CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
(part three)

One week and a half later
Wednesday, November 26 – 4:30 P.M.

“That’s the end of our group work,” Colin Hargreaves said. “I want you to pick a partner that’s around your size.”

“Daddy, can I stay with Katy?” Paddie asked.

“Of course,” Colin said. “Teddie? You and Nash. Noelle? Work with Ryan again. Becky? Can you work with….”

“Steve, Mr. Hargreaves, I’m Ryan’s littlest brother.”

“Steve! Nice to meet you. You can call me Mr. Colin.”

“My other brother couldn’t come today,” Steve said. “But he’s going to come on Friday.”

“Great! The more the merrier,” Colin said. “Mike? Are you working with the ladies?”

“I’m on it,” Mike said.

Mike helped Jill, Heather, Tanesha, Sandy, Colin’s wife, Julie, and Valerie set up in a circle where they could work with each other.

“Ok, work with your partner now,” Colin said. “Slow and easy take the hand, bend the wrist, and turn to the outside. Slow and easy. Feel the lock.”

Colin moved to the edge of the room to watch the class.

“I’ve looked for you at lunch, but I never see you,” Nash said. He turned Teddy’s wrist until he felt it lock. “You go to Smiley, right? Seventh grade, right?”

“Yeah.” Teddy took Nash’s wrist and locked it in place. “I’m in the library. I’m behind in school. You should see the stack of work I have for this weekend. No holiday for me.”

“Oh,” Nash returned the wrist lock. “How come?”

“I didn’t go to school for a while,” Teddy said. “My Mom’s messed up. She’s in some program now. She’s supposed to be getting better.”

“My Mom’s in jail,” Nash said. “She’s supposed to go to prison.”

“Oh,” Teddy smiled. “I didn’t know you were a citizen of the country of fucked up.”

“HEY!” A big guy yelled from the doorway to the room. Nash gulped as the muscle bound man pointed to them. “Language.”

“My guardian,” Teddy said. “My Mom hates Miss Alex. Just hates her. But Miss Alex is the person who came to get us. At three in the morning. She came to get me and my sister and brother. You know, when things went to shit. Miss Alex walked through the chaos, the police, and whatever else to pick us up. Mom signed my guardianship to Andy.”

“He’s a little scary,” Nash whispered. “He has that prison tattoo on his eye.”

“Yeah,” Teddy said. “He’s been really great to me.”

“Where’s your Dad?” Nash asked.

“Good job everyone!” Colin said. “Let’s go back to simple escape. Kneel across from your partner. We’ll do this for ten minutes today.”

“My Dad’s taken care of us since we were little.” Nash grabbed Teddy’s wrists. Teddy shifted his hand to break Nash’s grip. “He’s a good Dad, you know, for a Dad.

“My Dad flies spy airplanes over the Middle East.” Teddy grabbed Nash’s wrists and Nash broke his grip. “He’s trying to get here, but…. If he doesn’t fly, men don’t get any time off. We promised him we’d be all right for a few months until he finishes up.”

They worked back and forth for a while.

“I saw that guy harass you. At school,” Teddy said. “What’s his problem?”

Denver Cereal continues tomorrow….