Jace put the truck in park and glared at his younger brother. The small dark-haired boy wore a mutinous expression that went along with his attitude. His little face frowned ominously and he hunkered down in the seat.
The probation officer was a nice older man in his early forties named Jack Miller. He volunteered at the YMCA. His little brother just thought the guy was a joke, refusing to see the man had any interest in him outside of settling his six months probation for shoplifting. No, Jack cut Dougie a lot of slack, not violating his probation time and time again when he could.
This Saturday counseling was the price, in addition to their meeting for hoops at the YMCA twice a week. Jack liked the kid, even if he had a chip a mile wide on his shoulder.
Extenuating circumstances allowed for Dougie to get off easy this last time. It wasn’t his first offense. Jace knew it was because they didn’t have any food in the house at the time. Dougie got caught in Merriman’s stealing a bag of Doritos and a frozen burrito.
Had it been anybody but a Turner, old man Merriman might have caved and not prosecuted. As it was, Merriman had his nose broken in high school by Everett Turner back in the day. His son was given no benefit of the doubt.
“Go on, get in there.” Jace sighed tiredly. “We got a month till you’re off probation, Dougie. You know the drill. Just get in there and get it over with.”
Dougie eyed him balefully. “What does it even matter? We’re just gonna get taken away, Jace. Why do we have to keep coming here?”
“Shut up! Nobody’s going anywhere!” Jace practically hollered at his little brother. “I’m staying here. I’ll be eighteen in a month and your lawyer says I can get custody of you two, alright? Now get in there.”
Dougie’s eyes widened. “You aren’t going to Georgia? Jace, what do you mean you’re not going?”
“Just what I said, Kid. I’m staying. So go make nice with Miller.”
“But you gave up the scholarship, Jace? You can’t do that! Coach Dawes really went all out to get that for you.”
Jace looked away, feeling the guilt to know the football coach he loved like a father had yet to know of his plans. If he left, his brother and sister would be wards of the state of Montana. How could he be that selfish? He couldn’t. Coach Dawes was the least of it. Thinking of Lindsay made his heart ache. Letting her go felt like his heart was being slowly yanked out.
“I’m not leaving you two. We’ll make do, always have.”