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The next hour was spent with both me and Ruby moving around and talking to the kids. They were fascinated by her, and I understood it because I was, too.
“You’re a real doctor, Ruby?” Jonah asked. He was fifteen years old, and he’d been sent here because he’d broken into his neighbor’s house and taken food, which he’d said was for his younger siblings who were hungry. The neighbors had called the police, and they’d found a pocketknife in his jacket, which made it a much more serious crime, and here he was.
“I’m not a medical doctor. I have my Ph.D. in psychology.”
“So, you’re a doctor of the mind. Do you work in a hospital with sick people?” Patrick asked with a big smile on his face. He was sixteen years old and hadn’t disclosed why he was there. But at the end of the day, these were kids. Just young men who’d made some mistakes and were paying the price.
“I’m just someone who knows a bit about psychology,” she said. “And I just graduated, so now I have to figure out what to do with that.”
“What would you like to do?” Jonah asked.
“I think I’d like to work with kids to some extent.”
“You’re a real lady boss,” Patrick said, and the other kids started laughing.
“She is a lady boss,” I said with a smirk.
“Is she your girlfriend?” Duncan asked. He was the youngest kid here at fourteen. He looked even younger, and I saw the sadness in his eyes. Recognized that the minute I looked at him.
“Nope. She’s calling the shots, and she doesn’t want a boyfriend,” I teased, and all the kids erupted in laughter, taking turns slapping me on the shoulder.
“Don’t give up, dawg,” Patrick said as he fist-bumped me like we were old friends.
“Did you ever get in trouble for anything, Ruby?” Duncan asked, and the rest of the kids turned their attention back to her.
“I got into a few fights when I was young, and I wasn’t the best with authority because I always thought I knew better.”
Shocker. She still did.
“And now you’re a real doctor? How’d you do that?”
“I didn’t have a perfect life. But I knew that education was important at a young age, and I was determined to take that as far as I could. I didn’t have money or people pushing me to go to college in my family, outside of my dad, who supported my decision to go. But it wasn’t important to him. He just respected that I wanted something more for myself.”
“Your mom wasn’t around?” Duncan asked, his voice making him sound even younger than he was.
Shit. He was Romeo’s age when he’d been sent here. The one thing I’d always been grateful for was that I’d been here with him. That we’d been together when we were here. We’d had one another’s backs, and we’d been forced to defend ourselves more times than I wanted to think about. But we’d made it because we’d had one another.
I didn’t know if Duncan had anyone in his corner.
“Not a whole lot. And it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. My dad is a really great guy, and that was enough, you know? But what River said is true, only you can decide your future.”
“I like that.”
“How about you? Does your family come to visit?” she asked.
“He’s got a family here, don’t you, Duncan?” Patrick said. I saw the bond there, and it was going to help get them through this.
“I do. These are my boys. And my dad’s never been in my life. My mom tries, but she has her hands full with my two younger siblings. My stepdad doesn’t like me much,” he admitted, and I could see the hurt written all over his face.
The loneliness.
The wounded young kid who was trying to put on a brave face.
I’ve been there.
“Lots of people didn’t like me when I was young. That doesn’t mean anything. People are tough on kids. Do you like who you are?” Ruby asked.
His eyes widened. “Well, I can be a jerk to my mom sometimes. I get pissed off and act like an asshole.”
