Street Smarts & Stolen Hearts

by Rob Hunter

  Solomon was speeding and he didn’t give a fuck. Adam sat next to him, expression hardened but unable to hide the sheer worry and panic in his eyes. The silence was drowned out by only the roar of the engine and the sound of his own heavy breathing. His hands were white where he was gripping the steering wheel too tightly, but he didn’t care. He just needed to get to the hospital now.

  Edwin’s phone call had shaken his entire world, and he couldn’t begin to justify the sickening nausea he felt at Daveth’s pain. Edwin’s voice had been so distant, and he could hear the little tremors and shaky breath as he spoke that betrayed his own panic. And there been some mention about how only Emerson was now left at the shelter and they were going to get in shit, but Solomon didn’t care about that either.

  Right now, he didn’t care about anything other than Daveth and getting to him as soon as was humanly possible.

  He barely even registered the hospital building growing up into the cityscape in front of him, and it was only instinct that made him slow down and pull into the overpriced parking lot, and he didn’t care about how much it was going to cost to stay here. He got out of the car, breathing like he had run here and realizing blankly that he had forgotten to wear his seatbelt.

  Adam shuffled next to him, worrying his lip between his teeth as he stared up at the hospital with something almost akin to fear. Solomon pressed his hand against Adam’s back and gently led him towards the hospital before making their way to the reception. And then there had been shouting, mostly on his part, because they had no information and they wouldn’t let him see him, and now they were asking him about Daveth’s insurance, and he just didn’t fucking care, he wanted to see Daveth. He wanted to make sure the kid was alright.

  His tirade only stopped when he felt a familiar arm wrap around his shoulder and Edwin whisper something calming into his ear. He huffed, glowering at the reception lady, but still let himself lean into Edwin’s side and be led back towards the waiting area. Adam followed stiffly behind him.

  “What the hell is going on?” Adam snapped, before Solomon had the chance. Roy brushed a gentle hand up and down his arm, where he was sat quietly as though in shock. Edwin sighed, brushing a hand through his hair but it wasn’t him that replied.

  “He was attacked by a gang.” It was the Rover that answered. He wasn’t wearing his mask, and he looked younger somehow, with his rucksack on his lap and his arms hugged around it.

  “I thought you said you didn’t know where he was!” Adam yelled, turning a few heads. Edwin raised a hand in warning, gesturing for Adam to sit down next to Roy.

  “I went looking after you came to me,” the Rover replied slowly. Solomon watched him carefully, still feeling distrustful of the other man and it evidently showed on his face because Edwin picked up on it.

  “Solomon, he helped. He brought Daveth to us. He’s not the bad guy here,” Edwin said calmly. The Rover ducked his head, turning away morosely. Solomon stared at him for a moment, before reluctantly sitting down in the space next to Edwin.

  ***

  It was a few more hours before they got any news. Within that time, Edwin had managed to arrange with Mikaela to cover for them at the shelter, to which Solomon had only responded with a grunt when told. His eyes had been only on the clock that ticked steadily on, the sound hidden beneath the general chatter and the occasional chaos as people were rushed in and out of the ER.

  Roy was dozing restlessly, leaning his head against Adam’s lap as he spread out across the bench, receiving a few hard stares from others, despite the fact there were several seats available. Adam hadn’t said much, just gritted his teeth and stared resolutely ahead, eyes dulled as his focus turned inward. It was only Edwin who tried to make conversation. Mainly by talking at, if not to, the Rover, who sat awkwardly opposite them, fiddling with the straps on his rucksack and failing to look up.

  It was then that a nurse arrived, glancing listlessly around the waiting room until his eyes found them. He smiled, a little tight around the lips, and it didn’t quite reach his eyes, but at least he wasn’t frowning. Solomon got to his feet as their eyes met and closed the distance between them.

  “You’re with Daveth Bowen?” the nurse checked. Solomon narrowed his eyes impatiently, but nodded, eager to get to the point. “His condition is stable. He’s got a couple of broken ribs, and a broken ankle, and his shoulder was quite badly dislocated. Other than that, he has a lot of bruising but thankfully no internal damage. He’s still a bit drowsy, mainly from the painkillers and the concussion he had, but we’re hoping to discharge him by morning.”

  “You want to discharge him already?” Edwin asked, eyebrows raised. The nurse nodded warily. “Surely he should stay in for a few more days at least, I mean, if he has broken bones then I’m assuming you operated on him, correct? Then wouldn’t you want to keep an eye out for possible complications? Besides, you do realize he’s homeless, right? You can’t expect him to go back to the street with those injuries.”

  “I’m afraid we can’t really keep him any longer. We realize that his financial position is far from great, and as such, his treatment is being paid for by Medicaid. But we’re only required to stabilize emergency conditions. Once that is done, we have to discharge him,” the nurse explained, shrugging in a vaguely apologetic way.

  “That’s bullshit,” Adam muttered, just barely loud enough for the nurse to hear, to which he frowned, a flash of irritation in his eyes.

  “I assume you want to visit him. We can’t let all five of you in at once. The max is two at a time,” the nurse explained, brushing a hand through his hair. “I’ll show you where he is. The rest of you can just wait outside,” the nurse explained, not waiting for a confirmation before starting to walk away.

  Solomon followed him, glancing behind briefly to make sure that everyone else was coming. Edwin had come up by his side, but was looking thoroughly disgruntled. Behind him, Adam had shaken Roy awake, and now the younger man was following wearily, his eyes looking a little bloodshot. It was the Rover who trailed behind, looking thoroughly out of place in their little group.

  “Here it is. Remember, two people max, okay?” The nurse gestured towards the door, before hurrying back down the corridor he had led them up. Solomon watched him go, unable to help the bitterness that bled into his expression.

  “You two go ahead. We’ll wait a bit,” Adam decided, waving Solomon and Edwin in. Solomon glanced at them thankfully, before carefully pushing the door open. The waft of bleached walls and burnt food, alongside the faint beep and whirl of hospital equipment that drifted through the room, met him.

  Daveth was sat upwards, scratching idly at the sling on his right arm as they walked in. He looked up, eyes widening as he recognized them and a smile exploding on his face as he leaned further up. Solomon smiled back, grabbing one of the nearby seats and scraping it along the floor until he pulled it up to the side of Daveth’s bed.

  “Hey, buddy, how you doing?” he greeted, his eyes trailing down Daveth’s body, but most of his injuries were hidden by the cover. His face looked a mess, bruised and swelling, darkly discolored and hideously painful to look at. Solomon winced at the sight.

  “I’m okay. I mean, the painkillers they have me on are pretty great,” he replied with a shrug, leaning back against the bed that was inclined upwards.

  “Have the police talked to you?” Edwin asked, leaning back into his own chair that he had grabbed. Daveth shook his head.

  “I don’t think they’re involved. Doesn’t really matter though, I mean, they’re not exactly going to be able to do anything.” Daveth shrugged, scratching at the sling on his arm again. Solomon gently knocked his hand away.

  “Stop that,” he said, rolling his eyes at Daveth’s intent pout.

  “It’s itchy!”

  “Scratching will only make it worse,” Edwin pointed out, smiling slightly. Daveth huffed. “The others are waiting outside by the way,” Edwin added after a moment, to which Daveth’s previous excit
ement returned.

  “Is Ellis with them?” he asked tentatively. Edwin nodded, smiling as Daveth beamed, straining his head towards the door as though he could see the others through it.

  “They’re only letting two of us at a time,” Edwin pointed out.

  “Ah, weak!” Daveth exclaimed, a slight whine to his voice. Solomon snorted. There was a brief moment of silence then, not uncomfortable, but Daveth looked down, his brows pinching together and clearly thinking about something. Solomon waited patiently.

  “Do you know, um, well, with payment? They mentioned something, but I was a bit out of it, and I can’t remember what they said... I don’t really understand, you know, the American system...” Daveth mumbled, picking at the rough fabric of the thin sheet that was wrapped around his body. Solomon could see now the tension radiating through the younger man’s body, and the worry in his eyes was evident.

  “You’re fine. They have you on Medicaid, so you don’t have to pay or worry about it,” Solomon pointed out, wanting to reach out and touch Daveth, to offer some physical comfort, but wary of aggravating his injuries.

  “Oh, okay.”

  “Do you know they’re discharging you in the morning?” Edwin asked carefully. Daveth looked up, shaking his head, gnawing on his bottom lip despite the fact that it had clearly already been cut open.

  “It’s fine. There’s no way you’re going back on the streets with those injuries. You’re staying with us,” Solomon decided then, quite suddenly, despite the fact he had already been contemplating it whilst in the waiting room. Edwin looked up at him sharply, but didn’t say anything. “The others too, if they agree. Fucking too dangerous on those streets. Any one of you could be attacked,” Solomon continued, ignoring Edwin’s look. He knew it was a dick move to offer without asking Edwin, who did after all own half the apartment, but fuck, he knew Edwin was worried too.

  “I... You don’t have to do that...” Daveth said, trailing off and looking honestly dumbstruck.

  “No. It makes sense. You can’t exactly heal if you’re living on the streets,” Edwin agreed, still glaring at Solomon but comfortingly stroking along Daveth’s arm.

  “Thank you...” Daveth said quietly, a faint blush hidden behind the bruises on his cheeks. “When you say the others...do you mean Ellis as well?” Daveth asked, peeking up warily.

  “I...” Solomon started, breaking off as he looked up at Edwin, who sat back in his chair, crossing his arms as he shrugged, his lips pressed into a tight line.

  “I know you don’t know him well, and you don’t have to, but well...if you’re talking about danger, I mean, he’s probably in the most danger from the gangs, especially if he helped me out...”

  “I mean, we’ll ask, but I don’t know if he’ll say yes,” Solomon said. “I just… Are you sure he’s safe?” he added, rubbing the back of his neck. Daveth nodding eagerly.

  “Yeah, I know he has this scary persona, but he’s really kindh and I mean, he’s helped me out twice now, so yeah, he’s safe.”

  “Okay. I’ll ask. I imagine convincing Adam and Roy will be hard, let along the Rover,” he pointed out. Daveth frowned.

  “I can convince them,” he offered, a spark of determination in his eyes, before it was swiftly cut off by a yawn that seemed to resonate through the Brit’s entire body. Solomon got to his feet, resting his hand on Daveth’s back as he smiled fondly at the younger man.

  “We’ll let the others talk to you before you pass out,” he suggested. Daveth smiled up at him, rubbing at his eyes with his left hand, looking more like a child than anything else. He hovered by the door as Edwin patted the Brit’s good arm, murmuring a quiet farewell before following Solomon.

  Adam and Roy were already up and pacing outside the door, with the Rover sitting to the side and watching them both with a purposely blank expression. They paused as Edwin closed the door gently behind them with a small click.

  “You can go visit him now. He’s looking quite tired but he seems okay,” Edwin stated, smiling softly at Adam, who moved towards the door immediately, Roy tagging behind a little slower.

  “Wait two secs…” Solomon interrupted, placing a hand on Adam’s shoulder and steering him back a little. The younger man looked up at him questioningly. “I just offered Daveth to stay at ours for a while, whilst he’s healing. You two are also welcome to stay.”

  “Uh, Solomon…” Adam said, moving back a bit and rubbing his neck. Roy blinked slowly, moving in beside Adam. “I don’t know…” He trailed off, chewing on his bottom lip.

  “Look, it’s clearly not safe at the moment. If Daveth got attacked, you guys could also get attacked. I don’t want you guys being in danger,” he pointed out sternly.

  “I mean, you don’t have to do that…” Adam murmured quietly.

  “Yeah, it seems like we’d be a bit intrusive,” Roy added, the corners of his lips twitching into a frown.

  “Guys, Solomon has a point,” Edwin piped up, leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed and a thoughtful expression on his face. “At least stay for a few days, for Daveth’s sake if nothing else.” Adam and Roy glanced at each other, communicating a million different thoughts with nothing but a look.

  “We’ll think about it,” Adam decided with a curt nod.

  “Do. I’m pretty sure Daveth is going to try and convince you as well,” Solomon pointed out. Adam smiled at that, shaking his head with a huff as he made his way into Daveth’s room, Roy on his heels.

  “That offer goes for you too, Rover,” Solomon added, glancing at the other man who startled, looking up sharply with a furrowed brow at being addressed. Edwin muttered something about grabbing a drink as Solomon took the one vacant seat next to the Rover.

  “You barely know me,” he replied, staring at Solomon with open confusion. He even thought he saw a flash of suspicion in the other’s eyes. “And my name’s Ellis,” he added, a touch bitterly, as he looked back down at where his hands were resting in his lap. Solomon quirked an eyebrow.

  “Yeah, I know.” He dragged a hand through his hair, leaning back further in the seat and stretching his legs out. “You seem like the type that prefers the title to the name, though,” he mused. Ellis stared at him, something heated in his gaze, and Solomon was reminded of why he didn’t trust this guy.

  “Besides, Daveth wants you to stay. He’s worried about you or something,” Solomon said with a shrug when the other man failed to respond. He was pretty sure that Ellis almost smiled then.

  “He should be more worried about himself,” Ellis grunted. Solomon huffed.

  “I know what you mean, but when you say it, it manages to sound like a threat, dude.”

  Ellis frowned at him, scrunching his brows together.

  “It wasn’t…”

  “I know, I was just joking.” Solomon rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “You don’t get out a lot, do you?” he muttered, rolling his eyes.

  “I’m homeless. If anything, I get out too much,” Ellis replied. Solomon stared at him, noticing the faint trace of humor in his expression.

  “You know what I mean, you dick,” he huffed, elbowing the other man. “Anyway, think about the offer, will you?” Solomon said, cracking his neck as he changed the subject. Ellis pressed his lips together in thought.

  “Maybe for a day or two, I guess. Just to see how Daveth is doing,” Ellis said after a moment, eyes darting down the corridor where Edwin had reappeared with a drink in his hand. Solomon hummed in acknowledgement, straightening up as Edwin came up to hover beside them.

  Roy was honestly so tired; he had spent the last few hours whilst they were waiting for Daveth to be discharged just staring at a single crack on the white hospital wall. Honestly, it felt like his eyelids were sandpaper as he tried to blink away the tiredness as he propped himself up on the passenger door of Solomon’s car as they drove back to his place.

  Edwin and Ellis had taken a taxi as there wasn’t enough space in the car, and Adam had gone with them, mutteri
ng something about not trusting Ellis alone with Edwin, which was pretty ridiculous but he was too tired to really get on Adam’s case about it.

  Solomon drummed the steering wheel as they waited at the red light, staring fondly at Daveth, who was dozing fitfully with his mouth open and a sliver of drool coming out. Roy didn’t envy the Brit at the moment, even if the painkillers were basically knocking him out. He could see the furrowed brows and sheen of sweat even in sleep. He doubted the hospital had even bothered to give him their stronger painkillers.

  They moved off again, rolling smoothly down the deserted roads. It was about 10 AM when they had been discharged, but the sun still failed to do anything but wash out the world in a faint sheen of orange.

  He groaned quietly, rubbing lazily at his eyes as he leaned his head against the window, trying to ignore the shudders that ricocheted through his skull. He let his eyes flicker shut, wishing he had any chance of falling asleep in this car but it had been a while since he had ridden in a car, and it was making his stomach roll with the beginning signs of nausea that tethered him to the waking world

  Daveth stirred with a low moan as the car came rolling to a stop outside a small house, partially hidden by the creeping ivy and high bushes that climbed around its wall like a leafy barrier. Solomon pulled the handbrake on, stretching out before turning towards Daveth, shaking him gently to get him to awaken.

  “Hey, buddy, we’re here,” Solomon said quietly with a gentle smile. Daveth blinked, rubbing his good arm across his eyes.

  Roy opened the car door, grabbing the crutches that were spread out across the seat next to him and helping open Daveth’s car door. The Brit looked up at him, his eyes dulled with a mixture of painkillers and tiredness, but he still managed a small smile. Solomon came to stand next to him, gesturing him to take a step back, as he lifted Daveth up and out of the car. Roy passed the crutch, which Solomon fixed under Daveth’s good arm, carefully steadying the younger man as he stumbled forward slightly before managing to right himself, leaning heavily on the crutch.