AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And now I’m supposed to freak out because I’m a street kid and I’ve been paired up with a cop who’s going to try to set me straight.” Henry rolled his eyes.
“Some of the other kids at the shelter might, but you seem a little more together than that.”
He huffed. “I used to be.”
“Do you want to tell me about that?”
“Not yet. I want to know about you getting shot. And…well…you seem like you could use someone to talk to.”
“Soyouwant to helpme?”
Henry glared at him. “Don’t you dare fucking laugh at me.”
It was the first rough word Jack had heard from him. He hadn’t meant to insult him. He’d been touched by Henry’s concern. “I won’t. I’m surprised, but in a good way. I’m not here to patronize you.”
“Damn right you’re not.” Henry’s anger morphed into sadness. He looked down at the table, supporting his head in his hands. “Sorry. I…it’s hard to just…be okay with it.”
Jack needed to turn things around. If Henry needed a confession from him about his own hardships before he could talk about himself, that’s what Jack would give him. He’d be soft so Henry could be.
“A friend, my partner for years before he became a detective a few months ago, was being held at gunpoint. I rescued him and took a bullet to the chest doing it.”
“That’s…scary.”
“It sure was. Of course, I was unconscious for the scariest parts where everyone thought I was going to die. It’s been over a month, and my chest still aches. I still get tired faster than I used to, but I’m getting better.”
“So you haven’t been here since you got shot?”
“That’s right. It took a long time before I could even leave the house. I was worried how everyone would see me. I’m not used to being weak.”
“Me neither. I mean not like that. I’ve never been much of an athlete or anything but…vulnerable. When you’re homeless, people make assumptions. I’m not those things. Just like you’re not weak.”
Jack smiled. “You’re still you, no matter what’s happened.”
Henry shook his head. “Not really.”
Jack wanted to contradict him, but he didn’t. It would take time to help Henry believe he still had possibilities in front of him. Pushing wouldn’t help.
“So when do you go back to work?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t exactly follow the rules when I rushed in to rescue my friend, so I haven’t been cleared from that or from medical leave yet. And I…” Should he tell Henry the whole truth? Would it help? “I’m not sure I want to go back, but that’s a secret, okay?”
“Sure, I’m not going to tell anyone, but why wouldn’t you go back? And why would anyone think it’s wrong that you saved your friend? Are you like one of those rogue cops on TV that says to hell with the rules and does things his own way?”
Jack laughed. “Not exactly, no. I’m usually quite by the book, but when it comes to my partner, I get a little crazy.”
“Yeah, I get that. So what will you do if you don’t go back?”
“I’m not sure. That’s part of how I ended up volunteering. I’m trying to figure out what I want to do. Be a chef, maybe, or run a center like Andy. I’m just not sure. What about you? What do you want to do?”
Henry shook his head. “WhatdidI want to do, you mean? It’s not like I can go to college now. I’m a fucking dropout.”
“I thought you were working on some online classes.”
“Yeah, to get a GED, but college is so not going to happen.”
“Whatever you want to do, there’s a way.”
“What I want is to have my parents back.” His voice broke as he talked. “Shit, I didn’t mean to do this. I just wanted someoneto talk to, someone who would treat me like I had sense. Andy’s the only one, and he’s so busy. I wasn’t going to. Oh shit.” Tears welled up in his eyes. “I can’t do this here.”
