Page 13 of Alex
Hisreply is punctuated with a wicked grin. “Plenty of women to argue that.”
“I’lltalk to Mason. See what we can do.”
Iannever fails to surprise me, I think, lying in bed a few minutes later. Hewields that carefree persona, acting like nothing affects him, like he doesn’treally care, but it’s transparent to anyone who spends enough time with him.There’s a depth there he doesn’t like to show. Underneath his womanizing ways,there’s a sweetheart hiding, afraid of his own emotions.
WhenI wake, Ian and Kyle are lounging on the couch, scarfing down sausage and eggbiscuits. “Mason’s coming over in a few minutes,” I inform them.
Kyleappears nervous. “Am I leaving?”
“That’llbe up to you. We have a couple of options to discuss, okay?”
“Sure.”
Halfan hour later, we’re gathered around the kitchen table as Mason lays out the optionsfor Kyle. “There’s a nice young woman named Maia who would be happy to have youcome live with her in Alabama. You know you can’t hold a job or enroll inschool until you’re eighteen, so you’d mainly just be hiding out.”
Fiddlingwith the tablecloth, Kyle replies, “Maybe I can find something under the table.Where they won’t ask for ID.”
“Possibly,but there’s another option. You could stay here with Alex and Ian.”
Kyle’shead jerks up, his eyes hopeful. “Stay here until I’m of age?”
“Yes,but there are a few conditions. You dropped out of school at sixteen, correct?”
“Dadmade me. Wanted me to work.”
“StrikingBack employs a tutor to work with the kids who can’t enroll in school. I wantyou to work with her so you can take the GED test as soon as you turneighteen.”
“Sure.I mean, I didn’t want to quit school in the first place.”
Masonsmiles. “I understand. We want you to succeed, Kyle, not just survive. You canstill go to college and make something of yourself. I understand you want towork and make money of your own, so I have a proposition. Spend the mornings atS.B. with the tutor and you can work at the new shelter in the afternoons. Earnsome pocket money.”
Dazedby the new offer, Kyle turns to me. “And this is okay with you? Me staying here?”He regards Ian. “And you?”
“Wasmy idea,” Ian replies with a smug smile.
“Iwant you to stay with us, but you have to understand you can’t tell anyone thethings you learn about S.B. Obviously, we stray outside the law when we have to.If you tell anyone, a friend or girlfriend, it risks our whole operation andlots of people will be hurt. Understand?”
“I’llnever say a word, but, who should I say I am? I mean, neighbors might ask orsomething.”
Smartkid. “You’re my cousin. You’re eighteen and have come to help us at the gym.Any other questions?”
“Whencan I start the classes and work?”
Masonlaughs and claps him on the back. “Tomorrow. Alex can drop you at S.B. in themorning and you can ride to the shelter with me after class.”
“Thankyou.” Kyle looks from Mason to me to Ian. “Thank you so much.”
Ian
Thearrangement with Kyle has been working out well the past few weeks. Alex dropshim at Striking Back every morning and Mason brings him home in the evening. Weeither make or order dinner and play video games for a few hours. It’s good tosee the kid put on some weight.
Kyleand I are ass deep in dead zombies on Friday night when Alex flops beside me onthe couch and picks up a sketchbook from the table. “Do you mind if I have alook?” he asks Kyle.
“Sure,but it’s just doodles.”
I’veseen his work and it’s far from doodles. He’s incredibly talented, especiallyconsidering he hasn’t had any training or art education. His drawings arelifelike and hauntingly beautiful. Alex gazes at a sketch of an empty streetlittered with trash where a lone boy sits on the center line, his legs drawnup, forehead on his knees. “Kyle, this is amazing.”
Kyleshrugs off the comment just as he did when I tried to admire his work. “Haveyou ever considered going to art school?”
