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“Sounds good” Fuck knew I’d done plenty of manual labor over the years for foster parents who had “foster kid” confused with “slave labor” It’d be nice to earn so my back

“It’s a little bit of a walk off the bus line,” Dex added “Nothing you can’t handle”

I doubted the ho to hand over a bus pass and be cool about the job Things were never that easy forless than enthusiastic with Dex My counselor was right, at so about what the hell to do with ed out of foster care I’d convince theement

One thing I knew for damn sure, stipend or not, I’d need money For some reason, Dex seemed deter no

“Thank you, Dex”

He gave me the information and I scribbled it down Shit, a job wouldaround with Juliet after school Unless she was able to get hired too Maybe if I was already working there and the owner liked e Or ood word for Juliet

We said goodbye and I hung up feeling more hopeful about the future

The “lead” turned out to be a sure thing The owner of the place, another biker ent by the name of Ulfric, hired me on the spot

“Dex’s word is good enough for me,” he’d said

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that If I fucked up, it would make Dex look bad Then I’d have to deal with not one, but two pissed-off bikers

“Set your own hours Just get this cleaned up by opening day,” Ulfric said in his gruff no-bullshit way Not that he was rude, he just never seemed to use more words than absolutely necessary

We walked the property and he showed me the spots where fallen trees needed to be cut and hauled away Grass and leaves neededthe place needed to be repaired, potholes in the dirt road needed filling in A lot of labor But I formulated a plan for how to tackle each task Every day after school, I hauled my ass out there and worked the solid four hours the home allowed

The counselors were so ied a schedule to pick me up at the end of my shifts Of all my years in foster care, this was the first time my life didn’t feel like a clusterfuck of chaos and frustration

Ulfric worked ht equip he didn’t have, he bought it right away He taught me how to use a bunch of different tools and how to fix shit when it broke Anytime I was able to pick up a new skill, I was happy

This new, tighter schedule didn’t allowIn the afternoons, I’d walk her ho on the bus

“I miss you,” she said as we passed Mrs Shields’ house one afternoon