Second Nurture

Chapter 1

It was October 5, a mild Saturday afternoon in suburban St. Paul, Minnesota, when Duff Raferty and several of his friends were leaving the movie theater on their bicycles. Duff, an only child, was a high school freshman, along with his friends.

Among his friends was Ben, who had been his best friend since kindergarten. Duff and Ben had gone to school together ever since and had lived in the same neighborhood all their lives – although Duff and his family moved into a new home a mile from their old one. Duff, who was average height for his age and had short and dark curly hair, was somewhat soft-spoken, but was talkative around his friends. He felt that he was small for his age, although he really was not.

However, Ben was very outspoken and would strike up a conversation with a stranger anywhere. His red hair and freckles showed how bright and cheerful he was. Their friend Jeff was a heavy-set boy with dark, greasy hair.

The three of them continued riding their bikes, not knowing where to go or what to do next.

You wanna see that again? Jeff asked.

I’ve seen that movie three times already, Ben replied.

I didn’t really like it, Duff commented.

Why not? Jeff asked.

I just don’t get into that kind of stuff, Duff answered.

It does get old, Ben commented.

The three of them continued on their bicycles for a mile until they arrived at a strip mall where there was a video arcade they often went to. They stopped in front of the arcade but remained on their bicycles. Jeff pulled a cigarette from his shirt pocket and lit it.

What shall we do? Jeff asked. Should we go in and play some videos?

I don’t have any more money, Ben answered. I might just go to my house, or Duff’s.

Your old man and old lady home? Jeff asked.

Mine are, Ben answered.

My parents went to Rochester, Duff said.

How long will they be gone? Jeff asked.

Probably all afternoon, Duff answered. My dad’s seeing some patients. I was going to go with them, but it’s too nice out.

There won’t be many more nice days like this, Ben commented.

Let’s go to your house and smoke a joint, Jeff told Duff.

They should be back late this afternoon, Duff said. We’d better not.

I don’t do that crap no more, Ben said. I hate pot.

Well, then, suit yourself, Jeff said, dropping and stepping on his cigarette. Later.

Jeff got back on his bike and rode away while Duff and Ben remained in the parking lot in front of the arcade.

Should we go to my house? Ben answered.

Sure, Duff answered.

So, Duff and Ben got back and their bikes and rode out to the street.

I didn’t know you don’t like pot! Duff said in surprise.

I thought I did, but I really didn’t, Ben said. I knew you didn’t like it.

I hate it! Duff exclaimed. It made me feel stupid! I’d get real paranoid, like something was gonna happen. I even would think I heard people talking about me.

After biking for a few minutes, they arrived at Ben’s home, which was in a modest middle-class neighborhood that seemed to Duff to have gone unchanged since he was little. They parked their bikes in the driveway and went in the house. Ben’s mother was in the kitchen while his father was in the living room watching football. They were always like second parents to Duff, and they included him in family functions like he was their son.

How was the movie? Mrs. Hesterfield, Ben’s mother, asked.

I think I’ve seen it enough, Ben replied. Duff didn’t like it.

Is Jeff with you? Ben’s mother asked.

He split, Ben answered.

Duff was quiet.

Let’s go out back and sit down, Ben told Duff.

Ben and Duff walked past the living room where Mr. Hesterfield, Ben’s father, was watching football.

What you guys gonna do out there? Mr. Hesterfield asked. Smoke cigarettes?

No, dad! Ben answered. I don’t got no cigarettes!

Uh huh, Mr. Hesterfield remarked. That’s what you always tell me.

Duff and Ben walked out to the shaded patio and sat down in lounge chairs. Ben pulled a spack of cigarettes from his pocket.

Want one? Ben asked, handing Duff a cigarette.

You just told your dad you didn’t have any, Duff said.

He knows I didn’t really mean it, Ben said.

Duff took the cigarette and lit it. Ben lit his.

I thought you said you were quitting, Duff said.

I did, but I just can’t.

I wanna quit, too, Duff said. I told my parents I didn’t smoke anymore, and I thought I meant it. I feel bad now.

Don’t feel bad, Ben said. Our parents smoke. They know how hard it is to quit. I don’t miss smoking pot, though.

Me, neither, Duff said. I didn’t know you hated it.

I can’t stand it, Ben said. I’ve always knew you didn’t like it, but I was the one who made you do it. I feel bad about it.

You didn’t make me do it. We both now know we don’t like it and ain’t gonna do it anymore. I just hope Jeff gets his head together and quits weed.

Me, too, Ben said. We’re in high school now and we’re gonna start it out right!

It’s weird being in high school, Duff commented. It’s so different. I hate being a freshman. It’s like being in kindergarten again and looking up to the older kids. Everyone’s so big and looks grownup. I’m just a little guy.

You’re not as little as you think, Ben said. We’ve gone to school with the same people since we were little. They still look the same to me, too. I don’t feel any bigger, either. It’s just that we’re all changing together. By the time we’re seniors, we’re still gonna look the same to each other. Ninth graders are gonna look like little kids to us then.

I suppose you’re right, Duff said. But I still feel like a little kid when I go to school.

The good thing about being in high school is we don’t have assigned seats at lunch like we did in middle school, Ben said. We get to pick our own tables!

That’s for sure, Duff said. But I couldn’t help noticing this new kid walking around the lunchroom with his tray and looking for a seat. That would be very scary, being new to a school and not knowing anybody. How would you find a seat in the cafeteria?

I think I know who you’re talking about, Ben said. I think I’ve seen him. It must be bad, having to move and go to a new school where you don’t know no one.

I’ve moved only once, and that was just a few blocks. I didn’t have to change schools.

If something were to happen to your parents, where would you go? Ben asked.

Duff was irked by Ben’s sudden change in subject.

What made you bring that up? Duff asked.

Well, we were talking about moving, and going to a new school, Ben answered. Where would you have to go if something were to happen to your parents?

My mom told me that if something were to happen to them, my Uncle Darrel and Aunt Shari would raise me. My Uncle Scott from California would be in charge of our house until I turned twentyone.

Don’t your Uncle Darrel and Aunt Shari live in Washington, D.C.? Ben asked.

Silver Spring, Maryland, Duff answered. Outside of Washington.

That’s a long ways from here! Would you go if you had to?

I wouldn’t want to, Duff answered. But if that’s where my parents wanted me to go if something happened, I’d go.

You’d have to go to a new school, Ben remarked. You wouldn’t know anybody. It would be hard to get a girlfriend.

I don’t even have a girlfriend now! Duff laughed. A little nerd like me can’t get a girlfriend!

You’re not little, Ben said. You just think you are. And you should have a girlfriend. All the guys do. We’re in high school now!

You know better than that, Ben! Girls think of me as a nerd, especially a little guy like me!

You just have a complex.

Duff and Ben put out their cigarettes. Then, all of a sudden, Duff heard the back door slam. Mrs. Hesterfield stepped outside.

We put out our cigarettes just in time, Ben said.

Your mom’s on the phone! she called to Duff.

Duff and Ben got up from their lounge chairs after Mrs. Hesterfield went back inside.

Are your mom and dad home yet? Ben asked.

I don’t know, Duff answered, wondering where his mother was calling from.

They both walked back in the house. Duff picked up the phone.

Hello? he said.

Duff? It’s mom, she said. I just called to ask if you’re interested in cooking steaks on the grill tonight.

Yeah! Duff answered with excitement. Sure! Where are you?

We’re still at the hospital, his mother answered. Your dad’s seeing his last patient. So, we should be home in a couple hours.

Duff looked over at a clock in the kitchen and saw that it was two o’clock.

If you want, you can have Ben and Jeff over for supper, too, his mother said.

Okay! Duff said.

Whenever you get home, just put the steaks in the microwave and set it on defrost, his mother told him. It should be thawed by the time we want to cook.

Sure, mom. I’ll go home right now and do it.

Alright, son. We’ll be heading home when your dad’s done. See you in a couple of hours.

Okay, mom. Bye.

Bye.

Duff hung up the phone.

What did your mom want? Ben asked.

My mom said we’re having steaks tonight, Duff answered. She said you and Jeff can come.

Great! I’ll call Jeff and tell him, Ben said.

After Ben called Jeff, he and Duff went outside and got on their bicycles to ride to Duff’s house, which was a couple miles away. When they were about halfway there, they met Jeff coming down another street on his bicycle. The three of them rode the rest of the way to Duff’s house, which was a corner house in an upper-class neighborhood. The front of the house faced one street, while the side with an attached three-car garage faced the other. To the right of the driveway was a guesthouse, which had an attached one-car garage. The patio was located between the back of the house and the guesthouse.

After the three of them parked their bicycles on the driveway, Duff and Ben went inside through the back door while Jeff stayed on the patio and lit a cigarette.

Did he smell like pot to you? Ben asked Duff as they walked in the kitchen.

I smelled it, Duff answered as he took the meat out of the freezer. But I’m not worried about it. It’ll be a couple of hours until my parents get home. They shouldn’t smell it then.

After Duff put the meat in the microwave to defrost, he and Ben went back out to the patio where Jeff was still smoking his cigarette.

Why don’t we go in and play some games on one of your computers? Jeff suggested.

No. It’s too nice to be inside, Duff said. And I don’t want you going in our house smelling like pot.

Ben took out a couple of cigarettes and handed one to Duff. Then they each lit them.

Let’s shoot some baskets after we finish our cigarettes, Ben suggested.

Sure, Duff said. By the time my parents get home, Jeff’s high should have worn off.

For the remainder of the afternoon, Duff, Ben and Jeff played basketball in the driveway, occasionally stopping to smoke a cigarette.

I’d sure like to smoke a joint, Jeff said.

Not at my house, you’re not, Duff said.

Duff went inside to check and see if the steak in the microwave had thawed, noticing that the clock said five-thirty. Wondering why his parents had not come home yet, he went back outside to the patio.

I’m getting hungry, Ben said. Shouldn’t your parents be home by now?

I thought they’d be home a long time ago, Duff said. I’m ready to start the steaks.

Where could I smoke a joint at? Jeff asked.

You’re not having one here! Duff exclaimed.

Suddenly, a police car pulled in the driveway as the three of them were walking from the patio.

The cops! Ben exclaimed.

The three of them froze, each one of them thinking that Jeff was seen smoking marijuana. Two officers got out of the squad car.

You boys live here? one officer asked them.

I, I do, Duff answered, thinking that he and his friends were in trouble.

What’s your name?

Duff Raferty, Duff answered, shaking. These are my friends.

We’ll need to talk with you, the officer somberly told Duff.

Chapter 2

It was Sunday October 13, a week since the police told Duff the news of his parents’ tragic accident while on their way home from Rochester. He was waiting in the airport terminal with Ben and his family for his flight to Washington, D.C., where he was to be cared for by relatives. As he sat and watched it rain through the terminal window, he felt he was living a nightmare he could not wake up from. He had not cried since the funeral, which was two days ago. However, reality sank in that his parents were gone and that he was going to be leaving for a whole new beginning a thousand miles away.

What time is it? Duff asked.

Mr. Hesterfield looked at his watch. It’s two-fifteen

Duff was painfully aware that his departure time was at three o’clock and would have to line up to board his plane at two-thirty. He felt like crying and tried desperately to avoid it.

I really can’t believe you’re leaving, Ben said as he turned around. Jeff’s here!

Jeff suddenly showed up and joined them.

I made it, Jeff said. I wanted to be here to see you leave.

His plane leaves in about a half hour, Mr. Hesterfield said. He’ll have to get in line in a few minutes.

Thanks for coming, Duff told Jeff. I’m glad you made it to the funeral Friday.

I’m your buddy, Jeff said. I may not your best buddy, but still your buddy. We’ve been good buddies for a long time. We’ll always be buddies.

You gonna be okay? Ben asked Duff.

I’ll be fine when I see my Uncle Darrel and Aunt Shari, Duff replied, trying not to cry.

They seemed like pretty nice people, Mrs. Hesterfield commented.

I was glad they stayed all week for the funeral, Duff said. Staying with them in the hotel while they were in town helped me get to know them. I haven’t seen much of them since I was little.

That should make it easier on you when you get there, Mrs. Hesterfield commented.

Have you talked to them since they flew back home Friday, after the funeral? Mr. Hesterfield asked.

I called them today before we left, Duff answered. Uncle Darrel told me they were getting ready to leave for the airport. They’re probably there now. Thanks for letting me stay at your house these past two nights, and for coming to the funeral.

No problem, Mrs. Hesterfield said. You’re like another son to us. I just would’ve felt better if they stayed until today and so you didn’t have to travel by yourself.

They were going to, Duff said. But Uncle Darrel’s boss called him and told him come to work Saturday.

Kind of strange for a weekend, Mr. Hesterfield remarked. Especially if he works for a credit union.

I’ll be okay, Duff said. I’ll be there in three hours.

It’d sure be nice if you could stay, Ben said.

I wish I could, too, Duff said. But that’s where my parents wanted me to go if something happened to them. And that’s where I have to go.

We’re sure gonna miss you, Jeff cried.

Does your aunt and uncle have a computer? Ben asked.

Yes, they do, Duff answered. My Uncle Darrel said he’s got one set up in the room they’re putting me in. He said I can go online whenever I want.

When you get there, get online, okay? I’ll be online, Ben said.

Me, too, Jeff said. We’ll be talking to each other like you never left town!

We’ll be chatting every day, Ben said. When do you start at your new school?

Tomorrow or Tuesday, Duff answered.

That must be scary, Ben said.

It is, Duff said. But I’ll be okay as long as I’m with my Aunt Shari and Uncle Darrel.

We’ll be online waiting for you to come on, Ben said. When you’re in the cafeteria searching for a seat, think about us, okay? And if you can’t find a seat, you could go to the library and get on a computer. We can talk during lunch like we always did!

It depends on what time I have lunch, Duff said. Plus, I’ll be an hour ahead of you. But I’ll let you know when I find out.

No thousand miles will keep us apart! Jeff said.

Duff’s heart raced when he heard over the intercom that his flight was boarding. He felt the lump in his throat, knowing it was time to say goodbye.

That’s your flight, Mr. Hesterfield told Duff.

This is it, Ben said. I wish we could go with you to the gate.

I wish we could, too, Mrs. Hesterfield said. But we can’t.

They stood beside Duff while he waited in line at the security checkpoint. The lump in his throat was becoming stronger, knowing it was almost time to leave them behind.

We hate to see you go, Mr. Hesterfield told Duff. You have the calling card I got for you?

It’s in my wallet, Duff answered.

If you have any problems, just give us a call, Mr. Hesterfield said.

I wish you weren’t leaving, Ben said as tears rolled down his face.

Duff was not able to hold back his tears any longer. Mrs. Hesterfield hugged him when he started crying. He felt Ben and Jeff holding his arms from behind, hearing them crying also. However, Duff knew it was time to board his plane. So, he slowly broke away from Mrs. Hesterfield’s embrace and proceeded through security. Still crying, he turned back around and saw them waving.

Bye, Mrs. Hesterfield called.

Duff proceeded to walk forward while he cried. He would occasionally turn around and see them waving. However, after walking for a moment, he was in deep despair when he could no longer see them past the people behind him. But he tried thinking about the moment when he would meet his relatives when arriving at the airport in Washington, D.C. Seeing his boarding gate ahead of him, he figured the sooner he got on the plane, the sooner he would be with them.

***

Duff was somber, but did not cry during his three-hour flight to Washington, D. C. It was still daylight when he got off the plane and entered the terminal. As he walked and saw it raining outside, he was facing the grim reality that his parents were gone and that he was a thousand miles from the life he took for granted. He felt very lonely in the midst of the unfamiliar faces and surroundings.

However, when he saw the security gate ahead of him, he figured that he would meet his relatives after walking through it. All he was thinking about was them taking him to their home and getting on the computer and chatting with Ben and Jeff. He felt as if he was returning home rather than leaving.

After proceeding to the main terminal, Duff expected to see his relatives waiting, but he saw only unfamiliar faces. He continued walking and looking around for his aunt and uncle, but still did not see them. Thinking that maybe they had not arrived yet, he decided to get his baggage, thinking he might find them by then.

He waited by the conveyor for his baggage and watched for his relatives, but did not see them. When his bag arrived, he picked it up and looked around some more for them. While walking, he felt hungry when he saw several vending machines. He took the last of his change in his pocket to get a couple of snacks.

While sitting down in his seat and eating his snacks, he watched the people, thinking he would see his relatives, but he still did not see them. When he finished eating, he became nervous. To help relieve his anxiety, he picked at the ID tag hanging from his bag until it broke loose and fell to the floor. Then he grabbed his bag and got up to make another search for his relatives.

However, his search was fruitless. Another hour had gone by, and he noticed that it was becoming dark outside. Becoming worried, he thought about calling them, but he did not know their telephone number. He went to a pay phone to look up their number in the phone book provided, but was unable to find it. Therefore, he decided to use his calling card and call Ben’s parents in St. Paul to tell them he was stranded at the airport and could not locate his relatives.

Duff reached into his back pocket for his wallet, but could not feel it. He reached in his other pocket, but his wallet was not there, either. He felt a sense of panic when he realized his wallet was missing. Without it, he had no ID, no phone number, nor the calling card Mr. Hesterfield bought for him. The only money he had left was a couple of pennies in his pocket.

Duff did not know if he lost his wallet on the plane, at the airport, or if he left it at Ben’s house that morning before going to the airport. Still searching for his relatives and losing hope, he thought that the best he could do was make a collect call to Ben’s parents and tell them that he could not locate his relatives, and that he was stranded at the airport without his wallet.

Duff went to a pay phone to make the collect call, but got a busy signal. Assuming that Ben might have been on the computer waiting for him to come online, he made another attempt to look up his relatives’ number in the phone book, but was still unsuccessful. By then, he figured that their phone number was probably unlisted. So, he grabbed his bag and made another attempt to locate them.

Another hour had passed, and Duff was getting tired from walking and carrying his bag. He went to a pay phone to place another collect call to Ben’s house, but the line was still busy. Becoming more tired, he decided that all he could do was sit down and wait, thinking that his relatives might have been caught in traffic – or perhaps, became involved in an accident. If they were in an accident, Duff thought, he hoped that it was not fatal like the accident that killed his parents.

Before Duff knew it, it had been three hours since he got off his plane, and he feared that something was very wrong. He felt very helpless without his wallet, leaving him with no money or a phone number to call anybody. So, he went to another pay phone to place a collect call to Ben’s house. However, just as he feared, the line was still busy. He thought for sure that Ben was waiting for him on the Internet.

Feeling helpless, he had given up hope that his relatives were going to come pick him up. It was getting late, and he was becoming very tired. Therefore, he decided that the best thing for him to do was to sit down and remain calm. So, he sat down in a chair and closed his eyes.

While sitting with his eyes closed, he imagined where he would have been that very moment if his relatives had picked him up from the airport. He would have been in their home on their computer chatting with Ben and Jeff, as if he were still in St. Paul. However, instead, he was stranded at the airport in Washington, D.C.

Four hours had now gone by since getting off his plane. Feeling too tired to get up and make another desperate search for his relatives, he decided to nap for a little while. He figured that by the time he woke up it would be late, and Ben would be off the computer. He dosed off and on until he fell asleep.

***

Awakened by a tap on his shoulder, Duff thought that his relatives finally came for him. However, when he opened his eyes, he noticed a heavyset black man standing before him, wearing a uniform. He assumed he was a security guard.

May I ask you what you’re doing, son? he asked in a strong voice tone.

I’m waiting for my aunt and uncle to come get me, Duff answered.

What’s your name, son?

Duff Raferty.

How old are you, Mr. Raferty?

Fourteen.

You have some ID?

I don’t have it on me, Duff answered. I lost my wallet.

Come with me, please.

But I’m waiting for my aunt and uncle.

You’ve been in here a long time. Come with me.

Duff got up from his chair. He attempted to grab his bag, but the security guard picked it up for him.

I’ll take that, he said.

It was not until they got to the security office when Duff noticed that it was after midnight when he saw a clock on the wall.

Have a seat here, the security guard told him, pointing to a chair against the wall facing a desk.

The security guard then sat behind the desk. Okay, Mr. Raferty, can you tell me what you’ve been doing? the security guard asked.

I was waiting for my aunt and uncle to pick me up, Duff answered.

You’ve been sitting there a long time. Were you on a flight that arrived here?

I flew in from Minnesota.

What time did your flight get here?

It was sometime after five o’clock.

That’s been almost eight hours ago. Was someone supposed to come get you?

My aunt and uncle were. I told you that.

And they never showed up?

I couldn’t find them.

What are their names?

Darrel and Shari Raferty.

The security guard picked up the telephone on the desk to make a call. Duff assumed that he was probably contacting someone who could locate his relatives, which gave him a sense of hope.

Yes, I have a teen boy who says his name’s Duff Raferty, the security said on the phone. He’s got no ID, and his bag’s got no tag on it. What was the last afternoon flight from Minneapolis?

Duff felt alarmed, thinking about the ID tag on his bag that he picked off. He was nervous while watching the security guard holding the phone to his ear.

Flight 592? Five-twenty? the security guard asked on the phone. Could you verify Duff Raferty as being a passenger aboard that fight?

The security guard waited on the phone for an answer.

Okay, thank you, the security guard said. Have him come in here right now.

The security guard hung up. Duff thought that maybe his Uncle Darrel was coming in, but when the door opened, it was another security guard. When he closed the door behind him, Duff did not like what he was feeling.

You want to check his bag? the first security told the second.

What’s going on? Duff asked.

We found no passenger aboard that fight identified as Duff Raferty, the first security guard answered.

What? Duff asked in surprise. You must’ve checked the wrong flight!

That was the only afternoon flight from Minneapolis, he said. And it arrived at five-twenty.

I was on that flight! Duff exclaimed.

If you were on that plane, then tell me who you really are!

Duff Raferty! he exclaimed. I’m Duff Raferty! I was on that plane!

Duff noticed the second security guard opening his bag and going through his belongings.

What are you doing with my stuff? Duff asked loudly.

Settle down, son! the first security guard exclaimed while picking up the phone again.

Yes, I have a possible runaway in here, the first security said on the phone.

I’m not a runaway! Duff exclaimed.

The security guard put the phone down in anger. Hey! Chill! I don’t wanna hear one more word out of ya! You hear me?

Duff nodded.

The security guard picked up the phone and resumed his conversation. Duff did not know who he was talking to, but he assumed it was the police. Watching the other security guard search his bag, Duff felt alarmed when he held and looked at a small portrait of his family.

That looks like you in there, the security guard remarked.

Duff was relieved when he put the picture back in the bag and closed it. He then nodded to the first security guard, who was still on the phone. The second security guard then left the room.

His bag’s clean, the first security said on the phone. Thanks.

When the security guard hung up the phone, Duff’s curiosity no longer allowed him to stay silent.

Who was that? he asked.

Just sit tight, son!

All Duff could do then was sit and hope that his relatives would be located and would come get him. However, in a few short minutes, his hopes faded when the door opened and a police officer walked in.

Is this the boy? the officer asked the security guard behind the desk.

Yes, he is, he replied,

How you doing, son? the officer asked Duff.

Okay, Duff mumbled.

You want to come with me, please?

Where you taking me?

Just come with me, the officer instructed. Grab your bag.

Duff got up and picked up his bag, as he was told. When the officer escorted him out of the security office, Duff hoped that the police would take him to his relatives.

***

It had been about thirty minutes since Duff was taken from the airport in a police squad car. It was dark and chilly, and light raindrops pattered on the car windows. He did not know where he was, or being taken to. He did not think of looking to see what police department he was with. He only hoped that his relatives would be located and would meet him at whatever police station he headed to.

Sitting in the back seat of the squad car and looking out the window at the streetlights, he wondered why security did not find his name on his flight. He just hoped that whatever the mistake was, it would be resolved.

Soon the squad car turned into a complex that appeared to be a police station, but Duff could not see what department it was. He did not know if he was in the District of Columbia or in a Maryland or Virginia suburb. They pulled up in front of a doorway, where an officer was standing. The officer walked up to the car and opened the door.

You wanna step out of the car and come inside, please? the officer requested.

Duff got out of the squad car and the officer escorted him inside and down a hallway where he noticed a clock on the wall; it was three o’clock. He felt tired as they walked down the hallway. In a moment, Duff was escorted into a large room where he saw a countless number of desks. He was seated in a chair facing one of the desks. The officer sat down behind the desk while another officer walked over and placed something on the desktop.

Step up here, please, the officer requested.

Duff walked up to the desk and noticed what appeared to be an inkpad and a white card containing squares. The officer held one of Duff’s fingers, placed it on the inkpad and then placed it within one of the squares on the card.

Am I being arrested? Duff asked.

No, you’re not under arrest, the officer behind the desk answered. This is for identification purposes only. You have a social security number?

Yeah.

"You know it?

Yeah.

Could you give it to me, please?

Duff recited his social security number while the second officer finished fingerprinting him. Then the officer took the inkpad and paper, and left the area.

You can sit back down, young man, the officer behind the desk told Duff.

Duff sat back down in complete disbelief.

What’s happening to me? Duff asked.

I was hoping you could tell me, the officer told him.

I don’t know why I’m here.

Loitering in an airport is criminal trespass! the officer firmly replied. With today’s heightened security, you should know better than to wander around an airport with no identification.

I wasn’t wandering around, Duff said. I was looking for my relatives who were supposed to come and get me!

Come get you? The airport has no record of a Duff Raferty aboard any flight, the officer said.

But I was! I flew from Minnesota! My aunt and uncle were supposed to meet me, but I didn’t find them!

What’s their names?

Darrel and Shari Raferty.

You’re not making them up, are you?

I’m who I am! Duff exclaimed as he jumped out of his chair. My parents were killed in a wreck! I was sent here from Minnesota to live with my aunt and uncle!

Sit down! the officer demanded. You can get yourself in serious trouble for jumping out of your chair and yelling at a police officer!

Duff sat back down. Officers sitting behind other desks curiously looked over.

I think we should just keep you in a holding cell until we prove your identity, the officer told him. But I can’t do that assuming you’re a minor.

I’m not lying! Duff Exclaimed.

Another officer walked over.

Have him lay down in the coffee room, the officer behind the desk said. Some rest could do him so good. He looks tired.

The second office instructed Duff to get up.

Where are you taking me? Duff asked.

In the lounge where you can lie down until we can confirm your identity, the second officer said. You look like you could use some sleep.

Duff got up and was escorted out of the large room. Then they walked down a hallway and Duff noticed a clock indicating that it was almost four o’clock. He was led into a small lounge where there was a sofa and several chairs.

You can just lay down in here while we get this resolved, the officer said.

But I told you who I am, Duff said.

We need proof of who you are, the officer said. Get some sleep. We’ll try to get this resolved as quickly as possible.

The officer left the small lounge, leaving Duff alone. When he lay on the sofa, all he could think about was where he was supposed to be – he was supposed to be in bed at his Uncle Darrel and Aunt Shari’s in Silver Spring. Instead, he was lying on a sofa in an unknown police station for unknown reasons. Thinking about his parents’ tragic accident that put him where he was that very moment, he fell asleep.

* * *

An officer Duff did not recognize awakened him and escorted him into the hallway. Duff did not notice what time it was while they were walking. However, when he was escorted back into that large room, he could see daylight between the window blinds, far behind the many desks in the room. He knew it was Monday morning, the morning his Aunt Shari was supposed to be enrolling him in school in Silver Spring.

When he was seated in a chair facing a desk, the officer that escorted him sat behind the desk and faced him. Duff hoped it would be good news.

Well, Mr. Raferty, based on the social security number you’ve given us, you are who you say you are, the officer said.

So, then, what happens to me next? Duff asked.

Someone from child welfare is coming for you.

Child welfare? What are you talking about?

You’ll be in their custody. They’ll decide your best interest.

What about my relatives?

They can’t care for you now.

What? Duff exclaimed. What are you talking about? What happened? What are you doing to me?

Calm down, young man! You’ll be fine.

Couldn’t I just go back to Minnesota?

That’s not up to us to decide. Child welfare will decide what’s best for you.

I need to be with my family!

At that point, Duff was sensing that his situation was going from very bad to worse. He feared the worse was just beginning when a casually dressed, young-looking man walked up to the desk. Duff assumed he was a social worker.

Is this Duff? the social worker asked the officer.

The officer nodded.

I’ll take it from here, the social worker said. Come with me.

Duff could not imagine what else could go wrong. As he was being escorted out of the large room and down the hallway, he wondered which would be more frightening: being placed in a home with a stranger or being put in a youth detention center. He just wished he were not a thousand miles from familiar surroundings and people he knew.

When being escorted out of the building, Duff noticed a van parked outside the doorway with a half-dozen youths sitting inside and a woman sitting in the driver’s seat. Hoping that they would walk past the van and into the parking lot, the social worker led Duff straight to the van. He opened the door and told Duff to get in. Duff sat down in the seat behind the driver while the social worker sat in the front on the passenger side. Two youths were seated next to Duff. He did not bother looking to see who was sitting in the seat behind him. He just looked out the window at the gray, overcast sky.

Light rain was falling when the van began moving. Because there was no sun and the surroundings were unfamiliar, Duff did no have any sense of direction. Nobody in the van spoke. The only noise he heard were the wheels grinding the wet pavement and the windshield wipers making their drumming sound. The social worker’s cell phone rang. He answered it, talked softly for a moment, and then hung up.

After riding in the van for about thirty minutes in the unfamiliar city, they pulled up to an old building that appeared to be a dormitory, which looked intimidating to Duff. When they stopped in front of a doorway, there was a man standing there who looked as if he was waiting for them. The van doors opened, and Duff was reluctantly getting out.

You stay in here, the woman driver told him.

All the youths exited the van except for Duff. The woman driver and the social worker remained seated in the front. Duff was relieved that he was not going inside the building with the rest of those youths, but he still was faced with not knowing where he was going. The sky was still gray, and he did not know what time it was.

While riding in the van for about another thirty minutes, the social worker and the driver would talk sometimes, but Duff did not pay attention to what they were saying. The social worker at times would make a call on his cell phone, but Duff could not hear what he was saying.

Then Duff noticed that the buildings and houses in the area looked newer, which gave him the impression that they were in a suburban area. However, he had no indication of where he was or what direction he was going, since the sky was still overcast, and light rain was falling. They pulled into an office complex and stopped in front of what appeared to be a small office building.

The atmosphere there did not look too intimidating, and Duff was not hesitant to get out of the van when told to. The woman drove away in the van. Duff and the social worker went inside the office building, where they entered a room where there was an older-looking man sitting behind a desk. He had Duff sit down in a chair while the social worker started talking to the man.

From what you told me on the phone a few minutes ago, you said you might know somewhere to place him? the social worker asked the older man.

Well, as you already know, Dan, the man behind the desk said to the social worker. Foster homes are pretty scarce in this area now. And the youth detention centers are crowded as well. Based on the information that was faxed to me this morning, this young man was cooperative with the police, which gives me the impression he has no behavior problems. For him to be taking up space in a shelter full of disruptive youths just doesn’t make sense, does it, Dan?

I can see your point, Will, Dan said to the older man behind the desk.

That’s why I called and told you not to drop him off with the rest of those youngsters.

So, where do you intend on sending him? asked Dan.

I think you should take him to Fort Nun, answered Will.

Fort Nun?

Duff pictured in his mind Fort Nun being a name of an institution.

Are you talking about the Brooks and Vaunahardt women? asked Dan. That’s the only home I’ve ever dealt with in Fort Nun.

Duff then assumed Fort Nun was the name of a town rather than an institution.

You’ve got to be kidding me! Dan exclaimed. Have you actually met those two women?

I know about them.

But have you ever dealt with them in person?

No, I haven’t.

You don’t know what I had to put up with! Dan exclaimed. They’re something else!

They may be hard to get along with, but they’re stable and well respected in the community. They still share that same house and manage the same businesses in town. They’re still licensed and maintain a good record. I can’t think of a better option for this young man.

So, you want me to take him to Fort Nun right now? Dan asked. That’s an hour from here! I was planning on getting off early today.

You can’t always get things your way, Dan. You’ll realize that after you’ve been in the child welfare business for twenty years. Dealing with people like Brooks and Vaunahardt is just the tip of the iceberg. It takes people like them to make you appreciate your job. They’re either going to make you hate it, or love it more. That’s the kind of women they are.

What about getting him in school? Dan asked.

Miss Ferguson in Monteria will be his case worker. She’ll have him enrolled in the South Nun Community School tomorrow morning. Will said. Just come back here after you drop the boy off at the Brooks and Vaunahardt home.

Duff did not like what he was hearing. He had a worried feeling that he was going to be placed in a home of unfriendly strangers.

You wanna grab your bag, please? Dan asked Duff.

Where we going?

We’re going to Fort Nun, Dan answered.

Chapter 3

It had been several hours since Duff and Dan, the social worker, left Will’s office in Dan’s car. They had stopped for a sandwich before the drive to Fort Nun, but Duff was not hungry, though it had been thirty hours since his last meal at Ben’s house. Neither he nor Dan spoke during the drive.

Duff sat quietly and anxiously, not knowing where they were or what direction they were going. They were on a two-lane highway. Since Duff did not see any more buildings or houses, he assumed that they were probably out of the metropolitan area. The sky was still overcast, and Duff did not know what time it was. He thought that it was probably late Monday afternoon.

Soon Duff saw a sign, indicating that they were ten miles from Fort Nun, which made him more apprehensive. He was always shy and sensitive toward strangers. In addition, he strongly feared rejection. Based on the conversation he heard between Dan and Will regarding the two women he was to be placed with, his anxiety was turning to a feeling of panic.

When Duff saw a water tower in the horizon, his mouth became dry. His heart raced and his breath became shallow. He wished that it were all a bad dream, and that he would wake up at home and find that none of this was really happening. He would be home, his parents would be still alive, and he would still be going to school with his friends.

Nevertheless, when he saw the sign reading Entering Fort Nun, he knew that it was not a dream he would awake from. He was still a thousand miles from Minnesota. His parents were gone. His relatives, who were supposed to care for him in Silver Spring, were missing. And he was about to be placed in a home with strangers. Then the next day he would be faced with going to a new school where he did not know anybody. All those fears mounted as they got further into what appeared to be a small town.

They had driven about a mile into town when they arrived at the Town Square where shops surrounded the lawn where the courthouse stood. The clock on the courthouse steeple read five o’clock. People on the sidewalks were wearing jackets, the sky was gray, and the street and sidewalks were damp with light rain.

After driving out of the Town Square, they proceeded down a residential street in an older, working-class neighborhood. Small bungalow houses with small front yards lined both sides of the street. Big trees with thick with fall-colored leaves added darkness to the gray and cool, gloomy afternoon.

After driving about a mile from the Town Square, they parked on the side of the street, and Dan turned off the ignition. Duff figured that they arrived at where he was going to be dropped off. However, he did not know which house, since they were not parked in a driveway. Nevertheless, Duff noticed that the bungalow house to his right had two cars parked in the singlewide driveway, and assumed that was probably where he was going to stay. A short, rusty chain-linked fence separated the small front yard from the old rundown sidewalk.

You wanna grab your bag, please? Dan requested as he got out.

Where’m I going? Duff asked.

Right there, Dan replied, pointing to the house that Duff was looking at.

Duff reluctantly got of the car and grabbed his bag from the back seat. Then he and Dan walked around the rusty fence onto the driveway toward the bungalow house. On the front of the house was a window on the right. On the left was a small porch. Shrubs were below the window and in front of the porch. Duff and Dan stepped onto the front porch where there was a window left of the door that