"I was arrested."
"For what?"
"Breaking and entering. Attempted robbery."
"Was this recently?"
"No, I was nineteen. My friend and I broke into a neighbor's house. I don't even remember doing it. I was too out of it."
"Drugs?" he asks, looking at me.
I don't look back. I'm too ashamed. "I was an addict, just like my mom."
"What kind?"
"Pain meds. The kind people get hooked on. I'd been in a car accident that year and hurt my back. The doctor wouldn't give me anything for the pain but my friend did. He gave me pills and I took them, never thinking I'd get addicted."
"Doesn't sound like much of a friend."
"He thought he was helping me. He said he took them himself to help with a shoulder injury. Anyway, we broke into the house to get more drugs and got caught. He ended up getting convicted and I ended up being let go. The news did a story on it so now my name is linked with that online." I look at him. "You know how hard it is to get a job when someone looks you up online and the first thing they see is a story about your drug addiction and arrest?"
"So that's why you're on the streets? No one will give you a job?"
"That's part of it. I don't want to get into the rest."
"Maybe some other time."
I stare at him. "Other time?"
"Yeah. Maybe when we get to know each other better you can tell me more."
"Wait, I'm confused."
"About what?"
"Why you'd still want to see me. This is when you say 'nice meeting you but I have to go' and then run out of the tent, far away from the homeless drug addict."
"You're not an addict. That was your past."
"Doesn't matter. You still shouldn't be here. Not after what I told you."
"And yet here I am." He smiles and it makes me smile back.
"You make no sense."
"Neither do you." He keeps the smile going. "So how about tomorrow night?"
"What about it?"
"You want to have dinner with me?"
I study his face to see if he's kidding but I don't think he is. I think he's serious. "You want to have dinner with me?"
"Isn't that what I just asked?"
"Well, yeah, but I don't understand. I'm homeless. And a former drug addict."
"Yeah." He nods. "I got all that. I'm a very good listener."
"And knowing that, you still want to go out with me?"
"I do. Do you want to go out with ME?"
Do I? I'm not sure. I mean, I do, but I feel like it's a trick. Like he's got a motive or this is all some big joke. Why would he want to go out with me?
"No," I answer.
"Why not?"
"Because it doesn't make sense. Lawyers don't date homeless people."
"And you polled every lawyer on the planet in order to know this?"
"I don't need to. I just know it to be fact."
"A fact you made up. Not an actual fact."
"That doesn't change my answer. I can't date you."
"What if it's not a date? What if we're just having dinner? I'll even let you pick the place."
An actual dinner? With food that didn't come from the garbage? I'd love that, but what about Gladys? I can't leave her all alone eating scraps while I'm having dinner at a restaurant.
"Only if Gladys can come," I say.
"Great! I'll get to meet her. So what time? Six? Or maybe six-thirty in case I have to work late."
"You're really taking us to dinner?"
"If you both agree to it. It'll be my first dinner with friends since I moved here."
Friends? He thinks we're friends? We barely know each other.
"It'll depend if Gladys is feeling okay," I say. "She's had a bad cough so I'll have to wait and see."
"I'll come by at six-thirty tomorrow. If you go, great. If not, we'll reschedule. Does that work?"
"Yeah." I reach over and unzip the tent. "I should go check on Gladys. She's probably wondering where I am." I get out of the tent. "So I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
I wish he didn't have to go but I'm sure he'd rather be home than sitting in a tent in the alley.
"Are you kicking me out?" he asks.
"No. But don't you want to go home?"
"Not really. I'm tired of being alone every night. Why don't you come back out here and we'll talk some more?" He reaches in his wallet and hands me a ten. "Can you get me coffee while you're in there? Get one for yourself too. I'll stay here and watch your stuff."
"Um, yeah, okay." I take the money and go inside the coffee shop. Gladys is still at the table, looking at one of the books she took from the bookcase. "Gladys, you okay?"
She smiles up at me. "I'm fine, dear. Should I go?"
"No. Stay here where it's warm. You want a coffee?" I show her the ten. "I have money."
"Where'd you get that?"
"I'll tell you later. I'll get your coffee. I'll be right back."
I go up to the counter and order three coffees. It's great to order something and be able to pay for it. It feels like forever since I've been able to do that. I probably shouldn't have accepted the money from Miles, or the stuff he left outside, but I'm not going to worry about that right now. I need to take care of Gladys. I need to make sure she gets better. And a new tent and blankets will help me do that.
Why is Miles doing all this? I can't figure it out. Does he really like me or is it something else?
9
Miles
Today was another shitty day at work but I didn't care because I knew when it was over, I'd get to see Raine. Right at five, I race home to get ready. It's not a date but I still want to look good. I'm driving instead or walking so I go to the underground parking garage to get my car. As I'm leaving the garage, the thought hits me that my car has a better place to stay than Raine does. It's a heated garage with lights and security, sheltered from the wind and rain and snow that will soon be falling. My car lives the life of luxury compared to Raine, which is wrong in so many ways.
I want to help her, and I tried last night, but she got mad at me. I get that she doesn't want handouts. When I first met her, I could tell she's strong and independent, but it's getting colder now and I couldn't let her live in that beat-up tent that didn't even close.
During my lunch hour today, I went and bought her a new backpack, then I filled it with more food, all stuff that wouldn't go bad. She'll probably yell at me for it, but if she does I'll tell her it's for her friend, the old lady she keeps talking about.
When I get to the coffee shop, I park on the street and get out of my car, then realize I forgot to bring the backpack. I'll have to give it to her later. I walk around the building to the alley.
"Raine," I say when I see her. Damn, she's beautiful. She's standing by the tent, her dark hair down around her shoulders, her eyes brighter and more alert than they were last night. It's probably because she actually got some sleep in a tent that stayed closed and with blankets that kept her warm. I don't have much money but didn't even hesitate when buying her that stuff. I didn't care what it cost. I just wanted her to be safe and warm and to have food in her stomach.