Page 27 of Ultimate Freedom

She chuckled. “I did, didn’t I? You like school?”

“Not really. Well, I guess I like learning stuff but not the other kids. They’re mean. Besides, I didn’t always get to go.”

Stiffening, yet hiding it, she posed for him to get his shot of her and then she spoke. “Why not?”

He began to fidget, and she regretted mentioning the subject while driving and unable to watch his reactions. Taking the chance to swing her eyes from the road, she turned to see him squirming.

“You’re going to be mad.”

“Am not. Tell me.” Swerving, she quickly turned her attention back to the snowbound tracks she drove through.

“Beth… ahh, my mom, she didn’t care if I went to school all the time. Lots of days I had to stay home and look after her. Cause she’d get sick.”

“Right. Okay. But did youwantto go?”

“Sometimes. I guess. When I was little, yeah. Now, not so much. It’s hard to keep up in class. I never had the things I needed, and kids don’t share. The nice teachers often gave me scribblers and pens, you know that kind of stuff, but when we had to ru… leave, mostly I couldn’t take a lot of stuff with me.”

“I understand, Charlie. I knew quite a few kids that were in the same situation back in Phoenix. But here, the teachers are pretty cool. They can determine how you’re doing and help you find the right classes at your level.”

“You want I should go to school?” Perplexed, it showed in his startled question.

“Of course, you have to go to school. I’m surprised the authorities didn’t catch on that you weren’t going.”

“No one said anything to me. But Beth made me stay inside a lot. Except when she needed me to steal stuff.”

He said the latter as if he accepted it as normal. Demi shivered at the thought of what Charlie’s earlier life must have been like. Poor kid. Keeping her thoughts to herself, she watched the road and didn’t answer.

As if he knew what he’d said might have shocked her, he added, “I won’t steal anymore, and I can read better now. Whit showed me.”

Knowing she had to put him at ease, she ignored the first part of his remark and said, “Good. It’ll be easier catching up. Especially with help.”

Charlie nodded almost too enthusiastically… like he couldn’t quite believe, but desperately wanted to. “Whit will help me. He told me so.”

“Of course, he will. And hey, I’m no Einstein but I’m not a dummy either. I can work with you too. Right?”

Charlie seemed to take a while before answering as if it was a very serious decision. Demi waited to hear what he’d say before breaking the silence. When he spoke, his voice had lowered. “Do you want to?”

“Of course.”

“I mean… you don’t have to.”

“No. But what if I like helping you?”

“Okay.” He sniffed. “I’ll take a picture of the fawn now.”

Demi got the message – subject’s closed. Just as well. They’d arrived. She pulled up in front of the cabin on purpose and shivered when remembering the last time she’d parked the truck here. Shaking off the old memory, she quickly got themorganized to carry the fawn carefully in to the cabin. The leg cast doc set in place had to be carefully maneuvered.

When she saw Nito step out of the darkness, she hid her grin. She’d expected him to be there, so no surprise.

Chapter Fifteen

The next few days were full for Demi.

Because New Year’s Day fell on a Friday, they didn’t have to worry about school for now. Between cooking many of the meals for everyone, keeping the cookie jar filled, and looking after a human and an animal orphan, she went to bed each night exhausted.

Harold and Lefty spent most of their days at the cabin with Demi and the boy and took it upon themselves to do research with Charlie about the fawn. Choosing her name became a serious endeavor.

It was Charlie who finally came up with the perfect one, bringing tears to Harold’s eyes and agreeable nods from the others.

---