“Hey, girl, you okay?” An old black man standing by a trash can looked at me with wide eyes.
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“You homeless?” He looked at me knowingly.
“No.” I shook my head.
“Don’t let them boys up at the corner recruit you.” He reached into his pocket. “It ain’t the way. Don’t get in no strange cars.”
“I’m not going to get into any strange cars.”
“Them men be sick. Some of them look sane, but, girl, they be sick.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You too good a girl to become a prostitute.”
“I’m not going to become a prostitute, sir.” I wiped the tears from my eyes and tried not to laugh.
“Why you crying?” He handed me some gum. “You wanna piece?”
“No thanks.” I shook my head, but he kept his hand held out, so I took a piece. “Thank you.”
“It’s Juicy Fruit.” He grinned. “Juicy Fruit always makes you feel better.”
“Thank you.” I unwrapped the paper and started to chew it. The sweetness of the gum invaded my shroud of sadness and I started to feel a bit more like myself again.
“It’s a cold world out there.” He looked up and down the street. “Look around you, girl, all these people with all this money, but who’s really happy?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged and looked around me. People were walking quickly in their suits, looking important and just as lonely as me.
“Everyone got somewhere to go. Somewhere to be. Everyone’s in a hurry, but you know what? When they get home, there’s no one there waiting. There’s no one there caring. All that money, all that power, it don’t mean nothing in the end.”
“But people will do anything for money.” My voice cracked. “They’ll even kill people.”
“You got some loan sharks after you?” He frowned. “You got the Mafia on your tail?”
“Oh no, nothing like that.”
“Them people ain’t no good. They’ll kill you or cut off your hand to make an example of you.”
“I don’t have the Mafia after me.” I gave him a big smile and wiped my eyes. My tears had completely dried up.
“Your boyfriend just break up with you?”
“I don’t have a boyfriend.” I shook my head. “There’s a guy I like, but I don’t know . . .” Why did I say that?
“Let me give you some advice, girl. If he’s for you, if he loves you, he’ll show you. Don’t chase no man.”
“He kidnapped me.”
“He what?” His eyes widened again. “He don’t sound like the man for you.”
“It’s a long story.” I sighed. “I don’t even know what to believe anymore.”
“I’m going to give you some advice.” He came closer to me. “The truth is never what you expect. Go back to the beginning. Go sit somewhere quiet and think about everything. Look up at the stars or the moon and just think. The answers will come.”
“I don’t know if the answers will come just like that. This situation is complicated.” I wished it were that easy, but I was pretty sure I’d need to be high on mushrooms or something for the answers to come from the sky.
“Life is as complicated as we make it, child. You believe in God?”
“I don’t know.” I bit my lower lip, feeling guilty and ashamed. “I think so.”
“Girl, you go pray to God for some guidance and answers. He’ll put you on the right path.”
“Thank you, I’ll do that.” I smiled at him. “Thank you for talking to me. You’ve made me feel better.”
“We all in this together, girl.”
“Thank you.” I smiled at him again and turned to go down the street. “I really needed to talk to someone tonight.”
“Anytime, girl. I’m here every day.” He grinned and nodded toward the pile of clothes next to me. My heart caught as I realized he lived here. He lived in the street. He was homeless. “You need any money?” He pulled some dollars out of his pocket and handed them to me. “It’s not much, but it’s all I have.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t.” I was horrified and touched by his offer. “No, thank you, though. Thank you and God bless you.”
“We all got to look out for each other, girl.” He looked at me thoughtfully. “You ain’t never alone, remember that.”
“Thank you.” I gave him a quick hug. “Thank you. Sometimes I feel like I’m all by myself, but you’ve made me remember that I can’t just dwell on my sorrow and regrets.”
“It ain’t worth it.” His eyes crinkled at me. “Trust me, girl. It ain’t worth it.”
“You’ll have to tell me your story one day.”
“Henry.” He gave me a small bow.
“I’m Bianca, Henry.”
“Good to meet you, Miss Bianca.” He grinned. “Now you get you home before some not-so-nice guy tries to take advantage of your big brown eyes.”
“I’m going to come back.” I stared at him. “I’m going to come back to see you.” And bring you some money when I have it.
“I look forward to it.”
I walked back down the street away from Henry, feeling a different kind of sadness. For once, my thoughts weren’t on myself. For once, I was reminded that a whole big world was out there and I was still a part of it. The world didn’t revolve around the Bradley brothers and their drama. It didn’t even revolve around my father and his inventions or my mother’s death. I could move on and just forget about it. Only I knew I couldn’t. Not after everything. I needed answers. I needed to find Larry.