If I Can't Have You || (N.M.)

Chapter 15

"So... these are your guys?"

West told us that he knew gangsters. Hardcore gangsters. People who would tear Calvin limb from limb if we let them.

I should have known better.

"Well you guys wouldn't have come if told you they were a bunch of homeless people," West pointed out as though his case for lying was so obvious and completely justifiable. "Now come on so you can meet everybody."

West wheeled himself forward with enthusiasm toward his brethren while Nate and I dragged our feet behind him in frustration.

We were at a two-story church that housed and fed the homeless on its bottom floor while above was where the services were held. The downstairs area was spacious with a kitchen, a dining area, recreational space, and five doors along one wall, one of which led into a bathroom while the rest led into rooms with two sets of bunk beds each.

West was leading us toward the dining table where a group of men and women sat playing cards and laughing, not paying us too much mind until West pulled up and rapped his knuckles against the surface of the table.

"Attention everyone," he announced in a mockingly regal voice, "I have brought guests!"

The table remained silent. Nate just blinked while I shifted awkwardly with Mir in my arms.

"And they brought wings!"

An eruption of cheers ensued.

"Well why didn't you just say so," said a lady with a big grin on her face. Her smile wasn't toothless like West's. It was actually quite gorgeous. With her platinum blonde hair and her red nails, she looked like she could have been a beauty queen if it weren't for her wrinkles and baggy clothes. "The name's Janet." She extended a dainty hand to me and I shook it.

"Did somebody say wings?"

The voice was from another woman who was just exiting the kitchen. She a wore a blue apron around her wide waist and struggled to walk over to us as five small children surrounded her, holding onto her clothes.

"Guess I was in there making soup for nothing," she said as she wiped her hands on her apron with a smile.

"Aw, Momma you know we'll still eat your soup," said a man sitting at the card table wearing a huge camo jacket. He winked at her before turning back to the game.

"Oh stop that Hodge." The woman called Momma rolled her eyes then directed her attention back toward us.

"Hey y'all, welcome to our church. Everybody here just calls me Momma."

"Momma!" Mir repeated.

"That's right baby girl!" She laughed and tickled Mir's toes that were hanging out of her pink princess sandals. "And what you they call you?"

"Her name is Miracle," Nate answered for her, "Mir for short."

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful little girl," Momma complimented. "Looking just like her mother."

It took me a second to realize that Momma was referring to me when she said mother. Once I did, I quickly shook my head, "Oh I'm not..."

I was about to clarify but then I decided that a simple thank you would suffice. On top of not feeling like explaining, I also wasn't quite sure what to explain. I wasn't even Mir's stepmother let alone her mother... Or was I?

Just then one of the boys who was at Momma's feet swooped in and saved me from anymore awkwardness.

"My name is Jude," he said with a finger in his mouth. "I'm four years old."

"Why hello Jude, I'm Sandra."

"And this is Nate," West said as he wheeled himself back toward us and away from the table. "I see you two have met Momma. She does most of the cooking around here."

"And I watch the babies," she added.

Homeless babies. The thought made my stomach hurt.

"What brings you guys here anyways?" Momma asked.

"We're trying to-"

"They're here for the Friday evening service." West interrupted Nate's explanation.

"We are?" I asked obliviously, then I caught West's expression. "Oh! I mean, we are! We're really excited!" I lied.

"Well we're excited to have you!" Momma clapped her hands together in joy. "We still have plenty of time before it starts though, so let's eat!"

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As we all sat and ate I was almost too engulfed in consuming Momma's delicious soup to take note of all the introductions.

I knew there was Janet who actually had been a beauty queen once before but had unfortunately gotten into drugs. Then there was Hodge, an army vet who liked to flirt with pretty much everyone (Nate had taken to giving him the evil eye). There was Jenkins who'd been in an accident that damaged his brain and left him with a speech impediment and also Ed who walked with a cane and appeared to be West's best friend.

Most of the kids there were with their mothers but there was one dad who held on tight to his daughter and didn't say much as they ate.

I was trying to scoop up the last carrot when I felt a nudge on my arm. It was West.

"Hey," he whispered to me, "Ed, Hodge, and Janet are in. And I think Jenkins is too but I didn't really get the words too well."

With all the food and introductions, I had almost forgotten what we had been brought there for.

"Nate are you hearing this?" I said a little loudly and with my mouth full.

"Shh!" West leaned in closer. "If Momma hears us she'll kick all of our asses!"

"Okay," Nate said, balling up a paper towel and tossing it onto his empty plate, "I've been quiet this entire time but are we being serious right now? Your boy Ed can can barely hear."

"I heard that."

"Look," said West, "don't underestimate us. It makes Hodge mad and it hurts my feelings."

Nate looked three seconds close to lunging.

"And," West added to save his own ass, "we've all got skills man. We're not just a bunch of old homeless screw ups. We're just as capable as you and if you let us put our heads together we can help you out of this jam. Just trust me. I don't have anything to gain by letting you three down."

Nate spent a moment considering.

"Alright," he finally said, "but if Sandra gets hurt for following this plan-"

West put his hands up in surrender.

"Hey man, if anything happens to the lady I'll kick my own ass and you can help."

"Okay, I'll shake on it. But first, what about that guy?"

Nate pointed to the quiet man who was sitting with his daughter.

"Oh, him? He's new here. Doesn't say much. Probably wouldn't be much help either."

"Hm," Nate said like he was still thinking about it. Then he reached out to West and shook his hand. "I guess we've got ourselves a solid team and a deal.

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Now that we've got all our new peeps introduced, stay tuned for some cute Nate and Sandra moments next chapter! Question: Who's your favorite supporting character?