The Boxing System: I Became the King of the Ring-Chapter 28: Official Business

Christmas dinner transformed the group home completely. Mrs. Rodriguez had pushed folding tables together, extending the dining room to fit everyone. Real turkey that wasn’t dry, mashed potatoes made from actual potatoes, green beans that tasted like something other than water.

Grey stood up with his coffee cup raised. "To all you knuckleheads - you’re not so bad after all."

The toast got laughs and scattered applause. Seventeen kids who’d never had real family dinner sat together like they actually belonged somewhere.

Tommy leaned over to Javier. "This is what normal families do, right?"

"I think so," Javier said, watching Carlos tell stories about his game while the younger kids hung on every word.

David was showing off his new basketball to anyone who’d listen. Kevin flipped through a comic book he’d gotten, pointing out his favorite panels. Even the quiet kids were talking and laughing.

Mrs. Rodriguez moved between tables while serving dishes, making sure everyone got seconds. "Eat up, boys. Christmas only comes once a year."

"Best meal I ever had," Tommy said through a mouthful of turkey.

"Same here," Javier agreed, and meant it.

For the first time in either life, he felt like he was exactly where he belonged.

***********

The week between Christmas and New Year blurred together. Kids stayed up late watching movies, slept until noon, and ate whatever Mrs. Rodriguez left in the kitchen.

But Javier and Tommy felt different. Their bodies craved training. The familiar burn of pushing limits.

"Miguel said we start back Monday," Tommy said, lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling.

"Can’t come fast enough."

New Year’s Eve brought Dr. Vasquez’s organized countdown celebration. Sparkling cider in plastic cups, noisemakers from the dollar store, and a television tuned to Times Square.

At midnight, everyone cheered like they were actually there instead of stuck in a group home in Brooklyn.

"New year, new us," Tommy said, bumping Javier’s shoulder.

"The same person we are. Just better."

**************

New Year’s Day brought a resolution breakfast. Kids shared goals around cafeteria tables while Mrs. Rodriguez served extra-strong coffee to the hungover staff.

"So what’s your resolution this year, Javi?" Kevin asked, spreading jam on his toast.

David jumped in before Javier could answer. "I want to get strong like you and Tommy."

"I’m gonna actually do my homework this time," Kevin added.

"I want to play varsity soccer," Marcus said from the next table.

"I’m gonna learn guitar," another kid chimed in.

Simple goals. Normal teenage dreams. Javier thought about his own complicated reality - Golden Gloves competition in six weeks, training that would push him to his limits, dreams that reached far beyond these walls.

"Just trying to be better than last year," he said.

Safe answer. True enough.

Tommy nodded from across the table. "Same here. I just want to keep getting better."

The conversation drifted to other things - weekend plans, complaints about the cold weather, arguments about which movie to watch later.

[GOLDEN GLOVES PREPARATION BEGINS]

Six weeks to prove he belonged in that ring.

*************

Dr. Vasquez announced winter break field trips for kids without family visits. Brooklyn Museum, ice skating at Prospect Park, community center movies.

"I vote ice skating," Tommy said. "Never tried it before."

"Museum sounds cool too," Javier said. "When else are we gonna see, same Egyptian stuff?"

January 3rd found eight residents crammed into the van, heading for their first real cultural experience. Security guards at the Brooklyn Museum watched them with the familiar suspicion reserved for group home kids in nice places.

The ancient Egyptian section captivated everyone despite their attempts to act unimpressed. Mummies, golden masks, hieroglyphics that looked like alien writing. Well-dressed families gave sideways glances at their secondhand clothes and loud reactions.

"Yo, check out this pharaoh guy," David said, pressing his face against the glass. "Dude’s been dead for like three thousand years."

Tommy’s jaw tightened as they walked through galleries. "They think we’re gonna pocket something."

"Let them think," Javier said. "We got just as much right to be here."

Ice skating at Prospect Park was pure chaos. None of them had ever been on skates before. The rental boots smelled like disinfectant, but nobody cared when they were sliding across frozen water for the first time.

Spectacular falls happened every few seconds. Kevin went down hard and took two other kids with him. David tried to show off and ended up on his back, legs windmilling in the air.

A girl named Lisa, probably around their age, helped Tommy up after he face-planted near the boards. She had kind eyes and didn’t laugh at his awkwardness.

"First time?" she asked.

"Is it that obvious?" Tommy grinned, brushing ice off his jacket. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

They talked for a few minutes before her friends called her over. Tommy looked like he’d won the lottery.

The van ride back buzzed with excited energy. Tommy couldn’t stop talking about Lisa. David kept imitating everyone’s falls. Kevin made plans to come back and actually learn to skate properly.

"That was way better than sitting around the group home all day," David said.

"The museum was cool too," Javier added. "Never thought I’d care about dead Egyptian kings."

"We should do this more often," Tommy said, still grinning.

**************

January 6th morning brought unusual activity. An official-looking car sat parked outside Dr. Vasquez’s office. Grey’s face looked serious as he hushed phone conversations in the hallway.

Through thin walls, voices carried - professional tones discussing paperwork and procedures.

Javier and Tommy exchanged worried glances over breakfast. Official cars usually meant bad news. Social workers removing kids. Court hearings. Trouble.

"What do you think that’s about?" Tommy whispered.

"Nothing good."

Other kids noticed too. Conversations got quieter. Everyone kept glancing toward the office door, waiting for something to happen.

Dr. Vasquez emerged from her office with a woman in an expensive suit. The stranger carried official folders and wore the expression of someone who held other people’s futures in her briefcase.

The dining room held its breath.

"Carlos Rodriguez," Dr. Vasquez called out. "Please come with me."

Carlos’s face was drained of color. He looked around the room like he was seeing it for the last time.

The dining room went silent as Carlos walked toward whatever news waited in that expensive briefcase.