"Thank you," he whispered. "You okay? You got somewhere to sleep tonight?"
She didn't, but she wasn't going to tell him that. So she lied instead. "Yeah."
Some of his tension eased and he nodded. "Good. I'm working on it, Bethy. I'll have a place for both of us soon."
She shook her head in denial, knowing it was what he always said, and also knowing it wasn't going to happen.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. For a long moment, she closed her eyes and imagined different circumstances. But that was pointless. It was what it was and wishing for it to be different was like pissing in the wind.
"I'll be checking on you," he said.
She nodded. And then, as he started to melt back into the shadows of the alley, she looked up and said, "Be careful, Jack. Please?"
His smile was just as shadowy as the night. "Always, babe."
