They climbed into Jamie’s car, and he drove them downtown and behind the building where a man stood out back. He was about seventy and tall, quite handsome in his own way. “George, this is Jamie,” Todd said, and he shook his hand while Todd held Kenny’s.
“I remember you from the store,” George said. “We delivered a few things to your house.”
“Yes, you did. I love them.” Jamie followed him inside and to a room off the basement where locked cages lined the walls.
George opened the one in question, and Todd began pulling out boxes. A few held clothes and household things. But more than once Todd grinned and hauled a box out to the trunk of the car, including a BB8 backpack that held some of Kenny’s toys, which got him excited. It was a real cross-section of things. They filled the trunk and half the backseat, emptying the small storagearea. Jamie wasn’t sure what they were going to do with all of it, but they’d figure it out.
“Thank you, George,” Todd told him, shaking his hand. Jamie thanked him for his time, and they headed out to the phone center. After way too much time and both of them keeping Kenny occupied, they left with a new SIM card and an active phone for Todd and relief that the ordeal was over. Sometimes people complicated things for no reason.
“I’m hungry,” Kenny said from the backseat.
“I think we all are. How about hotchee dogs?” Jamie offered and took them downtown to the Hamilton, where they served their own specific version of a chili dog with mustard, cheese, onions, and chili sauce. It was busy, but they found a table and got hotchees and some fries.
“I remember these from high school,” Todd said. “We used to come here and order them by the half dozen after a game.” He was excited. “The place hasn’t changed at all.”
“Nope.” In school, this had been somewhere he had avoided because all the jocks like Todd went here. He hadn’t wanted to borrow trouble, so he’d just stayed away. “Is it good?” he asked Kenny, who took a big bite and nodded.
“Yummy,” he answered around a mouthful. Todd helped Kenny with a napkin, and Jamie ate slowly, watching Kenny and Todd together. It was wonderful how closely Todd watched over Kenny and made sure he had what he needed. He was a good father and definitely put Kenny first.
By the time they were done eating, Kenny was wound up, and Jamie was tired. He had had a long day, and there was another in front of him. The end of the semester was always busy, but with Todd and Kenny, it was just that much more active. Not that he was complaining—it was just how things were.
Jamie drove them home and helped Todd unload most of the boxes into the garage. A few of them went into the house, like the toys they had found and a few boxes of clothes. The rest could wait for now.
Jamie was just about to close the garage door when a figure loomed in it.
“I’ve been trying to see my boy.”
Todd lifted Kenny into his arms, holding him tightly.
“You need to leave. You are on my property and must leave,” Jamie snapped. “If you’re on my property again, I’ll have you arrested for trespassing. Now, go. And don’t approach my house, use my walk, knock on the door, or anything else. You are not welcome here.” He glared at him but didn’t get too close. The smell wafting off him was enough to make Jamie gag. It wasn’t trash, but the scent of sickness and putrification, like an untended open wound. “Go!” He pulled out his phone and was ready to make a call when Charlie finally turned and limped away.
“I don’t know why he insists on acting this way,” Todd said, still holding Kenny close.
“Take him inside. I’m going to lock up back here and will be right behind you.” He closed the overhead door and went out the side door, locking that as well.
In the house, Todd sat at the table, his head in his hands. Thankfully, Kenny sat on the floor, going through the toys they had discovered. “That guy is nuts.”
“He’s sick,” Jamie said. “Did you smell him? He has open sores and is probably quite ill. I mean, physically ill.”
“Okay. But what do we do? He keeps coming back. Should Kenny and I leave? I don’t know where we’ll go, but maybe we should leave town.” Todd paled and just shook his head. “I thought I was on my way to rebuilding my life.”
“And you are. We need to be careful, but you can’t let a crazy person be in charge of your life. I can call the police and see if they can help.”
Todd began to shake. “No police. They aren’t good for people like me.”
Jamie took Todd’s hand. “You’ve already met one. Donald’s husband, Carter, the man who was here with him, is a police officer. Yeah, he’s a little uptight, but he’s a really good person, and if we talk to him, maybe he can help us and can get the issue you’re having on the record.” He squeezed Todd’s hand and waited for his answer.
“He was a policeman?” Todd asked. “He sure had the look.”
“I know. But he’s a good person, and he’ll listen.”
Todd sighed and finally nodded. “Okay. As long as it’s him and not some gung-ho homeless hater.” He continued shaking, and Jamie stood, putting his arms around him.
“Charlie is a kook, and he may think he has some sort of power, but he doesn’t. There are legal avenues that we can take, and Carter will know what they are… as long as you’re okay with talking to him.” This had to be up to Todd, even though he knew it was the right thing to do.
“Okay.” He still seemed nervous. “Will you be here?”
“I can stay or take Kenny to give you time to talk. Whatever you want.”
