Page 10 of Galen's Redemption
Chapter Four
TWO DAYSlater, Robert wanted beer. Or chocolate. Or just a damned massage. The stress of the last couple of days had his back muscles knotting, and there was no end in sight of things that needed to be done. He tried to think back to when he’d had his last vacation. What was it? Eleventh grade, when he and his parents went on a speaking tour for people who wanted to interviewhim? They’d tried to talk him out of it, but Robert was eating that stuff up. There were more and more times recently that he wished he had listened to them.
He was elbow-deep in wash water when a breeze let him know the door in the back had been opened. A lot of his people came in through that way because they got fewer ugly stares when they were seen in an alley.
“I’ll be right with you.”
“It’s okay, I know the way.”
Noel’s voice washed over him, and Robert couldn’t believe how excited he got. He needed to see a friendly face in the worst way right now. He opened the drain on the sink, letting the water swirl down, then flipped the switch for the garbage disposal, which gave a temperamental whine before finally grinding the bits of food that had slipped through. He wiped off hishands and turned in time to see Noel striding in. Without thinking, he rushed forward and grabbed him up, clutching him tight.
Noel squeezed him back, tethering Robert in the moment. “Hey, what’s wrong?” Noel extracted himself from Robert’s grip, put his hands on Robert’s shoulders, and stared into his eyes.
“We need tea if we’re going to have any conversations.” He hustled over to the cabinetand pulled out the kettle, which he filled with water before finally placing it on the stove. He glanced over his shoulder as he turned on the burner. “Can you grab some mugs?”
“Sure thing.”
Billy Cassidy—who, at fourteen, was one of Robert’s younger clients—slipped into the kitchen, his gaze down. “Hey, Mr. K. How’s it going?”
Oh, this sounded bad. His voice was too soft, and coming from Billy,that was never a good thing. “I’m all right. How are you?”
Billy shrugged. “I’m okay. Cops are hassling us for sleeping under the viaduct again.”
Noel sighed. “We told you that wasn’t a safe place for you guys to crash.”
Billy’s head snapped up, his gaze defiant. “And what do you suggest, Mr. Noel? Mom’s pregnant, and she needed a place to get some rest.”
That caught Robert’s attention. “Wait.Your mom is pregnant?” Robert realized he hadn’t seen Elaine in months. He chastised himself for not knowing it sooner. “Why the hell isn’t she coming to the shelter?”
Billy mumbled something under his breath.
“What was that?”
He sighed. “She said it’s no safer in here than out there. We heard about Bree. Mom says it’s just one of the things that keeps her from coming here.”
Well, that wasjust freaking great. Word among the homeless often spread like wildfire. From places to find food to news about someone disappearing, they had the whole networking thing down pat.
“Bree is going to be just fine. She made a bad decision, and I’m making sure she gets the help she needs. I’ve got her into a treatment program, and Officer Court had the man who sold her the garbage arrested.” He heldhis hands out to Billy. “I’m not perfect, but I’d like to think we’re better than being out in the cold, especially when she’s pregnant.”
Noel put a hand on Billy’s shoulder. “Speaking of which….”
Robert smiled when Noel went to the refrigerator and pulled out a loaf of bread, some lunchmeat, and a bit of butter. He set to work making a few impromptu sandwiches, which he then wrapped in papertowels. He grabbed a bag from atop the refrigerator and placed them inside, then turned and put it in Billy’s hands.
“Now you listen to me, Billy. Your mom needs to eat, so take these with you and let her know they’re from me. Tell her she needs to get her ass back into the shelter. Robert and I will find her a place to get checked out, but under no circumstances is she to take this lightly.”
Billy went to pull back, but Noel held tight.
“And you tell her that if she doesn’t, I’m coming after her. Remind her she owes Robert and me for taking care of you when she was too sick to do it herself.”
A slight smile tugged at Billy’s lips. Everyone loved Noel, and right then, no one did more than Robert.
“Yes, Mr. Noel.”
“Good man. Now, go take a shower, and I’ll get you some clean clothes,okay? Then you go back to your mom and drag her ass in here if you have to. I don’t care if she kicks and screams all the way, because that’s your brother or sister she’s carrying, so it’s up to you to be the strong one now, okay?”
Billy’s spine straightened and he stood just a bit taller. “Yes, sir.”
“One last thing…. If you ever need help, and Robert’s not around, I’m working over at the ParkView diner, okay? Come see me or Lincoln, and we’ll be sure to do what we can.”
