“Leo and Lila. It says here that Lila likes arts and crafts and animals, and Leo . . .” Kate flipped through the thick file. “He likes football.”
Leo: three tiny letters that changed the mysterious boy from an abstraction to a tangible person, in Charlie’s mind at least.
“Football?” Fliss snorted. “He’ll have fun with all Charlie’s anime shit, then.”
Charlie bristled, but a frown from Kate kept him quiet. He was no mug, but bitching with Fliss was a battle he’d surely lose. Who cared if she didn’t know the difference between anime and manga?
Kate closed the file again. “Any more questions?”
Charlie couldn’t think of any. He tuned out Andy’s practical suggestions about building an extra cupboard. They’d put the decision about taking these kids to a vote, of course, but with Fliss on board, there was little need. It was happening, and Charlie refocussed on the discussion just in time to find out he’d have new housemates by the end of the week.
Later that night, Kate tapped on Charlie’s open bedroom door. Charlie nodded, knowing she’d come in anyway, like she did most nights on her way to bed.
“How are you doing, sweetheart?”
Charlie tucked his drawing pad and pen under his pillow. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Kate smiled. “Come on. You can do better than that, sunshine. We dropped a bomb on you today. Anything you want to talk about?”
“Nope.”
“Nothing at all?”
“Nope.”
“I brought you something.” Kate took up her customary perch on the edge of Charlie’s bed and held out an envelope. “Take a look.”
Curious, Charlie opened it. Inside were two photographs: one of an angelic little girl and the other of a striking boy. The boy, tall and lean, with wild curly hair and sharp green eyes, was beautiful. Charlie compared the image with that of his sister. Though they had different hair, their fair complexions gave them away as siblings.
That, and they both looked utterly miserable. “Is this them? Leo and Lila?”
“Yes, these were taken at Christmas in their last foster home.”
Charlie thought back to the rowdy Poulton family Christmas just passed: Food, presents, laughter. “They don’t seem very happy.”
“I don’t think they are, darling.”
“Is that why you want them to come here so much?”
Kate smiled. “Reg knew you were sitting on the stairs.”
That didn’t surprise Charlie. Reg knew everything, even when he said nothing at all. “Is Leo going to come to school with me?”
“I hope so.”
Kate’s tone made Charlie look up from the photos. “You hope so? Why wouldn’t he? I thought you said he was my age. Is he going to go to college or something instead?”
Kate held up her hand. “Slow down. Even after a decade of practice, I still can’t lip-read in the dark.”
“Sorry.”
“That’s okay. Repeat yourself, and I’ll do my best to answer.”
Charlie voiced his questions again with more consideration. Kate absorbed them with a nod. “Leo had a bit of trouble at his last school. We think it would be better if he settled in for a few days before we threw him into Heyton High.”
“Trouble? What kind of trouble?”
Kate paused, clearly weighing up how much she could say without betraying the boy’s confidence. “There have been a few incidents . . . fighting, and such. Nothing too out of the ordinary for boys your age, but that’s part of the reason I—we—would like him to spend some time with you. You’re a good balm for a quick temper, chicken. I should know.”
