I Love You Back

Elta, 7, lives just off a narrow, winding road in Albany, Ohio, surrounded by greenery. Sunlight bleeds through tall grass as rolling Appalachian hills transition into soft forests surrounding her home. On a warm March day, the front door stays open as chickens roam in and out. The wind billows through chimes on the front porch, making music in the warm air. She spends her days running through the yard with her chickens, swinging on the porch, gardening with her mother and playing freely. 

When Elta was very young, she and her mother had to leave their home together due to a domestic violence situation. The resulting bond between Elta and her mother, Dee, is devoted and tethered. Elta often hangs onto Dee’s arms and legs, holding onto her in a way that seems metaphorical for their shared experiences.

"Elta is unique, I think, because she has gone through a lot in her life and she has really made herself something special out of it," Dee says. "She's taken a lot of really dark times and made herself just into a ball of joy because she tries to please; she's a people-pleaser." Elta is curious about the world, and her passion for animals and family runs deep. Dee spoke about Elta’s obsession with the things she loves; her love for cats was so intense that "kitty" was Elta's first word.

“She would wake up 5 or 6 times during the night and just say, ‘Mom’ and I would have to say, ‘Elta.’ And she would say, ‘I love you’ and I would say, ‘I love you back.’” says Dee.