Shelter (a closed thread)

[wideeyedone]

Anna Mitchell, left home years ago and moved to the city with her boyfriend. The home she grew up in was filled with anger, addiction and tumult.She still had the small curved scar on her jaw from the exploding beer bottle that her mother had thrown at her father.

Rodney was older and seemed secure and wanted to rescue her from her father's anger and her mother's stupor. It had been his plan that they run away. She loved him and she trusted him. She took the little bit of money that she had and one bag and they had made their way. They rented a small apartment. And he had loved to listen to her sing. But the shine had worn off. They had trouble making ends meet with their collection of minimum wage jobs. And then one day, she came home from work and he was gone.

There was a note on the table and an envelope with a little cash in it. He had gone home. In desperation, she called home but her father had told her not to come home. For a while now she had been couch surfing, moving in with girls she knew at work, offering part of her meager salary in exchange for a bad night's sleep.

Now. her job had disappeared and none of her friendships were strong enough to withstand free loading. She had all she owned in a well worn duffle. Her boots were worn in and if someone didn't look too closely, she might have passed for a college student dressed in vintage jeans and an oversized sweater. Her dark hair was tied back in a ponytail, her face was still striking, Anna had always been a pretty girl. But she was hungry and tired and alone.

When Anna had been waiting tables at a greasy dive, she had made friends with Hobart. Hobart McClain was a homeless vet. He played the guitar and sang on the streets and now Anna had joined him. They were perched on wall at the park. He was strumming and singing harmony, she was singing lead. His guitar case was open and passers by were being fairly generous. They had drawn a little bit of a crowd. She had pounded the pavement all morning looking for a job and Hobart had told her that he would share the take with her.

She had to do something. She couldn’t go home and Marta had told her that she needed to bring home atleast twenty bucks, or find someplace else to sleep.

 

[degrepski]

Daniel was your typical homeless kid.

He'd run away from an orphanage after being in the system since birth. He'd somehow managed to scrape by in the years since, though times were tougher nowadays. Now, nearing the end of his teenage years, he was fortunate to have a job and a small (almost tiny), rundown studio apartment and a minimum wage job at an Italian Restaurant.

Sure, life wasn't great, but he was still alive.

Which was why he was here, in the soup kitchen on his day off.

You learn to appreciate things like this when you're homeless. People taking time out of their life to give a little something back. And having known the other side of the serving line, he wanted to take care of the friends he'd made on the streets.

Like his good buddy Hobart McClain.

"McClain, my man," he said, giving his friend a firm handshake. "How's business?"

"Oh, the usual," Hobart said, his tenor ringing true even when speaking. "A few bucks here and there. It hasn't rained in a while, so that's good."

"McClain," Danny chastised. "You know you've got a place with me anytime, especially if it's raining!"

A lightbulb seemed to go off in Ol' Hobart's head. "Now, since you mention that, I was wondering if you could help me with something..."

 

[wideeyedone]

Hobart looked at Daniel for a moment. He didn't want to overstep or ask too much of Daniel, but he didn't want Anna sleeping on the streets. Even if Anna stuck close to him, too much could happen. Hobart could fend for himself, but with a pretty girl like Anna, some shady characters would want to claim her for their own. Hobart nodded to himself as he finished his inner dialogue.

"I have a friend that is down on her luck. She has lost her place to stay. She is a hard worker and will find a job fast and she has been singing with me. Her voice is like honey, so she brings in cash. I would keep her with me, but you know what it can be like... someone might wait till I am asleep or something and hurt her. She is a pretty little thing." Hobart cleared his throat. " I was wondering if she could stay with you for a little while. She is a good kid."

Hobart looked at his friend Daniel and hoped. Ever since he got home from Vietnam he had been unable to sleep inside. He felt boxed in and trapped with his nightmares. On the street, or in the park with the night sky above him, he felt free. But he knew his brand of freedom would be dangerous and sad for Anna. He loved her like a daughter and he would do anything to keep her safe and happy.

 

[degrepski]

Daniel just gave his trademark warm smile, the kind of smile that gave a homeless man--or woman--hope.

"McClain, you didn't even need to ask," he said, reaching a hand out. "Tell your friend she can stop by after I'm done with my shift at work.

Hobart McClain nodded. "So, around ten-ish?"

Daniel thought for a moment. "You're right. Not a good time of night. Um...You know what..."

He called to the back. "Hey, Chris? Gotta go take care of something real quick. Wouldya mind?"

A voice in the back shouted "No, I don't mind! Get gone, boy!"

With that, he turned back to McClain with a smile. "You able to bring her by right now? I'll have the place fixed up by the time she gets there."

McClain smiled, his eyes growing a little moist. "Brother, you're a Godsend. I'll be sure to grab her and be at your place in half an hour!" With that, he took off running (with one of the kitchen's bowls, at that!)

Daniel's smile wore off as he made his way home. Sure, he was always willing to help a person in need. Still, he knew how the streets are, and he worried about who exactly Hobart might bring.

Well, at least I've got nothing to lose, he thought, his smile returning. With that, he bounded on home to make up the bed for his guest.

 

[wideeyedone]

Anna was hanging out in her favorite bookstore. The owner was kind enough to let her haunt the stacks of books. She would buy one every few weeks, just often enough to not be a burden. The bookshop offered free hot water and sold tea bags for just a quarter. So Anna would buy a few tea bags when she was lingering and drink several cups of tea.

She was a little surprised to see Hobart waving at her through the shop window. He was standing outside in the blustering wind. Anna had told Hobart not to worry about her, that she would figure something out. But there he was.

She reshelved the book she was perusing and made her way outside. Hobart was all smiles when he told her that he had a place for her to stay. She was a little concerned when Hobart told her that he wouldn't be there, but that he trusted her host with his life. Hobart did not trust lightly. He was a cautious man and an excellent judge of character.

Hobart told her about his friend Daniel. Anna tried to refuse, but Hobart knew she didn't have anywhere to stay and he wouldn't allow her to stay with him at his encampment. Hobart squeased her hand.

"Trust me, Little One. He is a good man and he will keep you safe. I will come get you tomorrow."

 

[degrepski]

Daniel had changed the sheets on his queen sized bed (a necessity at his height), restocked the fridge with fresh food, paid his bills and let his landlady know he'd have a guest for a few days. The landlady had eyed him suspiciously, wondering if he was bringing trouble to her building, but he'd been a good kid so she wasn't too concerned.

All that remained was for Hobart McClain to bring the girl.

Should be any minute now.

Any minute...

With a knock at his door, Daniel leapt off his old couch and answered the door.

There was Hobart. And there was the girl.

"Welcome!" Daniel said, as warmly as possible. "Welcome to Casa de la Daniel! Come in, come in!"

Hobart stepped in, all but dragging the girl with him. "Wow, Danny, boy! You didn't do too bad for yourself."

Daniel chuckled. "There's still room if you want to stay..."

"No, no, we had a deal, young Danny," Hobart said. "Where are my manners? Daniel, this is Anna Mitchell. Anna, meet Daniel."

Daniel extended a friendly hand to his new roommate. "Hi, pleased to meet you."

 

[wideeyedone]

Anna wondered what she was going to say to her host. She was afraid but she also knew Hobart wasn't going to let it go. Hobart had been determined to take care of her since Ray had left her.

Anna offered Daniel her hand when Hobart introduced them. She smiled at him. He looked nice enough and although the apartment was small, it was well kept and the lock on the door looked sturdy. Daniel smiled at her and he didn't leer at her the way Marta's creepy boyfriend did. His eyes were kind and not hungry.

Hobart edged her into the apartment.

"Daniel has said you can stay till you get on your feet." Hobart offered with the smile that crinkled his eyes.

Anna put down her duffle bag. "It would be nice to sleep with both of my eyes shut." Anna tugged on her sweater nervously. She wasn't sure what to do.

 

[degrepski]

Daniel chuckled. "Believe me, I know all too well."

He ushered his guests in for the impromptu tour.

"Here's the bedroom," he said, gesturing to his bed and the fresh, blue covers. "This is where you'll sleep. There's a lock on the door, feel free to use it."

He said it with a smile, and before the obvious rejection was made, he continued. "This is the living room. The TV doesn't have cable, but I did manage to win an older DVD player at a work function, and have a few movies, so it's not bad." He turned on the TV. When it didn't turn on, he gave it a solid whack on the set and it clicked to life. "TV's another matter." He said, sticking his tongue out playfully.

"And, this, Anna, is the kitchen," he said with a flourish. He opened the fridge to reveal it was full. "Feel free to eat whatever you like. I will warn you there's a bit of everything in here. I even have some Wasabi, which is really really potent, so be careful." He closed the fridge (much to Anna's dismay), and revealed the counter with a table cloth covering a mound of...something. "And this is breakfast!" With a quick pull, the table cloth revealed a breakfast to make a Mother's Day buffet proud. Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Toast, Muffins, everything!

Hobart gave Daniel a sly look. "Danny, have you been filching from your work?"

Daniel laughed. "No, some friends of mine helped chipped in. Said if I was going to have a lady present, I needed to feed her well." He winked at Anna. "Hotel maids. What can you do?"

 

[wideeyedone]

Anna felt a little overwhelmed.

"I won't be a burden. And I swear, I will get a job soon and I will get out of your hair." Anna bit her lip. She tried to sweep her hair back off of her face. Then she worried that her scar would show too much. She looked at Daniel and did her best to blink back tears.

"Thank you. That is what I meant to say." Anna looked at Hobart. "I will meet you in the park, to sing around commuter time."

Anna did her best to relax. If Hobart said that Daniel was safe, then he was.

"Have either of you eaten?" Anna asked softly. "The least I could do is cook for you both."

 

[degrepski]

"Oh," said Hobart dismissively. "If I show up to my corner looking well fed, I'll never get a decent tip to save my life. Young Danny will just have to eat my share, won't you Danny? I know how much you eat!"

Danny laughed. "It's true. I never could get used to the homeless life style. But, I tried my best." He turned his attention to Anna. "If you could make an omelet, you'd more than pay for your room and board. I can't make an omelet to save my life!"

Hobart smiled. "I'll leave you to it, then," he said. He gave Danny a firm shake of the hand and a big, warm hug to Anna. "Take care of my boy, dear." With that, he left.

Danny watched him for a while, lost in some long treasured memory. When he came back to the present, he addressed Anna. "Feel free to use anything on the counter. I don't need to tell you that the food will go fast. And don't worry. You're my guest for as long as you can stand me." He chuckled. "Let me know when the food's ready, I need to get ready for work later."

He stepped into the bathroom and got in the shower.

God, she's beautiful! he thought as he soaped and rinsed his lean form. I'm going to have to be very careful.

 

[wideeyedone]

Anna went to work in the kitchen. She folded some eggs with diced veggies and some sausage for Daniel. She wanted to do something nice for him. She took a deep breath and just felt for a moment. Her stomach was relaxed and she wasn't afraid. She decided to trust her gut. She would use the lock on the bedroom door, but she was going to choose to trust Daniel because Hobart trusted him.

The omelette came out perfectly. She slid it onto a plate for Daniel and then took some bacon and toast for herself. Anna had learned you couldn't gorge yourself when you were truly hungry or none of it would stay down. She ate a few strips of crisp bacon and slowly nibbled on the toast.

She looked about the apartment. Daniel had been very sweet to do so much to make her feel welcome. She opened the fridge and fixed him a glass of OJ to go with the omelette.

She wanted to be a good guest.

 

[degrepski]

Daniel came out of the shower, refreshed and ready for the day. And the smell of a perfect omelet coming from the kitchen was making his mouth water.

"Hmm," he said, coming in wearing his work uniform. "Smells amazing, Anna! Seriously, you should try to get a job in a restaurant, or something. Waffle House is always looking for good short order cooks."

He took a bite of his omelet and moaned.

"Forget Waffle House!" he exclaimed. "This is amazing! You could easily get a job in any restaurant this side of town! And you did this in my kitchen? I'm sorry, girl, I might not let you go now that you're here."

He spied the bacon and toast she was nibbling. "Is that all you're going to eat?" he asked, concerned. "Not even an egg or two?"

 

[wideeyedone]

Anna smiled at Daniel. "It has been a few days since I have eaten well, I am just taking it slow. I would like it to stick." Anna shrugged her shoulders.

She tucked her hair behind her ears. The scar on her cheek showed even more. She bit her lip nervously.

"So, what is your schedule like. I will try to stay out of your hair." Anna was trying to make herself comfortable but it had been so long since she had felt comfortable that she wasn't sure what to do.

Anna opened her duffle and took out her pile of battered used books.

"It will be nice to not have to carry my books everywhere I go. They get heavy."

 

[degrepski]

There was that scar again. Danny was dying to ask, but knew he shouldn't push. She'd tell him when she was ready.

"Don't worry about it," Danny said. "Think of this place as your home away from home until you're ready." He chuckled. "Besides, I'm more worried how my schedule is going to affect you than the other way around."

He dug a few more mouthfuls of perfectly prepared omelet as she dug out her worn books. "What're the books for?" he asked, curious.

 

[wideeyedone]

Anna stacked up her books neatly. There were all sorts of titles. Classics. Popular Fiction. History.

"I just love to read. Someday, maybe I will get to take some classes or something. But I just want to learn something everyday." Anna shrugged. She was not used to sharing herself with anyone but Hobart.

"It's an old scar. Don't feel bad for noticing it. I have had it since I was a little girl. My mother threw a bottle at my father and she missed. It broke against the wall and some of it hit me."

Anna smiled weakly.

 

[degrepski]

Danny's face fell.

"Oh, God," he said. "I...I know I'm sorry doesn't cut it, but still..."

He set his head down in silence for a time, before a brilliant idea hit him.

"Hey," he said, snapping his fingers. "Are you doing anything right now? I have something I'd like to show you."

 

[wideeyedone]

Anna smiled. She touched his arm. "It isnt your fault. Don't feel bad."

When he asked her if she was busy she giggled.

"Hobart has made me promise not to go anywhere without you or him."

 

[degrepski]

"Great!" said Danny. "Follow me!"

He led them out the sliding screen door in the back. They walked into a small, gazebo-like structure. Along the sides were paintings. Dozens of paintings. Painting of birds and trees, rocks in rivers, portraits, landscapes, collages.

"Welcome to my sanctuary!" Danny said with a wave of his arm.

 

[wideeyedone]

Anna walked between the canvases carefully, taking in each one.

"they are beautiful." she whispered. she took in each canvas. there was a lovely canvas of a bower of trees. "That is Hobart's favorite place... where he likes to sleep when it is warm."

 

[degrepski]

Danny smiled. "Yeah, he showed it to me back when we first met. I think that was when i started wanting to paint. Wanted some way to keep all my happy memories."

He chuckled. "Hobart used to go hunting for painting supplies. I'd paint on everything: Clothes, bits of handkerchief, whatever I could find. But when he managed to get a hold on a full piece of canvas, that was the first thing I painted."

His wristwatch started beeping. "Damn! I've gotta go to work. Feel free to make use of this place however you want. I'll be back later."

With that, he ran out of the apartment, on his way to work.

 

[wideeyedone]

Anna wasn't sure what to do with herself. She didn't want to make a nuisance of herself. She would need to go look for a job, but not today. She went to her pile of books and pulled out "The Great Gatsby." She snuggled into the bed and covered herself with a light blanket that was folded at the foot of the bed. She read until her eyes got heavy and she slid into a deep, secure and warm sleep.

 

[degrepski]

Danny got home from work at around ten that night. He was actually quite surprised, they usually ran until midnight or later. Small blessings.

He didn't see any sign of his house guest when he first entered. A quick inspection of the bedroom revealed where she hid.

The light blanket she had used had slipped off her a little bit, revealing her sleeping form. Her legs were curled under her, arms clutching her book tightly to her breasts. Her sleeping face, no longer burdened with the worries of the world, was peaceful, soft. Beautiful.

He stepped a little closer and glanced at the book title, telling himself that was all he was looking at.

The Great Gatsby, read the title on the cover. He smiled, and readjusted the blanket on her.

Sleep well, fellow survivor, he thought. He stepped out of the room, shrugged out of his clothes, and fell asleep on the couch.

 

[wideeyedone]

Anna was dreaming. She was dressed in a beaded shift, her hair cut short. She was in Fitzgerald's reality. A big orchestra playing in the background. A cocktail party swirling around her. Daniel was there, dressed in a suit, his hair slicked back. He was holding his hand out to her, taking her out to the dance floor. She smiled at him and then they were dancing. She was in his arms. They were under a glittering chandelier but then there was a crack of thunder, the chandelier fell and glass fell around them, the shards of glass were like rain and she felt the glass cutting into her face. There was blood on her hands and she was screaming. She tried to shelter Daniel from the glass, to lead him away from it, but the glass kept coming and coming.

She was screaming out in her sleep, trying to swat away the glass.

 

[degrepski]

"Hey! Hey..." Daniel called out to her. "Hey, it's ok. Shhh. You're safe here. You're safe here."

His hands were caressing her face, smoothing her hair. His eyes were sincere, and his litany of safety was all he could do. He'd heard the screams and then rushed to her, knowing she'd need someone there to help her calm down.

"It's ok, Anna," he whispered with care. "It's alright. It was just a bad dream. You're safe."

Not sure what to do, he gently pulled her into his embrace, hoping she'd receive some comfort from it.

 

[wideeyedone]

Anna was a tangle of emotions, strung between the worlds of slumber and reality. She never really awakened. She just was softened and soothed by Daniel's touch and found herself sinking deeper into sleep where there was no shower of glass.

"Daniel...." She whispered softly, almost too soft to be heard.

Her body relaxed and she slept for a bit against Daniel's shoulder, snuggling in tight.