Page 54 of The Sweetheart
“Yeah. We got a surprise,” Kai told him. Kai embraced the man that Matteo had been speaking with, dragging both of them over.
“Jay, this is Nolan. Nolan, this is Jason.” Jason pulled off his glove to shake his hand, warm brown eyes meeting his, his smile friendly. Matteo reached out and shook Nolan’s hand with a grin, and, together, they circled to the back of the car.
“Casey and Callum here?” Kai asked.
“Yeah. They’re inside playing video games,” Jason answered.
“What is this?” Matteo laughed, shocked as he faced the load of groceries. “Listen man, if you’re trying to win me over, you did that last week.”
“Hey, this is all Kai. He didn’t tell me anything,” Nolan admitted.
“He paid for it,” Kai inserted, as Matteo wrapped an arm around Kai’s neck and dragged his knuckles through his hair affectionately.
“Thank you!Thank you! This is amazing!” Matteo looked incredulous, like he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. “Let’s get it all unpacked.” He whistled at the crew, and everyone looked up, setting down what they were doing as Matteo waved them over.
Matteo led them through a side door directly into a large kitchen that looked like it had been upgraded from a family-style set up to something a little more industrial.
“What is this place?” Nolan asked Kai.
Matteo chuckled. “He really roped you into this, huh? We’re a youth resource centre. We work with a lot of at-risk young people experiencing homelessness, poverty and food insecurity. That’s whythisis incredible. Beyond generous.” He paused, watching in amazement as bags upon bags started getting unpacked. “Why don’t I show you around while these guys take care of this? Kai, Jay knows where everything goes.”
Matteo led him through the space. The kitchen opened into a large dining room. Five round tables, each with eight chairs, peppered the room. One side had a wall length-buffet with bins of groceries, a coffee maker and a small merchandiser fridge. In front of it ran a long island with bar stools as additional seating.
A couple of kids were sitting around doing what looked like homework, and another was paired with a teenager, their heads close together as they reviewed a notebook in front of them.
“We primarily strive to be a safe space for kids just to hang out and feel safe. A lot of the kids drop in. We have tutoring services. We offer counselling services. We actually have group sessions going on right now down in the basement. We alsooperate as an emergency shelter in a limited capacity. In Ontario, at any time, about a couple thousand youth are homeless, and those are just the ones we know about. We help find housing and help them navigate their way through accessing resources.”
“Do you run this as well as your other business?” Nolan asked.
“No, this is my mother’s brainchild. She started it in the nineties and all of my family volunteers when they can. Three of my siblings also work here. My eldest sister is our accountant, and I have both a brother and a sister who are social workers. My father worked in construction until he retired a few years ago.”
“Were they disappointed when you chose landscaping?”
“Not at all. My parents believed that anything we did with our whole hearts could serve the community and that’s how they guided our paths.”
They passed down a long corridor, into a large rec room with two large sofas in the centre. The room also had a large air hockey table and several large bean bag chairs in a corner with a tall bookshelf, and another corner with what looked like toys for younger kids. Three boys had controllers in their hands in front of a TV. Whatever game they were playing seemed to be getting pretty intense because they jostled each other roughly, trying to get into each other’s way.
“You’re cheating, bro!” the one said to his twin, his face bright with laughter.
“I’m not cheating! You just can’t handle it.”
“You’re both cheating! Matteo, tell them they’re cheating!” the third, who seemed a couple of years younger, yelled as they walked into the room.
“Oh, I’m definitely not getting involved. Casey, Callum, this is Nolan. He’s Kai’s friend.” Identical pairs of wide green eyesturned to Nolan in unison. The boys dropped their controllers as they leaned across the couch.
“Are you his boyfriend?”
“Liam said you’re really rich.”
“Do you have a mansion?”
“Do you have a pool?”
“Guys!” Matteo interrupted but there was humour in his voice. Nolan just laughed.
“Yes, to all three.”
“Can we come?” they chorused, instantly vibrating with excitement. Nolan glanced Matteo’s way, but he shook his head to let Nolan know he was on his own.
