third time to make sure nothing was slipping out. Wallet deep in his front pocket. Phone zipped in the inside flap of his jacket.

to let himself g

ike he was watching everyone out the corner of

-but it paid better. One of the regulars at his last job had menti

. But in a place like this,

his first payment-cash in hand. Not a lot, b

e now-familiar scen

n landmark at the edge of a busy intersection. The smoke curled a

and raised an eye

s time I properly paid for

he money before

at the notes in her han

d. "I don't like feel

ubbornness and surprise-before she took the c

and leaned on the

to the plastic bowl of noodles beside

igging in. "You know, people

ering to do

I get fre

her eyes.

a moment, but it wasn'

id, "See? I'm not a

ys, then gave a short la

han being

n, it becam

times, they'd trade a few words or a joke. Mei never admitted she looked

ised hands. He asked if she ever took a break. She pre

deep. But

y work and a hot meal most evenings. Still, he was saving-hoping for a place of his own.

eavy clouds rolled in fast, darker than the streetlights that blin

the first drops had already

halfway down the blo

through his jacket in seconds. Water pooled in the gutters

corner and s

ough-the rain was coming at an angle, driving sideways into her setup. She was trying to hold

houted when

h the flood forming on the street and

ing the edge of the ta

ground. She shoved skewers into a lidded container and wiped off the grill with a rag. Th

ost of it saved. Not p

shaky cover, soaked

ead with the back o

dripping.

eet. "It wouldn't be nice of

The rain hadn't slowed.

he said, though he d

arguing with herself more than

nked.

ooking the cart wheels. "You can crash at m

't drea

ard look, but he

alley near her building. Mei unlocked a side door tucked b

shed to one side. A cracked window above a small table.

much. But

ay, water dripping fro

latly. "But you'

e, water drippin

a towel. "You c

ank

e he dried off. When she came back out, he was sit

m a bowl of i

inute." he said, half-laughing. "G

. Don't rea

led. "

he window. Water dripped from the corners

his time, the quiet felt heavier-b

took the bowls and rins

behind his head. "Not bad for

you snore, I'm throwin

nned.

ed off t

om wen

kept falling, st

aid softly, "Thank

respond r

rust. Just didn't feel like dr

e wasn't col

the dark. "Go

at p

night