Guardian

VII.

She stepped out into the hallway and was ready to pull the door closed when she saw him sitting there propped up next to the door fast asleep. First thought was that he wasn't giving her the time she asked for. She knelt down next to him. He looked venerable. She touched, shook him a bit to wake him.

"Ian." She whispered. He stirred, opening those blues eyes of his and moving slightly.

"Ian, why are you out here?" She asked, trying not to show any agitation.

He looked at her then looked down, avoiding her face.

"I had no where to go. No where."

"No where?" She asked in surprise.

"I gave up everything to stay with you. I'm homeless. What you see here, that's all I am, all I have. It was too cold to stay outside so I didn't know where to go."

She felt embarrassed and somewhat put in her place. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You wanted time, you said you needed time to think about all of this. I couldn't."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were homeless. I didn't know. I wouldn't have sent you out into the cold." tears were streaming down her face. "Come on into the apartment. Let's get you some coffee and something to eat," she said.

He got up off the floor and followed her into the apartment. He looked around nervously then sat down in the chair, while she went to get some coffee and a muffin or two.

She sat it on the coffee table in front of the couch and mentioned for him to come get it. He slowly rose and came over, sitting on the couch with her. She drank her second cup of coffee while he drank his and hungrily ate the muffins. She wondered how long he had been hungry. She went to the kitchen and brought him another muffin which he also quickly ate.

"So what do we do with you now?" She asked, forgetting she was saying it out loud.

"I need to get a job somewhere," he answered, taking another sip of the coffee.

"Anything special you're qualified for?"

"As an angel, yes. As just plain old me, not really."

"Oh." She said, wishing the angel word hadn't been spoken.

She went and grabbed the paper and they looked through the want ads. The market wanted stockers. At least it was something until he could do better.

He would also need somewhere to live. It was too cold for him to be on the streets and he needed an address to apply for the job. She sat silently, thinking for a few minutes. She couldn't believe what she was thinking or what she was about to say.

"I have a bedroom that I don't use right now, and I figure it's okay to take in a roommate who's down on his luck. A roommate."

" Are you sure you're ready to do that, I mean with the way you feel about things?"

"You need a place to stay. I'm not letting you be hungry and on the streets. Someone saved my life once, I'm playing it forward."

He smiled at her. He was so handsome when he smiled. She also knew he would need some clothes, the thrift store in town could take care of the cheap. So they had the day planned out. It was going to be an interesting day. She was glad she hadn't put a time on when she'd be at the real estate office. She knew she'd better go though, they had a lot to accomplish.

He was going to the market to try and get the job while she went to sign the final papers. Then they would meet at the bus stop and proceed from there. She wished him luck as they each went on their way.