1. Chapter 1 #2
“I’m glad you’re here, though. Would you like to tell me what happened?” He shakes his head, fear flashing in his eyes. “You don’t have to right now. But, I need to know what happened so I can help you, okay? We can just sit here for a while until you feel comfortable.”
He takes me up on that, and we sit in silence for so long that I start to wonder if he’s going to say anything at all. The sound of his stomach growling breaks the silence. I smile. “Man, I’m starving. What about you?”
He shakes his head. “I’m okay. ”
I frown. I know he’s not, but he’s not my first reluctant kiddo, and I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve. “No worries. I’ll just order in, if you don’t mind.”
He shakes his head. “That’s fine.”
I stand up and head into the other room, ordering from the little sandwich shop a couple of doors down. I get my usual, a BLT with fries and two chocolate chip cookies, but I double the order.
When I go back into the lounge, Eli’s sitting in the same place, still wrapped in the blankets. It’s getting close to the time that Beck gets off work, and I didn’t even realize how late it was getting, so I shoot him a quick text.
Me
Hey, baby. I’ve got a kiddo here who needs some help. He’s not talking yet, so we should probably let Hold know we won’t be able to make it tonight. Tomorrow should be better.
This is the only part of the job that gets a little wild occasionally.
I won’t leave until the kid with me feels at least a little safe, and I can find them a temporary placement.
I have connections with two group homes in the area.
Beck and I got our foster licenses last year, just in case we were ever in a situation where we needed to keep a kid while we worked something else out.
It’s happened a few times, but never for more than a night or two.
Liam was actually one of the kids who stayed with us.
His response comes in a few moments later.
Beck
I’ll let them know, beautiful. I’m about to leave the hospital now. Please be safe and let me know if you need anything. I’ll see you when you get home. I love you.
Me
Thank you. I love you too.
I’ve just hit send when there’s a knock on the front door that has Eli letting out a little yelp and burying his face in the blankets. “Hey, it’s just my food. It’s okay. No one will hurt you here,” I say, waiting until he finds my eyes and nods before I step out to get the door.
I tip the guy who delivers it extremely well because fuck the cold, and head back toward Eli. This time when I walk into the room, he doesn’t jump. I sit down and set the delivery bag on the table. Pulling the first box out, I make a confused face. “Oh. ”
I watch Eli out of the corner of my eye. When the scent of the fries and cookies reaches his nose, his stomach growls again, and he sits up a little, peeking toward the table.
“They accidentally gave me two,” I murmur, pulling out the second box and making a show of opening it like I have no idea what’s inside.
After glancing back and forth between the two boxes, I let out a sigh and look up at Eli.
“There’s no way I’ll be able to eat all this.
Are you sure you aren’t hungry? I’d hate to see it go to waste. ”
He stares at the food for a long while, and when his stomach lets out another loud growl, he finally nods.
Without a word, I slide the container over to him.
Instead of bringing attention to him, I look down at my food and pick up my cookie, shoving half of it in my mouth in one bite.
I’m chewing when there’s a small gasp from Eli.
I look up at him, worried, when I see he’s looking at me like I’m crazy.
“You can’t eat the cookie first,” he whispers.
He sounds absolutely scandalized, and it almost makes me laugh, but I don’t even have time to because his face goes ghost-white, and he shrinks away from me.
“I… I mean, you can… You can do whatever you want. I’m sorry. ”
“Eli,” I say, swallowing quickly. “Eli, it’s okay. I know you were being playful. I’m not going to hurt you, okay? I promise. ”
He takes a couple of deep breaths as color slowly returns to his face. “I’m sorry,” he whispers again.
I grin. “No need to be sorry. You don’t eat your dessert first?”
He gives a single shake of his head. “You should,” I say. “The saltiness of the bacon is perfection after eating the cookie. That’s why I always order two. One for before and one for after. A pre-dinner cookie and a post-dinner cookie.”
He watches me for a second, so I wink at him and shove the rest of my cookie in my mouth.
The ghost of a smile touches his lips and he picks up his cookie, taking a small bite.
We finish our meals in silence. Eli clears his entire tray and, like me, saves his second cookie. When he’s done, he sits back and lets the blankets fall away from his shoulders. “Can I have some water, please?”
I nod. “Of course. I’ll be right back.”
When I get back with his water, he looks a little more comfortable—less scared, for sure. He takes the water from me with a mumbled, “Thank you.” I sit back down on the floor across from the table. He sips his water for a second and then looks at me. “My dad hurts me.”
That sends a sharp pain through me. “Yeah?” I ask softly .
He nods, tears welling up in his eyes. “My friend, Molly, let me wear some of her lip gloss.” He stops talking and looks at me like he’s waiting for judgement.
He won’t find any. Taking another shaky breath, he continues.
“Anyway, he didn’t like it. It’s… it’s not the first time he’s hurt me. But it’s the worst time.”
I nod. I understand that completely. We can take a lot from our parents. That unconditional love is difficult to break, truly. But undoubtedly, there is always a last time. A final straw. It seems Eli has found his.
“How old are you?” I ask.
“Fourteen,” he mumbles, looking at his lap for a second before his sad, scared eyes find mine. “You can help me, right? Liam said you would help me. He said you were really nice and that you wouldn’t hurt me.” There’s a hint of pleading in his voice, and it breaks my heart.
“Of course. That’s what we do.”
He sighs, relaxing a little. “I don’t… I don’t want to say more right now.”
“That’s fine. I need to ask a question, though. Okay?”
“Okay,” he whispers.
“Did you run away from home?”
He shakes his head. “No. He, uh… he told me to get out. ”
Fuck. I am so tired of shitty parents. “Okay. I have a friend who runs a group home across town. I’m going to text her and see if they have room for you, okay?”
He looks a little betrayed, and I’m not sure why, but it makes me feel sad.
But this is the job. I’m the home base—the landing zone.
I coordinate things like this. “They’re a great group of people, and you’ll be safe there.
We’ll work on getting you a social worker, and medical care. And then a placement in a foster home.”
He watches me for a second, then nods. “Okay.”
Something about the way he says it doesn’t quite sit right with me. But I pull my phone out and text Sasha, my contact at Safe Haven, the group home.
She responds within minutes, telling me they have a spot for him. “Alright. I’ve got you a spot for the night. Would you like to come with me, and I’ll drive you over?”
He hesitates, then nods. “They won’t… They won’t hurt me either?” he asks, voice small and shaky.
“No. They won’t hurt you, either.”
God, this kid is destroying my heart. Genuinely. It feels like it’s about to crack right down the middle.
Thirty minutes later, Eli and I are stepping out of the car at Safe Haven. He looks a bit like I’m leading him to his death as we walk up the snowy path. Sasha opens the door before we approach, wearing the same warm smile she always does. “Hi, guys. Always nice to see you, Roman.”
I offer her a small smile, even though something about dropping Eli off here feels wrong. “You too, Sash.”
There’s no reason for it, but I can’t quite shake the feeling that I’m doing the wrong thing.
Normally, I drop the kids off with Sasha and then follow up the next day, but this time I don’t.
I follow them inside and trail behind Eli as she shows him around the facility and takes him to his temporary room.
“And in here,” she says, reaching up to the cabinet over the bed. “You have toiletries.”
Eli nods, wringing his hands together in front of him. “Eli,” I say, and he turns to me. “What size clothes do you wear? I’ll bring some to you tomorrow.”
“You’re going to come visit me tomorrow?” he asks, sounding hopeful.
I nod immediately. “Yes, of course.”
I stand around for another few minutes after Sasha leaves the room, staring at Eli as he walks around, taking everything in.
I startle when he speaks. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
He sighs heavily, the sound seeming to come from his very soul.
“Can I…” His voice trails off. “Do you think…” he tries again, giving himself a little shake.
He growls, clearly frustrated. “I need a hug,” he finally whispers, his voice breaking.
My heart finally breaks along with it, and without even thinking, I stride across the room and tuck him against my chest.
His entire body shudders hard, and he whimpers, burying his nose in my shirt. I rub his back slowly as he cries in my arms.
Fuck, I don’t want to leave him.