“I was asking if you wanted to go for chili tonight.”
“Sure. I’d like that.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up at seven. See you then.” Robert disconnected.
Galen slipped his phone back into his pocket, then picked Mouse up again and set her back on his chest. “So what do you think, Mouse? Am I being stupid? Shouldn’t we have done… I don’t know, something by now?”
Mouse squeaked and moved up higher, rubbing her face against Galen’s. He chuckled, then held her aloft and planted a kiss on her tiny pink nose.
“What did I do before I got you?”
You lived a lonely, loveless life.
God, wasn’t that the truth? Funny how meeting one man had Galen looking back and wondering why he’d waited to come out. He should have had the same kind of balls Lincoln did and told their father to shove it. So why did thinking about it still make Galen’s chest ache? It’d been months, and by now he should be moving on. Right?
He’d spoken with Olivia, who told him that his father had tried to block her paths too. She said she found a job that paid a lot less and had shitty insurance, but still gave her and Aiden money to live on. Galen wished he could offer her help, but he had nothing himself. Mouse’s bills were being paid by Robert, and the food he ate was being paid for by Andy, as was their apartment.
“What do I do, Mouse?” Galen remembered his father talking about the indigent people and how they were a drain on society. Was he any different? “Robert says he forgives me, but what if I can’t forgive myself? I was horrible to people my whole life. I thought my social standing made me better than them, and I used it like a hammer to beat people down. Now? I regret every damn thing I’ve ever done.”
He took his phone out again. As he scrolled through the contacts, he saw Lincoln’s number, and he ached to call him. To apologize to him and Noel for being the piece of shit he had been. He wanted to say he’d learned his lesson, and would they please forgive him. Instead, he put the phone down on the couch.
“I can’t go to them until I’ve made things right.” He hugged Mouse, which caused her to chirp. “You understand, don’t you?”
Galen swore to himself that no matter what it took, he would redeem himself. Not just for Lincoln and Noel, but for himself.
And for Robert.
ROBERT STOPPED at the mirror and checked his hair again. He really needed a haircut, but…. Oh, the hell with it.
“Hey, Brady?”
“Yeah, Robert?”
“I was wondering if you were willing to do me a favor?”
Brady came rushing around the corner, his face flushed. “Sure. What do you need?”
Robert went into the cabinet and took out the clippers he used to trim the residents’ hair. He held them out to Brady, who narrowed his gaze as he reached for them. “Can you cut my hair?”
Brady’s cheeks went pale. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t want to mess anything up.”
“It’ll be fine. The blade will cut close to the scalp, so there’s not a lot you can miss.” Robert raised his eyebrows. “I trust you.”
When Brady straightened his spine, Robert knew he’d said the right thing. Noel hadn’t been wrong. Robert had been giving Brady more responsibilities, and he more than met any expectations. Funny how falling in love gave Robert a reason to loosen the reins a bit.
“Okay. I’ll do it. Just…. Please don’t be mad if I screw up.”
“You won’t, I’m sure. And if something happens? Well, we’ll just say I’m having a bad hair day and let it go at that.”
The nervous laugh let Robert know that Brady was going to do what he asked, but he wasn’t fully invested in the task. Still, it would bolster his confidence, so that was an additional bonus.
He led Brady into the bathroom, pulled a chair from the corner, and sat in front of the mirror. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Brady’s hand shook as he lifted the clippers. When he touched them to Robert’s head, he jerked his hand back. “Maybe someone else should do this. I don’t think I can.”
Robert turned and met Brady’s gaze. “Why are you so scared? What’s the worst that could happen?”
Brady snorted. “I could slip and slice off an ear or something.”
Robert put a hand on Brady’s arm. “Listen to me. You’re worrying for nothing. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, that’s fine. I’ll ask someone else, or I can do it myself. But so you know, I’ve got every confidence in you. Now, do you think you might want to try again?”
Brady took a deep breath. “Okay.”
“Great.” Robert turned around again. “Go ahead.”
It took nearly forty minutes, with a lot of stopping by Brady to bite his lip and check to be sure everything was symmetrical, but when he finished, Robert was exceptionally pleased with the results. His hair had been trimmed close to the scalp, and it looked great.
“Did I do okay?”
Robert reached up and ran a hand over his head. “This is one of the best cuts I’ve ever gotten, and that includes from a barbershop.”
Brady’s eyes went wide. “Really? I did okay?”
“You did. In fact, how would you like to help me give haircuts when people need them? I know we can’t pay you, but—”
“No! I’d love to help. It’s just….” Brady nibbled on his lip. “What happens if I make a mistake?”
Robert put a hand on Brady’s shoulder. “Let me tell you something. The people here? They would be over the moon to have someone take an interest in them. I’ve trimmed more hair than I care to think about, but even when I screw up, they never care. They’re only grateful that I offered to help them. It’ll be the same with you.”
The phone in the office rang. Robert ruffled Brady’s hair, then hurried to answer it.
“Robert Kotke.”
“Hey, Robert. This is Officer Court.”
A queasy sensation slithered through Robert’s stomach. Court never called. “What’s up?”
“I wanted to let you know that we made an arrest in Bree’s death.”
Robert slumped into the chair. “Who?”
“Michael Dugan. He laced marijuana with PCP for that extra kick.”
The sob that escaped couldn’t have been stopped, no matter how hard Robert tried. “So you’re telling me Bree died from smoking a fucking joint?” She’d been into much harder drugs in the past few years. She’d said she was trying to kick them, and if she was only hitting the marijuana, she was doing better. “Please tell me he’s going away for the rest of his life.”
Court sighed. “I wish I could. With the courts the way they are, I can’t guarantee what’s going to happen. But we’re doing our best to gather as much evidence as we can.”
If only that were true. “You mean you’re doing your best.”
“I’ve got help. Believe it or not, we do care what happened to Bree, and we’re going to do our best to ensure Dugan never sees the light of day.”
Anger at the thought that Dugan might get away with this grabbed Robert. “You should have just shot him.”
A barked cough from Court brought Robert back to reality. “You don’t mean that.”
“No, but God help me, I wish I did.” He shook his head. “Thank you for calling, Gary. Next time you’re in the area, stop in for some coffee. Or I can take you to the diner and buy you a cup.”
Court chuckled. “I get free coffee. Lincoln got into a disagreement with a tweaker and I arrested the guy after he punched Linc in the face. But I’d still meet you. It would be nice to see you when it wasn’t office hours.”
“You’ve been a good friend, Gary, and I appreciate that.”
“Just wish I could do more.” He was quiet for a moment. “Okay, let me get back to work. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me.”
He had to be kidding. “No, thank you. Even though Bree is gone, it helps to know the person who did it isn’t going to walk.”
“If the courts had d
one their jobs the last time he went before them, he never would have been able to in the first place.”
That was something they could agree on. A few more pleasantries and they hung up. As much as Robert wanted to go and visit with some friends, he had lunch to get out for a few hundred people. He also needed to talk with Brady some more about picking up a few extra duties at the shelter.
And then he had a date to get ready for.
Funny how the thought of Galen made Robert’s insides quiver. He’d had boyfriends before, but never anyone like Galen. Living with Andy had changed him, made him less brittle. He smiled more and actually seemed to be enjoying the life he was carving out, despite his father. Robert had talked to a few contacts about Galen, but when they got back to him, they told him that it wouldn’t work out. Robert was no fool; he could read between the lines. Daddy dearest had made threats, and he had the money to back them up.
“Brady? Can you do me a favor and start lunch? I need to make one phone call, and then I’ll be in to help.”
“Sure, okay.” Brady popped his head in the door. “Were you serious about me helping cut hair?”
Robert steepled his hands in front of him. “Yes, why?”
“Can we talk for a minute?” Brady blew out a breath. “I mean, if you’ve got time.”
“Of course. Have a seat.”
As soon as he entered the office, Brady closed the door. He sat down, his hands clenched as he stared at the floor.
“Is something wrong?”
He jerked his head up. “What? No! I just….” He closed his eyes. “I want to learn more about what you do here. After being on the streets, I’d like to give back. If I could maybe one day work up to doing more than volunteering at the shelter, I’d love that. I mean, I’m going to school, and I was thinking maybe I could become a counselor or something. You know, talk to the residents and help out where I can.”
The people in his life never ceased to amaze Robert. He remembered Brady when he was a scared kid who would jump if he heard a loud noise. Now he had a family, and he was blossoming into an impressive young man.
“I think that would be a great idea.” Robert ran through some places he could look into for scholarships that might help, then realized how the list had dwindled. “Tell you what. How about next week we sit down with your folks and work out a schedule they’ll approve of. I need you to keep one thing in mind, though. This is hard work. Look at what happened to Bree. Are you going to be able to handle something like that?”
As had become a habit when he was nervous, Brady chewed his lower lip. “I think… I want to say I can. I know I’ll have to learn to deal with loss and failure. But I don’t want to let fear stop me, you know? Maybe if Bree had someone to listen to her, she wouldn’t have turned to drugs.”
Robert knew it wasn’t meant as a slap in the face, but that’s what it felt like. Maybe Galen had been right. Holding on so tight, not letting others shoulder some of the burden, could have very well led to Bree’s death.
“Maybe you’re right.”
A look of discomfort crossed Brady’s face. “I didn’t mean that you did anything wrong.”
“I know you didn’t, but I’ve been doing this for so long and always believed no one could do the job like me. Maybe my hubris is what caused her death.”
They sat in silence for a time, and then Brady stood. “I need to get the food going.”
Robert nodded. After Brady left, he leaned back in his chair. There was only one person he could think of to talk to about this. He pulled out his phone and dialed. When the familiar voice answered, he bit back a cry. He had to be strong—for the people at the shelter, if nothing else.
“Hi, Mom. Can we talk?”
Chapter Nineteen
WHEN SIX thirty rolled around, the familiar butterflies started swarming in Galen’s stomach like they always did when Robert was going to be showing up. He wanted to be ready to go as soon as he knocked, so he grabbed Andy’s favorite shower gel, the one that he bought online that claimed it attracted gay men. Galen had scoffed, but then again, Andy had met Marco, so who knew?
A quick shower, ensuring he got all the areas of his body clean, and he was all set. He fed Mouse, who scarfed down the food in record time. After she’d finished, Galen took a seat on the couch to cuddle with her while he waited for Robert. He turned on the TV so he’d have a little bit of background noise. Mouse was on his chest, purring away, and Galen leaned back and closed his eyes, letting the gentle vibrations flow through him.
He jerked up when Mouse jumped off. He must have fallen asleep, because now he was tired as all get-out. He glanced at his phone, squinting because he was certain it couldn’t be nine already. Robert was late, and that wasn’t like him at all. He tried to call but got no answer. He sat on the couch, doing his best not to think about what might be wrong. Mouse jumped up and crouched by his side, kneading his leg. He reached over and pulled her to him, cradling her to his chest.
“Where is he? He’s always early. What if…? What if something happened?”
Panic welled up inside him. He’d never been in a situation like this before and had no goddamn frame of reference. This was why he did his best not to care, because no one could hurt him if his heart was hard, like his father’s. But he wasn’t his father. He’d tried it that way, and look how that turned out.
He called Andy, who answered on the first ring. “Hey, Gale. Decided to come out after all?”
“No. I know you and Robert talk. Have you heard from him tonight?”
“Robert? No. I haven’t spoken to him for a few days. What’s wrong?”
Galen blew out a long, slow exhale. “Probably nothing. I’m getting worked up for no reason, I’m sure.”
Marco’s voice drifted through the noise in the background. “Tell him we’re on our way.”
“Marco says—”
“No, don’t. If I need you, I’ll call. I’m just nervous. Give me a call if you hear from him, okay?”
A hushed exchange of words, the sounds of the phone being handed over, and then Marco came on the line. “Galen, what’s going on, man?”
“Robert invited me out tonight. Tomorrow is our anniversary, and we were going to grab something from Real Chili, then watch a movie. He was supposed to be here at seven, and I haven’t heard from him.”
“Then let us come over and keep you company.”
“No, it’s okay. I forgot you had a dinner date with your sister. I’m sorry I bothered—”
“If the next words out of your mouth are something stupid, I’m going to ask Andy for permission to beat your ass.”
Andy’s voice, loud and strident, came through perfectly clear: “And I’ll give it too.”
Galen chuckled. “Really, it’s okay. If I need you, I promise I’ll call. Okay?”
“Well…. Okay.” Marco didn’t sound at all convinced. “We’ll check in with you later. Andy’s spending the night at my place, so you know where we are.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
As soon as he hung up with Marco, Galen’s phone rang. He fumbled with it for a moment before he was able to slide the bar to answer. “Hello?”
“Galen? It’s Rachel.”
A lead ball dropped into his stomach. “Oh. Hi.”
“Oh, honey, I know you were expecting Robert, and I’m sorry I’m not him, but that’s why I’m calling. Listen, I need a favor from you, okay?”
That grabbed his attention. “Sure, what can I do for you?”
“Robert called me earlier, and he was in tears. The police contacted him and said they arrested the guy who sold the drugs to Bree. One of the volunteers made a comment, and it’s got Robert upset.”
Images of Robert in anguish tore at Galen. “You don’t think….” No, he couldn’t imagine Robert sinking into a depression like that.
“No, I don’t think he’d do anything drastic. I just think he needs a friend.”
Galen ran a hand over Mouse. “Maybe Noel wou
ld be a better person for that. He knows more about the shelter.”
“Yes, but you know more about Robert. He’s let you in like he never did for Noel. Robert has always been pretty much an open book when it comes to the shelter, but he usually stays pretty quiet about his personal life. I know he’s opened up to you, and that’s a good thing. He can’t hold stuff like this so close to his chest, because it’s going to eat at him. You listen to him, and I know he appreciates that. So do I. It’s why I’m calling you.”
Galen thought back to Robert at the hospital. How he’d done his best not to cry but had still let Galen comfort him. He knew a lot of guys didn’t like to show how vulnerable they could be. Some macho bullshit that seemed to be engrained in them. But he didn’t believe Robert was like that.
“Of course I’ll go see him. I’ll leave right now.”
“Thank you, honey. If you need me, please call.”
“Okay, I will.” He was about to hang up, then realized he needed something said. “Rachel?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you for… I don’t know. Accepting me? Trusting me with Robert? Just… thank you.”
“Oh, Galen. Haven’t you figured it out yet? We’ve told you repeatedly, but maybe now you’re starting to listen. You’re a part of our family, whether you choose to be or not. Mark my words, one day you’ll be calling me and Dwight Mom and Dad. And know that on that day, we’ll be glad to call you son.”
Before he could say anything, she hung up. He stood staring at the phone for a good five minutes, unsure what just happened. He shook it off, though, because Robert might need him. One Uber call later and he was ready to go.
AS BAD as the shelter looked during the day, it was worse at night. People wandered up and down the streets, asking for change or cigarettes. But… the loathing Galen had once experienced wasn’t there. Instead there was an overwhelming sadness at their situation. How many people had Primal put out of a job, and had any of them ended up here?
Galen's Redemption Page 18