Page 28 of Home With You

Levi comes up to me. "He was asking about you."

I look at him. "He talked to you?"

"Not me. I heard him asking other people on the street. Other suits. He was asking if they knew you. Then I saw him later, walking up and down your street, probably trying to find you."

Miles was looking for me? Why? What does he want?

"What'd he say to you?" Levi asks.

"We weren't talking. He just said something to me and I ran off."

"Why'd you run off?"

I sigh. "I don't want to get into it."

"Is he trying to get something from you?" he asks, his brow raised.

"No! It's not like that." I sigh, knowing he won't give up until I tell him. "I met him at the coffee shop. He didn't know I was homeless. We had coffee and he asked me out. I told him no and then I left before he could ask me anything else. When he saw me on the street, I ran off."

"What's with the suit? What's he do?"

"He's a lawyer. He works in one of the buildings down here."

Levi smiles. "A lawyer, huh? Lawyers are rich."

"He's been a lawyer less than a week. He's not rich. And I'm not asking him for money."

"But you'll ask ME? That don't make no sense."

"I told you I'd pay you back. It's just a loan."

"And where you gonna get money?"

"I don't know. I'll figure it out. C'mon, Gladys. We're going home." I help her up. She coughs and can't stop.

"Here." Levi hands her a bottle of water. "Get better, old lady."

"Her name's Gladys," I remind him. "Thanks for the water."

I wish I could ask for one for myself but that'd be pushing it. He's already given us more than I thought he would.

"I'll bring you something tomorrow," I tell him as we leave.

"I'll believe it when I see it," he says, and when I turn back, he's sitting on his lawn chair, looking out at the street.

"We're going home?" Gladys asks, pulling the blanket tighter around her.

Home. I wish that wasn't our home. I don't like even calling it that. I'm sure by now Miles found our spot and knows that's where I live. I bet he went back to the coffee shop and asked about me. The new girl, whatever her name is, probably told him that's where I live.

Now I don't want to go back there. I want to find a new spot. I looked for one earlier today but couldn't find one that's better than what we have now. Being by the coffee shop, we have access to a bathroom and we get whatever food they have left at the end of the day. We wouldn't get that living outside an office building or a warehouse. And I feel somewhat safe in our current spot. There aren't any men around and the police station is just a few blocks away.

Back at the coffee shop, I go inside with Gladys and find the new girl wiping down tables. The place is empty except for a woman sitting at a table with her laptop.

"Excuse me," I say to the girl as she wipes crumbs off a table. I wish I could remember her name.

"Hey." She stops and turns to me. "I didn't think you were coming back."

"What do you mean?"

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