Chapter Five
Really?” Molson looked at her in surprise. “It ain’t been much of a date. No dinner, no fancy flowers or nothing.”
“I like this better,” Holly admitted. “I feel like I got to know more about you tonight then the entire time I’ve known you.”
“Is that a good thing?” he asked.
“Very,” Holly reached up, lightly giving him a kiss. She could admit to herself that she could slip into love with Molson after tonight. He’d shown how caring he was. How dedicated to helping others he could be. He was an amazing person.
“You do realize what this means,” Molson murmured.
“What?” Holly questioned.
“You kissed me. That means I’m free to touch and kiss you again,” he gave a lazy smile.
“It does,” Holly agreed. “However, not tonight. My feet are asking for an Epsom bath soaking. We need to get this done.”
“Only two more stops,” Molson promised.
“Good,” Holly started dragging her cart again. They went in at an apartment building. It was dank and not all the lights were working. Molson knocked on a door. So far, all their stops had been out of doors. Holly didn’t like the unsafe feeling the apartment hallway gave off as people lounged in their doorways, watching them.
At the second knock, a mousy little man opened the door. “Ah, Molson.”
“Hey Chi,” Molson greeted him. They entered into the apartment, which was little more than a studio apartment without any furniture. There were sleeping bags and blankets all over the floor. Twelve people crowded into the room, some of them playing a game in a corner.
Chi bowed to Holly.
“Hi,” Holly gave him a nervous smile, glad to be out of the hallway but overwhelmed by the smell of something cooking on the stove.
“No food,” Molson told Holly as Chi solemnly watched her. “His pride won’t let the family take it.”
“They look very thin,” Holly observed.
“We respect their custom,” Molson was approached by a little boy. He crouched down. “Hey Tud.”
“Hey Molson,” the little boy said back, carefully enunciating.
Molson was allowed to check the children. He mimed what they were supposed to do with any ointments or medications. He gave diabetic supplies to one of the teenage girls.
“Are they legal?” Holly asked quietly as they left the apartment building again.
“Who knows?” Molson responded. “Two years ago, Chi brought Kola to me. She’s the diabetic girl. They hadn’t known she had diabetes. His family was kicked out of their community because Chi had chosen outside medical advice rather than let the local shaman deal with it.”
“Shaman?” Holly said disbelievingly. “You’re kidding?”
“Nope,” Molson was serious. “Chi’s family believes in tradition and hokey magic. It’s still sometimes a struggle to get them to understand that she’s not ever going to be cured.”
“Do all of them live in that apartment together?” she wondered.
“Yup.”
They handed out the last of the food at a small park that had seen much better days. Holly saw a group of kids hanging out near the basketball court.
“Don’t look,” Molson advised her. “They’re dealing. The less you see, the better.”
“They’re just kids,” Holly frowned.
“Yup,” Molson didn’t like it either. “And they ain’t no good. Don’t look, don’t talk to them. They got a reputation for bad things.”
