Page 39 of Tough Justice

“Sure.” He handed over the leash. “But no hogging him like last time. You have to share him. Walk him around the room so the other kids can say hi, too.”

“Okay, okay.” She led Thor back to the group and inside the circle to greet the others.

“That’s Rhianna,” Deck said. “She and Thor have a lovefest going on.”

“Apparently so.” Tori watched Rhianna lead Thor around the group where he sat and lifted his paw to every one of the kids, allowing them to shake hands and pet him thoroughly.

“Hi, Deck,” several of the older girls said in unison.

“Hi, Mia, Carmen, Hannah,” he answered. “How’s it going?” he said to everyone else.

“Hey, Deck,” one of the bigger boys said.

Deck indicated she should sit in one of the two vacant chairs. “So, how’s it going?” he repeated with more emphasis after they sat.

“Good.”

“Fine.”

“Another day in paradise.”

Tori watched and listened while Deck made eye contact with every single kid in the room, never failing to elicit an optimistic greeting. Except for one kid, who practically spat out that his name was Aidan. The boy was around seventeen, probably the one Pam warned them about. He sat with his legs outstretched, arms crossed, and pursing his lips with an expression that screamed how much he didn’t want to be there.

Aidan aside, she still thought Deck had a way with kids, and she wondered where that came from. When they’d been discussing her family, he hadn’t said anything about having brothers or sisters, and he wasn’t married. She assumed if he had kids of his own, he would have said so.

“Is she your girlfriend?” a pretty blond-haired girl asked, flicking her gaze to Tori.

A chorus of ooohs and whistles went around the room.

Deck held up his hand. “All right, everyone. Settle down, especially you, Mia.” He pointed to the blond girl, who giggled. The room finally quieted. “This is my friend, Dr. Tori Sampson. She works in the emergency room at North Metro Hospital. She’s here to talk to you about what she’s seen there and some of the long-term effects of opioids on the body.”

Friend? Did he kiss all his friends the way he’d kissed her?

Tori gave a quick wave of her hand. “Hi.”

“If you’re not dating him, can I have him?” This from the girl sitting next to Mia.

Another round of snickers and whistles, this one lasting longer.

“Are you done, ladies?” One side of Deck’s mouth lifted. He sure seemed to take all this ribbing in stride, as if he’d been through it before. “Rhianna, give Thor to Aidan.”

As Rhianna held Thor’s leash out, Thor sat in front of the boy with his paw in the air, waiting patiently. Aidan refused to take the leash. “Tight ass,” Rhianna grumbled as she handed Thor off to somebody else.

“Since almost all of you were here the last time I spoke to the group, I won’t piss you off by repeating myself. But I do want to ask a few questions. How many of you got addicted to opioids because of stress, or you felt pressured by your friends, or because you just wanted to fit in?” About two-thirds of the kids raised their hands. “How many got addicted after being prescribed opioids by a doctor for an injury?” The other third of the group raised their hands.

Deck sent her a meaningful look, and she couldn’t help squirming in her seat just a bit.

“I’m guessing you’ve had it rammed down your throat,” he continued, “that group therapy is an important part of your treatment.” Every head nodded. “It’s a place to get positive support from other kids who’ve gone through what you’re going through, and it’s something you can continue to do for the rest of your lives. Even after you leave here, you can come back anytime, and you can bring anyone with you. Your brother or sister. Your parents. After you get married, your spouse. Helping your family to understand your addiction could save your life.”

The only sound in the room came from Thor’s occasional pant. These kids were listening, really listening.

“I never had that opportunity,” Deck said quietly. “More than anything, I wish I had.”

What? Tori’s eyes went wide. Deck was an addict?

He cleared his throat. “My sister, Marianne, was sixteen when she started sneaking out of the house at night to hang with her friends. I knew she was doing it, but I didn’t say a word. I thought that’s what all teenage girls did, being rebellious and going out to have fun. There’s not one day that goes by that I don’t regret not saying something.”

Thor whimpered, straining at his leash so hard the boy holding him was forced to let him go. The dog went to Deck, resting his snout on Deck’s thigh.