Until We Touch by Susan Mallery

your mom.”
    Percy looked startled by the question. “Why?”
    “Humor me.”
    “Okay. She got pregnant in high school. Her boyfriend ran off and her family kicked her out. I don’t remember much about when I was little. We lived in a shelter mostly, but we got by.” Percy’s mouth tightened, as if he were holding in emotion. “She was real good to me. Always looking out for me and telling me not to get into trouble. When I was seven, we moved in with my grandma and things got better. Mom got a steady job and we stopped moving around so much. When my grandma died, we couldn’t afford her nice apartment anymore. That’s when we moved again and it was harder. My mom worked a lot and that meant I was on my own.”
    Percy stared at his empty cereal bowl. “I got jobs in the neighborhood, to help out, you know? But she made me promise to stay away from the gangs and if you’re not tight with them, it’s hard to find work. Then she was killed and I got into the system. I was bounced around every couple of months. Then I ended up here.”
    Percy looked at Jack. “She was a good person and she tried real hard. I didn’t want to let her down.”
    “Sounds like you didn’t,” Jack said, thinking that the difference between making it and not was so narrow. How many other kids had suffered Percy’s fate and made the easy choice to join a gang? He knew from a few of his former teammates that not only did they provide a sense of security, there was also belonging. A social structure. Of course, it came with a heavy price.
    “You have ID? A social security card, stuff like that?”
    “I have a social security card and a copy of my birth certificate,” Percy said slowly. “Why?”
    “You’re going to need them in life. So tell me what you want, Percy. A good job? A college education?”
    Percy frowned. “I don’t understand, man. What are you asking?”
    “That lady you met last night? Larissa? Well, think of that meeting as winning the lottery. Larissa is going to take care of you. So what do you want? Any dreams? Becoming a navy SEAL? Learning how to work on cars? Going to college and studying to be a doctor?”
    Percy scowled. “If you want me to leave, just say so.”
    “Why would I want you to leave?”
    “You’re messing with me.”
    “I’m not. I’m saying you have an opportunity. You’ve spent your whole life making your mother proud of you. You resisted the easy road. Because joining a gang would have been easy, right?”
    Percy nodded, even as he crossed his arms over his chest. “So?”
    “So there aren’t any gangs in Fool’s Gold. Hell, I don’t think there’s any crime. You made a good choice coming here. Larissa likes to help people in need. Right now that’s you. Let’s start easy. How about a few classes at community college and a part-time job?”
    Percy stared at him. “For real?”
    “Yeah, for real.”
    The teen seemed to shrink in his seat. For one horrifying second, Jack thought he might cry. Then Percy swallowed and shook his head.
    “I can’t.”
    “Go to college?”
    The teen stared at him. “I’m not a charity case. Anyway, I never graduated from high school.” He darted a glance at Jack. “I’m not good with studying and stuff.”
    The last couple of words were barely audible and spoken in a tone that implied both humiliation and shame.
    Jack finished his coffee and wished it were later in the day because getting drunk seemed like a fine idea right about now.
    He drew in a deep breath. “Can you read?” he asked flatly.
    Percy pressed his lips together. “Sort of.”
    For a second he thought longingly of the fighting dogs that Larissa had left in his house. Because with them, he’d been able to escape to a hotel.
    “You have any other luggage stashed somewhere?” he asked.
    Percy shook his head. “I have everything with me. I like to travel light. You know, in case I have to take off or something.”
    Of course he did. “Percy’s an unusual name. Any