Homeless

It was just another day at work like most others. I rolled through the parking lot on the electric security golf cart around the employees' cars and trucks that filled the spaces. I glanced in and around them as I passed. I got off the cart and tugged on the various doors around the building, making sure they were secure. The keys jingled on my belt as I trudged onward. My breath formed fast dissipating clouds around me as the cold made me tuck my head a little bit farther down into the fur collar of my winter uniform coat. It was still early in the afternoon as parked the cart and made my way around the back of the building. The parking lot did not extend around where I now ventured, but there were still emergency exits to be checked.

"Oscar-One this is Mike-One. I'm headed around to the back." I radioed to my partner.

I was letting my partner in the security office know where I was going so he could make the log entry on the computer. In the event that something happened, he would know where to start looking. He could follow my progress on the building's cameras if he wanted to, but there were enough other things for him to do to keep him occupied rather than track my movements. I walked along the narrow strip of grass between the building and the unkempt line of bushes, shrubs, and trees. Tugging on the doors along the back, I finished that mundane task and headed back towards the parking lot. A noise caught my attention and I paused as I strained to hear. Peering into the tangled bare vines and leafless branches, I thought I spotted something but couldn't tell what it was. I moved along the path and kept a close eye on the area. I could now discern a shape. It was a person.

"Security." I called out.

There was no answer.

"Come on out of there. Don't make me call the cops."

The brittle dead leaves and branches that littered the ground snapped and crunched as the form finally moved to come out onto the pathway. It took a minute, as the undergrowth was thick. The trespasser finally emerged to stand near where I waited. There wasn't much I could make out in the way of features under the layers of old and tattered clothing.

"This is private property. Unless you're an employee, vendor, or visitor you can't be here."

"No problem. I'll leave. I was just trying to get out of the wind."

I was a little surprised at realizing the voice belonged to a woman. I had made that same warning plenty of times, but until now they were all guys I had dealt with. Obviously poverty is not a sexist condition. It can affect anyone whether male or female. She moved past me and I followed her back to the parking lot where she headed down the street away from my building. I notified my partner of the encounter as was usual in that situation. With that incident over, the remainder of my day went on without any further issues. After I was relieved by the next shift I went home.

Two days later I was patrolling the parking lot again. The day after my homeless woman encounter I had been the one in the office watching cameras and dealing with the minor issues inside while being able to stay comfortably warm. Now it was once again my turn outdoors. Patrolling the grounds always dragged by with periodic walks around the property while checking doors, vehicles, security lighting, and looking for anything out of place worth noting. The security cart was used to zoom along the vast parking area, but foot patrols were required for areas the cart could not go. The sun was finally up by the time I was checking the back of the building. As I walked the path I came across a shallow hole dug into the hard ground. It was lined with small rocks which created a makeshift fire pit, and the charred remains of a fire were clearly visible.

"Oscar-One this is Mike-One. Did you see anything along the back of the building yesterday?" I called over the radio.

"Mike-One, yeah. It looked like someone had a little fire going back there." my partner replied.

"You didn't mention it to me."

"I didn't think it was a big deal. I kicked the dirt back into it and checked around for any homeless, but there was nobody back there."

I grumbled to myself as I did the same. Clearly it had been used the day before, but after my partner had found it. The evening shift obviously didn't come back here to check on things like my shift did. That wasn't unusual. I made sure my job was done right. They just half-assed things on the way to collect their paychecks.

I finished checking the doors along the back of the building and then took my time coming back along the path. I kept scanning the brush as I passed. I almost missed it, but I caught sight of something as I walked by. I stopped and peered closely trying to pierce through the chaos made by Mother Nature.

"Security. Come on out of there."

"Damn!" I heard a voice softly cuss.

It took a minute for the person to extricate themselves from the brush before they were standing in front of me. The size was familiar and the clothing was unchanged from two days prior. It was the same woman hiding out in approximately the same spot. She was bundled up in such a way that the only thing I could make out was the area around her eyes. I couldn't even tell her hair color due to the hat and thick scarf she wore.

"Yep. Me again." I said. "You know the deal. You can't be on the property. If I find you out here again I'm gonna have to call the cops."

She didn't argue or make any excuses this time. She simply made her way along the building and then off down the road. I called the incident in to my partner as I had the last time and then continued on my rounds. The rest of my day proceeded as normal as most of them did. Even though I checked that same area several more times during my shift, she had not returned. I notified my relief before I went home, advising them to make sure to check the back of the building as they should already have been doing.

The following day I was back. My regular partner called off, and the interior guard was now working a double, so I got stuck outside again. Luckily being outside was not a big deal to me, even in the cold weather. I enjoyed the increased freedom that the roving patrol position afforded me. It was good to be inside during bad weather, but I could easily handle simple cold weather. Besides, I had to deal with less employee issues while I was outdoors. I've never been accused of being a people person, so the whole thing worked out fine for me. I zoomed around on the golf cart for the first few hours. I switched out to the interior position to relieve the other guy for his break, then took mine after he had returned. After that it was back outside for me. There was no set times I had to be in any specific location, so I made my check around the back of the building a little earlier than usual. I found the makeshift fire pit had been used again, but there was no sign of its user. I had to assume it was the same woman I had now twice encountered, but maybe this time she had left before I got back there. I still reported the issue for logging purposes, and continued my day.

"Mike One this is Oscar-One. Your relief called and said that they are gonna be a little late today. Just giving you the heads up." my current partner advised.

"What else is new?" I responded.

I was hardly ever relieved on time. The only difference this time was that they had called to say they were going to be late; later than the normal ten to fifteen minutes anyway. That could mean twenty minutes or two hours. I had no way of knowing and couldn't leave until they arrived without putting my own job in jeopardy. I was amazed these people still had jobs as often as they would call off, be late, or no show. I guess my company was short enough on officers that they had to try to retain the ones who would actually come to work, late or not. I was walking around the back of the building for the final time of my shift when I heard something. It sounded like snapping twigs. I looked around and easily spotted her this time. I guess she hadn't found a different hiding spot in time and was trying to get where she thought I wouldn't see her. I saw her freeze up when I looked directly at her.

"Might as well come on out." I called.

She noisily made her way out onto the path. She wouldn't even look at me this time. She just shuffled from foot to foot in front of me. I pulled out my cellphone to make good on my previous warning.

"Please don't call the police."

Her plea stayed my hand temporarily.

"You keep trespassing on private property. You keep making your little fire pit next to the building, and obviously me simply threatening to call has not made any difference. What do I have to do to make sure you don't come back here?"

"Please, just give me a break. The shelter is always full by the time I get there, but it's too dangerous for me to hang around there all by myself during the day. I don't have anywhere else to go, but I'm not causing any trouble."

"It's not my decision whether you stay here or not. It's private property which is monitored and patrolled by security. You're actually lucky it's been me. Any other guard would have already called the cops long before now. But I don't feel that every little issue requires police intervention."

"I don't have anyplace else to go." she said half heartedly.

"Don't you have any family or friends who can take you in till you're back on your feet?"

"No. No family, and my situation isn't exactly the best for forming friendships with people who could help me out like that."

"What's your name?"

"Jessica. It's Jessica Moyer."

I rubbed my forehead trying to ward off an oncoming headache that apparently was named Jessica.

"Okay Jessica Moyer, if you can't get in the shelter, where have you been staying? You only showed up here a few days ago."

"I was staying behind the dumpster of the hotel down the road, but the guard there found me and threatened me if I went back there. Once it warms up again there's all kinds of places I can stay. I'm just trying to hang on until then."

My headache was getting worse. So no room at the local shelter, another security guard had threatened her already, freezing temperatures for at least another week, and I couldn't let her stay here and possibly set fire to the property by accident.

"You're housebroken, right?"

"What kind of question is that? You're kind of a dick, you know that?" she said, drawing herself up to her full height and glaring at me.

I smiled a little inwardly. I had chosen my words poorly, and she still had some fire left in her even after the universe seemed intent on giving her a beatdown.

"Yeah, I've been told that. Sorry. I didn't exactly mean it like that. Look, my shift is almost over. Come with me. We'll figure out something to do with you that won't end up with you hypothermic, dead, or in jail."

She just stood there for a minute looking at me. I couldn't tell if she was sizing me up to determine if she could take me down or outrun me, or if she was looking for signs that I was some kind of serial killer. She half turned away while still watching me, still hesitating. Then she went back into the brush and grabbed a worn out backpack. It looked like it may have been blue at one time, but was now faded, tattered, and dirty. She slung it over her shoulder and came back out.

"So the times you left, you fully intended on coming back, because I never saw you carrying anything away with you."

She shrugged but otherwise didn't answer and then followed as I led her around the building and through the parking lot. As we neared the building's main entrance, I pulled my keys from my pocket and hit the button to unlock my SUV's doors. I opened the front and back passenger side doors for her.

"Throw your bag back there and hop in the front. My shift is over soon. After that we'll figure out something."

I finished my shift but was relieved almost thirty minutes late. It's irritating that employers say that punctuality is important, but then that's the first thing out the window. I have no doubt that if I was late every morning I would hear about it. The upside is that the extra time waiting was overtime. Whether it was ten minutes or an hour, I was still getting paid.

I went out to get in my SUV, half expecting Jessica to be gone and possibly everything of the least little value in the SUV gone as well. I wasn't quite sure what to do with her, so I couldn't say that wouldn't have been easier on me. She probably had a better idea of the places she could go or the help that was available to her. I had no clue. Once I got to my vehicle, I saw her still sitting there waiting. So much for easy. I got in and started the engine. We both sat there for a minute, neither of us speaking and both of us just looking out through the windshield.

"So no family." I said.

"Nope. Foster kid who aged out of the system."

"No friends."

"Nobody I would actually call a real friend. I'm from up north. I made my way down here because the winters weren't supposed to be so bad. The people I've met down here are in the same position I am."

"And the shelter's full."

"It's too early to be there right now, but I can't stay down there. I've already had some bad shit happen while I was down there waiting. By the time it's safe the line will be too long. I won't be able to get a spot. Done that a few times already."

"Are you hungry?"

"Are you buying?"

I smiled a little. This girl had a quick mind and a quick mouth. It was amusing to me, but others might find it abrasive. I put the vehicle in gear and made my way out of the parking lot. I called in an order at IHOP that I could pick up on the way home. We drove in silence, with me watching traffic and her just quietly along for the ride. Jessica unwrapped the scarf from around her face but other than a few streaks of dirt, along with the fact that she was looking straight ahead, I was still unable to see her face very well. I stopped to pick up the food and headed home. I was kind of on autopilot, and I didn't know what to do with her as it was. I figured we could talk about options after we ate. I pulled into my driveway and parked in front of the garage. Jessica grabbed her backpack from the back seat and followed me to the front door.

"Are you renting this?"

"Nope. I got a good deal and a good rate. Renting would probably have cost me more."

"How's your wife gonna react to this?"

"I'm not married."

"Girlfriend?"

"Broke up a year and a half ago."

"Roommate?"

"Pops won't care too much. He's not crazy about strangers, but he'll be fine."

"Pops? You live with your father?"

"Nope. You'll understand once you meet Pops in just a minute."

We entered the living room through the front door and made our way through the small dining room and into the kitchen. I put the bags on the counter and looked on top of the fridge. A large orange tabby cat lounged along the top looking down over his domain. His green eyes were barely open in either sleepiness or boredom. Once Jessica entered the kitchen behind me, he opened his eyes fully and sniffed in her direction.

"That's Pops. Pops can't follow the rules about not being on top of the fridge."

I snapped my fingers and gestured at the cat to get down. Pops looked at me before slowly getting up. He took his sweet time arching his back up and then stretching his paws forward before jumping to the counter below and then to the floor. He sauntered out, avoiding Jessica without acknowledging her.

"Don't mind him. He's kind of a grumpy old man around people he doesn't know."

There were two moving boxes stacked up by the door that led to the garage. I tossed my keys on top, plus took all my daily gear and piled it up on my cardboard makeshift table. Without making it obvious, I took my gun out from the holster on my duty belt and tucked it into the waistband of my uniform pants. I didn't want the move to seem threatening or untrusting, but I wasn't going to leave a firearm out in the open with easy access by someone I didn't know.

"Did you just move in?"

"No." I said looking around at my house. "I've been here a little over a year."

Okay, I understood the reasoning of her question. I had not been in a hurry to unpack and find a place for everything. There were no pictures on the walls yet and there were moving boxes in every room we had gone through. I just hadn't gotten around to it all yet. I gestured to the laundry room at the end of the kitchen.

"You can put your bag in there until after we eat. The bathroom is back through the living room, the hallway on the left, and follow it to the end. A few things while you're here though. No smoking, drinking, drugs, or guests. I'm about as much of a straight arrow as you're gonna find. That means that kind of stuff won't be in my house. And guests in my house don't decide that they will bring guests of their own."

After she disappeared I retrieved clean plates and flatware from the dishwasher and set everything up in the dining room. I took my gun to my bedroom and stowed it in my gun safe inside my closet. After returning to the dining room and waiting a couple minutes I called out to her.

"It's gonna get cold. Come get it while it's still at least lukewarm."

I went ahead and cycled both plates through the microwave on the reheat setting for a couple minutes and had them back on the table before she came out. She was still wearing multiple layers as though she thought she might have to leave in a hurry. I could now at least see her long dark blonde hair, which surprised me a little. For some reason I pictured her hair short for ease of maintenance. I was in a messy braid halfway down her back. She had a cute face and dark blue eyes.

"Ready to eat?" I asked as she sat down at the table.

Without responding she dug in. I had ordered us both the same thing, steak and eggs with hash browns and toast. Without her input I chose something I thought was a pretty safe bet. I always enjoyed breakfast for dinner. Some people think that's weird. We ate in silence. Pops had come out of hiding and was rubbing against my legs trying to get me to drop something for him. I cut some pieces of fat off the steak and gave it to him, hoping he would leave her alone to eat in peace. My years spent in the military taught me to eat now and taste it later, so speed eating used to be normal, but I had tried to slow down after I had returned to civilian life. I still tried to, but I was not always successful. Jessica was easily outpacing me though. Once we had finished I gathered the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. I placed glasses of water on the table for both of us, and we sat across from each other just silently staring.

"So what's your plan? I doubt you want to stay behind a hotel dumpster or behind a warehouse or even stay at a shelter. What's your plan to get back on your feet?"

"Why do you even care?" she asked.

"You said you needed a break. If you had left the property and had not come back, I wouldn't have given it a second thought, but you kept coming back and making it my problem. It's gonna be below freezing for the next few days, and from the sounds of it you seem to keep putting yourself in some dangerous situations. Now I'll feel a little responsible if something happens to you."

"I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for a long time now."

"I see that, but if you want a break like you said and will accept some help, I'll help you. I don't want to just delay going back to the way things have been going for you. I want you to make actual changes that will make things better going forward."

She sat there simply staring at me while I talked. I wasn't sure what she was thinking, and wasn't sure if I was even on the right track with her.