Page 17 of Forgive Me Father: For I Have Sinned

Someone knocked on the door.“Jamie honey, are you in there?” Nurse Joan called from the other side of the restroom door.

“Yes ma’am, I’ll be right out.” Pulling myself away from staring at the disfigured marionette in the mirror, I finished taking care of business and hobbled back out.

She pulled a bag out from underneath the bed, setting it on top. “The doctor will be in to discharge you shortly. These are the things they brought in with you. Go ahead and get dressed and wait in here for him. Take care of yourself, sweetie,” she told me, once again patting my hand.I bet she’s a great mom. That’s an odd thought to randomly have…

As soon as she left, I hurriedly dressed and was happy to find my phone and wallet inside the bag. I had no way to pay for a hospital visit and needed to get out of there before the doctor returned expecting payment. Getting home and figuring out what the hell I was going to do was more important. I slipped out of the hospital without incident, cut across the lawn and under the I-5 freeway to get home unnoticed as quickly as possible. Once I was safely locked inside, I lost it, cursing and crying so loudly I feared the cops would be called again. Tired, sore and really just fucking done, I passed out and slept through the night. Something I hadn’t done in I don’t know how long. I guess my body was as worn out on the inside as its battered appearance on the outside was.And I only have myself to blame.

Getting out of bed the next morning was a challenge. I was twice as sore as I was when I laid down but needed to get my shit sorted out. After grabbing a bite to eat and showering, I headed out towards Pike’s and locatedThe Nook.It was the place I’d remembered passing. I walked past it a couple of times before I got up the nerve to walk inside. The place wasn’t huge, booths set along one side, tables were in the center with a bar to the right of them. In the back, I could see a small stage and dance floor area. Simple finishes, nothing gaudy and the place was pretty clean.

“Can I help you?” the bartender I’d not noticed before asked me.

“Yeah um..” I scratched the back of my neck nervously, flinching when the bruise I’d forgotten about smarted.

He gave me the once over, his gaze stalling on my blood-rimmed eyes before freezing on my neck. Self-consciously, I zipped up my coat as far as it would go and wished I’d had a turtleneck sweater that I could’ve worn.

“Why don’t you have a seat.” He gestured to the table in front of me. “I’ll bring you a soda.”

I took a seat, and a few minutes later he joined me, placing the beverage in front of me before he sat across from me. “I’m Daniel,” he said, stretching his hand out to me. This man was huge, not like he lived in a gym or anything. Well, he did have muscles which were clearly visible through the white t-shirt he wore. Definitely not someone I’d want to piss off. He reminded me of a fabled God but didn’t give off an asshole vibe.

“Jamie,” I told him, accepting his friendly opening.

“Would you like something to eat?” he asked me, breaking the awkward silence.

“No thanks.” I pulled his card from my pocket, setting it on the table in front of me. “I was told to talk to you, but I don’t really know why.”

He pushed the strands of blonde hair hanging in his face behind his ears, but just as he started to speak, another man who looked like a football player walked up. Where Daniel was blonde and fair skinned with eyes as blue as a clear sky, this guy had dark, almost black hair with equally as dark eyes and features but was just as breathtaking. But their hulking presence didn’t make me feel uneasy, no alarms were going off. In fact, I found their presence to be oddly calming. Especially given recent events.

“Marcus,” Daniel said, smiling fondly at him. “This is Jamie,” he said. A look of recognition crossed his face, so I guess he knew about me too. My face flushed at that, if they knew who I was, then they probably knew what I did.

Marcus greeted me in the same way Daniel had, smiling fondly before taking the seat beside him.

“I guess I’m confused as to why I was told to contact you,” I told them.

“Why did you then?” Daniel asked, not in a condescending manner but more in a way that told me he was interested in hearing what I had to say. Something I wasn’t used to.

With my head hanging low, I whispered. “I have nowhere else to turn.” I felt so tiny, so extremely insignificant. Like I was wasting the air I was breathing.

“Look, Jamie,” Marcus said. “we’re not going to make any assumptions about how you earn a living. It’s not for us to judge. You will be told the same thing we tell our other employeesno drugs and no soliciting yourself for money.”

“Employees?” seemed to be the only part of his statement that resonated with me.

“Yes Jamie, we have an opening for a busboy and dishwasher. The job is yours if you want it and can adhere to those rules,” Daniel replied.

Were these guys for real? “You don’t even know me, why would you offer a total stranger a job?” In my life, people like them didn’t offer people like me jobs unless it consisted of me being down on my knees. Did they expect me to sleep with them?

“Because we’re in a position to help you. We work with the LGBT shelters and believe in paying it forward,” Marcus said. “Detective Richardson is a volunteer at the one here in Seattle.”

That explains how he knew to give me Daniel’s card. I still wasn’t understanding why they would offer me a job. “What’s expected of me in return?” I asked, eying them curiously.

“Not what you’re thinking. Daniel and I are in a committed relationship, with each other. We help those in need when we can and would like to help you get back on your feet and off the streets.”Ah, so he did know what I did to pay the bills. Great…“Do you have a place to live?”

“For now, I do. I was barely paying the rent as it was. But I can’t live like this anymore.”

“We live above this place, we have an extra room you’re welcome to while you get things sorted out. May I ask how old you are?” Marcus asked.

“I’m nineteen,” I could’ve lied and shown them my fake I.D., but something told me these guys were on the up and up and I didn’t want to betray their trust.

“Do you have I.D.?” he inquired.

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