carefully but discerned no change in expression. She looked past them into the depths underneath the bridge where the cardboard homes were shrouded in darkness and said, “I’m not brave enough to walk in there, so I’m not really sure why I’m here. I guess I thought I might find someone safe who’d talk to me.”
Looking over her shoulder, Aleeta snorted. “Hell, honey. You wouldn’t have to be brave to walk in there, just dumber n’ dirt. Me and Margo live out here where it’s safer. And we keep an eye on our kids. Just ‘cause we’re homeless don’t mean we’re stupid.”
The tension in her shoulders relaxed slightly, and her lips curved. “I definitely don’t think you’re stupid.”
Aleeta’s lips quirked upward for the first time and, just like with Margo, it transformed her face. Cocking her head to the side, she said, “We might not be able to tell you much, but ask your questions. Who knows? You might learn something anyway.”
By now, the two other women had made their way back to the barrel, and Kimberly chatted with all four. Her initial questions fell to the side as she spent time just finding out about their lives. Their hard luck stories were as varied as the women themselves, but their determination to work to better their children's situation warmed her heart.
When she finally got around to asking about drugs, Margo shook her head.
“I’ve never been around drugs, and I don’t want my kids near it. I know what goes on around here, but I stay away from it. It scares me.”
Aleeta’s face had grown hard again. She stared off into the distance before swinging her gaze back around to Kimberly. “My old man was a user. Sucked up every dime we had. Hell, by the time I left his ass, his habit had lost our home and my job. Last I saw of him he was lying on the street after we got evicted with the damn needle stuck in his arm.”
Kimberly tried to hide her shock but had no doubt her opened-mouth, wide-eyed face gave her away. “I’m so sorry!”
Aleeta snorted. “I got away. Got a job, but it doesn’t pay much. Least here, I’ve got no rent.”
She sucked in her lips for a few seconds, her mind racing over the information she had been given. “What about fentanyl? Do you ever hear about that?”
“Heard my man talk about fenty. Don’t know if that’s what you’re talking about. I guess I stuck my head in the sand, thinking that if I didn’t know anything about what he was doing it wouldn’t affect me. That didn’t work.”
Kimberly reached over and placed her hand on Aleeta’s arm. “You were focused on yourself and your kids and did what you had to do.”
Aleeta looked down at her arm, and Kimberly jerked her hand back. Afraid that she had offended her, she breathed a sigh of relief at the slow smile that crossed Aleeta’s face.
“It’s got a lot of names,” one of the other women said. She shrugged when Kimberly looked toward her and added, “Everybody was a user where I came from. That shit can be added to H and make you feel invincible.”
The morning’s discussions weighed heavily on her. “Thank you so much for talking to me.” Glancing back to the children who were now sitting on the dirt, she watched them play with makeshift toys. A strong breeze was blowing, and she was glad they had jackets but wondered what else they might need. She turned back to the women still standing at the burn barrel. “I’d like to bring something for your children. What would be the best thing?” Seeing Aleeta shake her head, she could feel Aleeta’s pride settling like a cloak around her shoulders. “Please, I’d like to help. I know it wouldn’t be much, but it would be for the kids.”
“Fruit.”
Looking over at Margo, she blinked, surprised at the answer. Nodding quickly, she agreed. “I can do that. I can bring fruit when I come back.”
Aleeta offered a swift nod. “Fruit would be good. You want to talk more, we’ll be around.”
Stepping back, she waved goodbye and began walking past some of the tents. She no longer felt afraid with the sun high in the sky but slipped her pepper spray into one hand while beginning to record her thoughts into her phone.
The breeze still had a nip to it, and her hoodie fell back from her face. Instead of walking directly to her car,