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Ben let out a watery chuckle then sniffed. “Only slight?”
“You can have as large a nervous breakdown as you want.”
Ben laughed some more then said, “My entire life has fallen apart in one day. I guess I’m entitled.”
“That’s the spirit.” Simon took Ben’s chin and gently lifted it. His face was red and blotchy from his crying jag, there were dark circles under his eyes, and his cheeks looked hollow, like some Dickensian waif. Benny was, in short, a complete mess. Poor kid.
“I mean, no big deal, right? I’ve probably lost my job, or will, because of this. Not that it was a great job. Maybe I can find something better. But that’ll take time. My apartment is hopeless. I have no idea how I’m going to get all that water cleaned up. There’ll be mold, too. Everything will need to be bleached. And when I can’t make rent because I’ve lost my job, Kyle’s gonna kick me out. I just… I’m sorry, you don’t need to hear any of this.”
“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about me. I’m the last thing you need to worry about.”
“I really hope you’re not a serial killer because I’m in no shape to fight back and make it out alive from your murder dungeon.”
Simon’s lips quirked. “Hudson will be amused that the basement is now a murder dungeon.”
“Just make it quick, okay? Murder me fast.”
“Nope. No murder tonight. Just sleep.”
Ben sighed deeply. “I am really tired.”
“I’ll have Hudson bring up your medication. You’re probably supposed to take some of it tonight.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Ben rubbed his face with his hands. “I owe you for getting my prescriptions.”
“No,” Simon said. “You do not.”
“Not that I have the money right now,” he said hollowly.
“Don’t worry about money. Worry about getting better.”
“And I need to find out about my job.”
“Are you employed by the building’s maintenance department?” Simon asked.
Ben nodded wearily. “Yeah. Janitorial services. If something needs cleaning, sweeping, vacuuming, or mopping, I’m your man.”
Simon wondered why he’d been out in the snow with a broom. That was something the outside maintenance crew was supposed to take care of. He’d have to look into it. “I can promise you that you haven’t been fired. If, when you’re ready, you want to go back there, you will still have a job.”
Ben raised his head and peered at Simon through exhausted eyes. “How can you know that?”
“I own the building.”
Ben let out a bleat of startled laughter then clamped his hand over his mouth to stifle it. “Sorry. You own the building, Simon? Thebuilding?Like all of it?”
“Yes, Ben. I own that building.” And a few others, but that wasn’t germane to the discussion.
“Of course you do,” Ben said, slowly nodding his head as if it weighed a thousand pounds. “Of course you do. So you’re my boss. Great.”
That made Simon smile. “Not exactly. I own the building and employ a company that staffs it.”
Ben flapped his hand at Simon. “Whatever. You’re like the king or emperor or something like that and I’m just this tiny peon who works in your kingdom. I don’t know what I’m doing here.”
Despite his forty-eight-year-old knees, Simon crouched down to Ben’s level. “I’m just a man, more fortunate than most, who is in a position to help someone else.”
“If you say so.” Ben didn’t sound convinced and Simon didn’t think there was anything he could say that would help.
“I do say so. And if I’m the king and you’re the peon, you have to obey, right?”
