HOMELESS HEART, PRICELESS LOVE

the

as she crouched beside a rusted bucket of rainwater. She splashed it over her arms, gasping at the icy

ue one she had pulled from a donation bin weeks ago. It was too tight around the shoulders and had a small tear near

iew could chan

a prayer, clutching the str

she s

of cardboard she used

er of f

ze. Her hear

xpensive-looking suit was stained with blood, the fabric shredded as though he had been mauled. One of his shoes was missing. Hi

, she though

ly, his fingers

ward, torn between

lled, her voice trembl

espo

, gently placing her fi

pu

steady. B

my G

hum of early morning traffic far above. No

shoul

, but it came with a small room in the back. No more nights under the bridg

an he need

ing in her throat. He could

grabbing the man's arm and looping it arou

to the street. He was heavy taller and more muscular

by, but she leapt into th

s he braked. "Lady

ed, "please, help me g

out and helped her load the un

lood that wasn't hers, her cheeks flushed, her legs

double doors slam

that... she

passed.

ally called her over, Ayl

kay?" sh

s in critical condition

Relief bloomed in her

continued. "And someone has to take responsib

. I mean I found hi

owed her eyes. "Then

I don'

u have

ng. I had an

ighed and slid a c

sted as the Good Samaritan responsible for bringing him in. Which

red at t

ll have been a

h no job, no money, and b

d at the café, the int

a sharp bob and sharper attitude

two hour

n, breathless. "There

woman snapped. "You're fi

rl with flawless skin an

ext door," she said, loud

llowed her

didn'

café, sat beside a garbage bin, and

he returned t

was still damp. Her stomach had been empty

e still alive? Would he wake

h her cardboard fortress, and stared at th

e the rig

n't

Days

spital

rse said. "He's been ask

tated. "H

's confused. Doesn'

ded. "Can I...

use. "Only if you'r

wa

at a food stall, picking up trash for recycling money. She barely slept. The hospit

them until s

ing a convenience store flo

sha

quietly, standing her ground.

laughed and sla

nk that'

had made and left her curled on

Next

ealing, still aching r

ders. His security detail was gone. Hi

thought h

it that wa

ence. The kind of reach that could bury a man

one had

e

haven, a plastic bag of food in one hand. When he c

lip split. Her eye swollen. Her finger

her side, dro

he whispered, l

open. Confusion. Pa

ou

voice thick. "And I was

lled in

e," she murmured, "but I

nt. The girl who lived under a b

hing. And she

let it sta

anym