Free Tiona (a sequel to "Vaz") by Laurence Dahners

I’ve been bringing in extra food in my bag lunch and offering some of it to her, but she hardly ever takes any. She’s so skinny when I first met her I thought she might be anorexic. Now I’m afraid she just can’t afford to eat.”
    Eisner studied Marlowe for a moment, “You sound like you really care about her.”
    Marlowe’s shoulders slumped a little, “Yeah. I don’t really understand it. She’s not really my type and she barely notices me, but I find myself thinking about her a lot… and now… worrying about her.”
    Eisner gave a little snort, “Well, not only am I a lousy social worker, but I hope you realize that a physics professor is probably the last person you want to get relationship advice from?”
    Marlowe smiled, though it was brief, then faded. “I’m sure that’s true. I’d like to be a physics professor and I’m surely clueless about relationships myself. No, I don’t need advice. I just wanted to make you aware of her situation. Maybe you could cut her a little slack sometime if it seems like she needs it.” He gave a little laugh and a shrug, “Her dad visited her in the lab yesterday. He’s one weird dude.”
    Eisner’s eyebrows rose, “Really? I’ve been thinking she must not have a family if she’s got those kinds of financial problems.”
    Marlowe shrugged, “I asked him what he does, and he said ‘physics.’ But he says he works for himself and he’s such a weird guy I have a feeling he can’t actually hold down a job. He wears the same kind of used-looking, baggy clothes Tiona does.”
    They sat there in silence for a moment; then Eisner sighed, “Well, thanks for letting me know. I’m not sure what I can do to help, but just knowing that there’s a problem means that if an opportunity to help comes by, I’ll be able to consider it.”
     
    ***
     
    Jimmy Ray saw the skinny blonde chick start up the steps into the shelter. He got up from the wall he’d been sitting on and followed her in. He managed to insert himself into the line a few spots behind her. He couldn’t quite understand why he’d become so obsessed with this girl. She ate at the shelter most week nights, but never slept there. Her clothes were old and didn’t fit very well, but were always clean. Sometimes he thought she might have a job. Not a job that paid very well, but one that paid for a place for her to live. Maybe she just ate at the shelter because she was cheap… or crazy… who could know?
    This time he didn’t try to sit next to her. He sat at the next table, on the other side so he could keep an eye on her. He ate quickly so that he’d be done before she left. When she got up, he forced himself to wait a few seconds before he rose from his seat. He dropped off his tray, one person behind her, and went out the door about fifteen feet back.
    She turned north so Jimmy Ray started that way himself. For a moment he thought about how he’d sworn he wouldn’t do this again. But putting these bitches in their place made him feel alive . She had her nose up in the air like a lot of other women who wouldn’t talk to Jimmy Ray.
    They thought they were too good for him. He loved the moment they figured out that they might think they were too good for him, but they couldn’t get away from him.
    Pacing along about twenty feet behind her he started thinking about the moment she would realize someone was following her. She’d get scared and after a bit she’d start to run.
    But Jimmy Ray could run too. He might not look like it, but he could run and run and run. He wasn’t much of a sprinter, but he’d been on the cross country team for a while when he’d been in high school. These women would run on ahead for a bit; then he’d catch back up. They’d panic and gain a little on him, but he’d be patient and soon enough he’d be right behind them again. Sometimes, he’d slow to let them have a little false hope. He’d even let a few of them get away completely.
    Not this one though.