Page 83 of The Sweetheart
“Kai. I’m glad you called,” Matteo said, pulling him in for a hug and letting him go. Maria clasped his hand in both of hers.
“This is Jeremiah. Jeremiah, these are my friends, Maria and Matteo. I already told Jeremiah that you guys would know exactly what we needed to do.”
“That’s right, Jeremiah. Do you mind if I sit beside you so we can chat?” Maria smiled kindly.
Jeremiah shook his head, and Maria sat in the spot where Kai had been.
“We’re going to give you guys some privacy to talk, but please let us know if you need anything,” Abigail said as she and Bryce moved to leave. Jeremiah shot Kai a panicked look, and Kai tookit as a sign to take Bryce’s spot on the couch. Jeremiah immediately relaxed.
“I know you already told Kai what’s going on at home, but do you mind telling Matteo and I?” Maria asked.
Jeremiah told the story again and answered just a few questions too. Matteo’s expression grew grim as Jeremiah talked. Kai hadn’t given him any details over the phone, just told him it was urgent and asked him to come as quickly as he could to help a kid. Hearing it again was just as hard as the first time, and Kai had the horrible urge to hurry them up to go get Jeremiah’s sister and the other womenright now. Maria, though, was calm, focused and encouraging. Whatever she was doing must be right, because Jeremiah answered all of her questions and seemed less worried, after she’d addressed his concerns.
“No, Children’s Aid is not going to take you away. They’re going to want to make sure you’re safe, but that’s all. We’re going to go and make a phone call, and the police are going to go get your sister Ava, and Brianna and Jessi too. They’re going to make sure they’re okay and then we’re going to find all of you somewhere safe to stay. You don’t need to worry about Brianna and Jessi. If they’re allowed to be here for school, no one can send them away.”
“What about Andrew?” Jeremiah asked.
“The police are going to go question him. They will probably want to talk to you too, but I will be with you the entire time.”
“What about Kai? Is he going to be there?” Jeremiah looked at him, eyes wide and concerned.
“Yeah, I can be there. If I’m allowed?” Kai hated cops. He was sure that they would know every crime he’d ever committed just by being in the same room as him, but there was no way in hell that he would say no to Jeremiah if he wanted him there. Kai looked at Maria, who smiled with reassurance.
“Absolutely,” she answered.
Maria left to make the call, and when she came back she told them that police officers would meet them at the resource centre so they didn’t disturb Abigail any further. Before they left, Abigail made Kai swear to call if he needed any help whatsoever, and he assured her that he would.
The officers who came to talk to Jeremiah were kind enough but intimidating as hell. He could understand guns and batons and tasers being a part of a cop’s uniform, but that hardly made sense when they were interviewing a kid. They asked a lot more questions, and Kai was grateful that Maria was there to oversee it all, because he would have been scared out of his mind doing this alone.
Then there was nothing to do but wait. Hours passed. Matteo showed Jeremiah around the resource centre, and he was lured into playing video games with a couple of the kids who were there hanging out. They ate dinner.
Kai sat outside on the front porch, watching the street while Matteo and Maria finished making whatever arrangements need making. When the front door opened, Kai snapped out of his head to see Matteo coming through. He took a seat beside Kai with a groan.
Kai watched him silently, some of his awkwardness sliding back now that they were alone together for the first time.
“So. Are we going to talk about it?” Matteo asked, a small smile playing on his mouth.
“I’m sorry, man. I fucked up. I shouldn’t have left like that. I was an asshole.” Kai rushed the words out, regret heavy in his voice.
“I was worried. It’s not like you to not show up.”
Heat rushed into Kai’s face, remorse hitting him hard. “I fucked up. I was embarrassed. I guess… I didn’t want you to be disappointed in me.”
“Why would I be disappointed in you?” Matteo asked, confused.
Kai didn’t know how to explain to Matteo that the idea of telling him that he’d let Nolan down felt almost as bad as letting Nolan down. He shook his head in frustration.
“Did something happen with Nolan?” Matteo prodded gently.
Kai felt that familiar stab in the heart. “It didn’t work out,” he muttered.
“I’m sorry, man.” Matteo clapped him on the back. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Kai shook his head. “I never deserved to be with him anyway.”
“Why? Because he’s rich?” Matteo’s tone was somewhere between skeptical and incredulous.
“No. Because he’s good. Like you.” Kai gave him a small smile even as his chest went tight against the tumult of emotions swirling inside of him.
