Song: "Take Me Home" by Phil Collins

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After my impromptu coffee stop, I hurried home as it was getting dark. I opened the front door to my building and my phone rang. "Hello?" I answered, climbing the stairs and fishing my key from my pocket, all the while holding the phone between my ear and my shoulder. 

"Hey, honey, it's Dad. The boys and I just dropped the donations off at the new homeless shelter and we were wondering if you wanted to grab a bite."

"I just walked in the door and I'm not really up for going out again. Would you mind picking something up and you can come to my place?" 

"Sounds like a plan," Dad answered. "We're in Mexicantown right now. How about some chimichangas?" 

"Perfect." 

Dad and my brothers arrived within the half hour. I had changed out of my work clothes to some yoga pants and my over-sized Wayne State University sweatshirt. As soon as I heard the knock, I rushed to the door to let them in.

Sean came in first, followed by Collin, and dad brought up the rear with bags of food in his hand. "Ugh, you're not a Packers fan, are you?" Collin asked, wrinkling his nose at my green and gold attire. 

"Can't you read?" I teased. "I went to Wayne State for four years and you never noticed they have the same colors as the Packers?"

Collin looked unconvinced, which I didn't understand since I was wearing the evidence. I brought dishes to the table along with a pitcher of ice water and a few cans of LaCroix. 

"Who's gonna win this weekend?" I asked since the Lions were actually playing the Packers at Ford Field on Sunday, mere blocks away from my apartment. I didn't follow football too closely but the rest of my family did. I had been to a few games with them - they were all hardcore Lions fans - and I had spent countless hours in front of the TV with them on Sundays, watching every single game throughout the season. I usually caught up on homework and only half paid attention to the games, but it was a nice way for all of us to be together.

"I'd like to say the Lions," Dad said, taking the answer from Collin's mouth. "But to be honest, I don't think they're going to hold up against the Pack." 

"Well, good luck with that," I teased as we sat down and began our Mexican feast. 

"I talked to the director at the shelter, and he said they're hoping to open November 1," Dad informed me. "They're starting with 200 beds and hoping to add more after the first of the year."

"That's great," I enthused. 

"Does your friend still need a place to stay?" He asked.

"I don't really know," I hedged. "I don't know him that well yet. Do you think it would be rude to come right out and ask?"

"Depends," he said. "He could take it as a caring gesture on your part or I suppose he could take offense."

"Yeah, if someone asked me if I was homeless, based solely on my appearance, I might be insulted," I agreed.

"But it's not just on his appearance, right?" Dad remembered. "You said he's been there all day, every day. That seems to indicate that he doesn't have a permanent place to stay."

"True. I had coffee with him after work and I asked where he lived. He was kind of vague about it."

"You went on a date with a homeless guy?" Collin was incredulous. 

I shook my head in exasperation. "Since when is a cup of coffee a date?"

"Since he's a guy and you're a girl," Sean pitched in.

"How did that happen?" Collin wondered. "Did you ask him to go out?"

"No, I didn't ask him anything," I muttered. "I've brought him breakfast a few times in the morning because he's almost always there. After work today, he found me and said he wanted to treat me to a cup of coffee as a thank you. That's it."

"You brought him breakfast," Sean repeated. "You like this guy or what?"

In an irritated voice, I asked my father, "Am I the only one who thinks that it's possible to be nice to someone without liking him that way?" 

"No, of course not. Your brothers are just being a bit boorish," he said by way of warning them to shut up. He turned to them and added, "Your sister has a very generous heart. Just because she's been helping this man out doesn't mean she has any other interest in him." Turning back to me, he said, "I got the impression that he was an older man anyway, right?"

"No, surprisingly. I think he's young, maybe in his late 20's or early 30's. It's hard to tell because he had a scruffy beard and matted hair. Until this week, that is. He showed up on Monday clean-shaven and looking a little neater. Oh, and he's British."

"What does that have to do with it?" Collin asked.

"Nothing, really. It's just interesting, that's all," I said.

"Well, if a guy shaves for you, that means he's really into you," Collin remarked.

"Would you just shut up?" I said with a laugh.

Thursday started off like every other Thursday. I took advantage of my late start to sleep in, but I couldn't wait to get to work. I wanted to see if Harry was there. I didn't even know for sure that he was homeless, but I wanted to find out without looking like a clod so I could tell him about the new shelter.

When I reported for work at 11:30 instead of noon, Gabby snidely said, "You're early. Is that because your boyfriend is here again?" Strange how the words coming out of her mouth didn't match the tone of her voice, which was flat and uninterested as usual.

"He's here?" I asked casually. "How would I know that when I just arrived?" 

"I saw him come in earlier. And I saw you two walking down the street after work, so I made my own assumptions."

"Well, he's definitely not my boyfriend," I huffed. "I only learned his name yesterday, when we were standing right here in front of you. And he offered to buy me a cup of coffee to thank me for bringing him breakfast."

"Coffee, huh?" She asked.

"Yes," I replied with a hint of indignation. "Coffee. And that's all. You sound like my brothers. They were all over me last night, giving me a hard time about having coffee with him."

"Just don't get too distracted from your job," she said, and if I wasn't mistaken, I could have sworn that a sly little smile appeared on her face. Geez, what was it with people and their automatic assumptions about a man and a woman having coffee together?

Since we had crossed the threshold from strangers to friends - or at least friendly acquaintances - I decided to go up and say hello to Harry.

He was in his usual place, but he heard me approaching and looked up with just the hint of a smile. "Good morning," he said quietly with the same hint of a smile on his face.

"Good morning and almost-afternoon," I replied. "How are you today?" 

"Doing all right, thank you," he nodded. 

"Thanks again for coffee last night. I just wanted you to know that I'm available if you need anything. Not just from the library, but I mean, if you need...help." This was so awkward, I didn't really know how to say what I wanted to say. "Like if you need help with food or um, money? I'd be happy to help out." I paused again as humiliation set into my cheeks. 

He cocked his head; his curiosity was clear by the look on his face. "No, I'm good thanks. Why would I need money?" He asked, and his tone held a hint of amusement.

Oh, Lord, what did I just do? "It, uh, just doesn't seem like you have much of anything," I answered. My voice was getting hoarse and my face was burning. 

"Listen, Regan," he said, standing up to face me, wearing a kind smile across his face. "You're one of the most compassionate people I've ever met, but I assure you, I'm all right. I like that you want to help, but I'm fine; I don't need anything really. I'm just working through some things."

"Oh." My response was abrupt and so was my exit from the third floor.

Kami and I were the last ones on the shift tonight. She asked if she could do a closing sweep and leave a little early since she had plans with her friends. I told her it was fine. It was a well-known fact among the college population that the weekend started on Thursday night, with most students avoiding Friday classes like the plague.

It was nearing ten o'clock, so I started shutting the lights off and getting ready to lock up. I approached the heavy front doors with the master key. I was just about to turn it and lock the handle in place when I felt it being tugged away from me.

I looked and found myself face to face with a hulking man who was clearly intoxicated. "Sir, the library is closed. We'll open again at 8:00 tomorrow morning."

"Libary, huh? Well, thennn Inneeed a book," he slurred.

"I told you we're closed," I said firmly. "We will open again at 8:00 tomorrow."

"Just nnneed a place to rest," he breathed, making me gag on the stench of his breath.

"I'm sorry, sir, you can't rest here. I need to lock this door now."

He looked at my face for the first time, his bloodshot eyes meeting mine and then traveling down my body and back up. "You're a pretty girl. Wanna come tha bar withme?" He reached for me and grabbed hold of my arm with a surprisingly strong grip.

"Please let go of me," I demanded with a shout, trying not to give away the fact that I was growing more afraid by the second. I frantically dug into my pocket with my free hand and pulled out my phone, ready to call the police.

"Who ya calling?" He grabbed my wrist and squeezed so hard that the phone went crashing to the floor. He pushed himself all the way inside the front door, letting it close with a heavy thunk behind him. Panicking, I tried to yank myself out of his grip, which I thought would be easy since he was so drunk. But I couldn't extricate myself from his meaty fingers.

I was starting to lose it, but I knew I had to keep my wits about me. It didn't seem so hard,get myself free and either shove the man out so I could lock up, or flee to the basement through the stairwell; I knew there was an emergency exit down there.

Once again, I yanked with all my might and fell free, my backside hitting the floor hard.

"Hey!" I heard a yell and it wasn't coming from the drunk.

It was Harry and he was by my side in seconds. Kami must not have seen him when she checked the floors. After a brief scuffle with the drunken man, he managed to push him outside and then instructed, "Give me the key." I handed it over and he had the door locked within a matter of seconds.

He turned swiftly towards me and lifted me off the ground with strength that I didn't expect from him. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" He asked with a clearly alarmed expression on his face.

I just stared in disbelief at him and then at the drunken man who was now pounding on the door. Two police cars pulled up at the same time. Both officers jumped out and approached the drunk with caution. He made a pathetic attempt to flee, but the officers took him down and into custody. I looked back in question at my savior.

"I called the cops when I heard you yelling," he explained.

I nodded with wide eyes, words still not forming in my mouth. Everything had happened so fast. I had never been so thankful for a stranger or the Detroit Police Department before.

After the drunken man was secured in a police car and driven away, Harry unlocked the door for the two remaining police officers. After I had answered all of their questions about the incident, I locked up again and just stood there in front of the door. Frozen. 

"Regan? You all right?" Harry asked.

I nodded although I was still in a daze. "I just have to hit the lights and set the alarm system," I explained. I went through the motions and then grabbed my purse, coat, and scarf. Harry stayed put until I was ready to walk out the door. He handed me my phone, which he had picked up off the floor. I had completely forgotten about it. The case was cracked, but luckily the phone was still intact.

"Can I give you a ride home?" He offered. "You seem kind of shaken up."

I blinked a few times as if that would help me to clear my head. Then I looked up at his kind face and responded, "Yes, that would be nice. Thank you." 

I allowed him to guide me to the only vehicle left in the parking lot, a fairly new forest green Subaru Outback. 

"That's a great color," I commented.

"Thanks," he said. "My...wife...picked it out."

I froze again. His wife? 

"She won't mind that you're giving me a ride home, will she? I just think it might not be-"

He cut me off and said, "She's dead."

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Now you know a little more about Harry.

Thanks for all your reads and comments so far! xoxo