Homeless

"Do you actually want to live on the street?"

"No! I've made some bad decisions, but I never intended to end up like this." she seemed a little incensed at my question.

"Good. Well, some people actually choose that, even when they have options. So do you plan to get a job?"

"Yes. I have no problem working, but nobody will hire the homeless."

"Do you have ID, your social security card, birth certificate, all that stuff? That's some of what you need to get hired at a legitimate job just about anywhere."

"Yeah, I've got all that stuff."

"Alright, let's get some laundry going and then we'll go over what you've got. Not just whatever you've got in your bag, but the stuff that you're wearing. Now would probably be the best time for you to take a shower. There's towels in the bathroom cabinet. There's a robe on the back of the door."

Jessica didn't argue or delay. She seemed fine with the current plan and headed back to the bathroom to clean up. I took the same opportunity to get out of my uniform and take a shower as well. I had made sure the guest bath was fully set up, unlike most of the rest of the house. Even my own master bathroom had stuff still needing to be put away and organized. After her reaction to my homemaking procrastination, I decided I would have to put in some time to get my house in order. I was finished long before she was. Instead of the suggested shower, I had heard her run a bath. I guess she didn't often get the opportunity to just soak and relax a little. I was in my pajama pants and t-shirt for the evening and waiting back at the dining room table by the time she finally came back out.

I stifled a laugh on how she looked. Even though it was nice to be able to see an entire face to talk to, her attire was what prompted my reaction. She was in the robe I had suggested, but it was one of my robes. There was about a six inch difference in height between us, so the bottom of the robe hung down to the floor, it was really bulky and oversized for her smaller frame, and the sleeves hung past her hands. It was kind of a comical sight. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel and she was holding all her clothes that were going to be thrown in the washer. She stared daggers at me as she emerged.

"Not a word." she threatened.

I held up my hands indicating that I would say nothing about it. She shuffled off to the laundry room for a couple minutes before coming back in and sitting down with a ziplock bag of papers. I went in and threw the first load of laundry in and started the machine. Jessica had spread her documents across the table by the time I sat down again. She had an Ohio driver's license, her social security card, and even had her birth certificate all laid out. She had some old receipts, what looked like a bus ticket, odds and ends paperwork, and even some pictures. She gathered the extra stuff back up and put it back in the bag.

"Alright, you've got your IDs and can establish residency in order to get a job. I'm off for the next three days, so we can make an appointment to go to the DMV tomorrow for your license. We'll also have to stop by the store for a few things. I assume that you're probably not wild about my choices of shampoo and soap."

"Just like that?" she asked.

"What? Just like what?" I didn't understand the question.

"You don't even know me. You were ready to call the cops on me earlier, but now you're talking about residency and jobs."

"I offered my help. I thought that your being here now meant that you're accepting it. So now it's about moving things forward. We won't be able to solve everything in one night, but we already know some things that need to be done."

"And you just suddenly trust me?"

"No, and I doubt you trust me, but I said I would help and that's what I'm trying to do. I'm quick to make decisions and will make changes when the circumstances change. Until then I plan on sticking with my decision. That is, unless you've changed your mind. You're not a hostage or anything. Once your clothes are dry you can leave if you want. That's your decision."

Jessica didn't announce a decision either way, so I retrieved my tablet and scheduled an appointment for the DMV. Then I pulled up the form she would need and sent it to my printer in my office. Once the washer finished, I threw her clothes in the dryer and started a second load of laundry. She had more clothes than I first thought. I guess she had been wearing more layers than I had assumed. I was using the heavy duty extra long wash cycle, thinking I may have to put them through twice depending how they came out.

She remained at the table while I went back and forth. I went into the living room and sat down on the couch, turning on the TV and choosing a movie I had seen several times. Jessica finally made her way over and sat on the other end of the couch. The couch was the only piece of furniture to sit on in my living room. A coffee table sat in front of it and I had end tables, but there was no recliner or loveseat. I hadn't gotten around to deciding I needed them. I offered the remote control to her as she sat but she declined. We both sat just watching the movie. I pulled the lever on the side of my end and let my footrest sweep up into place. Once I was comfy Pops jumped up and settled on my lap. I absently pet him as I fiddled with my tablet checking emails, and the news, and my finances, and everything I checked on any other normal day. The dryer finally played its musical tune indicating the cycle was finished. I moved Pops off my lap and went to take out the dry clothes and put in the second load from the washer.

"I'll grab some bedding for you." I told her.

I came back out with pillows, sheets and a comforter. Jessica got up as I started laying out everything on the couch. I briefly regretted not getting a sofa bed, but it was a little late for that.

"You don't have a guest bedroom or something?" she asked.

"I didn't really expect the need for one so I made the second bedroom into my office. So your options are either the couch or my bed. I have a queen sized bed so there's room, but I won't be sleeping on the couch in my own house, so we'd be sharing it."

"I'll be fine out here."

"That's probably best. Pops is kind of a bed hog."

She smiled at that comment. That was the first time she had done that since I first saw her. I made my way around the house, checking to make sure all the doors were locked. After ensuring that Jessica was fine for the night, I retired to my bedroom. I closed my door most of the way, but left it open enough for Pops to go in and out if he wanted. I finished getting ready for bed and turned off the lights. The room was still lit while I used my tablet. I finally put it away and tried to sleep, but a stranger in my house made it difficult. I would drift off only to wake up multiple times during the night, listening intently for any strange noises. My nighttime clothing bunched around me as I tossed and turned. I wasn't used to wearing anything to bed, and at some point during the night I took my clothing off and tossed it into the hamper, leaving me in just my underwear. I would have discarded that too, but I was no longer alone in my house. At some point I guess my mind gave up and turned off.

I woke up in the morning to Pops laying on my chest looking down at me. He was not a small cat. As I started moving he got up, stretching before deciding to get off of me. It seemed like magic how a cat could put all their weight onto one paw as it pressed against me. It felt like he was going to crack my ribs.

"Damn Pops, get off me." I demanded.

I finally sat up and went into the master bathroom, closing the door behind me. Not long after I saw Pops sticking his paw under the door, wanting me to let him inside. I ignored him as usual. He didn't need to be on me every moment. I was about to head out into the living room when I recalled that I had a guest. I grabbed my robe and shrugged into it as I left my bedroom.

Jessica was still asleep when I got into the living room. I was about to pass by on the way into the kitchen when something caught my eye. She was still sleeping, but in her hand was an old boxcutter, the dirty and rusty blade ready to inflict serious harm if needed. I moved slowly and quietly, making sure not to wake her while taking the weapon out of her loose grip. I placed it in the middle of the dining room table as I passed on the way into the kitchen.

As quietly as I was able I started making breakfast. Eggs with ham, green peppers, and onions were scrambled together into a train wreck with cheese on top. Toast, sausage links, and juice completed the meal. I looked over and saw my houseguest sitting up trying to fully awaken. I saw her look around quickly while trying not to be obvious about it. When she saw me in the kitchen she went the other way towards the bathroom. A few minutes later she emerged and sat herself at the table.

"Hungry?" I asked. I pushed the boxcutter across the table to her. "Here you go. You didn't lose it. I just didn't want either one of us injured if I startled you."

She looked at me expressionlessly before taking the tool off the table and putting it on the chair beside her. We ate once again in silence. I don't know if I expected her to be a chatterbox, but she seemed to be just the opposite so far, only talking when necessary.

"After we finish, we'll go to the store first and then to your DMV appointment. You also might want to start thinking about where you want to apply for a job."

After eating she went to go get ready. I put the dishes in the dishwasher, then quickly went to get myself ready. I wasn't used to being confined to my bedroom to get dressed. I was used to wandering around my own house in pajama pants, or shorts, or underwear, or nude. By the time I got ready and got out, Jessica was already dressed and ready. I guess she elected on a shower this morning rather than a bath, same as myself. She didn't have as many layers as the day before, but she still had the heavy, shapeless coat on. At least everything was now clean. There wasn't much to do about how worn the clothing was until after we went shopping. I locked the front door behind us as we left and we loaded up into my SUV. Once we got to the local superstore I grabbed a cart and started in the health and beauty section. I had her pick out her choice of products. I already had the stuff I needed at home and we weren't there for me. She followed me as we went to the clothing section next.

"You know, I - I can't really afford all this stuff." she said hesitantly.

"I don't expect you to. I said I would help you out and that's what I'm doing. You need new clothes though. Everything I saw was kinda worn out. Just get whatever you need. Make sure you also get something suitable for job interviews. You'll also need new boots with Goretex, new sneakers, and maybe new shoes depending on what you would wear."

"You don't need to do all that. I have clothes and boots."

"You have them, just not any in good condition. I saw most of your stuff. Trust me, you need some new stuff."

We spent a good amount of time in the store, going from aisle to aisle. The more stuff that was piled into the basket, the more Jessica wanted to protest. I repeatedly had to justify the items. Finally we went through checkout. She was clearly unhappy about the grand total of the trip.

"That's too much. You really shouldn't be doing this."

"Actually, I kinda have to. I plan on torching all your old stuff to release the demons."

That got another rare smile from her. This was the first time I really took the opportunity to assess her. She was probably a handful of years younger than I, probably six inches shorter than I, with long dark blonde hair and a cute smile beneath her dark blue eyes on her attractive face. Between the original multi layers of clothing, to my bathrobe draped around her the night before, to her current bulky coat, I couldn't tell much else about her.

"We need to get moving. We can't be late for the DMV." I suggested.

We spent a good deal of time waiting in what I called the holding area, then waited some more, then underwent the excruciatingly slow process of a government agency at work, but we finally left with a paper copy of her new interim license, with assurances that she would receive the real license in the mail. We made one more stop at my cellphone service provider. I had dug out my last phone from when I upgraded and had brought it with us for them to activate it with a new number. After all that running around we returned to my house.

"Where am I supposed to put all this stuff?" she asked as we brought in the bags.

"I'll have to make room in either the closet in my office or bedroom. I can also clear out a few of the drawers in my dresser."

I made spaghetti and meatballs with French bread for dinner. After we ate we went through her stuff to get rid of the things too worn to keep. Even though she had shed her old coat, she was now clad in an oversized hoodie which had seen better days. I ordered some stuff online for delivery like a new military style backpack which would hold up much better than the one she had, as well as assorted gear she would need if she decided to leave before she was financially capable on her own. That was kind of what I expected to happen, and was a little surprised it hadn't happened yet.

It was already dark and I was doing my own laundry when I got a call on my cellphone. It was work, asking if I could fill in the next morning for a guard who had already called off due to a family issue. Doubts flashed through my mind but this was work, and it was overtime. I accepted and hung up the phone.

"I've got to go to work tomorrow morning." I announced.

"Well, I can pretty much guarantee you won't have to kick me off the property again." she joked.

I smiled at the comment. It was good that she seemed more comfortable, enough to kid around a little anyway. I wasn't sure about leaving her by herself so soon, but I had committed to helping her, and that required a degree of trust when I would have gone to work on my next scheduled day. It just was going to happen a couple days sooner than I expected. I tracked down my spare house keys inside my office and gave Jessica a copy so if she wanted to step out, my house could be secured in her absence. I made my rounds making sure the house was secure before turning in.

"I've gotta go to bed. I've gotta be up early for work." I said.

I went into the bedroom and got ready for bed. After my shower and brushing my teeth I opted for just underwear since I had discarded my pajama pants and t-shirt partway through the previous night. Once again I left the door slightly ajar before I climbed under the covers, as Pops would probably be on the bed before too long, pawing at me for attention and then purring in my ear as I tried to sleep. I had closed him out in the past, but eventually he would scratch at the door until I would open it for him. Pops thought he should be able to go anywhere in the house any time he wanted. I had closed my eyes but wasn't asleep yet. Even though the door was not completely shut, I heard a faint knock. I looked and was able to see a form in the darkened doorway. I sat halfway up to see if there was a problem.

"Brad? Can I sleep in the bed? The couch is fine for sitting, but it sucks to sleep on. I promise not to bother you."

"Uuhhh, yeah. Sure thing." I agreed, noting that was the first time she had actually addressed me by my name. I wasn't even sure she knew my name. I never mentioned it any time we talked. She probably saw it on my mail, or credit card at the store, or heard it referred to at the cellphone store, or figured it out from any number of other places.

"You're not armed are you?" I asked, recalling her box cutter from the morning.

She showed me her empty hands as she approached. I gave her the side of the bed closest to the door. I was already more on the other side anyways, but now I moved even closer to the edge. She had brought her pillow with her, so I took the couple of pillows on what was about to be her side and made a kind of pillow wall down the center of the bed, trying to give her some of her own space with an actual border apart from my space.

"Let me know if you need more room." I advised.

"I don't need half the bed. I'll just stay by the edge. I'm sorry about keeping you up. I know you said you've got to get up early."

"Don't worry about it. I wouldn't want to sleep on the couch either." I mumbled.

The room grew quiet with the exception of a small fan on my nightstand. I liked moving air, regardless of what the temperature was. The ceiling fan wasn't enough for me. Also the background noise helped to drown out the normal sounds of outdoors and of Pops wandering around the house. I was tired and I knew I needed to rest but I was finding sleep to be elusive. I was not used to sharing a bed anymore. I could hear her breathing. I heard and felt every time she shifted. It was distracting. I kept looking at the clock as time dragged on. I eventually did fall asleep, but when I woke up I wasn't rested. I fumbled my phone to turn off the alarm. I instantly fell back to sleep, only to have my second alarm start playing the familiar buzzing tone thirty minutes later. I heard her shift on her side of the bed.

"What time is it?""

"It's 3:30."

"Did I sleep the entire day?" she asked incredulously, sitting up in the bed.

"No. It's 3:30AM. I've gotta get up and get ready for work."

"Ugh!"

I heard her flop back down. I understood how she felt. I was not a morning person, but this was work. I headed to the bathroom and tried to keep the noise to a minimum as I went through my morning routine. I grabbed everything that made up my uniform and headed into my office to get dressed. I ended up having to go back into the bedroom to grab my gun out of the safe, and then finished getting ready in the kitchen, putting on my gun belt, wallet, keys, and coat before heading out the door.

Work dragged on and I remained distracted. I was worried about what was happening at home. Would my entire house be cleared out by the time I got back? Even if she didn't rob me blind, would she take off like I had expected? Would she accidentally let Pops outside? He was not an outdoor cat, no matter how interested he seemed to be. I was practically chomping at the bit to get out at the end of my workday, but of course I was relieved ten minutes late. I drove home, more irritated with traffic than usual. Once I parked in my driveway and entered through the front door, I paused while listening to the quietness of the house.

"Jessica?"

When there was no answer I went through the house into the kitchen to divest myself of my work gear. I tossed my keys onto their normal spot on my moving box table and heard them hit the floor. I looked to find them on the floor not because I missed, but because the boxes were no longer there. I ended up piling all my pocket possessions onto the end of the kitchen counter and draping my gun belt over a dining room chair. I checked the kitchen, laundry room, and living room. All the moving boxes in the various rooms that had been a constant part of my life for the past year were missing. I then noticed that my wall decor was hanging on the walls. All the DVDs were put away in the entertainment center. The built-in shelves had my books and decorative pieces along them where before they had been bare. I checked my office to find the normal chaos remained unchanged. It was a little puzzling compared to the vast changes throughout the rest of the house.

When I went into the bedroom I found Pops lying alongside Jessica who was asleep on top of the made up bed. I was surprised that my cat had accepted her presence. He was not fond of strangers, and tended to make himself scarce until they left. Pops meowed in greeting when I appeared in the doorway. I guess that was enough to wake Jessica. She sat up and slid off the side, crumpling the comforter in passing.