Seraph

80

"Yes, please. Thank you, Colleen," Serafina smiled back. She turned to the homeless man, "Burger, fries, and a Coke alright for you?"

"Yes, thank you," he nodded quickly.

"You got it," she noted in her notepad and went back to place the order with the cook.

"I'm Serafina Hart. Who are you, and why can't you find a job? You look reasonably healthy. Are you lazy? Crazy? I'm curious," she asked.

He was silent for a moment, "I'm Malcolm. I used to be in the Navy but was honorably discharged after I was injured in the line of duty. I didn't do too well when I came back stateside." He couldn't help fidgeting, "I, uh, was going to stay with my girlfriend when I returned. I paid for her school, but I found out she was cheating. I found out the hard way. I don't have a family. I didn't have a backup place to go."

Serafina was listening. She couldn't believe the bad luck of this young man. The food was soon served along with her coffee. He looked at her as though waiting for permission. She nodded while pretending to take a sip of coffee, and he immediately dug into his food.

While eating, he told her about his trouble with the V.A. and homeless shelters. He didn't have any specialty training that could transition well to civilian life, so he was also having trouble finding work because of that. He explained how he had moved to Seattle to be with his girlfriend while she was attending college. But otherwise, he had no ties to Washington at all. He was trying to find a place to stay when fleeing from that heartbreak and found himself in Forks.

"Now, I'm curious," Serafina began. She looked up at him once he was done and continued, "Do you want to settle here? Or are you pretty set on New Mexico?"

"I want out. This small-town living is not for me. Plus, my old commanding officer said he could help me with a job and place to stay until I could get back on my feet. I only need to get there. I feel like it's asking too much to ask him to front the cash for me to get there, too," he said with embarrassment.

"I can help you with the funds you need. But do you have anything of value? I don't just go around giving my money to strangers," Serafina grinned. He looked at his plate of food and then looked back up at her with apparent questions in his eyes, "I was taught never to turn away someone asking for food." She responded to his unspoken question.

A small smile tugged at his lips, "I can take you to my car. Everything I own is in it. You can see if you like anything," he shrugged.

Serafina paid for their food, and the two left and walked to a back alley around the corner. This was where his car sat, overstuffed with his belongings. He unlocked it and popped open the trunk. He had several bags of clothes and a few boxes of random odds and ends that she was immediately drawn to.

"May I?" she asked. He nodded his approval. She went straight for a box that practically called out to her. Inside were random stones and crystals. She raised her brow in question to him.

"My great-great-grandfather was a nerd. I think a geologist? He collected rocks and crystals even when he was back in his home country," he laughed.