Curtis climbed out of the backseat along with the other boys. Most of them were quiet, too. One had scuffed up knuckles and another had a puffy eye. She walked over to Curtis and checked him out. He had no visible injuries. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am, I’m fine.” He watched as the rest of the boys and staff helped Liam inside. Davis disappeared into the building.
“Davis is going to come to my office next week for a demonstration. Would you like me to see if your grandmother or mother can come? It’s about time for you to visit them.”
Curtis smiled so big he covered his mouth. He then dropped his hand and said, “That would be great! Do you think you can get them to come?”
“I’ll pick them up.”
“Thanks, Ms. Grant.”
Ari stopped him before he could go inside. “Are you sure you’re okay here? With the training and fighting?”
“It’s hard. Davis has a lot of expectations on us with school and group and stuff, but I like it.” He shrugged. “I’m good at the training. It’s weird being good at something, you know?”
Ari smiled. “I’m glad you’re doing well.”
“Night,” he said and walked into the building.
SEVENTEEN
The following week, Ari directed Curtis and several other boys to clear an area of the community room for their presentation. She’d spent the last hour in a reunion with him and his grandmother. His mother didn’t come. In fact, Ari wasn’t even sure where she lived at that point. She hadn’t been at the house when she picked up Mrs. Wilson.
“Mrs. Wilson, you can sit here if you’d like,” she said, offering the elderly woman a seat close to the front.
“Thank you,” she said, using her cane to lower herself into the seat.
Ari checked her watch and scanned the room. It was nearly four. Davis said he would be there early to help set up and direct the boys. A different guy was there, instead. Attractive and built like the rest of the guys at the program. His long, blond hair swept back in a ponytail, which only proved to reveal his chiseled jaw. He looked like he belonged on a romance novel cover. He’d introduced himself as Aaron and seemed perfectly able to lead the demonstration. She ignored the pinch in her stomach and refused to admit how much she looked forward to seeing Davis.
The girls had slowly dawdled in. Each stopping to sign in at the front desk. “Where’s Shanna?” she asked Devon.
“I don’t know.”
Shanna definitely knew how to push her limits, including showing up exactly on time if not a minute or two late, but she wanted out of the program and attending the group session was the fastest way to make that happen. Ari couldn’t imagine her skipping entirely.
Margaret and Clarice found their seats among the other girls and Ari stood in front of the room. “Alright ladies, I invited the men from the Glory Youth Program to give us a demonstration on self-defense.”
She introduced Aaron and he came to the front of the room. Ari heard the girls whispering around her. She didn’t blame them. Aaron was hot.
“Good afternoon,” Aaron said. “Ms. Grant asked us to come today to show you some simple moves that could help you if you’re in a dangerous situation.”
The girls, who normally would ignore Ari and her efforts were at full attention. “I guess I should bring in more hot instructors,” she said, rolling her eyes.
Aaron called the boys to come up and assume several offensive and defensive positions. Once they went through the motions a couple of times, he called the girls to go up and practice. Surprisingly, everyone went up without argument.
“Sorry I’m late,” Davis said, slipping into the empty seat next to Ari’s. “How’s everything going?”
“Aaron is very capable,” she said. They watched as he showed Clarice how to elbow one of the boys in the ribs while stopping on his foot.
“He’s one of our best instructors.”
“It doesn’t hurt that these girls will do anything for the attention of a cute boy. Probably half the reason I’m having this class in the first place. I may be defeating my own agenda.”
“Ari?”
She turned and saw Rebecca waving her over to the doorway connecting the entrance from the community room.
“Now?” she mouthed.