"And she's still alive. She's fine. Just let it go."
"Raine?" Gladys says, getting up from her chair. "Why are we here?"
She's confused. She didn't sleep much last night and when she doesn't sleep, she gets confused.
I walk over to her. "Just a few more minutes, okay? I just need to talk to Levi."
She sits back down and I return to Levi. "I'll take her to the shelter. At least she'll be warm there and hopefully get some sleep. Just give me the bus fare. I promise I'll pay you back."
"You're too late. The shelter don't take people this late. And besides, last I heard they're full and weren't taking anyone new. It's getting cold. Everyone wants in, and the ladies that got kids are gonna get in before you."
I hadn't heard that, but he's probably right. We've had some cold nights, which means the shelters are filling up.
"What am I going to do?" I say, quieting my voice so Gladys won't hear. "Her cough is getting worse."
"Ask that coffee place if she can sleep there."
"They're not going to allow that. I'm lucky they let us use the bathroom."
"Just tell them it's for a night. One night inside she'll be better. It's the cold making her cough. Tomorrow's supposed to be warmer."
I glance back at her. The cold does make her cough worse. Maybe that's why it was so bad today.
"Okay, I'll ask," I say. "But if they say no, do you have an extra blanket you could give us?"
"Hell, no. You think I want to freeze to death?"
"You have more blankets than we do and it's just you. Gladys and I have to share."
He doesn't respond, his eyes trolling the street as more businessmen leave their buildings to go home.
"What about food?" I ask. "We haven't eaten all day. I lost my backpack and all the food that was in it so Gladys and I haven't had anything since yesterday. And they emptied the garbage so I can't—"
"Damn, girl, you don't give up." He walks over to a box next to the building. He takes something out and hands it to Gladys.
She smiles up at him. "Bless you, son."
He returns to the box and tosses something at me.
I catch it right before it hits the ground. It's a sandwich. A full sandwich wrapped in plastic that doesn't even have a bite out of it.
"Where'd you get this?" I ask, holding it up.
"Lunch cart." He points to the office building behind him. "Carl gives me the leftovers."
"Every day?" I ask, shocked I didn't know this.
"Hey, don't be getting any ideas," Levi says, walking over to me. "Took me years to build up what I got here and I ain't letting you or anyone else take what's mine."
"I'm not taking it but you could at least share now and then."
"Who gave you that candy bar the other day?"
"And I thanked you for that."
"Thanks ain't enough. You better start offering me something or you're not getting any more from me."
If he wasn't gay, I'd assume he meant sex but since he doesn't, I don't know what he thinks I can give him.
"Fine," I say. "I'll share what I find."
"I don't want no food from the trash. Give me something good, like them brownies from the coffee place. Or money."
"If I had money, I'd be buying my own food. I wouldn't be coming to you for it."
He leans against the building. "Bet that guy'd give you some."
"What guy?"
"The one I saw talking to you today." He smiles. "Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," I say, turning away from him.
Levi grabs my arm. "Who was he?"
"How should I know? I didn't talk to anyone." I yank my arm back and walk toward Gladys, who's devouring her sandwich. "We have to get going. Thanks for the food."
Levi comes up to me. "He was asking about you."
I look at him. "He talked to you?"
"Not me. I heard him asking other people on the street. Other suits. He was asking if they knew you. Then I saw him later, walking up and down your street, probably trying to find you."
Miles was looking for me? Why? What does he want?
"What'd he say to you?" Levi asks.
"We weren't talking. He just said something to me and I ran off."
"Why'd you run off?"
I sigh. "I don't want to get into it."
"Is he trying to get something from you?" he asks, his brow raised.
"No! It's not like that." I sigh, knowing he won't give up until I tell him. "I met him at the coffee shop. He didn't know I was homeless. We had coffee and he asked me out. I told him no and then I left before he could ask me anything else. When he saw me on the street, I ran off."
"What's with the suit? What's he do?"
"He's a lawyer. He works in one of the buildings down here."
Levi smiles. "A lawyer, huh? Lawyers are rich."
"He's been a lawyer less than a week. He's not rich. And I'm not asking him for money."
"But you'll ask ME? That don't make no sense."
"I told you I'd pay you back. It's just a loan."
"And where you gonna get money?"
"I don't know. I'll figure it out. C'mon, Gladys. We're going home." I help her up. She coughs and can't stop.
"Here." Levi hands her a bottle of water. "Get better, old lady."
"Her name's Gladys," I remind him. "Thanks for the water."
I wish I could ask for one for myself but that'd be pushing it. He's already given us more than I thought he would.
"I'll bring you something tomorrow," I tell him as we leave.
"I'll believe it when I see it," he says, and when I turn back, he's sitting on his lawn chair, looking out at the street.
"We're going home?" Gladys asks, pulling the blanket tighter around her.
Home. I wish that wasn't our home. I don't like even calling it that. I'm sure by now Miles found our spot and knows that's where I live. I bet he went back to the coffee shop and asked about me. The new girl, whatever her name is, probably told him that's where I live.
Now I don't want to go back there. I want to find a new spot. I looked for one earlier today but couldn't find one that's better than what we have now. Being by the coffee shop, we have access to a bathroom and we get whatever food they have left at the end of the day. We wouldn't get that living outside an office building or a warehouse. And I feel somewhat safe in our current spot. There aren't any men around and the police station is just a few blocks away.
Back at the coffee shop, I go inside with Gladys and find the new girl wiping down tables. The place is empty except for a woman sitting at a table with her laptop.
"Excuse me," I say to the girl as she wipes crumbs off a table. I wish I could remember her name.
"Hey." She stops and turns to me. "I didn't think you were coming back."