The List

by B L Maxwell

  Bruce pulled into a parking space close to the entrance of the shelter. We all got out of the car, and I kept Zane close to me. He had to be cold, no matter what he said. I was freezing and relieved we only had to walk a short distance to the entrance. The sidewalks were still heavy with snow, and I was glad I’d insisted on Zane wearing my boots because his feet would be soaked by now.

  We walked in, and John immediately headed over to one of the desks and said hello to the man seated there. They seemed like old friends, and it made me relax a little knowing there were people here John knew.

  Then Chloe walked over to us from a door just down the hall. “Hi, everyone, are you enjoying the snow?” she asked, just as friendly as she had been on Thanksgiving.

  “Made for an interesting drive,” Bruce said. “It’s beautiful, though, and very unusual. We’re going to go check out the restaurant after we leave here. I’m hoping we don’t find a busted pipe or a leaking roof again.”

  “Well, good luck, I hope you don’t find those things either,” she said with a warm laugh. Then her attention was on Zane. “Hi, I’m Chloe, you must be Zane?” She held out her hand.

  “Yeah, nice to meet you, Chloe,” Zane said and shook her hand.

  “Nice to meet you too. I hear you’re not feeling so well.” As soon as the words left her mouth, he was hit with a deep, hacking cough, and it took a moment for him to recover enough to answer.

  “I’ve had a tough few days.”

  “I’m really sorry to hear that, but I can help. Come this way and we’ll get you checked out. We have a little clinic in the back. Nothing fancy, but they’ll know if you need to go to a hospital or if you’re okay to go back home with Tommy.”

  “Tommy doesn’t have to take me in, I feel like I owe him so much already—”

  “He’s coming home with me, I don’t want you to worry about that. I’ve got the room, and you’re no trouble at all.” He didn’t answer at first and seemed to think it over, then he nodded his head.

  Chloe smiled. “Okay, now we’ve got that worked out, let’s get you checked out.” She led him back to another door, and Bruce and I sat to wait. John was still visiting his friend, so we each picked up one of the old magazines and thumbed through it.

  “He’ll be okay, kid.”

  “I hope so, he’s really sick. I know he’s trying to suck it up so he doesn’t show it here, but he could barely stand on his own at my place.”

  “Chloe will make sure he’s taken care of,” John said as he walked over and joined us. As soon as he sat down, Chloe came walking back.

  “I just wanted to let you know, they’re going to do an X-ray of his chest, just to make sure he doesn’t have pneumonia or any broken ribs. He really was beaten pretty badly. The bump on his head looks worse than it is. He didn’t need stitches, but you did the right thing cleaning it and putting pressure on it. I’ll let you know as soon as we find out anything.”

  “Chloe, did he mention his parents?” I asked.

  “Not yet, I was going to wait until he was done with the doc to talk to him about that. I’ve been in contact with a few people, and they think they can help. Did he say why he never heard from them after the fire?”

  “He said they’re off the grid, so no email address. He had their cell phone numbers, but his phone stopped working after a while and he couldn’t call them. I think he tried a lot at first, and when he lost his car and his phone stopped working, he didn’t know what to do.”

  “Sounds like you’re right. Don’t worry, we’ll do whatever we can to help him.” She patted my knee and walked back to where Zane was.

  “At least they have power here, I hope it’s back on at home soon,” I said. “I should have brought my phone charger, it’s getting low.”

  “If you need it later, go to the restaurant, we’ll still be there, I’m sure.”

  “Are you going to be open today?”

  “No, we decided on the way to your house to close until the snow is cleared. I doubt it would be busy, and I don’t want anyone getting hurt trying to get to work.”

  Chloe came back just then and asked me to follow her back to her office. I stepped inside, and Zane was there. He looked tired, but not as miserable as he had earlier.

  “Zane has given me permission to speak in front of you. His chest is clear, he’s fine. But he does have bronchitis, and we’ll give him some antibiotics for that. He needs to be in a warm, dry place.”

  “I already said he’s staying with me.” I reached over and took his hand, wanting him to know I was sincere. He glanced at me before a small smiled appeared and he looked down.

  “Now that we have that settled. I looked into the names of your parents, Zane, and I have some good news for you,” Chloe said, her smile bright and giving me hope for Zane.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  An Angel, a Phone Call, and a Kiss

  “The reason you couldn’t find your parents is that they’ve been moving around to different temporary housing, waiting for an opportunity to find a permanent residence.”

  Zane’s head snapped up, and holding my hand was all that seemed to keep him in his seat. “They’re alive? They’re okay?”

  “They are, and they’ve been looking for you. They didn’t know if you had come back and been caught in the fire, or if you were stuck in Sacramento with no way to get back to them. They’ve been looking for you, Zane, they never gave up.”

  He broke down then, quiet sobs that told of deep hurt, before he turned in his seat and was in my arms. I held him tight and whispered reassurances in his ear, while Chloe watched with a look of wonder on her face.

  “Can I call them?” he asked and wiped at his eyes.

  “Of course you can, hold on, let me get their number for you.” She picked up a file and flipped through it before writing a phone number on a piece of paper and handing it to Zane.

  “Use my phone, it’s getting low, but it’s okay. Use it.” I handed it to him and stood. “I’ll wait outside so you can talk.”

  He reached for my hand and pulled me down again. “Stay, please?”

  I nodded, and Chloe stood and left the room as Zane dialed the number she’d given him with shaking hands. “Mom? It’s me, Zane.” His voice quivered with emotion, and I heard excited chatter through the phone. Then he smiled, the happiest I’d seen him look since I’d met him. I might as well have taken my heart out and handed it to him. I had no hope of controlling my feelings for him, and I was okay with that. I hoped he was too, because not having him around would hurt, more than not knowing where he was, and not being able to find him.

  He absently reached for my hand, and after threading our fingers together, he squeezed. I sat quietly while he explained how when he couldn’t contact them, he’d lost all hope, and then lost his car and everything he owned. He explained he’d been homeless the past year and living on the street. He tried to reassure his mom he was fine, but it didn’t seem like she believed him. She knew him too well.

  “Dad? I’m so fucking glad to talk to you. I never thought it would ever happen, I thought you were lost in the fire. I thought—” He was interrupted by a voice on the phone, the excitement and happiness so clear to me even though I couldn’t hear the exact words. Zane turned, and his eyes met mine. The connection I felt was so deep and so intense, like nothing I’d ever experienced. His eyes never left mine while he continued to reconnect with the family he believed he’d lost.

  “I don’t have a phone number, I’m using a friend’s phone,” he explained, before he turned to me and asked, “Do you mind if I give them this number?”

  I had to clear my throat to answer. “Not at all, go ahead.”

  He gave them the information, and talked a few more minutes, promising to meet with them soon. He hung up and immediately leaned into my side. With his head on my shoulder, he whispered in my ear, “Thank you, without you, none of this would have happened.” My eyes closed and I let his warmth wash over me, reveling in the feelings he mad
e me feel.

  “Can we go home now?” he asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.

  “Yeah, whatever you want.” We stood to leave the room just as Chloe was walking back in.

  “How’d it go?” she asked, her eyes bright but guarded.

  Zane stepped forward and held his hand out to her. “They’re okay, all this time I’ve thought I had no one. Thank you so much for helping me.”

  She moved his hand aside and pulled him in for a quick hug. “I’m so happy to hear that. If only every story I hear had a happy ending. Is there anything else I can do for you? I noticed you don’t have a coat, if you want to take a look, we have donated coats and other items you can choose from. Just ask next door, they’ll set you up.”

  “I will, I could use a coat.” He looked over at me and smiled, and I couldn’t hold back how happy I was now I knew he’d be okay and he wasn’t alone. I slipped my arm around him and squeezed him tight to me as he pulled his blanket tighter around his shoulders.

  “Come on, we need to tell John and Bruce what’s going on before they spontaneously combust,” I said and took his hand again. We said our goodbyes to Chloe with a promise to keep her updated.

  “Be sure to tell me how it goes when you meet with them, and remember, I’m here for you. Also, I want you to get back here immediately if you don’t feel better after a few days. Oh, that reminds me, Doc has some antibiotics for you to take, let me go grab those before you take off.” She rushed off before either of us could answer. Being pregnant didn’t seem to slow her down at all. We walked out to where Bruce and John now sat looking impatient.

  “Well, did you find out what’s wrong?” Bruce asked as he stood.

  “Bronchitis, he’ll need to take antibiotics, but then he’ll be fine.”

  “What about your parents, was Chloe able to help?” John asked, stepping closer to Bruce and hooking his pinkie.

  “She found them,” Zane said, his voice low and smile happy as hell.

  “That’s great, kid,” Bruce yelled and pulled him into a hug.

  “Bruce, let him alone,” John said, and as soon as Zane was free from Bruce, he was in John’s arms. “I’m so happy for you. Chloe really is an angel.”

  “You guys aren’t far behind her, all of you have helped me so much. How will I pay you back?” Zane said over John’s shoulder.

  John finally released him, and he moved close to me again.

  “Here’s your meds,” Chloe called as she walked toward us carrying a small bag.

  “Thanks again, Chloe, you’re the best,” I said as she rushed off to help someone else.

  “Ready to get out of here?” Bruce asked.

  “Yep, but first we need to go next door,” Zane said with that same happy smile.

  John and Bruce waited in the car while we rushed next door and picked out a coat and gloves for Zane. We were almost out the door when we noticed they had jeans and shoes too. The guy who was helping us noticed us looking, he grabbed another bag and insisted Zane pick out a couple of pairs of jeans and some shoes. When we finally walked out, he wore his new coat and gloves, and I helped him carry the rest. He was still sick, as his cough reminded me, but he looked like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. Maybe now he could start living again, and if I was lucky enough, I’d be there with him.

  “Look at you,” John commented as we slid into the back seat.

  “Chloe hooked him up, now I won’t have to worry about him freezing anymore,” I said as I reached for his gloved hand.

  “You guys still want to go by the restaurant, or should we drop you off first?” Bruce asked while driving away from the shelter.

  “Might as well go, since the power’s out anyway. Maybe it’ll be on by the time we get back,” I said and looked at Zane, who nodded his approval. We drove just as slowly to the restaurant as we had to the shelter; the snow was still falling, but not as heavy as it was earlier. The streets were becoming busier, with kids playing in snow in the park we drove by. This looked so foreign in Sacramento, a place that rarely got a few flakes, let alone a few inches. Zane squeezed my hand as he looked out the window on his side of the car. This had turned into a great day.

  Bruce parked behind the restaurant, and we all walked in after him. “Looks like the tarp held so far,” he said.

  “That’s a relief, I was afraid we’d walk into not only a flood, but a frozen flood from the snow and ice,” John said and walked around the rest of the restaurant making sure everything was indeed safe and dry.

  I turned to Zane to find him already looking at me. I wished I knew what the look on his face meant. He smiled before reaching for the back of my head and kissing me. Slow and soft, and more perfect than any kiss I’d experienced. He started to pull back, and at first, I was too stunned to react, but then I wrapped my arms around his waist and kissed him back. “Oh, I don’t want to get you sick,” Zane said, and tried to pull away.

  “Totally worth it,” I said, before pulling him close again.

  Neither of us stopped until we needed to take a breath, and as we rested our foreheads together, we both laughed.

  “Hey, guys, everything looks great, you about ready to—Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt,” Bruce said and turned around to walk back out of the kitchen.

  “Bruce, it’s fine. You about ready to go?” I asked, not even trying to hide the smile on my face. John walked out and looked at us all before shaking his head with a smile and walking out the door.

  “Come on, Bruce, time to go,” he called.

  Bruce spun around and walked out in front of us and waited by the door to lock up.

  We walked into my apartment to find the power back on. I wasted no time in turning up the heat and trying to drive out the cold that filled the space. I took the bag of clothes and put it in my room. Zane looked tired, and I realized our trip had taken a lot out of him.

  “Go relax, and you need to take your meds,” I said and went to get a glass of water for him.

  “You’re probably right.” He took his coat off and sat on the couch. “Chloe really is the best. I can’t believe she found my parents so fast. If we’d never met, I would have never found them.”

  I handed him the water and one of the pills. “You don’t know that, maybe you would have met her anyway.”

  “I’m pretty sure you were put in my path for a reason. You saved me, Tommy. So many people never even saw me, even though I was right in front of them. But you saw me.”

  I sat next to him and pulled him close. “There’s no way I could have missed you,” I breathed out before once more pressing my lips to his. “I think I’ve looked for you my whole life.”

  We stayed there the rest of the day, keeping each other warm, sharing kisses, and watching old movies. It was without a doubt the best day ever, and I couldn’t wait for more and more with Zane, the guy that didn’t live behind the dumpster anymore.

  Epilogue

  Two Years Later

  Family

  “Are you almost ready, babe?” I called out to Zane, who was still in the bedroom changing his shirt for the third time.

  “Almost, I just want everything to be perfect.”

  I walked up behind him as he looked in the mirror and wrapped my arms around him. “It will be, don’t worry,” I said as I kissed him behind his ear, making him smile. I appreciated every smile he gave me. It had been two years since Zane had ended up at my door, cold and sick and needing help. So much had changed since then.

  “My parents said they’ll meet us at Caden and Rio’s. I’m so excited for them to meet everyone. Especially Chloe. I can’t believe they haven’t met her yet.”

  “Well, having a baby will do that. She didn’t expect to be on bed rest the last few months of her pregnancy, so it slowed her down a little bit. Only a little bit. If she could have run the clinic from her bed, she would have.” He turned in my arms and kissed me, and no matter how many times he did it, it was never enough.

  “I�
�ve heard little Jesse is quite a handful,” Zane said with a laugh.

  “He’s living up to the terrible two’s in a big way. Even the dog knows to stay out of tail-pulling range, and that dog is crazy,” I said as I remembered the first time we’d met Chloe’s brother and his husband. Their dog’s name was Chaos, and he really did live up to it. As soon as we’d stepped into their home, he’d bounded up to us. I’d reached down to pet him, and he’d lurched at the same time, somehow sticking his tongue in my mouth. My lip curled at the memory.

  “Chaos is better-behaved now. Well, a little better,” Zane said and kissed the corner of my mouth.

  “Three’s a charm, one more kiss and we won’t be leaving here anytime soon,” I warned as he leaned in again and brushed his tongue against my lips.

  “Three is never enough, maybe we can call everyone and reschedule?” he offered, but I knew how important this was to him. He’d finally finished his internship and was starting a job at a sports rehab clinic after the first of the year. I was so damn proud of him I could nearly burst, and I wanted everyone he loved to share the good news with us.

  “When we get home, we can do whatever you want, even if you want to stay in bed and have food delivered all weekend. I’m so glad we both have the week off before you start your new job, and did I tell you how proud I am?”