The next few days passed in much the same way.  JC spent a lot of time in the office until Adam would ask him to come out and help Laura while he ran errands.  Brandon brought more sketches that JC promised to pass on.  If JC was in the room, Brandon was next to him, hanging on to his every word and motion. 

“He really looks up to you.”  Laura said as she and JC kept watch over the youth. 

“He’s a really good kid, his mom is having a lot of problems right now and Brandon is not sure what to do about it.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, from what I gather, she’s been heavy into drugs and is trying to get clean.”

“That’s too bad, kids shouldn’t have to suffer like that.”

“JC, will you play basketball with us?”  Brandon called from across the gym. 

“Duty calls,” he said as he jogged off toward the game already in progress.  Laura headed over to see if she could help the kids with their homework before it was time to eat. 

Many of the kids were picked up after they ate as parents and guardians got off work.  The center was only open until 7 p.m. on school nights, later on the weekends.  It was now 7:30 and Brandon was the only one who hadn’t been picked up yet.  He hardly noticed the exit of his friends as he and JC kept shooting hoops. 

Laura stepped out of the gym to head to the office and see if she could get a hold of Brandon’s mom.  But as she walked past the outside door, a policeman entered with a grim look on his face.  She detoured over to him, as she, JC, and Brandon were the only ones left. 

“Hi Joe, what are you doing here?”  Laura asked.  Joe was a police officer that often volunteered his time at the center, but it was unusual to see him there in uniform.

 
Joe sighed as he studied Laura's face.  “I'm afraid I have some bad news.  Is Brandon still here?”

“Yeah, he's in playing basketball with JC.  What’s wrong?”

“His mom committed suicide today.”  Laura’s hand came up to her mouth as she tried to absorb the news.  

“How,” was the only word she could get out.  

“Overdose,” was the answer.

“Do you know for sure that it was on purpose?”

Joe sighed before he answered.  “She left a note to Brandon.  I don't know how anyone could leave behind their kid and be so selfish.”

“What can I do to help?”  Laura asked.  “I’ll do whatever you need.”

“Just be there for him right now.  He'll need a lot of support.”

Laura pulled open the door and held it for the officer to step in behind her.  Brandon had his back to them getting ready to shoot the basketball and JC had his hands up ready to block the shot.  Both of them were laughing.  But as JC noticed Laura, his brow wrinkled at her pale face and an emotion he couldn’t define on her face.  Brandon’s shot made it through the net and he started dancing, not yet knowing his world was about to come crashing down. 

***

“No one can beat the master, want me to show you again, get you a walker maybe?”  He finally realized that JC’s attention was behind him so he turned to see what was going on. 

Grabbing the basketball, he tossed it toward Joe calling out to him as he did.  “Hey, you want in the game?”

Joe caught the ball and said, “Hey Brandon, how's it going?”

“Good, I’m kicking JC’s butt in basketball.”

“Can I talk to you, Brandon?  Let’s sit down over here for a minute.”  Brandon looked between the adults as he slowly sat in the chair Joe indicated. 

JC moved closer to Laura as he mouthed what’s wrong?  Laura simply shook her head in answer and went to kneel in front of Brandon leaving the chairs next to him for Joe and JC. 

“Brandon, I’m so sorry to have to tell you…your mom is gone.”  He put a hand on Brandon’s shoulder as he looked back at Joe confused. 

“What do you mean gone?  She didn’t tell me she was leaving.”

“No, Brandon, she’s dead.  She overdosed this afternoon.”  Brandon started shaking his head in denial.  “I’m so sorry.”

JC put his arm around Brandon as Laura rubbed his knee.  “No, no, no, no, no, she promised, she –“  His voice cracked as he shook off Joe’s and JC’s hands and shoved past Laura. 

Gripping his head in his hands, he starting pacing before walking over and beginning to punch the wall.  JC had jumped up when Brandon had and so was within arm reach as he punched.  Grabbing him by the shoulders, he took several punches in the chest before getting his arms around him and holding him hard.  As soon as JC hugged him, Brandon started sobbing hysterically. 

Through tears in her own eyes, Laura walked over to JC and Brandon and wrapped her arms around the two.  Joe’s head was in his own hands for a moment before standing and putting a hand on Brandon’s back. 

Many, many minutes later Brandon’s sobs finally lessened a little, but he kept his head buried in JC’s chest.  This man child was experiencing something that no one ever should and at an age when he still desperately needed guidance that was no longer there.  He didn’t know who his father was and had no other family to speak of. 

When he finally quieted, Laura brushed his hair back from his eyes and spoke.  “Brandon?  Can you look at me?”  He sniffed and slowly turned his head and JC loosened his grip but still kept an arm around him. 

Laura looked deep into his eyes. “Your mom loved you very much.  Do you know that?”

He sobbed out his next words still looking at Laura.  “It’s all my fault, I should have been with her and this wouldn’t have happened.”

“No, stop right there!  I want you to remember what I’m about to tell you.  Do you understand?”  He nodded and looked back at her with welling eyes.  “There is nothing, nothing that you could have done.  Nothing.  This is not at all your fault.  Okay?  I want you to always remember these three things – this is not your fault and there is nothing you could have done even if you had been there.  Your mom loved you more than anything in the world.”

“But if I had been with her -”

“No Brandon, if you had been there, you might have gotten hurt.”  Joe interrupted.  “Your mom made this decision on her own and Laura’s right, there was nothing you could have done and it’s not your fault.”

“But now what do I do?  Where do I go?  My mom was the only family I had!”  He sobbed and turned back to JC’s chest. 

Quickly, Laura twisted to face Joe.  “What will happen now?” 

“I have to place him in foster care until we can find the next of kin.”

“But you heard him, there is no one.”

“I’ll take him, he can stay with me, with us,” JC said glancing at Laura as he said that, “while Laura’s here.” 

A glimmer of hope appeared in Joe’s eyes.  “You mean that?”

“Yeah, I mean, instead of foster care, a child can be placed with a non-relative they have a relationship with if there aren’t any relatives, right?”

“Yes, they can.”

“Then it’s settled.”  Brandon appeared to almost go limp as the sobs stopped again.  Joe placed one of Brandon’s arms around his neck as he and JC supported his weight.  “Let’s go home.”