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“I want to show you something,” I said, barely holding back the torrent of emotions threatening to spill over.
Dillon looked at me with confusion and then nodded. Leaving the office and driving in silence, we headed to a rundown part of town I wouldn’t normally have stepped foot in. After parking, we entered a small Greek grocery store. As we did, a head popped up above the low aisles.
“Leo!” I said approaching a skinny teen who embodied defiance.
“Mr. Lyon,” he replied with a mixture of anger and fear.
“Leo, I want to introduce you to someone. This is Dillon. He was the first recipient of my family’s scholarship. Dillon, this is Leo. I have suggested to Leo that he might be our scholarship’s next recipient. But, he tells me he doesn’t need it.”
“I don’t,” Leo said coldly.
“Right,” I replied not hiding my annoyance. I turned to Dillon. “You know what I’m offering him. Do you think you can talk some sense into him?”
Dillon’s brow furrowed at my request. It was like he was judging me. Yet, without a word he turned to Leo.
“Why don’t you think you need it?”
Leo huffed, crossing his arms defensively. “I don’t need his help to take care of my family,” he said looking away.
Dillon stared at him. “How old are you?”
“17.”
“His father died,” I added.
Dillon turned to me with a cynical edge. “So, you want me to tell him my sob story about growing up without a father?”
Tensing my jaw at his tone, I calmed myself and replied, “Whatever you think is best.”
Dillon thought for a moment before his expression softened. Refocusing on the kid, he said, “It’s Leo, right?”
“Yeah,” he snapped guardedly.
“Well, Leo, what’s your dream?”
Leo spit his answer. “I don’t know.”
Dillon’s gaze held a glimmer of sympathy as he spoke again.
“Growing up, my dream was to go to Paris. I’m not sure why, but I had seen it in movies and I had a friend who went there all the time, so it meant something special to me, ya know. Eating croissants by the river, having dinner on top of the Eiffel Tower… for a kid coming from where I did, being able to do those things meant that the worst of my life might be behind me. What might signal to you that the worst part of your life is over?”
Leo thought for a moment before a spark briefly lit his eyes.
“What is it?” Dillon asked see it too.
“I don’t,” Leo said again shutting down.
“No, please, Leo, tell me,” Dillon asked with his characteristic empathy.
Leo’s eyes dipped. “Animals.”
“What?” Dillon asked confused.
Leo took a second to gather his thoughts. “I like animals, ya know. And there are a lot of strays around here. If I had a place where they could live, then…” he said with softened eyes.
“Like an animal sanctuary?” Dillon clarified.
“Yeah, one of those. It would be cool, right?” he said with a smile.
