JUSTIN 

Brian was actually nervous about the center's opening day. He, Grampy, and Hunter went out every night to talk to the kids about exactly what the centers goals were, and to get their input on how to encourage the kids to come.  It was amazing to see the dedication Brian had to this. Daphne and I let Brian know that we would be happy to offer free health screenings at the center and after care if the kids needed it. 

The day of the opening was a surprise to all of us. We didn't expect a lot of kids to show, but they all did. We ended up having to send Emmett with a truck to replenish the kitchen before lunch. Grampy and Granny joined in to help when we needed more people to pass out food.

I was opening more plates when a teen came over.

“Is there some reason you didn’t ask us to help?” He asks. 

“No, we just wanted you to get a break.” I tell him. 

“A job would be better, free food is nice but being able to support ourselves would help more.” He tells me. 

“What kind of work are you looking for?” I ask. 

“Anything that helps me get the hell off the streets.” He tells me bluntly. 

“How old are you?” I ask, not really sure.

“I turned eighteen a few months ago.” He tells me. 

“Have you finished school?” I ask. 

“I couldn’t, my step dad kicked me out last year after my mom took off.” He tells me.

“The center is offering to help you get an education.” I tell him. 

“Which I'll be happy to do, but I want to work. So do a lot of these kids. Just because we're homeless doesn’t make us freeloaders.” He tells me.

“What kind of job are you looking for?” Brian asks when he walks up.

“Anything that means a paycheck.” He tells Brian.

“I’m asking you what you want.” Brian tells him.

“I don’t know, no one hires you when you don’t have a way to stay clean and an address.” He tells us.

“If you had a way, what interests you?” I ask.

“Zach, show them your stuff.” A girl behind him tells him, and I can see why he wanted to work.

“How far along are you?” I ask her.

“The nurse at the free clinic said six months, but I stopped going when they started suggesting that I give up the baby.” She tells me holding her stomach.

“I want our baby to have a roof over her head.” Zach tells me.

“Are you willing to follow instructions?” Brian asks him.

“I’m willing to do what I need to so Nat and I can keep our baby.” He tells Brian.

Brian walks off and gets Blake. When they returned Blake pulled Nat and Zach to the side. 

“What did you do?” I ask him.

“It was something a lot of the kids told us. The problem is we don’t have hundreds of jobs, but we can start trying to help them. We found out that helping them stand on their feet was important to a lot of the kids.” He tells me.

“I want to check over Nat, because it sounds like she hasn’t been seeing a doctor.” I tell him.

“It’s hard to not want to find them a place to live.” Blake tells us after talking to them.

“The dorms upstairs are open and all they have to do is see Ted and Mel.” I tell him, because I know the feeling.

“I took them to Ted, before I took them home with me.” He tells me.

“Wonder why he showed?” Emmett asks, looking at the door.

BRIAN

Michael stood there as if not sure of his welcome. I didn’t expect him to show up. He walked over to Grampy and talked to him, then started helping with making plates. Emmett walked by Michael, but ignored him when he tried to talk to him. 

I walked over to see what caused him to bother when it didn’t benefit him at all. We were never going to be the friends we were, but I couldn’t hate him, even when he was a constant disappointment.

“So what brings you here?” I ask him.

“Hunter told me you guys needed help.” He told me.

“We didn’t expect as many kids to show up.” I tell him.

“They’re getting off the street for a few hours, they should be grateful to be allowed in here.” He tells me, and the kid standing there turns and starts for the door.

“Someday learn to think before you say something.” I tell him, running after the girl. “Where are you going?” I ask her.

“Anywhere that doesn’t act like we can’t hear someone implying that we should be grateful that the rich folks did a good deed.” She tells me, trying to leave.

“I didn’t open the center to score good deed points.” I tell her.

“Then why?” She asks, seeming interested.

“My husband made me open my eyes, he showed me that the kids on the street weren’t invisible. I passed by day after day and never thought about it, but he couldn’t. After seeing the pain he felt because he couldn’t fix every one of their lives, I wanted to find a way to offer a solution that didn’t have him roaming the streets every night. He’d spend every cent he has and be homeless if it stopped kids from having to live this way, not because he wants you to be grateful, but because he wants you to have a chance at a better life. I don’t want you to be grateful either, but to use the opportunities to show the world it doesn’t matter where you come from, success is measured by what you do with the opportunities you're given.” I tell her.

“What if I’ve done things that people would condemn me for?” She asks.

“Why does your past matter? It’s what you do to make your future better that should count.” I tell her.

“So you’d let someone with a record, or that possibly has a past that could come back to haunt her, work for you?” She asks me.

“If someone could do the job, I don’t care about the rest.” I tell her.

“I kind of thought this was to cover up Drew Boyd screwing around. You know, like offer us a meal so we’ll take a picture for the cameras.” She tells me.

“I didn’t allow reporters in here because Drew agreed that we weren’t going to use you to help him. That’s why the team stayed out front to answer questions while all of you are in here.” I tell her.

“Nancy, this is a new low, even for you.” Carl tells her walking over.

“I just wanted to see if this was a publicity stunt or if it really is what everyone seems to think it is.” She tells Carl.

“You know you can’t write anything Brian said to you without his permission.” Carl tells her.

“I don’t appreciate you coming in here when we asked the press not to.” I tell her, annoyed that someone would stoop to this for a story.

“You will if you let me run the story I want to instead of the one I almost did.” She tells me. 

“What were you planning?” Carl asks her.

“After listening to that guy.” She points at Michael. “I felt like all this was really a way to get Drew Boyd out of his scandal. After listening to Mr Kinney though, I realized the scandal started this, but in the end it was wanting to give kids whose lives are uncertain a way to help themselves. I also want to say I hope that someday I meet someone who loves me the way you seem to love your husband. I want to run the story, but I can’t if you won’t let me.” She tells me.

“I’ll only let you if your paper will distribute flyers around about the center to kids we might not have gotten to.” I tell her.

“You have a deal.” She tells me, running out the door.

“Nancy’s honest in her writing, so you don’t have to worry about her twisting anything you said.” Carl tells me.

“Have Deb stand next to Michael, because the last thing we need is me having to chase down actual kids.” I tell him.

“Not to worry, Danny and Deb are taking shifts, and if he screws up again I’ll take him home.” Carl tells me.

We went outside when Drew was unveiling the name of the Center. I held Justin as he seemed to be at a loss at my present to him.

THE PITTSBURG GAZETTE

Yesterday was the opening of ‘Justin’s Heart’, a center for the children who live on our streets. When I dressed up for my role as street kid, I was really expecting the center to be a publicity stunt. I was able to walk around and see that these people weren’t there to hand out a blanket and a plate of food for a day, but to give these kids a real chance at a better life. At the dedication you could see the surprise when they unveiled the name of the center, which was named for Mr. Kinney’s husband, Justin. 

When I first walked around, the atmosphere seemed like any other charity. Decorations, food, and the organizers serving food and drinks. In most cases the press is in the building showing the organizers in a positive light. In this case, we were not invited in and it left me believing that once again we have people who didn’t want to dedicate more than a day to a cause. One person left me with the impression that the center were elitists, who looked down on these kids they wanted to help. It was actually Kinnetik’s owner who changed my mind. He explained that how watching his husband’s pain made him open his eyes to the kids who end up on our streets. That in order to help both his husband and the kids, the center was born.

It’s was not a way to kill a scandal, but a way to help the kids who need it the most. I applaud the center for not becoming another charity being used to offset bad press for the famous.