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