Tyler could hear Edward arguing with the office manager as he came into Haven.

"I've had it!" the office manager bellowed as he threw on his coat and stormed out the front door. Tyler had just been outside in the cold for eight hours trying to get people to donate to the HRC. Nothing could be worse than that.

Tyler knocked on the open office door. "Is everything ok, Edward?"

Edward looked up from his desk wearily. "Fine, Tyler. I just lost the only full-time staff member that I could afford to keep, but fine."

"Well... if I can help in anyway... "

Josh came rushing into the office. "Edward, I can't find Travell anywhere. We're supposed to be prepping for his GED but he hasn't been in all day."

"He's probably with LaTrice," Tyler said. "I helped her fill out a bunch of job applications and she said she was going out today to drop them off. They should be back before curfew."

"You helped LaTrice?" asked Edward.

"Well, LaTrice gets squirrely around anyone from the county, so she wasn't going to her job placement meetings. I figured I could help ease her fear. I hope that's ok."

"That's fine, that's just... "

Hooting and hollering echoed in from the lobby and they rushed to see what the trouble was. Two of the newer boys were fighting each other and the kids coming in for dinner were cheering them on. Edward and Josh pulled them apart and Tyler stood between them.

"All right, knock it off!" Tyler shouted.

"That motherfucker started it," said the younger one.

"Ima fuck you up!" said the older one.

"Stop it! Did anyone see?"

"Yeah, Tyler," said Travell's best friend Chauncey. "That ignorant shit over there... "

"Save it for the report Chauncey. Wait for us in Edward's office. Everyone else, head to the dining hall." He turned his attention to the two fighting boys. "You're new here, so we'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But we're on a three strikes system here. I take it neither of you want to be out on the street tonight?"

"No," they both said.

"And I can trust that this won't happen again?"

"Yes," they both said.

"Alright. Josh can you walk them to the dining hall please. I still haven't hung up my coat."

Edward smiled at Tyler as Josh took the boys to the dining hall. "Sorry Edward, if Travell or LaTrice aren't here, that means nobody started dinner. But I mean it, after that's done, if you need any... "

"Tyler," Edward said. "How would you like a new job?"

###

Just joining us? Catch up here:

Volume 1 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 2 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 3 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 4 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five


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