Toronto Collection Volume 3 (Toronto Series #10-13)

by Heather Wardell

  I dug my phone out of my pocket and got it ready to shoot a video. "Good to go. I'll stand over there?"

  He nodded once, and I saw the man he'd become in his determined face.

  "You rock, Zack," I said softly. "See you in half an hour."

  He smiled, and he looked like a kid again. "Half an hour. And you don't suck too bad either."

  I laughed, hit the record button, and backed over to my chosen position so the camera would get a clear view as Zack turned his sign around and flashed its "Free Hugs" message to everyone around.

  The first person near him, a guy in his mid-twenties, said, "Nice one, little man," and grabbed Zack in a bear hug while slapping his back so hard I wondered if he'd end up bruised.

  "Thanks," Zack wheezed when he was released, and the guy grinned at him then walked toward me on his way down the street. I filmed him for a moment, because he looked happier than he had before and I thought Zack would like to see it, then returned my camera's attention to Zack.

  For the next fifteen minutes, Zack stood at the intersection turning his sign back and forth to catch the attention of as many people as possible. Some ignored him, staring at the ground or suddenly feeling the need to check their phones so they wouldn't make eye contact with him, but a surprisingly large number smiled and held out their arms for a hug. Most of those didn't say much after, but their smiles were bigger and brighter as they continued on with their days.

  I had noticed a small pack of teenage girls across the street watching Zack intently, and eventually they crossed the road to where he was standing. When they arrived, giggling ferociously, they jerked themselves away from Zack as if they were afraid he'd attack them and one said, "Lame," loud enough for me to hear.

  Zack's face tightened for a moment, then he gave his head a quick shake and turned his back on the girls to show his sign to other people.

  "You're so sweet, dear," an short older lady said before flashing a disgusted look at the girls. "I'd love a hug."

  Zack had to bend down to reach her, and she stretched up and wound her arms around his neck and said again, "So sweet," in a voice that sounded near tears.

  When they let each other go, she cleared her throat and said, "You're like my grandson. They moved away and I haven't seen him for four years, but you look like he used to. I hope he's as lovely now as you are."

  Zack, looking completely out of his element, smiled at her, and she smiled back and said, "Would you be able to take a break and help me across the street? There's a slippery patch right in the middle."

  "Of course," Zack said. "Let me just tell... my mom to come with us."

  My heart leapt weirdly in my chest. Nobody had ever called me that before and I'd come to accept that nobody ever would. Even though I knew he'd just said it to simplify things, I loved it. I hurried to his side and said, "I'm right behind you."

  The lady smiled at me. "Your son is wonderful."

  I smiled back. "Thank you. I quite like him."

  "As well you should," she said, then tucked her arm into Zack's and said, "Once the light changes, we'll be off."

  She occupied the half-minute until that happened by telling Zack even more about her grandson and how her son and his wife had divorced and the wife had taken the kids away, and I made 'how awful' sounds as appropriate and wondered whether Zack still saw his grandparents on both sides. Probably, given how friendly John and Tiff still were. I couldn't imagine either of them using Zack as a pawn.

  The light turned green and the lady said, "Onward, my friend," and she and Zack paced sedately across the road, giving the slippery part in the center a wide berth, while I walked behind with the camera. Once we all reached the opposite curb, she said, "May I have another hug, young man?"

  Zack nodded, and once that hug was done she said, "You're just lovely, dear," then smiled at me and walked away down the sidewalk.

  Zack stood silently watching her go for a few moments before turning sharply to me. "I think I've had enough. Can we do the other thing now?"

  I stopped the camera filming. "Of course." I wanted to ask if he was okay but I could tell by the tightness of his jaw that he wasn't. I wasn't sure whether it was the girls or the old lady who'd bothered him more and he clearly didn't want to discuss it so I said, "Did you decide where you want to go?"

  He stuffed his sign back into his coat. "Yup. Tim's. That cool?"

  I smiled, hoping I could help him relax. "For sure. Let's do it."

  We did. We went to the closest Tim Horton's and Zack bought ten five-dollar gift cards. He gave out the first one right after we left the coffee shop, handing it to a wild-haired man squatting over a subway grating to warm himself. The man's dirty face seemed to crack into a smile as if it hadn't borne that expression in a very long time and he murmured, "Thank you so much," in a rough voice. Zack smiled back and said, "You're welcome, sir. Have a good day."

  Even after we'd left the area I could still hear the gratitude, almost painful in its intensity, in the man's thanks to Zack, and maybe Zack could too because he said, "I think I want to hide the rest so people can just find them. Is that okay? And if I do talk to someone else I don't want to film it. Did you film that guy?"

  I shook my head. "Didn't get a chance." I was glad, actually, and I felt Zack was too. Something about that man made the idea of filming him seem wrong and exploitative. I hoped, desperately, that the coffee shop would allow him to come in and buy himself a hot drink or a little something to eat, and I was afraid they wouldn't given his appearance. I didn't want to suggest to Zack that his gift might have been wasted, though, so I just gave his shoulder a squeeze and said, "And as for hiding them or giving them out... buddy, it's your project. Of course it's okay."

  He didn't answer, too busy looking around him. "How about in there?" He pointed to one of Toronto's few remaining phone booths. "Let's go check it out."

  "I'll film this part, right?"

  "In a second."

  Surprised he didn't want a full record, I said, "Sure."

  We went over to the booth, and as we neared it he said softly, "You're, um, not mad I called you my mom, are you?"

  Touched that he was worried, I did my best to return his earlier 'if you think that you're an idiot' look. "No way. I can imagine worse kids to have than you. Not many, mind you, but some." We smiled at each other, and I added, "Besides, that was easier than explaining I'm the one who slaughters you at video games."

  He rolled his eyes and said, "As if," but he smiled at me again, then added, "Okay, you can start filming now."

  He hadn't wanted that question on his recording. I was glad he'd asked it, though, because I didn't want him thinking he'd bothered me when I'd loved it. "You got it," I said, then fired up the camera and recorded Zack as he balanced a gift card atop the booth's phone handset.

  We went on, and spent nearly a full hour hunting down the perfect places to secrete his other cards. Zack seemed happier with every completed drop-off, and when we were finished he insisted on buying a coffee for me and his dad along with a hot chocolate for himself to take home.

  We returned to the apartment in silence, but once we got there Zack seemed to be feeling more talkative because he told his dad nearly everything we'd done.

  Nearly. He glossed over the girls who'd made fun of him, saying only, "A few people thought it was weird," and he didn't mention the old lady or the homeless man at all.

  I considered pointing out that he'd left those stories out, but I knew he hadn't forgotten them so I decided it was up to him what he told or didn't.

  Once he'd finished everything, and John had finished asking questions, Zack drained the rest of his hot chocolate in one gulp and said, "Two people, though, really upset me."

  John frowned. "Well, some people are jerks. Nothing you can do about that."

  Zack looked outraged, but calmed himself quickly. "No, not like that." He stared down into his empty cup, shaking his head slowly. "They both seemed so..." He shrugged and shot me a sideways g
lance. "You tell him. You know who I mean."

  "Okay," I said, not sure how to do it, then described the two of them and Zack's interactions with them as best I could. Zack nodded throughout and added a few extra notes here and there, and when we'd finished John said, "Okay, but why did they upset you?"

  Zack busied himself with trying to unfold the rim of his paper cup to see if he'd won anything in Tim Horton's annual contest. Keeping his eyes on it, he said, "It felt... wrong somehow, bringing them into it. The lady misses her grandson so much, and I think that guy lives on the street right there by that subway grating. I just did it to have some fun and because my teacher told us to, but it meant a lot more to them and I..." He shrugged again and crumpled the cup which was clearly not a winner. "Yeah. Anyhow."

  We sat in silence for a long moment, then I said, "I think I might know how you feel. That ceremony at the shelter... I was really glad I could help them, but watching them be grateful felt kind of icky. I could have done so much more for them and they were so grateful for what I did do. But I know I could have done lots more. And I think," I added, realizing it as I spoke, "that's what's stopping me from doing the coffee buying. I have so so so much and I'm giving away a few bucks? Feels wrong."

  Zack nodded fiercely. "I felt, like, like a king or something. Handing a stupid little coin to a peasant when I have a billion of them at home in my palace. I liked hiding the cards much more."

  John considered this, then said, "But you know the guy needed the help. You don't know who's going to pick up the cards you hid. Could be a millionaire."

  "Or a multi-millionaire," Zack said, nudging me.

  I smiled. "Didn't I tell you? I'm going back later to pick them all up."

  We chuckled, and John said, "But it is true that you don't know who'll get them. Do you not like knowing that guy got one?"

  "I do," Zack said slowly. "But I wish I hadn't had to see him get it."

  John still looked confused but I understood. "There's something nice about imagining who's going to get whatever gift you've left, isn't there? I always felt like that paying for people at the drive-thru. Even though it might not be 'the right person'," I said, making quotation marks with my fingers, "it'll be the right one because they happen to be the one who found it. And you didn't--"

  "Didn't choose," Zack burst out, cutting me off. "That's what it is. I feel like I shouldn't get to choose. Who put me in charge anyhow?"

  I smiled at him. "It was your project so you were in charge. But I'm with you. I think I like doing anonymous good things much more than putting my name on them."

  "Saint Angela," Zack said, grinning.

  "Demon Zack," I returned.

  He made what was probably supposed to be a demonic face.

  John said, "Well, I'm glad you guys had fun." He smiled at me. "He behaved himself, I hope?"

  Zack protested and I said, "He made me proud," then realized how much I meant it. I reached over and squeezed Zack's shoulder. "You really did," I said to him then turned to John and added, "I'll go out and give his money away again any time he wants."

  We all laughed, and Zack said, "Same to you."

  John looked like he wanted to tell Zack not to lay claim to my money but he obviously knew we were joking so he just said, "And I get why it felt awkward but I do have to say I'm glad Zack was able to help those two. Sounds like they needed it."

  Zack and I nodded, and we went on to talk about how much better John was feeling after spending nearly the whole time we were gone napping, but I felt sure the kid and I were both thinking the same thing.

  The next time we wanted to give away some money, we'd make sure nobody saw us do it. Letting the universe take charge of who received our gifts felt much better.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  "And how did you two meet?"

  Lacey leaned into John and gave Shane a sly smile. "I'm not sure we can tell this story in front of Zack."

  "I'm not listening," Zack said at once, then muttered, "Trust me," under his breath.

  Shane smiled. "I'm sure you can make it a little less X-rated, can't you?"

  She giggled, and I wished for the thousandth time since we'd all arrived at the restaurant that she hadn't invited us out "so we can all get to know each other" or that I had been able to quickly come up with a reason Shane and I couldn't go. I didn't like what I knew of Lacey and I didn't want to know her any better than I already did.

  I didn't think John and Shane were going to be best buddies either, since John had clearly been shocked when he and Lacey bumped into me and Shane a few days back and he realized Shane was the one who'd until recently been suing me. He'd been polite, but cool, and Shane had picked that up and was acting the same way. Lacey was responding to the tension by being extra flirty, and I was having trouble thinking of anything to contribute to the conversation.

  Only Zack was his normal cute self.

  Lacey said, "Well, here's how it happened," and launched into a complicated tale of going to a speed dating session with a friend and meeting nobody of interest and then bailing out in disgust only to run into John on the steps of the bar where the session had been held. "He was going to go but chickened out," she said, smiling at John and stroking his arm in an annoying fashion. "Isn't that cute?"

  John drew his arm away and Shane said, "Sure, but it's not X-rated."

  She laughed. "It was later on that was--"

  John reached over and laid his finger against her lips. "I think that's enough, thanks."

  "More than," Zack mumbled. I had to agree.

  Lacey caught John's wrist and pushed a smacking kiss against his palm. He withdrew his hand, and once her mouth was free she said, "Okay, fine. How about you two? You were dating before, right, ages ago?"

  We both nodded, and Shane said, "My soon-to-be-ex-wife tried to get her hands on Angela's money through me but that was so she could make a few bucks off divorcing me."

  "A few bucks?" Lacey smiled at me. "I hear you're worth a little more than that."

  "I got lucky," I said, feeling uncomfortable and hoping I could shut her down.

  No such luck. "That's for sure." She shook her head. "I've been buying lottery tickets since I was eighteen--"

  "Eight hundred years ago," Zack murmured, but not as quietly as he'd probably intended.

  "Zack!"

  He looked up, startled, to see his dad glaring at him. "Sorry. Four hundred?"

  Lacey laughed, but it sounded strained. "To someone as young as you, everyone looks old. No, I'm only thirty-four."

  Had her slight emphasis on the word "I'm" been intended to point out that I was older than she was? Why on earth would that matter? John and Shane were both in their early forties so I was younger than both of them even if not as young as her.

  "Anyhow," she said, "I've been buying tickets for quite a while and I've never won anything. Not even ten bucks. It must be so nice to be able to give away so much money to your friends and family." She smiled at me. "At least, that's what I would do with it."

  I made myself smile back. "I've done a bit." Like at my meeting the day before with Mia's young friend Leonora, who'd impressed me so much that I'd offered to pay for all of her living expenses throughout her entire education. She had struggled with accepting my gift but had eventually agreed, and the glow from helping someone so deserving still warmed me. "And I'll do more too. But not until June."

  "Why, what happens in June?"

  "It'll have been six months since the win. Tiff advised me to keep the principal until then so I'd be sure how I wanted to disburse it."

  She shook her head. "But aren't you sure now? I mean, of course you want to help people you know." She nudged John. "Like this lovely guy."

  "She's helped me plenty," John said firmly. "The video game system, the ski trip, EdgeWalk..."

  Lacey gave a mock shudder. "I still can't believe you did that. You couldn't pay me enough to go up and walk around the top of the CN Tower."

  "Me either. You didn't a
ctually do it, Angela, right? John went alone?"

  I turned to Shane, surprised. "Of course I did it. We had a great time. It was amazing. You really wouldn't do it?" He'd been so adventurous before.

  "Not a chance. I guess I got all my wildness out in the two months Liz and I spent traveling after our wedding."

  He'd only contained two months' worth of wildness? I'd spent the last nine years envisioning him on his sailing boats and touring the world and doing all the wild and crazy things that he'd wanted to do instead of marrying me, and he'd had it all out of his system that fast?

  "The Tower was enough wildness for me," John said, "but it was great. And if Tiff says to wait on spending the principal then that's the right thing to do."

  Lacey gave me a 'here he goes again' look. "It's always about Tiff, isn't it? I've never heard him say a mean word about her."

  "My mom," Zack said quietly before anyone else could speak.

  Lacey blinked. "Pardon?"

  "Tiff is my mother."

  She raised her eyebrows. "Of course. I know that."

  "Okay," he said in the same level tone. "Just wanted to make sure."

  An awkward silence fell, and into it Lacey said the worst possible thing. "John, did you ask Angela about that loan?"

  He gave his head a single sharp shake, but it didn't put her off. "Okay," she said to me, "I want to go on a last-minute cruise next week but John doesn't have the--"

  "Don't bother her," John said sharply.

  Lacey gave me a smile with more teeth than the average shark could muster up. "It's no bother, is it? Only a couple grand, which for you is--"

  "I said before," John hissed, his neck blotching red, "that I would not ask her. Why are you doing this?"

  She looked hurt and confused. "You seemed to like the cruise idea when I brought it up yesterday. We can go away together since Zack's going to Florida with his mom for March Break, and then I'll stay at your place with Zack that Sunday night while you go to work. Don't you want a trip with me?"

  John shifted in his chair, a 'shoot me now' expression on his face. "It's not about that. Look, can we please drop this? I really don't want to talk about it now."