Free The Journey Home by Michael Baron Page B

ready to go, okay?”
    Joseph examined the teen’s face for a minute. While Will’s posture suggested that he was done with this conversation, his expression said something completely different. He decided to probe further, hoping that Will would appreciate Joseph’s attempts to draw him out. “What do you remember of your parents?”
    For several seconds, it appeared that Will was going to stay closed on this subject. Then he slowly shifted in the bed. He was still looking upward, but he’d moved a little closer.
    When he spoke, his voice was shallower than it had been before. “I remember what people have told me. I don’t remember anything real. You know how you’ve been doing that meditation thing where you try to get a picture of your wife? I’ve been trying that trick since I was a kid. Best of luck with that one.”
    Joseph had the instinct to reach across to put a hand on Will’s shoulder, but he kept it in check. “How did they die?”
    â€œEverybody’s a little vague on that one. I’m not sure how many details foster parents get. I’m not even positive that they died at the same time. It might have just been really close together. I’m sure I could dig up the details if I tried. I’m not sure it matters, though. How much of a difference is any of that going to make?”
    Joseph wondered how he felt about that. If he were in Will’s situation, he’d probably want every
detail he could get. He’d want a vivid picture of the people who’d brought him into the world and loved and nurtured him in his earliest days. Why wouldn’t Will want the same? Didn’t he know what he was missing?
    â€œYou have kids?” Will said when Joseph had let the conversation rest for a few minutes.
    â€œWas that one of your tricks to attempt to jog my memory?”
    Will finally turned to face him. “Sorry, I forgot for a second. How cool would it have been if you’d said, ‘Yeah, Tommy is nine and Jenny just had her sixth birthday?’ I’d be a freaking genius.”
    Joseph let the idea rest in his mind for a moment. “No, Tommy and Jenny don’t ring a bell. No one that sounds like Tommy or Jenny, either.”
    â€œToo bad. Want me to throw out names until something sounds familiar?”
    â€œMaybe some other time.”
    Will sat up, reached for the television remote, and pointed it toward the TV. “Okay, here’s the deal: I’m gonna turn on the TV and punch in a random channel. Whatever show comes on will give us a huge clue about where you live and where we need to go tomorrow.”
    Without waiting for Joseph to respond, the boy pressed some buttons on the remote. When the TV came to life, he pressed two more buttons. The scene that popped onto the screen was set on the flight deck of a spaceship. A man dressed in silver, who seemed to be in charge, was talking to a hard-shelled magenta alien.

    â€œIs your car equipped with hyperdrive?” Joseph said to Will as the alien pounded his claw/fist on a console.
    â€œSo much for that idea. Does the name Betsy mean anything to you?”
    â€œI’m afraid not.”
    â€œCraig?”
    â€œThere are a lot of names, you know.”
    â€œEmily? Franklin?”
    Joseph held up a hand. “Let’s just watch some TV. We’ll pick up the search tomorrow.”
    They spent the rest of the night letting the television occupy them. At every commercial, though, Will would toss out a few more names. Will obviously had no intention of pursuing the conversation about his home life further, but he was going to be relentless about getting Joseph back to his home.
    You had to admire the kid’s effort.

ELEVEN
    The Other Ninety-five
    â€œOkay, Mom, I’ve cleaned up and stashed everything away so you’ll be in the clear if the cooking police show up.”
    Antoinette had just settled into bed, pulling the sheets up