Chapter 94
“We need to have a meeting.”
Mel very nearly groaned. The last time Dirk said that, it had been to ream them out for daring to have a personal life. Having it caught on camera. That had settled down, ar at least they’d thought so. Apparently not.
Or they were calling Mel in to tell them they were shutting the program down after all. The directors had promised them more time, though.
“About what?” Mel asked, even though they were afraid to hear it. They’d rather know.
“Just come in,” he said. “Now.” And hung up. Mel imagined if he was on a landline, he would have slammed the receiver down.
Mel had been planning to go pick the twins up, but it looked like that would have to wait. At least they’d been proving their mother wrong and were thriving with the freedom they’d been given. She had eased up a little more.
Mel sent Denny a quick text then grabbed their keys and headed for the directors’ office building.
They hoped the directors would be fast with any bad news.
Mel hadn’t seen Rhys or Alfie in just over a week—other than a memorable video call a couple nights earlier—since they’d left for Arkala, and they were looking forward tonight.
As soon as they entered the office, Veronica handed over a tablet with a smug smile. “Read this.”
Mel glanced down at the screen, expecting to see some legalese about terminating the program. But, it was an… article? “I don’t understand.”
“Just read it,” Veronica said. “We’ll give you a few minutes.”
Mel skimmed over the article by… Cai O’Byrne. The same one who had come out in support of them over a week ago.
Cai: You say this center provides a safe place for queer youth.
Caleb: Yes, it’s everything I would have wanted to have when I was younger. And it’s under threat of being shut down.
Mel raced through the rest of the interview, Caleb detailing more of what they offered and at the end, a short paragraph from Cai:
They say baseball is a game of inches. That’s all it takes to be the difference between a robbed homerun or winning the game.
Keeping an important organization like this running takes a lot more.
It takes community. Like any ballplayer will tell you, it takes teamwork to win a game.
If there’s anything that you can do to make sure queer youth still have this place to turn to, please do it. I know I will be.
“You should see these too.” Veronica handed Mel a few sheets of paper. With names and numbers listed next to them. When Dirk cleared his throat, they jerked their gaze up.
“Well, congratulations. It looks like you’ve gotten everything you wanted.” He pushed his chair back and stalked across the room. “Must be nice to have people with deep pockets on your side.”
“Ignore him,” Veronica said as Dirk left the office.
“You’re really going to keep the program going?” Mel asked. “I don’t need to worry about being shut down in another month?”
“Mel, you could hire five more psychologists, completely restructure this building, and you’d have money left over from what was donated. I don’t know how you did it…”
“Neither do I,” Mel said, except as they’d looked at the reports the directors had shown them, they might know. And they gave a little laugh. Caleb said he had an idea. Mel had never expected this.
Apparently, Mel hadn't needed to do this all on their own.
All those donations. From names Mel didn’t recognize, although Dirk seemed to think they should.
“My husband’s a big baseball fan,” Veronica said, “so I’ve heard of a couple of those names. I didn’t think you knew any of them. My husband would be envious.”
“I don’t.” Mel pointed to one line in the report. “Except him. Caleb volunteers at the center. Or did before he got called up. This has to be his doing. He must have told them. I don’t understand why, though. Why would they want to help?”
Caleb, sure. They knew the place meant a lot to him.
That the center was something he wished existed when he was growing up.
They understood that completely. They couldn’t wrap their mind around these complete strangers, who didn’t have any connections up here, stepping up to make sure it could keep running.
Mel didn’t know how to thank every single one of them.
“Because you’re doing a good thing here. I told the rest of them that weeks ago, but they outvoted me. I’m sure that article didn’t hurt any, either.”
Mel’s eyes stung at what Caleb had done. Bringing those people together. Now Mel didn’t have to worry about closing the doors. Possibly ever.
“Speaking of baseball players,” they said. “I have tickets to tonight’s game. I need to pick my siblings up and get over to the ballpark.”
Veronica shook her head. “I never would have expected that of you. I didn’t think you were the sporty type.”
“Well, when my boyfriends decide to treat us with tickets, who am I to say no?” They had plans after the game. Once Mel dropped the twins off back at home.
“Have fun,” Veronica said. “And congratulations. Yes, I mean that sincerely. It’s good to see you happy, with everything you’re always giving to everyone else. You deserve to take something for yourself.”
“Thanks. I plan to enjoy it.”
Knowing there were people who would be there to support them along the way.