Page 4 of Blessings in Disguise

Annie said, “I haven’t seen much of you this summer.” The content teachers didn’t work in July or August but Diego had been at Pathways doing special presentations.

He said, “Nice to see you, Gemma. Did you have lunch nearby?”

“The Garden Grill.”

“We’re headed there.”

She smiled. “You two look so happy.” She nodded to the tiny bump in Annie’s belly. “Must be pregnancy agrees with you.”

“Ha! I have bad morning sickness.”

“Aw.” She kept her envy to herself. “Well, I’ll let you go. Have a good meal.”

Sometimes being around so many happy people was hard for her. Those two and Maisy and Jackson. She closed her eyes. What a horrible thought to have.

She squelched the negative feelings and kept walking. Thankfully, the sun warmed her face and the exercise gave her energy.

* * *

The black cloud overcame him sometimes. And Harlan couldn’t stop it. So he left his cabin and went to find somewhere private. He dropped down on an isolated bench under a tree. And put his hands over his face.

He couldn’t stand the thought of going home. He could manage his feelings here because he had a lot of help. But he didn’t share everything, even with them.

He could still hear his father screaming at his mother that Harlan was sick in the head. At least she kicked the jerk out. But she’d cried every day afterward. That’s why he got in trouble, enough to be sent to juvie. But Pathways rescued him from that. Still, he’d felt the pain he’d caused his mother. He put his head down on the picnic table and sobbed.

* * *

After checking in with the guard at the gate, Caleb drove to a parking lot on the Pathways campus and turned off the car. He was dreading this. It had been three days since he’d gone to a dark place with Gemma and needed to apologize. He had a few minutes before meeting her so he got out of his vehicle and walked down a path to clear his head. He went north, then turned around. On his way back, he caught sight of a boy sitting on a bench.

Crying.

He stopped, of course. “Hello, son.”

Bloodshot eyes stared up at him. Anguish filled his face. “Don’t call me that.”

“Son? I apologize. I’m Caleb Shepherd.”

“H-Harlan Ford.”

He gestured to the bench. “May I?”

“I guess.”

Caleb needed to be careful here. “I’ll listen if you want to tell me why you’re so upset. As I understand it, all six of you will be going home at the end of the month.” The boys had finished their year at Pathways and satisfied the state requirements. Soon, they’d return to their families.

Harlan looked away. “I don’t wanna go back home.”

“I’m a psychologist, Harlan. Maybe I can help.”

“Nobody can.”

“Did you talk to Dr. Kendrick about this?”

His eyes widened. “No. She’s a girl.”

“Ah. So this is aboyissue.”

He nodded. “I couldn’t tell her.”

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