Waiting for Daybreak Read Online Free PDF

dapper today. Is that a new shirt?”
    He rubbed his wrinkled hand across the blue plaid flannel and grinned. “Yep. Got it last week, but didn’t put it on until today. Wanted it to look good for you.”
    “That’s a nice color on you.” She finished typing and put the label on a bottle.
    “That’s what the lady at the mission said. Said it makes my gray hair look brighter.”
    “It sure does.” She walked over and picked up his container. “Why don’t you have a seat? It’ll be a little bit.”
    Joe winked and walked toward the waiting area.
    Paige turned her attention to the seat beside him. “Mr. Tims, yours is ready.”
    Paige opened the drawer and looked at the stack of plastic cards. She reached for the one on the top, but drew back her hand. She needed every penny she earned right now; she couldn’t afford to be helping people who had made bad life choices. Still, as she watched the skeletal man in threadbare pants and dirty coat push from his chair and pad toward her, she picked up the card and dropped it into his bag.
    Probably no more than fifty, a life hard-lived left him looking old and defeated. “ ’Bout time.” He stretched out his hands, gnarled from arthritis and years on the street.
    “Be sure to take that with some food or milk, okay?”
    “Not much of that on the streets these days.” He turned and shuffled across the lobby.
    Paige got busy working on the next order in line.
    “Thanks! Thanks a lot!” Everyone in the lobby turned toward the sound. Mr. Tims stood at the front entrance, waving the card in the air.
    Paige smiled and waved. She could feel every eye in the place locked on her. So much for being discreet.
    Lee took a step down the wooden ladder and nodded toward the door. “What was that all about, if you don’t mind my asking?”
    “I put a Kroger gift card in his bag. Not much, but enough to get him something to eat.”
    “Really?” He took another step down. “You do that for all your patients?”
    “Can’t afford to.” In fact, she couldn’t afford the one she’d just given out.
    “So, how do you choose then?”
    “I don’t know. Sometimes it just feels—right. In this particular case, his medication works better if it’s taken with food. And, you can tell by looking at him he hasn’t had much to eat lately.”
    “Like I said, you’re good with patients. You think any more about my offer?”
    “What offer was that?”
    “Working with my granddaughter, of course.”
    “I’m sure I’d love to work with your granddaughter, but don’t you think she’d prefer to hire her own help?”
    “Maybe so, but I own the place. I can hire whoever I like.” Lee smiled smugly, climbed back up the ladder, and stuck his head above the acoustic tiles.
    Paige knew that Lee was just talking; she knew better than to hope, but it was the only particle of anything remotely resembling hope that she’d seen in several days now. She pressed a label onto the container in front of her. “Joe, got you ready.”
    Joe shuffled to the counter. “Thank you, pretty lady.” He leaned forward and whispered. “Got Mr. Richardson himself working back there with you, huh? You must feel pretty important.”
    “No. His name is Lee. He just works for Richardson.”
    “Name’s Lee, all right. Mr. Lee Richardson. That’s the big man himself.”
    Joe couldn’t possibly know what Lee Richardson looked like, and Lee Richardson couldn’t possibly be some guy in flannel and boots. Richardson Construction trucks were all around the city. The man who owned the company undoubtedly spent his days in designer suits in a big corner office. Not climbing ladders. “And how would you know that?”
    “Worked for him, once. Long time ago.” The crinkles around his eyes turned down. “Nice man. Fair.” His head nodded slowly as if lost in memory. “Well, I’ll see you soon.” He winked and disappeared out the door.
    “Okay, all done.” Lee folded the ladder and tucked his arm between