"Raine," he says softly, his strong arms holding me in the hug. "You okay?"
I squeeze my eyes shut, emotions flooding me, making tears form and fall down my cheeks. I don't know why I'm crying. I'm happy Miles is here, happy he's helping me with Gladys. So why am I crying?
"It's okay," he says, rubbing his hand up and down my back. "She's going to be okay."
As he says it, I realize that's why I'm crying. I'm scared Gladys won't get better. How did Miles know that and I didn't?
"What if she's not?" I ask, my head buried in his chest. "What if she gets worse and not better?"
"Then we'll deal with it." He smooths his hand over my hair. "You're not alone, Raine. I'm here."
His words bring more tears to my eyes because I want so badly for that to be true. But I don't believe it. I don't believe he'll stick around once he finds someone else. Friends. A girlfriend. I'm just the girl he comes to visit every night until he finds something better.
He's not mine. But I wish he could be.
I slowly pull away, wiping my eyes and forcing out a smile. "I didn't sleep much last night. I always get emotional when I don't get enough sleep."
"You never get enough sleep," he says, calling me out on my made-up reason to explain the tears. He moves aside the hair that was covering my eye, tucking it behind my ear. "I'm worried about her too."
"I don't know what to do, Miles."
"I'm working on it."
I look up at him. "What do you mean?"
"I've been calling shelters, seeing if I could get her in somewhere."
"No!" I shove him back. "She can't leave me! I need her!"
"Raine." He steps up to me, lowering his voice. "She can't stay out here in the cold. It's bad for her lungs. She needs to be someplace warm. And so do you."
Turning my back to him, I shake my head. "I'm not going there. I don't like it there."
"The shelter? Why?"
"Because..." I pause. "Because there's other addicts there. Last time I stayed at one, this girl tried to give me pills and I—I almost did it. I almost took them. I thought I was stronger than that but when she put them in front of me, I almost couldn't say no."
"When did this happen?"
"Six months ago when I left the—I mean, when I was first homeless. I found this shelter and didn't even last one night there. After I turned down the drugs, there was this other girl who tried to start a fight with me. She wanted my sweatshirt and when I wouldn't give it to her, she punched me. I got out of there and never went back." I turn to face him. "I'm not going back there and neither is Gladys."
"They're not going to bother Gladys. Nobody's going to beat up an old lady."
"They would if they wanted something of hers and she didn't give it to them. You don't know what it's like, Miles. I didn't either until I was there and saw what was going on."
"I'm sure they're not all like that."
"Maybe not, but I still don't want Gladys there. She'll be okay here. She's been living out here for years and made it this long."
"But she's older now, and she's sick."
"I thought you were trying to make me feel better."
"I am, but I also want to be realistic. And I know she'd be better off in a place that's warm." He takes my hand and looks into my eyes. "Let me keep working on this. I'll see what I can do."
"But what could you do? The shelter's the only option."
"She could stay with me. You both could."
"We can't do that. Your apartment is small and only has one bedroom. And it wouldn't be right for us to stay with you."
"Just think about it, okay? Talk to Gladys. I know you guys like your independence but there comes a point when you have to accept some help."
Just then, a minivan drives up and parks on the street right next to the alley. It's Zoe's van, which is surprising because it's Saturday. She doesn't work on Saturdays. Maybe someone called in sick.
She gets out of the van, but instead of going to the coffee shop, she comes down the alley, walking really fast.
"Raine." She comes up to me and gives me a hug. "I just heard the news."
"What news?"
"About Gladys. Miles called me."
"You did?" I ask, looking at Miles.
"I thought she should know," he says.
"Thank you for telling me." Zoe turns to him, her keys still in her hand. "Gladys is such a special lady. I'd be devastated if something happened to her."
Zoe and Gladys have been friends for years. Gladys said she even goes to Zoe's house for Christmas. I didn't even think about calling Zoe but I should have. I don't have a phone but I could've used the one at the coffee shop.
"Where is she?" Zoe asks.
"In the tent," I tell her. "But she's sleeping."
"She can't be out in this cold. I need to take her home with me." She walks over to the tent.
I race over to her before she unzips it. "Wait. You're taking Gladys?"
"I can't let her stay out here."
"She's been staying out here for years."
"Yes, and I've been trying to get her to stay with me the entire time I've known her but she refuses, saying it would upset my husband, which is true but he needs to get over it. She's sick and I'm not taking no for an answer. I've talked to my husband and he's okay with her staying in the spare bedroom until she gets better." She looks at the tent, then back at me. "You shouldn't be out here either. It's going to drop into the twenties tonight. Why don't you come home with me? You could stay on the couch. It'll be a little crowded but we'll manage."
"She can stay with me," Miles says. "I have plenty of room."
I look at him. "Um, yeah, I'll just stay with Miles tonight."
Zoe nods, then unzips the tent and crawls inside. Gladys starts coughing and I hear Zoe talking to her.
"That was a good idea," I say to Miles. "Calling Zoe? I didn't even think about that."
"I knew she'd offer to help," Miles says. "The first night I went in the coffee shop I saw them together and thought Gladys was Zoe's mom, the way they interacted."
"Yeah, Zoe's mom died a few years ago and Gladys has kind of become her second mom. But I had no idea she'd asked Gladys to live with her."
"Sounds like that wasn't really an option if Zoe's husband wasn't on board."
"Yeah, plus they have two kids so their house is pretty full."
"At least she'll have a few nights of being warm."
Gladys and Zoe come out of the tent.
"Going to a sleepover?" I say to Gladys, smiling so she knows I'm okay. She doesn't like leaving me. If I act sad that she's leaving, she won't go.
"Just for a few nights." She comes over and kisses my cheek. "Zoe said you're staying with Miles."
"Um, yeah. Just for a night."