Pay It Forward

The Boys

Thank you all for reading Chapter One. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope you find chapter 2 just as enjoyable. None of the characters in this story are real. They are solely figments in my own mind.

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Shaun left his meeting with Kersh with a sense of accomplishment. The two men talked about several key factors that impeded these young men's growth. Kersh informed him that they had a functioning computer lab and classrooms at the facility. Most of the boy's classes were remote and televised. The local school district provided materials and instructors for the kids.

After talking with Kersh, Shaun planned to arrange tutors and purchased additional hardware and software for his charges. But before he made any arrangements, he wanted to speak with Judge Munoz to make sure he wasn't in violation with the mentoring program or any state guidelines.

He went to her office immediately after leaving WCDC and they talked. Judge Munoz was impressed. She knew MacGregor would serve well in this capacity, she just didn't expect him to take it to heart.

She explained to him that he could get the young men things they needed, but don't make empty promises. He scoffed at her. Then she smiled.

Shaun laughed and for the first time in all of the years he'd had faced this Judge, he realized she was a decent woman. Standing at the end of their brief meeting, Shaun shook her hand and went home.

Over a few weeks, Shaun ordered e-readers, laptops, and through materials for all three charges. The electronic devices would be kept under lock and key in the supervisor's office, but the three young men would have access to them when needed. He even arranged to visit with them twice a week. One visit was to talk to them about etiquette, behaviors, and life skills; the other visit was a chance for the boys to discuss what issues or needs they had.

After arranging the help the boys needed, Shaun kept his word and visited twice weekly. Soon, the young men opened up to him and seemed to be ready to reintegrate with the world. A few months passed, and Shaun wanted permission for an offsite visit. Kersh wasn't so sure, so Shaun wanted to convince him and Judge Munoz that this was a good idea.

The first few weeks that Shaun visited, all three young men were reclusive. They were polite, and he had to goad them into interacting with him. The level of distrust they displayed was almost insurmountable. However, Shaun understood, and he kept talking, and eventually they grew to trust him.

He engaged them with topics he thought might interest them. He asked questions to help them open up. He even would just sit quietly, and neither of them would talk at all. He visited with them individually and also as a group. Kersh, had new occupants arriving, so eventually the three boys ended up in the same section.

This was perfect, because now they could interact with each other. Since they all worked with Shaun, they knew each other. Their friendship grew and the three of them grew to respect each other even more.

Shaun encouraged them to socialize with each other. Often, they ended up helping each other out. Both Kevin and Daren took extra care of Gianni. He was the youngest and needed protection the most.

Even though, the three didn't interact with others at the facility, the three for some reason seemed to bind and form a tight unit. It didn't happen overnight, but eventually all three boys grew to trust their mentor.