Page 13 of As I Am
CHAPTER SIX
Ky ran to the break room the second he said goodbye to Carson after their breakfast. He still had about ten minutes before he had to start work, and he had to make some calls before he did. Trevor kept a phone in the break room for employee use, and Ky was thankful for that since he didn't have his own.
He sat down after pulling a small piece of paper from his wallet. He had all the phone numbers of people he knew written on it. He set it on the table as he thought about Carson's offer to spend the night together. A thousand dollars was more than he'd make in a month on the streets. He'd be stupid to turn it down, but first, he had to figure out what to do with Bryan.
Hopeful that someone could help him, he quickly dialed his friend, Angel's number, hoping he wasn't in the middle of giving tattoo and would answer. It was a Friday night, and that meant people going out and having fun, but since Angel and his boyfriend Matt had a young daughter to worry about, he hoped they might just be staying home and be willing to let Bryan spend the night at their house.
"Hello?" Angel sounded like he was laughing as he answered.
"Hey, it's Ky. Is this a bad time?"
"It's never a bad time. How are you?" Angel sounded more serious and the noise in the background started to fade.
"I'm good, but I need a favor if you can." Ky looked at the clock on the wall. He needed to get to the point so he could get to work on time.
"Sure, what's up?" Angel asked. "You're okay?"
"Yeah, I'm just about to start work, but I was hoping you and Matt might be able to watch Bryan for me tonight. I understand if you can't, but he loves coming over there, so I thought I'd try you first." Ky hoped he didn't sound as desperate as he felt. He really wanted to spend the night with Carson, and if he was honest with himself, it had little to do with the money, though that would go a long way to helping him make sure Bryan had everything he needed.
"I need to ask Matt, but I think it would be okay. Give me a sec. Matt's in the other room. "Hey, Matt?" He heard Angel move the phone and he could hear muffled voices talking in the background for a second before Angel came back on the phone. "Yeah, it's not a problem. Jess will be happy to have him here. We planned on going to a movie tonight. You okay if we take Bryan too?"
Ky blew out a relieved breath. "Yeah, that would be great. I can give you some money—"
"You will not give us money. We're happy to have him. What time will you bring him over?"
"Um, I work until four. Stephanie is keeping him at school with her for an hour later, while she finishes up until I can go get him. I'll grab his stuff and we'll catch a bus to your place right after that." Ky tried to estimate how long that might take and what time he might be back to meet Carson.
"You don't need to get a bus over. Why don't I just pick Bryan up at school when he's out? I'll explain to him that you had to work an all-nighter. I think we even have some of his clothes here that got left when they got dirty out back a few weeks ago. If not, we'll find him something to wear. I have to pick Jess up from school at three thirty. I can drop by and grab Bry from his school before I go get her."
"You're sure it's not too much work for you?"
"Are you kidding? Jess will freak out when she sees Bryan in the car picking her up. It will be fun. You got a big job?" Angel had covered for him more than once when a guy had hired him to work late night.
"Um, I've been offered a thousand dollars to stay the night thru breakfast." He bit his lip, trying not to smile at the thought.
"Whoa, Ky, that's a lot of money. It doesn't sound safe." Angel sounded worried.
"It is. I promise. I know the guy. He's no one new. It's nothing like you're thinking. I swear. I told you, I don't do much of that stuff anymore." Ky closed his eyes, not wanting to remember some of the things he'd let men do to him just so he could make a few bucks. "I should be over to pick Bryan up early tomorrow morning."
"Not too early. You know the kids will be up late, and Matt and I will sleep in as long as they will let us. Take some time for yourself. We have no plans, so if you need some time to yourself after, take it. Go home and sleep or something. Bry will be fine with us. You can pick him up tomorrow afternoon even," Angel insisted.
"I owe you so much, Ang. I'll never be able to pay you back." Ky glanced again at the clock.
"We have to look out for each other." Angel said. He knew all too well what Ky was living through. Angel had been on the streets for years before finally getting a job and having his luck change. Now he was happily married with a beautiful daughter.
"Still, thank you," Ky said sincerely. "Listen, I need to go work. I'll call Stephanie now and let her know you'll be picking Bryan up. I swear, somehow I'll pay you and Matt back." He might be down on his luck in most parts of his life, but he had loyal and true friends when he needed them. "Tell Bry I love him and I'll see him tomorrow."
"I will. You be safe, Ky. Call if you get into trouble. You know I'll come get you anytime, anyplace."
"I know. Thanks, Angel, and tell Matt thanks too. See you tomorrow." He smiled as he hung up the phone.
He made a quick call to the shelter's school and let them know he wouldn't be picking Bryan up later, then hurried back to the dish room to start work.
It was impossible to keep his mind off Carson as he worked. No matter how he tried, he couldn't understand why Carson tried so hard to get hold of him. What did it matter who he spent his time with? Any guy could give him what Ky did. Seth would have been happy to spend days with Carson and was probably just as good in bed as Ky was. It was just odd, but Ky wasn't going to question it. He needed the money offered, and he really did like Carson.
They'd talked through breakfast about simple things. Ky was careful not to mention Bryan at all. In fact, he'd avoided talking too much about his personal life. He'd made a rule years ago that he would never talk about his brother to a customer. No matter how safe someone seemed, he still would not ever risk Bryan's safety, and he would do anything he could to keep his work life away from Bryan. That meant acting like he was on his own when he was with customers. No ties to anyone. It was a rule he refused to break, even when he felt comfortable, like he did with Carson.
He had laughed hearing Carson talk about growing up. He had the kind of life as a kid that Ky dreamed he might have had if his parents hadn't died. He loved hearing about his parents and how supportive they were of his career.
