“Mary Darling insists we bring Pete home with us. He can hang with Juno tonight.” Ani had been feverishly texting back and forth with her folks for the last few minutes. “But what do we do about Foster? He’s the one I’m really worried about.”
“Right.” Sebastian frowned, scratching Pete’s head, making the dog thump me a few more times with his tail. I stood and brushed the grass off my backside. The dogs leapt to their feet, too. I offered both Ani and Sebastian a hand, and although Ani took mine immediately and pulled herself up beside me, Sebastian just eyed me dubiously.
I rolled my eyes, even though I wasn’t sure he could see them in the growing darkness. “See these short legs?” I made a sweeping motion with both hands, indicating my perfectly weighted stance, feet planted just so to create a wide base of support. I held out my hand to him again. “Because I’m so close to the ground, I’m solid as a rock. I can take you.”
Ani chuckled, a sound that all but echoed my challenge, and bent down to loop the handle of Juno’s leash through Pete’s collar, then latched the other end to her dog, tying the two animals together. Midtown’s leash law was strictly enforced, and there was always the possibility Pete wouldn’t follow us without some encouragement.
Sebastian nodded, took my hand, and pulled himself slowly to his feet, until he stood directly in front of me. He’d done all the work himself, though, and when he didn’t let go of my hand, I figured he was taking advantage of the opportunity to hold it. The thought made me smile. He was tall and standing so close I had to tip my head back to look up at him.
Nope. Made me feel too much like a little kid craning my head back like that. I stared at his chest instead. Okay. Um. Tight shirt. Wowzer. Not a good idea, either. I tugged my hand from his grasp, but not before I felt his fingers tighten around mine briefly.
“Thanks,” he said, the single word filled with a myriad of meanings. I stepped back and scanned the park one last time for Foster. My heart was pounding though, a result from Sebastian’s proximity, his smile, and the way his voice felt more like a caress than a compliment.
Sebastian bent over and snagged his ever-present backpack off the ground. Just as he swung the strap over one shoulder, Pete launched into an ecstatic volley of barks, then hurled down the slope, dragging poor little Juno along in his wake. Juno, however, seemed almost as thrilled as Pete to join in on the adventure. They pulled up short at the opposite end of the fenced off dog run, both with front feet planted on the chain link, barking and yapping a greeting at the shadowy figure slouching across the parking lot.
“Foster,” Sebastian breathed, the relief in his voice a tangible thing.
But as Foster drew near, it became apparent that something wasn’t right. He looked roughed up, head down, hunched over, one arm held at a 90 degree angle against his stomach. And he wasn’t slouching along, he was limping. I covered my mouth and took a step forward, but Sebastian put a hand on my arm.
“Wait here.” He slipped out through the dog arena gate, firmly pushing Pete back as Ani hurried forward to snatch up the leash that still tethered the dogs together. I got a hold of Pete’s collar and spoke soothingly to him.
Just as Sebastian reached Foster, the older man began to crumple, one leg folding under him. Sebastian lunged forward and caught him under the arms, hauling him upright before his knees hit the ground. Foster tried to step back as he lifted his head, and even from where we stood, I sensed his fear. When he recognized Sebastian, though, Foster leaned into him, resting his forehead against Sebastian’s chest. They stood that way for a few moments, talking quietly together. They were too far away for us to be able to hear what was said, but Sebastian’s tone sounded under control, calm.
Pete, on the other hand, was frantic to get to Foster, but we kept a tight hold on both dogs until Sebastian had helped Foster make his way from the parking lot to the gate. Ani opened the latch and Sebastian and Foster slipped inside and lowered themselves to a bench. Pete’s joyful greeting had us all smiling in spite of Foster’s condition. The dog hadn’t seemed to miss his human while he played with Juno this evening, but clearly, that wasn’t the case.
Foster seemed to brighten a little under Pete’s lavish attention, but I didn’t miss the fact that he kept his arm wrapped tightly around his ribcage, his breathing shallow. Broken or bruised ribs, I was sure of it. One side of his mouth was split, and although it had probably stopped bleeding at one point, all it took was a thin smile for his dog and the blood began to well up again. I winced when Foster dragged a grimy flannel sleeve across his mouth.
Sebastian moved off the bench and crouched in front of Foster, his back to us. He slipped his backpack off his shoulder, withdrew a full water bottle from inside and handed it to Foster, who took it with shaking hands. Ani had picked up Juno after she released Pete from the leash. We stood back and let Sebastian work. The poor man had been someone’s punching bag tonight and he was obviously in a lot of pain.
I finally asked, “Should I call an ambulance? Or the police?”
“No!” Both men spoke at once, Sebastian rather firmly, nearly drowning out Foster’s response, and I stiffened in surprise. Ani reached over and slipped her arm through mine. I bit my bottom lip, my natural instinct to lash back almost getting the best of me. “Sorry, Tish,” Sebastian said. “Just hold off for now, okay?” Then he turned back to Foster.
Reaching up, he pushed Foster’s overgrown gray hair away from his face. I heard Ani gasp beside me. In the light of a nearby lamppost, a huge lump bulged out of the top of Foster’s forehead at the hairline. Sebastian dug another water bottle from his bag, along with a small towel. He doused it generously, and pressed it to the goose egg, his other hand on Foster’s shoulder in support.
“He needs some ice,” I muttered just loud enough for Ani to hear.
“He needs a doctor,” Ani replied, just as quietly.
But we both knew better than to offer our help. Clearly, there was more to the circumstances than we could tell by looking. Finally, not sure what else to do, we moved to another bench nearby and sat, Juno settling wearily into Ani’s lap in a tight little ball.
“Arm or ribs?” I heard Sebastian ask. His voice was still low, and even though our bench didn’t bring us any closer to the two men, we were no longer behind Sebastian and his words carried to us a little easier.
“Ribs.” Foster’s voice caught as he lifted his arm away from his torso. “Will need to wrap them. I have an extra shirt in my bundle.”
“I have a First Aid kit in my car, but we should probably get you situated where you’ll be for the night before we do that. You’ll be hurting worse before it gets better.”
Foster nodded once, wincing a little. The bump on his head had to be throbbing something fierce, and his lip couldn’t hurt much less. His next words had me holding my breath. I felt Ani tense beside me as well, the hand she’d been smoothing absentmindedly down Juno’s back stilling. “Hoping you’d show today.” Foster paused for several moments, studying Sebastian as though trying to determine what to say next.
Sebastian nodded. “Haven’t seen you around lately. Looked for you on Saturday. Brought you something from Mama Dosh, but had to eat it myself.”
I nudged Ani with my elbow. Sebastian must have left our impromptu practice session and come here to bring Foster the bag of treats I’d ribbed him about from Sienna Cafe. I felt silly and selfish; I’d been so worried he’d been avoiding me, ignoring my phone calls, but he’d been busy thinking about this man, looking for him while I sat at home and pouted.
Come to think of it, Foster and Pete hadn’t been here the last time we came, either. A week ago, we’d only made it to the park for a short visit and had stayed for maybe a half an hour at the most. We hadn’t thought anything of Foster and Pete’s absence, mainly because we were on a tight time schedule and had been deeply occupied with our conversation about the men in our lives. We’d noticed, but nothing more, having no reason to believe we should be concerned. For all we knew, he’d showed up right after we left, or had left right before we got there. But hearing Sebastian mention it, the unsettled feeling in my stomach kicked up a notch. When Foster continued, my eyes widened and I peered over at Ani. Her expression had to mirror mine.
“Yeah. Got caught in the middle of something I can’t get out of, kid.” Foster dipped his head at the dog who was now sniffing the ground in small circles in search of any treats or scraps left behind in and around the bench. He didn’t wander more than two feet from Foster, though. Sebastian pulled out another dog biscuit and Pete sat for it without being told. Juno must have been exhausted—she didn’t even lift her head at Pete’s crunching and slurping. Foster added, “I worry about Pete.”
I was pretty sure I knew what Foster was trying to say. And from the look on Sebastian’s face, even though I couldn’t see him straight on, I was pretty sure he did, too. He didn’t say anything, though. Just waited while Foster repositioned himself, groaned pitifully, and took several stuttering breaths.
“You know how it is,” Foster said, no longer looking at Sebastian, but out over the lawns behind the cordoned-off dog arena. Circles of hazy yellow light shone on the ground below lampposts, but they were few and far between, and the expanse of the park was slipping away into the shadows of night. “In the wrong place at the wrong time when the hammer fell on some poor sucker. I’ve been lying low, waiting for word that he was onto me, but when I didn’t hear anything, I thought maybe I was off the hook.” He reached over and gently scrubbed Pete’s head. “Shoulda known better.”
The resolute look on Foster’s face told me as little as his words did, but a sense of foreboding washed over me as he added, “We got interrupted today.” Foster let out a short grunt that could have been a laugh or a groan. “But he’ll be back. Finish what he started.”
“What can I do to help?” Sebastian’s voice cracked a little on the last word, the strain of staying calm in the face of what was unfolding starting to get to him. I felt a strange mixture of emotions as I watched him interact with Foster; I was so proud of him for keeping his head on straight, but I wanted to shake him in frustration and demand that he get the authorities involved. Whatever this was all about, Foster needed help. He was completely alone in this world except for his extra-friendly dog. Ani and I would be happy to do what we could for him, but we had no idea where to even begin.
“I’m wondering about that feed store you work at.” Foster’s eyes suddenly glistened in the overhead light and I realized the man was on the verge of tears. I looked down at my hands so as not to embarrass him if he caught me watching. I almost didn’t hear his next words; they came out just barely above a whisper. “They need a guard dog?”
Sebastian didn’t respond right away, but finally, he said, “I’ll see what I can do.” He re-wet the cloth he’d held pressed to Foster’s head and held it out for the man to take. Foster returned it to the bump and closed his eyes.
“That’s all I can ask.”
***
Sebastian straightened, pulled his phone from his back pocket, and checked the time before glancing our way. I could tell he was in a quandary over what to do.
I spoke up, not wanting him worrying about us, too. “Is there anything we can do? Do you want us to get the First Aid kit from your car?”
Sebastian eyed Foster for a moment, seemed satisfied that he wouldn’t topple over onto the ground, and crossed to where we sat. Juno lifted her head drowsily, yawned, and nuzzled her nose back into the crook of Ani’s arm. Sebastian crouched down in front of us the same way he had with Foster. “He’s pretty banged up, but he says he’s going to be okay.”
Not from what I’d just overheard. Granted, I didn’t know the details, but it sounded to me like Foster was making post-mortem arrangements for Pete.
Sebastian must have seen the look I gave him. “Listen. There’s no love lost between Foster and the cops. It’s nothing against them, but they have to uphold the law in Midtown, and part of the law does not allow loitering in public areas. Foster and Pete don’t have anything but public areas to call home, not even a place to use the bathroom without the possibility of someone turning him in for indecent exposure, so both he and the police usually just end up frustrated and short-fused when they encounter each other.” He dropped his gaze to the gravel, picked up a smooth pebble, and bounced it around on his open palm. “You’ve probably guessed that he doesn’t carry health insurance. And even if he did, he’d have to leave Pete somewhere to get medical treatment.”
I thought about all the comforts of my life, my own bedroom, the garage we Marauders had commandeered and converted to the studio, a seemingly endless supply of food and water, the three bathrooms in our home, the backyard that sat empty most days now that we’d outgrown the swing set and sandbox, where a dog like Pete could play untended for hours. Sure, we barbecued during the summer out there, Jordan sometimes used the back patio to build his props since I’d taken over the garage, and Mom grew her flowers and vegetables year round. But really, it was just an extra space in our lives where we could do whatever we wanted and no one had a right to tell us otherwise. Foster and Pete had nothing to call their own but the clothes on Foster’s back, and the bundle in the tunnel. Not even the tunnel where they slept belonged to them. They staked their claim on it by leaving their meager belongings behind, but any unscrupulous person coming along could take even those from them, out of malice, sport, or self-righteous indignation. Tears burned the back of my throat and I swallowed hard.
Sebastian looked back and forth between Ani and me. “Although the bump on his head looks awful, he swears he didn’t pass out. His ribs are the worst of it, but he’s breathing fine, if a bit shallow, and he says he’s not coughing up blood.” He didn’t bother confirming what was obvious to us all, that Foster had indeed been beaten up by someone. Badly. He seemed nervous, though, glancing over his shoulder toward the parking lot periodically, but then, I wouldn’t want to be the one calling the shots in this situation, either. What if Foster had internal injuries? What if he had a concussion from being hit on the head? “I’m no doctor, but I’ve—” He faltered a little, but continued. “Well, I’ve seen stuff like this before. The human body is pretty resilient when it has to be.”
A little pin prick of light came on at the back of my mind, making me think I was missing something, that there was some bit of information I hadn’t quite put together, but try as I might, it wouldn’t come to me.
“If you two will help me, I think we can get him out to his tunnel where I can wrap his ribs and make him as comfortable as possible. He should be safe out there with Pete standing guard. Then I’ll take you home. I’ll—”
“We can’t just leave him here alone all night,” I interrupted a bit shrilly. “What if he has a concussion? What if—what if something happens to him, and Pete is stuck here alone?” I couldn’t say what I was really afraid of. I pulled out my phone and swiped it open to call home. “We need to take him back to my place if he won’t go to the emergency room. My folks will help him.”
“No, Tish!” Sebastian’s adamant reply startled me, and he reached over to cover my phone, squeezing my hand firmly. I glanced at Foster. He didn’t even open his eyes. “No,” he said again, more gently this time. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Tish, you don’t know anything about Foster or what he’s mixed up in.” He shook his head slowly, his eyes imploring me to understand. “You can’t take him home.”
I made a huffing sound of disbelief and crossed my arms over my chest, wrapping my fingers tightly around my upper arms. How could he think, for one moment, that we wouldn’t be willing to help an injured man, no matter what the threat? “What are you saying? You think I don’t want to contaminate my house with his kind?” I knew I sounded defensive, but I didn’t like what he was inferring about me and my family.
Sebastian grip on my hand softened and he rubbed the pad of his thumb back and forth across my wrist. I pressed my lips together but wouldn’t meet his eyes. “No, no. That’s not it at all,” he said, his voice sincere, soothing. “I don’t doubt for a moment that you would take both Foster and Pete in and care for them like they were family. I know you would. And I’m fairly certain your folks wouldn’t even blink twice if you showed up on your doorstep with that man and his dog.” He waited until I looked at him, and then quietly added, “But Tish, Foster won’t—he wouldn’t go—”
Sebastian’s voice cracked, dropping off abruptly, and I saw tears welling up in his beautiful dark eyes. Shocked by the sight of them, I reached up and covered my mouth with my other hand. Ani sniffed softly beside me.
“Please, just help me get him to his tunnel, okay? Then I’ll drive you home.” He glanced over at Foster again and in the different angle of light, Sebastian’s face looked haggard with worry.
“We can walk home, Sebastian. You don’t have to take us,” Ani spoke up. “We do it all the time.”
“No. It’s late. And I don’t know how safe it is tonight.” He was still watching Foster, but the battered man hadn’t moved. “I’ll come back after and check on him. I can even stay with him for a while, make sure he’s sleeping all right. And maybe…” His voice trailed off, suddenly hesitant.
“What? What is it?” I brushed tears from my cheeks.
“Do you think maybe you could round up some leftovers?” He’d shared the burgers with Pete and Juno after the first hour of waiting. Ani and I had already eaten. “Foster might be hungry. If not now, then he probably will be in the morning. Even just a sandwich or some fruit. Something simple. And maybe an extra blanket or two.”
“Yes!” Now that I could do. “Yes, yes, yes.” I suddenly felt a whole lot less helpless, and even though it wasn’t much in the grand scheme of things, it was something. “We even have a couple of those Styrofoam coolers the guys always buy on their fishing trips when they forget to bring our good ones. We can fill one with ice for his bruises and another with food for a couple of days.” My mind was racing, scrambling. How was I going to pack two coolers without explaining to my mother what we were up to? “Ani, can you fill the ice one? Just tell your folks I need extra ice.”
Ani nodded agreeably and I turned to Sebastian. “We’re always borrowing ice from them. They have a jet-fueled ice machine and only three of them at their house. We use trays and there are usually thousands of people at ours.” Focus, T-Bird. “I’ll pack a food cooler and we have lots of extra blankets in the studio. We’re always hoarding them for padding when hauling gear.”
“If you give us your car keys, we’ll go get your First Aid kit,” Ani said, holding out her hand. She slid Juno gently to the ground where the dog sat for a few moments, and then flopped down to her belly, resting her head on her front paws.
Sebastian stood, dug his keys from his pocket, but instead of handing them over, said, “My trunk is kind of a mess. I’ll go get it since I know where it is. Can you two just stay right here and keep Foster from falling off the bench? I’ll hurry. I have a couple of flashlights in there, too.”