Page 52 of Galen's Redemption
“I’M SORRY,Robert. I know how much you hate to lose one. We’re doing tests to find out what she was on, but it’ll be a while before we know.”
Dr. Ted Barnes’s words were a jumble of nonsense. Bree was dead and she shouldn’t be. They were supposed to help her, get her better. Instead, everyone in her short lifehad failed her. And that included Robert.
When he looked up, Ted was gone. Nurses bustled through the hall, none of them paying attention to him. He figured he ought to call Noel, let him know what happened. He’d worked with Bree before, and he would be devastated by her death. At least he had Lincoln to lean on. Robert had no one. He’d had hopes it would be Galen, but… God, despite his big,messy, loving family, Robert never realized how alone in the world he was.
“Robert?”
The familiar voice was like a warm caress on Robert’s battered heart. He turned and found Galen standing there, hands clenched at his sides. It didn’t matter the whys or wherefores—he was here. Robert pushed up out of his chair and lunged for Galen, wrapping his arms around the slender shoulders. He was gratefulwhen Galen put his head on Robert’s chest.
“Are you okay?”
“Better now.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Robert shook his head.
“Okay, then we won’t. Should I take you home?”
Home. The word from Galen’s lips took on new meaning. How could Robert have become so attached to this man? It made no sense at all, but it had happened. He was struggling to find his way in the world, and it calledto Robert’s heart. He didn’t consider Galen broken in any way, just bruised. Maybe that was the point. Being around Galen took some of the hurt from Robert’s heart, and hopefully, Robert could help buff out the years of dents and dings on Galen’s soul.
“I’m just going to sit here for a while, I think. I appreciate you coming, but you don’t have to stay.”
Galen slipped his hand into Robert’sand led him back to the small couch in the waiting room. “Then we can wait together.”
They sat holding hands for an hour or so. Neither of them said anything, which was okay with Robert. He soaked in the closeness and found it hard to remember why he’d always been so opposed to being with someone before.
Of course, the problem Robert had experienced in the past still existed. He was tied tothe shelter. It had been his passion for most of his life. But now? He found there was life beyond the walls of the building—and the ones he’d placed around his heart.
“What happened to her?” Galen’s voice was soft, and it was hard to be sure he’d actually said anything at all.
“An overdose. I don’t know what she took, but it was too much for her system.”
“Oh. I’m… I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thanks.” Robert scrubbed a hand over his eyes, wiping the tears away.
Imagine his surprise when Galen leaned in and put his head on Robert’s arm. He seemed to know that Robert needed him but wasn’t exactly sure what he could do.
“She had a lot of pain in her life. There was abuse, prostitution, possibly rape. I know a lot of people would say she was weak for turning to the drugs, but she hadthose moments of strength where you couldn’t help but be in awe at her resilience.” He chuckled. “One day she took a group of our youngest and was doing her best to help them read a book. She wasn’t very good at it, and the kids were complaining because she kept stuttering over the words. She put the book down and made up a story on the spot. The kids were enraptured by her tale of dragons and knightsand fairy princes.”
Galen gave a soft smile. “Not princesses?”
“Not for Bree, no. She was a very nontraditional young woman.” Robert coughed. “Actually, Bree liked gay men, because she was afraid of other guys. She always thought a gay man couldn’t hurt her. I tried to dissuade her from that belief, but she felt so certain that gay men were better because they wouldn’t….” He drew in a sharpbreath. “Anyway, she tried hard to be a good person, but things were never easy for her.”
“So what happens now?”
Robert shrugged. “I’ll talk to the police, let them know what happened. I won’t hold out a lot of hope that they’ll find out who sold her the drugs.”
“Why?”
“Homeless people are virtually invisible, at least until they’re in the way. The police will come and roust them, get themoff the streets, but something like this requires manpower. I don’t blame the cops. They’ve always got things going on, so something like a homeless kid ODing? In a perfect world, they’d find who did it and send them away for life. In reality, they’ll still be on the streets selling poison to more of my people.”
The truth of the words hurt. Ted wasn’t wrong. This hadn’t been the first time Roberthad kept a vigil, waiting for someone to die. It never got easier, and it always made him question if he could have done something different.
“It’s not your fault.”
Galen might think of himself as hard and jaded, but there was an innocence there too. He spoke as someone who’d been hurt himself in the past.
