Burning Furnace of Charity

We went to Boys Town today and made our usual rounds. When we pulled up, I saw someone asleep on the sidewalk; it was a girl named La Peque (the little one). If you read a few posts back, you might remember a story about me yelling at two pregnant girls in a crack bar...Peque was one of these girls. She hasn't had a lot to say to me since "the incident," and I sort of wondered if we'd ever be friends again. I've decided to tread lightly on this ground, and I didn't want to push anything with her. When I left today, she asked me to come sit with her. Her belly is growing every day, and she looks sort of like a toothpick with an orange strapped to the front of her. She wanted me to know the rumor that's going around BT...one of the older ladies is telling people that I bought Cristal's baby. I've heard this in the last few days from a few people, and it really breaks my heart. I have no idea half of the rumors that go around in there about me...I think it's probably better that way. I assured Peque that I hadn't bought any babies and that I don't want to be a mom anytime soon. She said she knew it wasn't true; she had spoken with Cristal last night. We talked about how we can't control what other people say or think, but the three of us knew the truth, and that's what matters. I felt relieved because it seemed that Peque was simply wanting to tell me that she knew it was a lie; it was her way of telling me she trusts me again. She also told me that Cristal is living outside of BT with her baby, she only comes to BT once in a while, and she stopped smoking crack so she could nurse the baby. (Another girl chimed in at that moment to say, "I thought Cristal looked fatter." ) While I'm sad I haven't seen the baby yet, I'm glad to know that our prayers are seemingly being answered, little by little - Cristal is out of BT (most days), her motherly instincts are kicking in, and crack is done, if only for the time being.