Passing a food truck, I get a whiff of whatever they're making and my stomach growls. I turn back and walk up to the truck to see the menu. It's all different kinds of macaroni and cheese. I order three different kinds and have the guy pack it up to go, along with three bottles of soda.
When I get to the alley, Raine isn't there but Gladys is, seated on her lawn chair, the blanket I gave her draped over her legs. It's a warm fall night but I'm guessing she gets cold easily because she's old.
"Hey, Gladys," I say, walking up to her.
She looks at me like she doesn't know me. Raine said Gladys gets confused sometimes and doesn't remember stuff.
"I'm Miles," I say, shaking her hand. "I'm Raine's friend."
She smiles. "Her boyfriend."
So she DOES remember me, and she called me Raine's boyfriend. Is she just saying that or did Raine tell Gladys I was her boyfriend?
"Is Raine here?" I ask, glancing at the tent.
"No, but she should be back soon."
I sit down on the milk crate next to Gladys. "Any idea where she went?"
"I don't know, dear," she says, her eyes going to the sack I'm holding. "What do you have there?"
I smile. "Dinner. Are you hungry?"
She doesn't answer, her eyes still on the sack.
"Bacon or ham?" I ask as I take the containers from the sack.
Her eyes light up. "Bacon."
"Bacon it is." I hand her the mac and cheese with bacon, along with a stack of napkins. "Be careful. It's hot." I help her remove the lid, then hand her a fork.
"What are you doing here?" I hear a voice ask.
Looking over at the street, I see Raine coming toward me.
I stand up. "I wanted to talk to you."
"He brought dinner." Gladys smiles as she takes a bite of her food. "Oh, my, it's delicious."
"I brought some for you too," I say to Raine. "There was a food truck down the street selling different types of—"
"Get out," she says, pointing at the street.
"Why?" I walk up to her. "What's wrong?"
She grabs my arm and pulls me toward the street, away from Gladys. "I told you I didn't want you coming here."
"Actually, you never said that. And I don't know why you would. We had a great time last night. And that kiss...I don't know what to say other than—"
"We're not talking about it. About any of it. It never should've happened."
"What shouldn't have happened?"
"All of it. Dinner. Going to your apartment. What happened afterwards. None of it should've happened." She turns and walks down the street.
"Raine, hold on." I catch up to her. "Why are you acting like this? I know you had fun last night. And I know you felt something from that kiss."
She stops and turns to me. "I don't want to do this, okay? I'm trying really hard to get my shit together, which means I don't have time for friends or boyfriends or anyone else in my life."
"You don't have time?" I ask, challenging her because time is really what she has the most of right now.
She sighs. "Yes, I have time if we're talking actual minutes on a clock. What I meant is I don't have time for THIS. For dating and relationships and whatever else it is you're looking for."
"I'm not asking for anything other than time with you." I smile. "For minutes on a clock, which you just said you had plenty of."
She stares at me, her arms crossed. "You want more than that. You know you do. Saying you don't is a lie."
"Okay, yeah, I would like more than that. I'd like to take you out. Go on a date. But I'll take what I can get. And if all I can get is time with you in the alley—a few minutes, an hour—I'll take it."
"No." She turns and starts walking back.
"No?" I keep pace with her. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I don't want to see you anymore. I want you to leave me alone. No more dropping by. No more gifts. No more food. Just leave me alone." She stops when she reaches the alley. "Just go. And don't come back."
Those are her words but her eyes tell a different story. They tell me she wants me to stay. So why is she telling me to go?
I don't want to leave. Just being around her, even when she's mad at me, makes my damn day. Work was shit and I hated every second I spent there. The only thing keeping me going was knowing I was going to see Raine tonight.
"Miles," Gladys calls out.
I look behind Raine and see Gladys waving at me. I walk over to her.
"How was the mac and cheese?" I ask, noticing she already ate it all.
"Heavenly," she says in a dreamy tone, her hands clasped over her chest. "The best meal I've had in a long time. Probably not since George was alive."
"Was George your husband?" I ask, sitting beside her.
"Yes." She smiles. "My sweet George. My love. Oh, how I miss him."
"Tell me about him," I say, turning to her.
She smiles even more. "Where do I start? There's so much to tell."
"I've got time." I glance at Raine and see her walking toward me.
"He doesn't have time," she says to Gladys.
"And how would you know?" I ask.
"You have to work at night. That's why you're always at the coffee shop with your laptop."
I turn back to Gladys, lowering my voice. "Don't tell her, but I don't go to the coffee shop to work. I go to see a certain girl. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Menacing stare."
Gladys winks at me. "I think I know who you're talking about."
"Do you have any tips to get her to talk to me?"
"Real funny, Miles." Raine stands in front of me. "Just go. It's getting late and I'm sure you have law stuff to do."
"The law stuff can wait," I say, although it really can't. I open the sack of food. "Ham or three cheese?"
"What?" Raine asks, confused.
"That's what's left. I'll take whatever you don't want. Gladys had the bacon."
"Which was scrumptious," she says, clapping her hands together.
"I'm not hungry," Raine says, walking to the tent. She goes inside and zips it shut.
"Guess I'll have the ham," I say to Gladys, taking it out.
She leans over to me and lowers her voice. "Give her time. She's been through a lot."
"What do you mean? What happened?"
She pats my arm. "Let her tell you."
"Does she even like me?" I ask with a laugh. "Because she's not making me feel too welcome here."
"She won't let herself have what she really wants. It's because she's been hurt. Had things taken from her."
"What things?"
"Just be patient. It'll take time and patience to win her heart but once you do, it'll be worth it. She has such a kind heart." She sits back. "Shame that he broke it."
"Who? Who broke it?"
She smiles. "Eat your dinner. It's getting cold."