Petr is listening intently. He's hard to read right now, and I'm praying he's not judging me for being a bad role model or something for Todd.
I wait. He appears to be choosing his response carefully or maybe thinking about what to do.
"I didn't know who else to talk to," I add, a little worried by his silence.
"I'm glad you think enough of me to talk about it," he starts with a faint smile. "I think karate is the first step. I also think you need to talk to him about what's bothering him. I don't think his actions can be viewed in isolation. Everything is connected to a central source, an issue that's disturbing him in a way he doesn't know how to handle. From what I've seen, when kids act out, it's because they really don't know the right way to deal with something."
"I know he doesn't," I whisper.
"Then you need to deal with the source."
I gaze at him, heart aching for Todd's ruined life. "I can't, Petr."
"Okay, Claudia." He doesn't seem surprised or insist I tell him what's wrong, for which I'm grateful. "It's much harder to curb or channel the symptoms and ignore the problem. We'll give karate a go and, with your permission, I'll drag him to a couple other activities. When in doubt, wear him out and give him something else to occupy his mind."
"You don't have to take this on yourself, Petr," I say with more confidence. "If you want to recommend some things, I'll make sure he goes."
"I have sensed, and this may be wrong" he leans forward with a gentle smile "that you're both running from something. You don't have to tell me what or why or anything of the sort, but I recognize suffering when I see it. Mikael's death taught me this, and I am sensitive to the pain of others. Whatever it is, this source problem, if you don't want to entrust me with it, then at least let me help you limit it from affecting Todd."
Speechless and horrified once more Petr can see what I want to keep hidden, I'm tempted to leave right then and there, grab Todd and move on to the next town.
But for the first time in four years, Todd is happy, and someone is offering to help us without prying too deeply into what we're running from. My emotions are screaming while the logical side of me knows Todd deserves this chance. I definitely need the assistance in preventing him from doing something to ruin his life.
I can't keep running, if I want him to be stable and happy. For now, it's an option to stay put, to give Todd a chance.