Angels
"Here," he said. "I'll get your bags."
His tone wasn't what she had expected-- not gravelly, not hoarse, but low and pleasant. Josette relinquished her grocery bags and took a five from her purse. "Here you go," she said. "It's not much, but it ought to help."
He smiled. "Thanks. You shouldn't be out here alone, you know. It's kind of dangerous. I'll help you with your bags if you want. It's the least I can do."
As Josette met his gaze, a protest on her lips, she went silent. She relinquished her bags and watched him step ahead of her a few paces. Finally he looked back and grinned. Underneath the dirt, he had quite a beautiful smile.
"You'll have to lead the way," he said.
Josette began to have second thoughts about showing a complete stranger, a bum, no less, where she lived, but something about the way the white-clad woman had seemed to lead her into the alley, toward this man, overrode her reluctance.
She moved ahead of him to her apartment building.
Someone was waiting on the doorstep. It took Josette a minute to realize who was there: her old boyfriend, Tom.
He looked familiar, and yet not. She hadn't seen him in almost a year, and his easy grin was the same, but his blond hair was grown out now-- kind of shaggy. In fact, he seemed unkempt in general. His face registered surprise when he saw the man behind Josette carrying her grocery bags for her.
"Hi, Josette," he said in his slow, ponderous voice. "I... uh... who's that?"
The last person Josette wanted to see now was Tom. His very appearance brought her heartache... and also indignation. She didn't want him in her life any longer. She didn't want him weighing her down anymore with his problems.
His tone wasn't what she had expected-- not gravelly, not hoarse, but low and pleasant. Josette relinquished her grocery bags and took a five from her purse. "Here you go," she said. "It's not much, but it ought to help."
He smiled. "Thanks. You shouldn't be out here alone, you know. It's kind of dangerous. I'll help you with your bags if you want. It's the least I can do."
As Josette met his gaze, a protest on her lips, she went silent. She relinquished her bags and watched him step ahead of her a few paces. Finally he looked back and grinned. Underneath the dirt, he had quite a beautiful smile.
"You'll have to lead the way," he said.
Josette began to have second thoughts about showing a complete stranger, a bum, no less, where she lived, but something about the way the white-clad woman had seemed to lead her into the alley, toward this man, overrode her reluctance.
She moved ahead of him to her apartment building.
Someone was waiting on the doorstep. It took Josette a minute to realize who was there: her old boyfriend, Tom.
He looked familiar, and yet not. She hadn't seen him in almost a year, and his easy grin was the same, but his blond hair was grown out now-- kind of shaggy. In fact, he seemed unkempt in general. His face registered surprise when he saw the man behind Josette carrying her grocery bags for her.
"Hi, Josette," he said in his slow, ponderous voice. "I... uh... who's that?"
The last person Josette wanted to see now was Tom. His very appearance brought her heartache... and also indignation. She didn't want him in her life any longer. She didn't want him weighing her down anymore with his problems.