Home Is Wherever You Are

by Rose von Barnsley

  I chuckled. “I’m still getting used to eating.”

  She pouted a little, as she slid my plate in front of me and set the tins in the sink. She brought out a pitcher of juice to have with dinner.

  “This looks great. Thank you, Addy,” I said sincerely before digging in.

  I noticed she was eating slower, and I looked at her in question.

  “How did you end up on the street?”

  I shrugged. “Life, I guess.”

  “Do you have any family who could help you?” she asked, and I frowned, thinking of my parents.

  “They aren’t in a position to help me.”

  “Where are they?”

  I let out a sigh. “They live in another state. My mom is a waitress like you, and my dad is on disability. There was an accident at the factory he worked at, and it messed up his back really bad. He has a back brace and uses a walker to get around. My mom has her hands full, trying to take care of him and herself already. Like I said, they aren’t in a position to help me. I don’t want to be a burden on them.”

  She let out a sigh and frowned.

  “If you want me to go...” I said, motioning to the door, not sure why she had brought up my family.

  “No, no, please, I really do need your help. I just…you’re not, you know…messed up.”

  I raised an eyebrow in question.

  She let out a huff. “You’re not a druggy or a drunk, like a lot of guys on the street.”

  “No, I was laid off. I’d already been struggling to keep my head above water, so that was the last straw. There are a lot of folks like me on the street. One big company starts to go under, and it takes us all with it.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  I shook my head. “Nah, I should’ve stayed in college and gotten a higher degree than I did. An Associate’s degree isn’t very marketable in this economy. I need at least a Bachelor’s degree to make my resume look decent and be competitive.”

  “So, how long would it take you to get that degree?”

  “It’s just another two years, maybe less if I take a full course load and summer classes, but I’d have to get a home to apply for the grant money to take them.”

  “Grant money?”

  “Yeah, there’s tons of free money to pay for the classes and stuff, but you have to have an actual address to apply for it. Are you thinking of taking some classes?” I asked curiously.

  She shook her head no.

  “You should think about it. I’d hate to see you get burned out like my mom from waitressing for the rest of your life.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  We finished eating, and I told her to take a load off and let me do the dishes. She’d protested at first, but I insisted, washing everything and setting it in the drainer to dry.

  I turned around to see her watching me. “What are you thinking?” I asked.

  “Do you want a haircut?”

  “What?”

  “A haircut, I have good scissors. I usually cut my own hair. I’m pretty sure I can do yours if you want me to, unless you like it long.”

  “No, that’d be great. I prefer it short.”

  She nodded okay. “Take a chair out the back door,” she said, disappearing down the hallway. I did as she said and stood waiting for her on the porch, looking around her property. It was quite large, actually, with plenty of room to build on if she ever wanted to, so she actually had gotten a pretty good deal.

  It looked like the yard needed some work, too. The shrubbery was overgrown, the lawn needed weeding, leveling and reseeding in places, and the brickwork around the patio was crumbling badly. The trim on the house also looked like it could use some repair, and the house could stand repainting. Maybe I could help her with that as well at some point. Maybe she’d let me come back in the spring. That was, provided I didn’t freeze to death under a bridge somewhere before then.

  She came out with sheers and a towel. She told me to sit and wrapped the towel around my shoulders. I closed my eyes and relaxed, as she worked on cutting my hair. It didn’t take long for her to finish up. She asked if I wanted my beard trimmed as well.

  “Yes, please,” I said eagerly. “The thing drives me nuts being so long and bushy. I really hate it. I never used to have one,” I sighed.

  She smiled and used the sheers to carefully cut my beard off as close as she could. “I have some razors in the bathroom. You’re welcome to use one if you want to shave off the rest. That is if you don’t mind if they’re pink,” she offered, as she finished up.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah,” she said with a shrug. “They’re under the sink with the soap and shampoo. You’re welcome to use those, too. There are also some new toothbrushes down there, so feel free to grab one. The towels are in the closet across from the bathroom door.”

  “Really, I can take a shower?”

  She laughed a little. “Yeah, of course.”

  “Thank you so much, Addy. I really appreciate it.”

  “Sure, no problem.” She took the towel off of my shoulders and shook it out. “I’m going to throw this in the wash. Do you want me to do your clothes as well?”

  “That’d be awesome.”

  “Okay, just hand them out to me,” she said, heading into the house. I brought the chair in after dusting it off and set it back at the table. I followed her down the hall, and she shooed me straight into the bathroom and closed the door. I quickly undressed and passed my clothes out to her. I heard her start the washer, and I smiled widely. I was going to have freshly washed clothes.

  I opened the cabinet under the sink and found a bag of pink razors and some gel stuff she used to shave her legs with and started shaving my face. I was looking forward to seeing my own ugly mug again. She had done a really good job with my hair and trimming off my beard. It looked like I just hadn’t shaved for a weekend and had scruff.

  I finished shaving and washed out the sink, tossing the now dull razor into the trashcan. I grabbed a toothbrush and located her toothpaste, giving my teeth a good scrubbing. I smiled at myself in the mirror. I looked so much more like myself now with my beard shaved off and my hair cut short again.

  I looked for something to bathe with and smiled happily when I saw a bar of soap that had a neutral smell. I turned on the water and put my hand in, testing it. I sighed and relaxed, as the warm water ran over my body as I stepped in. It had been too long since I’d had a good hot shower. The shampoo was neutral as well. I could just kiss Addy for taking me in the way she had. I really hoped I could fix everything for her that needed fixing.

  It wasn’t until I’d turned off the water in the shower that I realized I had forgotten to get a towel. In fact, I didn’t even have my clothes with me, so I stood in the tub dripping wet, trying to figure out what to do. She said the towels were just across the hall. I hoped I could reach one.

  I peeked out the door, looking left and right, and then stretched an arm out to open the closet door. I was able to get it open, but reaching the towel was a little more difficult. I held onto the doorframe with one hand and reached out for the towel with the other. I was stretched across the hallway, my man package just barely concealed. Then the buzzer on the dryer went off.

  Addy stepped into the hallway, and her eyes went wide. I panicked and lost my balance, hitting the floor hard. To my surprise, she came running to me instead of away.

  “Oh, my heavens, Matthew, are you okay?” she asked, careful to only look at my face.

  We were both red-faced and uncomfortable. “Sorry, I forgot to get a towel.”

  She reached one down for me, and I quickly covered myself and got up. “I’m so very sorry about that. I swear I didn’t...”

  “Matthew, it’s fine, don’t worry about it. I’m the one who pushed you straight into the bathroom, before you had a chance to grab one.” She turned and opened the dryer. “Your clothes are done.”

  “Thank you,” I said, as she handed them to me.

  Embarrassed
, I slipped back into the bathroom and quickly got dressed. I looked the bathroom over and made sure it was just as clean as I had found it. When I came out, she was switching loads from the washer to the dryer again.

  “Thank you,” I said, as I ran the towel over my head, drying my hair.

  She smiled. “You know, you’re actually a really good-looking guy when you’re not all hairy. You clean up well.”

  I chuckled. “Thank you, I think.”

  She took the towel from me and threw it into the washer with some other clothes. “So, what are your plans for tomorrow?” she asked.

  “Well, I thought I’d try out some of the stuff I learned and get to work rewiring the house, if you don’t mind.”

  “That’d be great. Just be sure to come to the diner for lunch.”

  I nodded okay. “Thank you, Addy.”

  “You need to stop thanking me. I feel like I’m taking advantage of you, making you do so much work and only giving you food in return.”

  “A roof over my head, a hot shower and clean clothes is worth a lot to me. I think I’m getting the better end of the deal,” I said with a smile.

  “Thanks, Matthew,” she said, turning to go to bed.

  I curled up in the chair, thinking about Addy. She was sweet and kind, and she was really doing so much more for me than I was doing for her. I wished I could do more for her. I decided to do my best and make as much progress as possible for her tomorrow.

  I heard the washer ding, signaling it was finished, and I wondered if she would get up to put them in the dryer. I waited a moment and then got up and did it myself, folding her clothes from the dryer. I hoped she didn’t think I was a creeper. In my defense, there were no panties in that load.

  Of course, the load in the washer was a white one and had several pairs of panties and bras in it. I quickly tossed them in the dryer and started it, and then I went back to my bed. I smiled as I dozed off, warm, dry and fairly comfortable.

  Even if I couldn’t do anything financially for Addy, I would do all I could to help her out. She didn’t have to let me into her home, but she had, and for that I would eagerly show my gratitude, make myself useful and do my best not to be a burden on her.

  Chapter 5 – Gift Horses

  I woke up the next morning to the smell of oatmeal. I smiled, folding up my blankets, before I headed into the kitchen. “Good morning,” I said, and she turned around and smiled.

  “Morning, sleepyhead,” she giggled. She was looking at the top of my head with a smirk. I had forgotten that when my hair was short, it tended to stand on end in the morning.

  I tried to pat it down a little, and she just giggled more. “I have a brush in my bathroom drawer.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I have a comb in my pack with my other toiletries.”

  “Oh, you can put them in the bathroom. I don’t mind. The bottom drawer is empty, so you’re free to use it.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  I worked all morning and made sure all the outlets in her room worked, along with the hall lights and outlets. I hoped she would be pleased with my work. Instead of ripping out the whole wall, I only took out lined sections around where the wires had been ripped out and worked around the existing wall, using an old hanger to pull the wire through where I needed it. I had gotten quite a bit done and took a break to meet her for lunch. She snuck out to pick up her phone and GPS, and I headed back to the house to continue working.

  I had followed the books to the letter, but I realized once I was done that I didn’t have any lightbulbs. I ran to the gas station up the street. I didn’t have any cash, but they did have multiple bulbs in their bathroom light fixture. I took one out, and I promised myself when I got the chance that I would replace it. I hurried back to Addy’s and put the bulb in the hallway light fixture. It was the most basic, plain light fixture you could buy, but it worked.

  Addy came home a few minutes after I had put the bulb in.

  “Hey, Addy, come look!” I called and flipped on the switch when she came into view.

  She smiled widely. “That’s great!”

  “Yeah, I got all the sockets in the hall and your room hooked up, too. I haven’t done the sheetrock work yet, because an inspector has to come through and look at it, but at least they’re working.”

  “Thank you, Matthew. That’s just wonderful.”

  “Well, that’s what I’m here for. So, were you able to get your phone?”

  “Yes!” she held it up grinning. “I was able to get it and my GPS, without having to go on a date with Officer Nelson,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  She moved over to the stove and started warming up our dinner. I decided to help by setting the table.

  “So, Matthew, I was thinking maybe I should leave my phone with you. I have the diner’s number programmed in, so if you need something, you can call me at work. That way I can get ahold of you as well if something comes up.”

  “Okay?” I didn’t see why I would need a phone, but she passed me hers, anyway.

  “It also has unlimited minutes nationwide, if you want to call your family.”

  “Oh.” That was why. I just nodded in thanks.

  I ate quietly after that. If Addy wanted me to call my parents, I guess I could. My dad’s birthday was coming up soon.

  After dinner, she walked into the spare room and looked into the hole-filled walls. She frowned a little. “Matthew, do you think that’s termite damage?”

  I shrugged. I didn’t have a clue. She let out a sigh. “This whole wall is going to need to be replaced and treated with pesticides, so they don’t spread if it is. If I give you some money, could you drop me off at work and take the truck to the store to get some supplies?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  “Do you have a driver’s license?” she asked.

  I pulled out my wallet and handed it to her. She looked at it and smiled. “You were a cute kid.” It still had my eighteen-year-old picture on it.

  “Matthew Abraham Martin, not a bad name, and your birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks. It also looks like this expires then. You’ll be…” She was doing the math in her head, but I thought I would save her the trouble.

  “I’m twenty-four. I’ll be twenty-five.”

  “Huh…well, old man, I’m only twenty-three.”

  I chuckled, reaching for my ID. “Are you done making fun of me?”

  “For now,” she grinned. She walked over to where her work apron was hanging and pulled out a roll of money, which I assumed were her tips. She counted out forty dollars and handed it to me. It had been a while since I’d had so much cash in my hands.

  She pulled out her work notepad and pen and made a list of things we would need to fix the wall and kill the termites. “Just get what you can, and if you need more, I’ll give you more tomorrow.”

  I really hoped I wouldn’t need more tomorrow.

  The next morning was much like the rest, except I woke up earlier than usual. I headed for the bathroom and was shocked by what I saw. Addy was naked and reaching for the towel cabinet, much like I had done the day before. I gasped and quickly turned my back, but I had startled her, and I heard her hit the floor.

  “Addy, are you okay?” I asked, as I heard a groan. I focused on the towels and quickly grabbed her one, covering her and took another and tucked it under her hair. “Hey, are you alright?”

  “Yes, I just hit my stupid funny bone.”

  I helped her up off the floor, so she could hold onto her towel. It was then I noticed how soft and warm her skin was, and that it was a beautiful creamy pale color. She cleared her throat, and my eyes snapped up to her face, as I let go of her. “Sorry, I’ll just go wait in the kitchen,” I mumbled before running off.

  The gravity of the situation suddenly hit me, when I sat down at the table. I had seen her naked and in a tiny towel. I really hoped she wouldn’t kick me out for that. I honestly hadn’t meant to do it, and as soon as she walked into the kitchen, I told her so.

/>   “It’s alright, Matthew. I forgot my towel. It’s not as if I haven’t seen you naked. Now we’re even,” she said dismissively. I was so relieved. I really wanted to stay and help her.

  Once I dropped her off at work, I headed straight to the home improvement store. I knew they would be open early, so I figured I would get what I needed right away.

  I was able to get everything I needed and spoke with the lumber guy about how to replace a wall. It looked like I was going to have to make another trip to the library. I needed to make sure I wasn’t trying to remove what he called a load-bearing wall, and if I did, I would need to support it while I replaced it.

  I really didn’t want all of Addy’s hard work to go to waste, so once I dropped off her stuff in the shed, I went to the library. The librarian, Mary, seemed much nicer this time and even smiled at me, when I went to the section on construction. I grabbed a few books and then headed for a computer. I noticed there was a window already open. I looked around and didn’t see anyone.

  The website that was up as www.freecycle.com, and it was open to an ad for some animal tanks. I hit the back button, and it went to a different listing, and then a new one just popped up.

  “Evicted tenant. Free furniture, household stuff and clothes, all on the curb in front of 219 Mulberry Street, come and get it.”

  I stopped what I was doing and ran out to the truck. I knew Addy didn’t have money, but free she could afford.

  I was lucky to pull up just as another guy did, and he scoffed at the big old-fashioned, elaborately-carved bedframe and older queen-sized mattress set leaning over the curb. There were several bags with all kinds of women’s clothes, toiletries and stuff sitting beside it he had ignored. I lifted them up and found a big box of men’s clothes and things that looked like they might be my size, so I grabbed them and stuffed them into the cab and started loading the bed.

  Underneath the headboard and footboard was a few bags with some matching sheets, a bedspread and a bunch of bed pillows. Under that was a couple of boxes with a bunch of curtains and curtain rods, enough for the windows in the whole house, and another big bag full of odd and end bedding and blankets, another with table linens, towels, a nice shower curtain set, and some bathmats.