I found JP at my door last night. Waiting for me. He'd been gone nearly three weeks this time. By now, I've come to expect nothing from him. I'm through asking him to stay. I just left my door open and left it up to him.
Then last night, JP came home and said the words I've been waiting to hear: I'm ready.
I'm not about to cry victory yet; I know how hard it is to stay off the streets. "I'm scared," JP said. "Is that weird?" No, it's not weird. I was terrified when I first went to live with Bruno and his family. I didn't know how to live their life; didn't even know how to read. I'd been on the streets since I was a little kid. I became overwhelmed and ran away twice. But I stuck it out in the end, and it looks like JP might, too.
The timing isn't great now that I have this case. I'll be gone a lot and he might run off again. But if I can get him a job, something to occupy his time, help him grow some roots, this time might be the one that sticks.