Jackson continued.
"But less after."
"Because of parole?"
"Because I got tired."
"Of what?"
Jackson took his time.
"Being the reason people I loved were scared."
Cody looked down.
"I wasn't scared of you."
"I know."
"You know?"
"You were scared of what I'd do."
Cody said nothing.
"That's worse."
Jackson leaned forward.
"When Coach told me why you kept quiet..."
His voice became rough.
"I wanted to throw the phone through the wall."
"I knew it."
"Not because of Trent."
Cody looked up.
"Because of me."
Jackson tapped his own chest.
"My fifteen-year-old brother decided getting beaten every day was safer than asking me for help."
"That's not what I meant."
"That's what happened."
Cody's eyes filled again.
"I couldn't lose you."
Jackson nodded.
"I know."
"You went away once."
"I know."
"Everybody goes away."
Jackson looked at him.
"Mom. Dad. Foster families. You."
Each word was quiet.
Not accusation.
History.
Jackson moved his chair closer.
"I can't change those years."
"No."
"I can't make prison disappear."
"No."
"I can't promise I'll never screw up."
Cody looked at him.
"But I can promise something else."
"What?"
"When I get angry, I'm going to remember today."
Cody waited.
"I'm going to remember you watching me."
Jackson pointed toward the door.
"Because walking away from those two kids without hitting them was harder than any fight I've ever won."
Cody stared at him.
"You wanted to?"
"So bad."
"Weston too?"
"Especially Weston."
Cody gave a tiny smile.
"But you didn't."
"No."
"Because of parole?"
Jackson shook his head.
"Because of you."
Cody wiped his eyes.
"Good."
"Yeah."
Neither spoke for a while.
At eleven thirty, Elena entered with paperwork.
Emergency child services had approved Cody spending the weekend with Jackson pending a Monday hearing.
The foster placement had been notified.
Brenda Higgins reportedly responded with surprise.
She claimed she had not known about the injuries.
Investigators would determine how that had happened.
Cody listened to Elena explain the temporary order.
Then he asked the only question that mattered.
"So I don't have to go back tonight?"
"No," Elena said.
"Not even to get my stuff?"
"An officer can accompany you tomorrow."
Cody looked at Jackson.
"Where am I sleeping?"
Jackson stood.
"My house."
"Your new house?"
"Yeah."
"The one with three bedrooms?"
"Yeah."
Cody smiled.
For the first time all day, it reached his eyes.
Saturday morning, Cody woke in a room that was not finished.
The walls were plain white.
The mattress was new.
A desk sat beneath the window.
Two boxes remained unopened.
There were no posters.
No curtains.
No dresser.
On the floor beside the bed sat a plastic shopping bag.
Inside were a toothbrush, socks, sweatpants, two T-shirts, deodorant, and a phone charger.
There was also a note.
Didn't know what teenagers need.
We'll buy the rest.
Jax.
Cody read it twice.
Then he pressed the note flat and placed it inside the desk drawer.
He heard noise outside.