Chapter 12 #2
Atlas called it afterglow when they lay together quietly after Atlas had made him so happy. The rain still dripped lightly outside, and the room was still pretty dark. “I think I can go back to sleep now,” Bazel said.
“That’s good, because I have to get ready for work.” Atlas held him tight and didn’t let go. That was the best part. “I wish I could stay here with you, but I will be off tomorrow. Evie and I will probably be late getting home, so we will go out for dinner tonight. We can have pizza if you like.”
He yawned. “Okay.” He had things he had to do too, but right now, all he wanted was for things to stay just as they were.
But after a few minutes, Atlas slipped out of bed and grabbed clothes from the closet.
Bazel couldn’t help cracking his eyes open to watch Atlas walk naked into the bathroom…
. Because it was Atlas and he was beautiful… sexy man beautiful.
Once he was out of the room, Bazel got up himself and went to his room, where he used the bathroom and then got dressed.
He wondered if it was too early to call Chris and decided to wait until Atlas left before calling her.
So he made some toast and gave Atlas a piece on his way out the door before getting his phone.
“This is Chris,” she answered as though she were happy. Bazel liked that. She was a good lady and should be happy. This morning he wanted everyone to feel that way.
“This is Bazel. I wanted to ask about you helping me get job. I need to work so I not a sponge.”
Chris was silent. “Did Atlas say that?”
“No. I see it on television that sponges are bad. Anyway, I am not a sponge, so I need to work, but I no have job, and I hope you can help get me one.” The words tumbled out.
“Okay, then,” she said. “Let me see where your application is. I’ll make a few calls, and once we have your permit, I know some places that you should be able to work. Okay?”
“Good. How are women? They okay?” He hoped so.
“Yes. Two are going home this week, and another two are talking to their families. The last one is probably going to stay. But we’ll help her. She is learning English, and eventually we will work to get her a job and a place to live. You did good protecting them and helping them.”
“Okay. Thank you.” He wanted to know more about this job. “You call back?”
“Yes. I will call you when I know more. It could take a few days, but I will get what we need. I know you need something to do. The library is a few blocks from Atlas’s. You could go there when the rain lets up.” That was a good idea.
“Okay. Thank you. Bye,” he said and pressed the button to end the call.
He looked outside. It was raining hard, so he knew going out was a bad idea, but he wanted to go out.
The house was already clean because he had done that yesterday.
He did not want to watch television anymore.
So he ended up watching the rain, hoping it would end soon.
THE LADY behind the counter at the library seemed to sense his frustration and came over to him as Bazel sat at the computer terminal. He stared at the screen. “Can I help you?” she asked gently.
He looked up at her. “I want a book. To read. I want to make my English better, and Chris said I could come here and get a book.” He seemed so lost.
The rain had finally ended, and he had walked over from Atlas’s house. As soon as he stepped inside the building, he had marveled at all the books and even movies they had. But he had no idea how to find something to read, and someone said to use the computer, but he didn’t know how it worked.
“All right. Do you have a library card?”
Bazel shook his head. “I have a food card, and I asked about a car card, but Atlas said they don’t have those. But they have library cards?” Maybe they had cards for everything here but cars.
“Where are you living?”
“With Atlas over on Pomfret Street. He’s a police officer, and when they find me in the back of a truck, he gave me a home.”
“Atlas De Vaus?” she asked, and Bazel nodded.
“Okay. Why don’t you come with me and I’ll help you get a library card.
Then you can take out books to read, and once that is done, I can help you find something you’ll like.
” She was very nice, and Bazel gave her his phone number, and soon he had his very own library card to go with his other card.
What did everyone do with all these cards? They had to get a ton of them.
“Now where do I find a good book to read?”
The librarian took him to what she called the general fiction section.
“We have just about everything. There is fantasy, mystery, romance, and anything you can think of.” Bazel smiled and began looking through the books.
There was so much for him to choose from that he felt more than a little overwhelmed.
“How about this? It’s a classic, and it has wizards and elves and magic. ”
Bazel held the book for a second and then smiled. “Thank you.” He looked around for a chair. “Where do I read it?”
“There is a reading area over there, or you can use your card to take it home, and then you bring it back once you’ve read it. Then you can get more.”
Bazel must have heard wrong. “How much?”
“It’s free. Just be sure to return the book.” She took him to a computer and scanned his card, and then she scanned inside the book and handed him a slip of paper. “That tells you when you should bring it back.”
Bazel held the book with a smile and hurried out of the building before they could ask for the book back. It had started to rain, but he hurried to the house and went inside. Then he sat on the sofa, opened his book, and started learning about hobbits.
WHEN ATLAS got home, Bazel realized he hadn’t moved in hours. He had been reading, and the story had really pulled him in. And right now they were in the caves, and Bazel wanted to find out how Bilbo was going to get out.
“What have you got?”
“A book from the library. They gave me a card.” He showed it proudly because it even had his name on it.
“And I got this book.” He showed it to Atlas.
“And they let me take this book home.” He wondered if that was normal or if he was somehow special.
When Atlas explained that anyone was allowed to take out books, he was a little let down, but not enough to stop enjoying his book.
“How was work?” He marked his place in the book with the paper they had given him and set it on the table.
“It was very busy. Evie and I worked at a couple of the warehouses and found quite a bit. It seems the man we found during our training was part of a network of people, and now every warehouse manager in town is asking to have their facility checked. So I’ve been put in charge of making up a schedule for the dogs.
We will use them as training exercises over the next few weeks, but it’s going to keep Evie and me busy. ”
“What about the ship?”
Atlas sat closer to him. “It is in its regular port of call, picking up its load of containers. We are letting it get here before we stop it, but the ship’s progress is being closely monitored.”
“You still not work tomorrow?” He hoped things had not changed.
“Yes. I don’t have to work, and the weather is supposed to dry up overnight, so tomorrow should be very nice. I was thinking we could pack a picnic and make an afternoon of it. There are some nice trails through the woods and around a lake. We could go swimming if you want.”
“Really?” Bazel asked. He had not done that in a long time.
He tried to remember the last time he had been to the sea, and it must have been when he was a child.
His family didn’t travel much. “Do I have what I need to wear?” He wasn’t sure what people here wore to the beach, but he was pretty sure he didn’t have anything.
“I have something you can wear. Don’t worry.
” Atlas then asked about going out for dinner, but instead he asked if it would be okay if he just ordered food and had it delivered.
Atlas looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes, and Bazel didn’t want him worn out.
So they settled on the sofa again, but this time while Atlas watched TV, Bazel let himself get carried away in the tale of Bilbo and company.