Chapter 193 - If The Fates Allow
Gael was serious about taking out the top bills that "touched" the skin of Angela's abdomen. The top bills were now neatly folded and slipped inside a bottom slit of his wallet where he had never accessed before. He replaced four one hundred bills. Was he really going to keep it and not use it at all? Absolutely.
He then stuck the bundles in his jacket's inner pocket—where he should have done so in the first place. Just as he zipped up, Angela's curiosity filled the air.
"What are those for anyway?"
He lifted his head and met her eyes, and then he subtly nodded at the people who were eating at the tables. "These street people need money. That's why a lot of them still stuck around even after eating."
She scanned the room as if only to realize what he just said. "They knew you were going to give money? I thought they just stayed because it's warm inside the tent. So you're always giving away cold cash?"
"Not always. It's part of the tradition. If we don't give them some cash, they'd increase the crime around here. It's the Christmas season. People always need money in the cold months more than any other months. If they don't have cash, some will go for robbery, carjacking, stealing, and mugging."
"I get it…" She nodded, but he didn't think she fully did. Maybe a part of her did, but unless she spent months or years here in Brooklyn, she wouldn't get how it is.
Then she added, "But that's not going to last them very long, right? I mean…they'd have the money now, but what about next week...next month?"
His winged princess...was too sheltered in life that she had no idea of the situation these homeless people were really in. A nagging feeling made him want to crush her with his embrace and preserve her in a place no one else could touch. She's too precious.
Taking a deep breath, he responded, "Look. We're far from gods, and we can't save everyone. But we do what we can, at least during this time of the year. If we can help them even just temporarily, then we'll do it. Most of these people aren't thinking much that far ahead in their lives, Angel. A lot of them are only concerned about how to eat the next time they go hungry. Heck—they'd probably wait until they could no longer take the starvation before spending the dollar they earned from the day before from begging out in the streets. They don't think about next week or next month. They think about where to sleep next because police officers shoo them from the bench or the ground they slept on, and where to get more money so they could eat as soon as possible."
"Why don't they go to shelters? Surely it's safer and warmer there than in the streets, right?" She looked up at him, her brows slightly furrowing as she tried to understand.
Gael placed a hand on her waist and slightly squeezed it. "Most of them don't believe in shelters. They have different reasons why they don't want to stay there. A few common ones I heard were because it's not really safe there, like they say. Girls get molested...and there are still crimes happening inside too. Some shelters are too strict, and these people don't want to be controlled."
Her flinching when he told her about the girls getting taken advantage of didn't escape him. It wasn't his intention to paint her a bad picture regarding the reality of these people, but that's just how it was.
"So...this is why that lieutenant said something about what we're doing isn't really helping the city," she muttered before biting her bottom lip.
"Yeah. He thinks that organizations or people like us who keep feeding the homeless are just encouraging their lifestyle."
Angela's eyes narrowed at his statement. "What? That's ridiculous! It's not like you're recruiting people to go homeless!"
Gael couldn't help but chuckle. "Exactly." He sighed. "I know they're just doing their job, but they don't understand these people. All they know is that the homeless have to be off the streets and stuffed in a shelter somewhere."
She sighed as she leaned into his touch. He liked it whenever she did that, so he inched closer until his chest touched her shoulder. A blush formed on her cheeks when she said, "You're a good person, Gael. All of you are...you and your family for helping these people in whatever way you can. No wonder they respect you. They know who to be loyal to."
He thought about lying to her and accept the compliment but he didn't. "Nah, I'm really not. We also have to do this for our own...reasons. These people's loyalty isn't on us. Most of them—their loyalty would be to whoever gives them more. And it's definitely not the police. So in a way, this is you scratch my back, I scratch yours kinda thing."
"Whatever you say." Angela rolled her eyes. "I'll believe what I want to believe. And you're a good man. Maybe you did this so they won't snitch on you. But there could have been other ways to do that—"
"Yeah? Like what?" Gael cocked a brow.
"I don't know… If you really wanted to, I'm sure there are ways to make them not talk. Like...like threats or I don't know—don't threaten them! I don't know what I'm saying. You're not going to, are you?"
A rumble of laughter came out of him. Angela was too adorable. He leaned in, aiming for her ear, but he shifted and kissed her temple instead. Now wasn't the time for that. "Let's go back."
"Okay." She nodded and followed him back to the food table, where he stayed for a bit before helping out at the tables.
***
At eight in the evening, the tent was less crowded. A lot of the people went out when Gael and Giovanni signaled to go outside. When Angela craned her neck to try and see what's happening, Alice told her to take a break. Alice knew she was curious. So Angela took a peek outside and found the two men in the dark corner of the park where some homeless people were resting, and they began handing out a bill or two while they chatted.
Most of the homeless people had huge smiles on their faces with the hundred dollar bill in their hands—some had tears, while others looked too proud to show any reaction. Seeing this, Angela couldn't help but smile. Gael was right. Even if this was only temporary happiness, it was still happiness.
She went back inside and helped clear the tables. The smile remained on her lips as she moved around while listening to a group of people in the corner of the room singing and playing a song with their congo and guitars. The tent was like a bar with a small stage for open mic where everyone was free to perform whatever they wanted.
"Sing for us, Elisa!" said an older man in shabby clothes who was probably around fifty years old.
"I can't sing no more, George." Elisa ran towards Angela and hugged her arm. "But my new friend will! She's my uncle's girlfriend, and she's very pretty."
"Oh, no…I'm...I'm okay." Angela shook her head and waved her hands to decline.
However, the whole room suddenly chanted "sing sing sing", urging her—even Alice and Nonna Flavia chimed in.
Elisa giggled as if she was happy that she made everyone do it. "Well, she's not gonna sing if you all are loud!"
The room fell silent, and everyone's eyes were on Angela. Her heart raced, and she cleared her throat as she looked around to see more than fifty people waiting for her. She swallowed and took a few cleansing breaths before she opened her mouth and began to sing the song "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".
Her voice was soft, and her singing entranced everyone. She didn't know what they thought, which made her more nervous, so she closed her eyes so she didn't have to see them. It was better—it felt like she was alone, and no one was listening as she could only hear her own voice.
"...have yourself...a merry little Christmas...now…" She kept her eyes closed for a few more seconds before opening them. And the first thing she saw was a pair of grey eyes looking at her. Gael had an unreadable expression, his hand touching his chest.
A few more seconds passed before the first clap happened, followed by thunderous claps and howls from everyone in the room.
"Damn it, girl! I didn't know you could sing!" Alice shouted from the food table.
Angela softly chuckled, her eyes never leaving Gael's. She wanted to know what he was thinking because he wasn't saying anything, but his eyes devoured her. Then a smile slowly painted his lips as he rubbed his hand over his chest and mouthed, 'Thank you.'
She didn't know why he said that, but for some reason, she felt like there was something more to it. Regardless, Angela walked the distance between them and let him pull her to his arms. "Let's get out of here," he whispered.