Page 47 of Galen's Redemption
He scribbled the note on the card, then handed it back to her. “Thanks again.”
She took the card from him and slipped it into the tiny cream-colored envelope. “Don’t thank me. We appreciate your business. I think the only time we’ve sold so many roses in one week was during Valentine’s. This young man must be special.”
Robert really wantedhim to be. Every day he’d stop at the florist to order some flowers, and each time he’d send an additional flower, hoping Galen would get the message and call back. The trip to visit with his family was coming up soon, and he wanted Galen and Andy to come along.
Robert handed the lady his credit card and waited while she did up the bouquet of eleven roses in the colors of the rainbow. Each onewas swirled in blues, yellows, and reds, and tipped with white. They were the most beautiful flowers Robert had ever seen.
“Did you want to add a box of chocolates?”
After the first flower, Robert had been adding a little tchotchke to the gift. A little teddy bear, a tiny brass heart, and, his favorite, a sparkling string of stones.
“Sure. Let’s change it up a little. No sense in letting himthink he knows what’s coming.”
“I don’t know how he could resist you.” She opened the cooler and pulled out two boxes. “Did you want the heart-shaped one, or the square box?”
“Definitely the heart-shaped one.” He chuckled. Maybe he was being a little blatant, but he’d already made up his mind that the only way he was going to leave Galen alone was if he was specifically told to do it.
Earlierin the week, Andy had called the shelter and said that Galen had been going out and looking for jobs, but the field was very narrow with what he could do. Once again, his bastard father was controlling Galen’s life, and because he’d been blocking Galen at every turn, very little could be done about it. But, Andy said, it wasn’t weighing on him. Galen got excited every time the doorbell rang, andwhen he was handed the box, he rushed to his room to open it. When he came back out, his spine was a little straighter and his eyes were a bit brighter. He said he believed Galen was coming into his own.
That was what Robert wanted. He needed Galen to see that in Robert’s eyes, he was important. Even if it didn’t result in the two of them getting together, Galen had to come to terms with howhe and Lincoln were treated by their father. He also had to forgive himself so he could decide what kind of relationship he wanted with his brother in the future.
How many times in the past had Robert given someone assignments in the shelter and then praised the person for doing them so well? It was the little things that strengthened a person’s resolve and showed them they weren’t what theywere led to believe. Noel had been like that; Brady had as well. Now both men were happy. Noel was in a relationship with a man who continued doing as Robert had. He praised Noel, and it made Noel feel better about himself. And Brady had a family who had grown to love him. They gave him structure and discipline where he had none before. Yeah, it wasn’t without missteps, but Brady cared for his newfamily every bit as much as they did for him. He gripped it tight, afraid it might slip through his fingers otherwise.
With Andy’s help, Robert hoped those tiny cracks Andy had seen in Galen’s facade would work their way into something larger, as chunks of that brittle shell fell off. The problem with that, though? Someone had to be there to protect that soft, sensitive interior, lest a hardershell form over it. If Galen wouldn’t let him in, Robert was certain Andy would keep him from sliding back into the dark place his mind seemed to be dragging him. But before that could happen fully, Robert needed to pull him completely out of it. And he knew that for every step forward, there was a better than even chance of several steps back.
His thoughts turned to Andy. It surprised Roberthow much he enjoyed hearing about Galen from his friend. While Galen was out, Andy would call and regale Robert with tales of Galen and the flowers. He wouldn’t go into anything more personal, and Robert certainly would never ask. He wanted to know all there was to learn about Galen, but it had to come from him, not an outside source. And Andy had been effusive in his praise for Robert’s efforts.The flowers, he said, were just one small thing. Andy would ask him questions, and Galen seemed to be opening up. He regretted his tone with Robert but wasn’t quite ready to make a call yet, and that was okay. Robert knew it would—or wouldn’t—come in time, but he had learned at an early age that patience helped in the long run.
“Okay, here’s your card back. Just need a signature, please.”
Robertjolted back to reality as he took his credit card and slipped it into his wallet, then used the stylus to write his name.
“Great. These will be there today about three. Okay?”
“That’s perfect. Thank you. For tomorrow’s order, would you put something… I don’t know, spectacular together? It’s the last one, so I want it to be epic. Just charge it to the card.”
She sighed. “One day I want a manwho will do romantic things for me. And if he looks like you, all the better.” She cackled. “Have a great day, Mr. Kotke.”
“You too.”
When the door opened, the sun shone bright, and there were birds flitting about. How long had it been since Robert noticed these things? His days were spent huddled in the shelter, doing his damnedest to find the money to cover the bills, buy food, get doctorson board for free or low-cost healthcare, or any other of a myriad of services his people needed. Maybe he did need an office manager. They could field phone calls, do some filing, and the like, giving Robert time to focus on other things.
“Do you have any change?”
He spun around at the familiar voice. Goddamn it! She was tripping again. Her hair was unkempt, her skin red and blotchy, and shesmelled to high heaven.
“Bree, what are you doing?”
Her gaze narrowed, and then her bloodshot eyes went wide. She turned and tried to move, but Robert grabbed her hand.
“Oh, Bree. What did you do?”
She made an effort to jerk away, but there was no strength at all. “Nothing! Leave me alone.”
“You know I can’t do that, sweetheart. Come on. Let’s get you to the shelter. I’ll get you somethingto eat and some fresh clothes while you shower.”
If he thought she’d fight, he was wrong. She went limp, nearly falling to the ground. Only Robert’s grip on her arm kept her from hitting the pavement. He helped her down and knelt beside her. He pulled out his phone, poised to dial 911, but then stopped. A homeless kid wasn’t a priority to anyone, and who knew how long it would take for Robertto get help. Instead he dialed the one person he could think of who might be able to get them to a hospital quickly.
“Robert? What’s wrong?”
