt forgotten in the thrill of success. "I read the word!"
Emily felt a surge of pride that took her by surprise. "You certainly did, Jamie! I knew you could do it. Shall we try the next one?"
As they continued to work through the text, Emily found herself fully immersed in the task. The world outside the Haven faded away, her worries and responsibilities momentarily forgotten. Here, at this moment, all that mattered was helping Jamie and the other children unlock the magic of words.
The afternoon passed in a whirlwind of activity. Emily moved from child to child, offering encouragement, explaining concepts, and celebrating each small victory. She marvelled at their resilience, and their eagerness to learn despite the challenges they had faced in their young lives.
As the session came to an end, Mrs. Fairfax appeared in the doorway, her eyes warm as she surveyed the scene. "Well done, everyone," she said, her voice filled with pride. "It's time for your afternoon break now. Miss Whitmore, would you mind helping me tidy up?"
The children filed out, chattering excitedly about their achievements. Jamie lingered for a moment, looking up at Emily with a shy smile. "Thank you, Miss Emily," he said softly before scampering off to join his friends.
Emily watched him go, a lump forming in her throat. She had come to the Haven seeking answers, but she was finding so much more than she had bargained for.
As she helped Mrs Fairfax straighten the room, Emily found herself opening up. "Thank you for allowing me to help with the reading session," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I had no idea... I mean, I've never experienced anything quite like this before."
Mrs. Fairfax regarded her thoughtfully, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "It's a special place, the Haven," she said softly. "It has a way of touching people's hearts, of showing them what truly matters in life."
Emily nodded, unable to find the words to express the tumult of emotions swirling within her. She thought of her life outside these walls – the endless meetings, the cutthroat business deals, the constant pressure to succeed. It all seemed so hollow now, so devoid of the genuine human connection she had experienced here.
"Mrs. Fairfax," Emily began hesitantly, "I... I have to admit, I didn't come here today just to volunteer. I was curious about the Haven's history, about its connection to..." she trailed off, unsure how to broach the subject of Victor.
Mrs. Fairfax's expression grew serious, a flicker of something – was it fear? – passing across her features. "Miss Whitmore," she said, her voice low and urgent, "there are some things about the Haven's past that are best left undisturbed. For the safety of our residents, for the good work we do here, some secrets must remain just that – secret."
Emily opened her mouth to protest, but Mrs Fairfax held up a hand to stop her. "I understand your curiosity, truly I do. But please, for the sake of the children, for Jamie and Lily and all the others, don't dig any deeper. Some truths are too painful, too dangerous to uncover."
Before Emily could respond, a commotion from the common room caught their attention. The sound of raised voices and a child's cry cut through the air, shattering the peaceful atmosphere.
Mrs. Fairfax was moving before Emily could even process what was happening. "Stay here," she instructed firmly, before hurrying out of the room.
Emily hesitated for a moment, torn between following Mrs. Fairfax's instruction and her burning curiosity. In the end, her desire to help won out. She made her way cautiously to the common room, her heart pounding in her chest.
The scene that greeted her was one of barely contained chaos. A man stood in the centre of the room, his face contorted with anger and grief. He held a struggling child – a boy of about eight or nine – tightly by the arm.
"He's my son!" the man was shouting, his voice raw with emotion. "You have no right to keep him from me!"
Mrs. Fairfax stood before him, her posture tense but her voice calm and steady. "Mr. Carter, please. We've been through this before. The court order is clear. You can't just come in here and take Tommy."
Emily's eyes were drawn to the child – Tommy. His face was streaked with tears, his small body trembling as he tried to pull away from his father's grip. The sight made Emily's blood boil, a protective instinct she didn't know she possessed surging to the surface.
Without thinking, she stepped forward. "Mr. Carter," she said, her voice firm but gentle, "you're frightening your son. Please, let's all calm down and discuss this rationally."
The man's wild eyes fixed on her, narrowing with suspicion. "Who the hell are you?" he spat. "This is none of your business!"
Emily took a deep breath, drawing on all her experience in intense business negotiations. "My name is Emily Whitmore," she said, her voice steady despite the hammering of her heart. "I'm a volunteer here at the Haven. And while this may not be my business, I care about Tommy's well-being. We all do. That's why we're here."
She took a step closer, her eyes never leaving Mr. Carter's face. "I can see how much you love your son. It's clear how desperately you want to be with him. But right now, you're scaring him. Is that what you want?"
Mr Carter's grip on Tommy loosened slightly, uncertainty flickering across his face. "I... I just want my boy back," he said, his voice breaking. "They took him away from me. It's not fair!"
Emily nodded sympathetically. "I understand, Mr. Carter. But there are proper ways to go about this. Ways that don't involve frightening Tommy or disrupting the Haven. Why don't we sit down and talk about this calmly? I'm sure we can find a solution that works for everyone, especially for Tommy."
For a long moment, the room was silent save for Tommy's quiet sobs. Then, slowly, Mr. Carter's shoulders slumped. He released his grip on Tommy, who immediately ran to Mrs. Fairfax, burying his face in her skirt.
"I'm sorry," Mr. Carter whispered, his voice heavy with defeat. "I just... I miss him so much."
As Mrs. Fairfax comforted Tommy and led Mr. Carter to a quiet corner to talk, Emily found herself rooted to the spot, her mind reeling from what had just transpired. She had acted on instinct, drawing on skills she had honed in the corporate world to defuse a volatile situation. But this was different. The stakes here weren't measured in dollars and cents but in the well-being of a frightened child.
A gentle touch on her arm startled her out of her thoughts. She turned to find Penny standing beside her, a look of admiration in her eyes.
That was impressive," Penny said softly. "Not many people could have handled that situation so calmly."
Emily shook her head, still trying to process her own actions. "I don't know what came over me. I just... I couldn't stand seeing Tommy so scared."
Penny squeezed her arm gently. "That's the Haven effect," she said with a small smile. "It has a way of bringing out the best in people, of awakening parts of ourselves we didn't know existed."
As the adrenaline of the moment began to fade, Emily found herself overwhelmed by a wave of emotion. The events of the day – the stories she had heard, the connections she had formed, the raw human drama she had just witnessed – all came crashing down on her at once.
"I think I need some air," she murmured, her voice shaky.
Penny nodded understandingly. "Come on, I'll show you to the garden. It's a good place to clear your head."
Emily followed Penny through a side door and into a small, well-tended garden. The late afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the flowers and vegetables, creating an oasis of calm after the tumult inside.
As they sat on a weathered wooden bench, Emily took a deep breath, letting the peaceful atmosphere wash over her. "I can't believe how much has happened today," she said softly. "I came here looking for answers, but I feel like I've found so much more."
Penny regarded her curiously. "Answers? What kind of answers were you hoping to find?"