by Maira Dawn
Jesse's dad, Francis Lee Bailey, aka Frankie, hadn’t aspired to be a great dad or even a good dad. When he was younger, he'd had big dreams of being a race car driver. Those disappeared when his girlfriend became pregnant, and her family insisted on marriage. It appeared it was never a good union though Frankie tried at first. There were regular paychecks, and neighbors said he was home most nights.
"A second kid. He begins over-drinking," Skye mumbled as she ran her finger down the report. "Two nights becomes most nights. Less money for necessities." By the time Jesse enrolled in school, the family was getting all the state help they could but hardly got by.
"Troubles at school from the beginning. The teacher visited the home and reported the home and mother in bad condition." Skye flipped the page.
After his mom's death, things got worse. For long stretches, Jesse often missed school, his demeanor changed and his grades, never good, started steadily falling. He repeated his last grade twice.
Somehow, all this slid through the cracks until Jesse showed up in the ER with a broken arm, which he insisted happened when he fell from a tree. Skye sighed. I sincerely doubt it. And that didn't explain the evidence of abuse, the bruising and welts covering his back. When asked about them, he shrugged them off as if they were commonplace.
Small for his age, skinny to the point of being boney, authorities also strongly suspected he hadn't been getting enough to eat. Jesse insisted that he ate, but by his father's hand or by his own, it was hard to tell. It was clear that something was wrong.
That was the day the whole process started, and he ended up in my office. That was, oh, over two months ago, and I have yet to get him to open up.
Skye had only gotten herself settled in her chair when she heard a light knock on the half-opened door to her office. Jesse slowly peeked around the door and scanned the room. After satisfying himself that it was safe, he pushed the door open the rest of the way, came in and shut the door behind him. He paused and took a deep breath before continuing.
Jesse never seemed able to relax even though everything in this office, from the calm colors to the comfortable furniture, and even the toys, had been chosen to put the kids at ease. Jesse tried the couch, then one chair after another as if he too realized that he should be more comfortable than he was. In the end, he settled on one spot and used it almost without fail.
She greeted him, wishing she could make this easier on him, but gaining his trust would take time. Jesse didn't reply, but she watched him walk to his favorite chair, putting the coffee table between them.
Well, at least I know the one he prefers. Although I am sure if Jesse felt he’d given me even that much satisfaction, he’d switch it up on me.
Jesse’s shoulders hunched inward. He kept his eyes on the floor as he walked, refusing to take in the room around him.
He either carries the weight of the world on his shoulders or is waiting for the next blow... or both.
Once Jesse got to his chair and settled, he straightened his shoulders, lifted his head and stared straight into Skye's face, his brown eyes challenging her.
She sighed and a dispirited expression crossed her face.
Another one of those days. Will I ever get Jesse to realize I am trying to help him? Has he received so little help in his life that the mere thought is so impossible to believe?
His eyes flickered and slid away.
"Hello, Jesse," she said again with a small smile.
"Hey," was his cool response.
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About the Author
Maira Dawn is an emerging author of Dystopian Science Fiction. This is Maira’s fourth book.
I want to thank you for reading this novella. If you would like to read more of the Sanctuary’s Aggression series, you can find the books on Amazon Kindle, Kindle Unlimited and in print.
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Also by Maira Dawn
Sanctuary’s Aggression
The Road: Sanctuary’s Aggression 2
The Climb: Sanctuary’s Aggression 3