A week passed since the incident, and the hospital discharged Norman with the details of a refuge for recovering drug addicts. He politely accepted it, even though he had tried it and got beaten up the last time he was there, so wouldn't be trying that again...
The nurses waved him out of the ward, and then went back to their duties, leaving Jayden feel even more alone than he'd felt in months... He remembered that Carter had brought him in after he collapsed, but as for the rest of that day, he couldn't remember anything after that. As for the rest of the week, he hadn't had any visitors...
Noticing a pay-phone, he scrabbled in his pockets for his last twenty cents, and inserted them into the machine. Hands shaking, he typed in his parents' number, hoping they hadn't moved since he'd left. It rang for some time, and he was just about to give up and realise he'd wasted twenty cents for nothing. When a female voice answered the phone, one he knew well.
"Hello? Who is it?" Stunned, Norman paused a minute before he answered.
"H...Hi Mom."
"...Is that you, David?" Before he could answer, she carried on. "Oh, it is nice to hear from you! How are Anna and the kids?"
Kids? Norman slammed the phone down. Shit. Anna and David had children now?Shaking slightly, Jayden left the hospital. He needed to see his parents. So they'd said they'd never accept him back until he was straight... He could pretend, couldn't he? ...Could he? Fuck it, he needed to see them either way. But how was he going to get there?
Meanwhile, Blake was nearly at the Soup kitchen. He'd parked his car up a little while away, and was walking to the community centre. He'd toyed with the idea of visiting Norman, but had quickly shot that idea down, especially with the awkwardness he still felt after the last time he'd been at the hospital.
No, better to let sleeping dogs lie... Before he knew it, he was at the centre, but he was surprised to find someone already waiting outside. Must be a new customer, the rest don't normally arrive this early. Wait a minute, he looks familiar...
As the guy turned round, he noticed it was Jayden, looking considerably better than the last time he'd seen him. Fuck, I did not want to see him today. Not now... Carter thought, but Jayden was already coming over.
"Hey... I came early, so I could catch you before you opened. Can I ask you a favour? I mean, I know it's a bit soon to ask this but..."
"Spit it out, Norm." Carter snapped. Shit, is he asking me out?
Norman blinked. "Erm, okay... well basically I need a lift. It's not far, maybe about 20 minutes by car. But the doctors told me I need to rest up, not do too much. I'll understand if you don't want to, it's just... you're the only person I can turn to."
Carter realised that up until now he'd been holding his breath, and he let it out in a massive sigh. "Is that all? Yea, sure kid, I'll give you a lift. But you'll have to wait until I'm done at the soup kitchen. Come in and have something to eat if you want." Jayden nodded and went in, but he hadn't missed the look of relief on Blake's face after he'd asked for a lift.
Just what had Carter thought he was going to ask?