A Soldier's Guide to Single Parenting

Saving my Bacon Part 7

Todd took David to work on Tuesday but once again, I was too sick to make it. Too much booze during the day and not enough sleep at night. It was becoming a vicious circle I couldn't seem to break.

It was around lunchtime when I received a call from the police. They told me they had a young man in custody named Simon Morrison and they wanted to know if we were related.

"No. He's not a relative but he's a friend of the family. Is he in trouble?" It sounded like a ridiculous question considering he was in police custody.

"He was picked up during a raid on a house in Roxbury this morning. There were drugs found there. He's being questioned but we don't believe he was directly involved. He hasn't been charged."

Simon had given our address as his home and the police were calling to verify his story. He had no ID and had told them he didn't have any parents.

I told them the truth. "He has got a father and that's where he normally lives but they had an argument. His old man hit him quite bad so we took him in. He ran off over the weekend. He won't go back home because he's scared of his father."

The police seemed happy with my explanation and asked if I would come and collect him. It was a relief to hear that he was okay, but it put me in an awkward position. I felt sorry for the kid, but he wasn't my responsibility. I was tempted to simply give them Darcy's number and wash my hands of it, but something stopped me. I felt guilty for making Simon leave in the first place and I didn't want to turn him over until I was convinced he was going to be safe.

Contrary to what David must have thought at the time, I didn't hate Simon. I had known him since he was very young and he was a regular in our house for years. He was always a good kid, there was nothing to hate about him. I blamed his father and that wacky cult he belonged to. They were probably the reason why he turned queer in the first place, and now they were persecuting the poor kid.

As much as I didn't want him back in the house, I had to admit, when they brought him out, it was good to see him in one piece. He looked a little grubby and kept his head bowed as the detective explained to me that they may need to question him again in the coming days.

"Will he be staying with you?"

I was asking myself the same question on the way over there. I had already told the kids he wasn't allowed in the house again but if I refused he would have been sent back to Darcy. I could feel Simon's pleading eyes on me.

"Yes, until he can sort things out at home."

"You should call your father and let him know where you are," said the detective, but Simon didn't respond.

"I'll do it for him, officer." I patted Simon on the shoulder. The kid was too honest for his own good. He needed to learn how to tell people what they wanted to hear. If he had done that, none of this would have happened in the first place.

Before we left, I talked to the detective alone.

"We know he wasn't involved in what was going on in that house. However, those people aren't the best guys for Simon to have as friends. If he hangs around in those circles he's gonna get mixed up in it and... Well, I don't think I need to explain it to you."

"I'll have a word with him but I'm not the boy's father. There's only so much I can do."

"I understand. He wouldn't talk to us about his dad. We can't do much unless he wants to press charges for assault."

"I doubt if he would ever do that, he's too scared."

"It shouldn't be your problem though. Look, I think the kid needs some help. If you want, I can ask someone to contact you. She's a social worker. A part of the mayor's new initiative on juvenile crime. She's very good."