“I can help them too,” I say softly referring to his sisters, letting him hear the truth to my words. I would help them all. I would report their father and work with social servicesto make sure they get removed. I would do all that I could to make sure this is the last time he shows up to my office battered and bruised.
“You can’t promise that. You can’t promise that me and my sisters will be sent to the same place, and I won’t risk being away from them. They need me and I refuse to abandon them like our mother abandoned us,” he replies, anger dripping from every word. “I don’t care what happens to me.”
He’s despondent, as if he truly doesn’t care how many times he’s shown up in this state or been hurt by who I assume is his father.
“You should care, Trevor. You can’t keep showing up here hurt and broken. And more than that, you shouldn’t have to,” I say, trying to reason with him. I could go behind his back and report my suspicions, but I know that if they do a welfare check on the house and Trevor doesn’t admit to it, he could end up worse than he already is.
“But I don’t,” he replies brokenly, as if he has already given up on himself.
My heart shatters at the realization that he doesn’t want better for himself. He has already been dealt such a hand in life that he just accepts the treatment he gets, almost as if he deserves it.
“I don’t care, and I won’t risk my sisters. I keep them safe. I do my best to make sure they have everything they need. We don’t need more than this. I only have two more years until I’m free and I can take them away,” he says, determination lining his features, his dark brown eyes hard as he stares at me.
I realize I’ve entered a losing fight and sigh. I let the silence welcome us back.
“Okay,” I say on another sigh. “I won’t push. But I needyou to know I am here for you. It doesn’t matter when or where, okay? I want to give you my phone number just in case.” I reach over for a sticky note and pen and scribble my number down before handing it to him. He takes it with his good hand and shoves it in his backpack.
I ignore the potential repercussions of giving a student my number. I know I would do anything to make sure this kid is safe, even if it means I lose my license. Some things are worth risking everything for, and I know that if I stood by and did nothing, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.
“Thanks, Mr. D. I… I’m okay, really. But thank you for being here. It means… Well, it means…” he stammers, suddenly unsure and hiding behind his mess of hair.
“I know, and that’s what I’m here for. I’m on your side.” I stand and move back to the other side of the desk to give him some space, knowing I need some space myself. I try to rein in the feelings today has brought. The high of my conversation with Avery to the low of this conversation and just how helpless I feel in all aspects of my life right now.
He stands, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. “I got to run. Katie is meeting me to go over the test so I can see what I missed. But I’ll come by later this week?” he says, gathering his backpack and standing up.
“Yeah, Trevor, of course. You know my office is open for you anytime.” I plaster a smile on my face despite my gut twisting inside. I take in his appearance one last time—there are no other bruises or cuts that I can see. The bags under his eyes are less severe than when I saw him last, telling me he at least has been able to get some sleep.
“I know.” He slips out the door, leaving the silence heavier than it was before.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
avery
House With No Mirrors – Sasha Alex Sloan
“Hey, Mama, how are you doing today?” I say in the sweetest baby voice I can muster as I walk up to Silver’s kennel. Her puppies are sleeping in the most adorable pile. They just turned three weeks old and are the cutest set of puppies to come through here—not that I’m biased because they’re hers or anything.
She gets up and comes to the door, her whole body moving with her tail when she hears my voice. The brightest smile takes over my face when I see her. I check her log and note she already ate and had a walk today.
We had two new intakes that had to be isolated for potential parvo—the poor things were brought in yesterday after being found on the side of the road, and the vet assumes they’re littermates. I had to take them to the emergency clinic because our on-call doctor couldn’t get here today. The puppies are staying overnight and hopefully can be picked up in a few days to be introduced to some of the younger puppies once they’re cleared.
“You got a walk today. Look at you. You’re gaining so much weight, big girl,” I praise her, giving her pets as she dances around me.
“Do I get that kind of greeting as well?” a male voice asks behind me.
I turn to see Grayson standing there, watching me with a soft smile on his face. He looks to Silver, and his eyes warm even further. Silver runs to the kennel door, eager to greet a new friend, her tail whipping against the chain fence.
“If you’re as cute as her, sure,” I tease, trying to clean up some of the bedding she destroyed as Grayson lets himself into the kennel. He volunteers here a couple times a month when his schedule isn’t too packed and he has more free time. He’s familiar here, and most of the workers know him.
“Well then, damn. There’s no way I’m as cute as this one,” he replies, sitting down and letting Silver attack him with kisses. The sight warms my heart at how easily she takes to him. Silver loves humans, but she’s more wary of men, giving them a more tentative approach. Yet she so easily climbs into Grayson’s lap.
“What’s up, Gray?” I ask as I sit down across from him, next to the puppies and plop a couple in my lap, trying to get all the extra serotonin I can before tonight.
“I just wanted to come by and check on you. I know the party is tonight, and I wanted to see where your head was,” he remarks, petting Silver and looking up at me to gauge my reaction. “And I also was thinking about maybe adopting a dog,” he adds, as if it’s an afterthought.
“Really?!” I wasn’t sure if you still were since you never brought it up again,” I exclaim, wanting to jump for joy but not willing to move the puppy pile that has gathered in my lap.
“Yeah, it’s been a little too quiet over at my place. I think it could use some chaos.” Bashfulness enters his voice as he continues to love on Silver.
