Page 3 of Sin Bin

Logan wasn’t so sure of that. Frowning, he flexed his fingers and curled them into a fist. “The other boys on the team…” He trailed off, frowning harder.

“What about the other boys?”

They had moms who would take them to hockey practice and bake cookies to raise money for the team. They had dads who would come to their games and cheer for them. Who would Logan have?

Nobody, that’s who.

Mr. T sent him a sideways glance. “I rearranged my schedule so I can take you to practice every week and attend all of your games.” His expression softened at the surprised look Logan gave him. “I’m gonna be there for you, mijo. I’m gonna be sitting in the stands and rooting for you all the way. Te lo prometo. I promise.”

Logan felt a lump rise in his throat. He choked it down, not wanting to look like a crybaby.

Mr. T reached over and ruffled his black hair. “Damn, boy, you need a haircut. Out here looking like Mowgli from The Jungle Book.”

Logan grinned, which made his jaw hurt worse.

A few minutes later, they reached the group home. The plain stucco house sat on a quiet street shaded by big leafy trees. It was nothing special, but it was the closest thing he’d had to a home since he was five.

As they pulled up to the house, the front door opened and a man and woman walked out. They were followed by a small girl.

Jupiter.

Logan leaned forward, staring alertly out the window.

Jupiter was walking behind the couple with her head down. Her dark hair was neatly braided into two pigtails and she was wearing a frilly pink dress. Logan had never seen her in a dress before. He didn’t even know she had one.

Mr. T pulled into the driveway. Logan barely waited for the van to come to a stop before he jumped out and called, “Jupiter!”

She turned her head in his direction.

They stared at each other across the large yard.

When Jupiter stuck her tongue out at him, Logan grinned. Maybe she wasn’t mad at him anymore for breaking her telescope.

The man and woman led Jupiter to a shiny black car parked in front of the house. As the man put Jupiter’s bag inside the trunk, Mr. T came around the van and stood beside Logan.

“Where’s she going?” Logan asked a little anxiously.

Mr. T smiled. “She’s been adopted, mijo. Her new parents must have gotten special permission to pick her up from here.”

“So they’re taking her home?”

“Yes, they’re taking her home.”

Logan’s throat felt strangely tight as he watched Jupiter climb into the black car. Before the door could be shut, she suddenly darted out of the backseat and raced across the yard, her puffy pigtails bouncing as she ran straight toward Logan.

His eyes widened when she reached him and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him hard.

After a shocked moment, he slowly lifted his arms and hugged her back. As he did, the weird tightness in his throat got even worse.

He didn’t like to be touched. He should be pushing Jupiter away. But he didn’t want to. Not even a little bit.

He was almost disappointed when she stepped back, wrinkling her nose at his sweatshirt. “You got blood on you,” she said in her scratchy little voice.

“I know,” Logan grunted. “I was fighting.”

She rolled her eyes in disgust. She was nine, a year younger than him. But she was really small for her age, the top of her head not even reaching his shoulder.

He smiled a little, stuffing his hands in his jeans pockets. “So…you’re leaving?”

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