Free Starting Point by N.R. Walker Page B

what we watch, so it will probably be crap.” Then I added, “Don’t tell him I said that.”
    Claude laughed and even Ruby smiled at that. He was so protective of his sister, always serious, so it was good to see him smile. I’d learned early on not to push the questions they didn’t want to answer, so while I really wanted to know where their mother was, or where they lived, or why they were never home—if they even had a home—or when and if they ate, I didn’t ask.
    One wrong question and these kids shut down and backed off, and I couldn’t risk that.
    I really liked them. I wanted them to have a proper chance. A better chance than what life had given them. It was something I think my shrink was stuck on, like there was some hidden guilt trigger and this was me trying to right the wrongs I’d done.
    I could see why her psychological brain made that leap, but for me it wasn’t like that at all. I just didn’t want kids like Ruby and Claude to think everything in the world was against them. If I could give them a few happy moments in a world that was kind of dreary, then I would do that.
    We talked about the fight club of course, and the upcoming fundraising day and tournament. Claude was excited about it, whereas Ruby only seemed agreeable because his sister was all huge smiles and animated hands. The waitress served the two lemonades just as Kira walked through the door.
    He spotted us straight away, and I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was curious to my being here. Then he saw who I was sitting with, and he gave me a what-are-you-up-to-now look before he sat down next to me. “Hey, guys,” he said. He patted my leg under the table.
    “Hey,” I replied with a smile.
    “Hello, Kira,” Claude said cheerfully. “What movie are you going to see?”
    Kira’s eyes shot to mine. “I’m not sure yet,” he said cautiously.
    “I told them we were going to see something,” I explained.
    “Actually,” Claude said, all bright eyes and huge smile. “Matt said you’re having a date night and your taste in movies is crap.”
    My mouth fell open. “Hey! Where’s the camaraderie?” I asked Claude. “I thought my second lieutenant was supposed to have my back?”
    Kira laughed. “Is that what he said?”
    Just then, the waitress returned with two plates of burgers and fries. She slid them onto the table in front of the two kids, and their eyes went wide. Without another word, they both started to eat.
    When they were about half way done, I said, “Well, we better get going if we plan to catch a movie.”
    Ruby put down his half-eaten burger and swallowed what was in his mouth. “Thank you,” he said. It was a quiet, humbled, genuine thanks.
    Then Claude chimed in, “Yeah, thanks, Matt. Will I see you at work tomorrow?”
    “You sure will,” I told her. “And don’t be late.”
    Claude rolled her eyes at me, then I turned to Kira and said, “You ready?”
    The look in his eyes was brief, but I saw it. It was a very quick should we leave them here alone kind of look. “Yeah,” he said hesitantly.
    “Okay then,” I said, standing up. “You two take care. Enjoy your dinner. We’re off to see some crap movie.”
    Claude laughed again. Ruby gave me half a smile and a nod as Kira and I were leaving. He drove and was quiet for a few blocks. “Are they okay?” he asked. “I mean, should we just have left them there? It’s almost eight at night. And you bought them dinner?”
    I smiled and put my hand on his thigh. “They’ll be okay.”
    “How do you know?”
    “I don’t,” I amended. “I just hope they will.”
    Kira was quiet again after that, as though my answer didn’t sit well with him. We went into his favourite sushi bar for take-out rolls and still made the nine o’clock movie. He still hadn’t said much since we’d left the diner, but as we were waiting in line for tickets, he frowned and his brow creased. “Rueben didn’t seem too happy to be there,” Kira