Free About that Night by Hunter J. Keane

make our way as carefully as possible. It seemed like everyone else in the city had stayed inside, warm and dry.
    “I hate snow,” I said when my feet slid out from under me for the third time. Luke kept me on my feet.
    “You really need to learn how to walk without falling,” he said with a laugh. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pressed his cold lips to my cheek. “Not that I mind saving you.”
    I leaned into him, reveling in his warmth and steadiness. “You may end up regretting you said that. I need a lot of saving.”
    He didn’t respond and we continued on in relative silence. Our steps made loud crunching noises as we traversed through the snow. The shelter was only four blocks from where we left the car so it didn’t take us long to reach it. It had been converted from an old senior living center and despite being in an affluent neighborhood, it was fairly rundown.
    “Don’t worry,” I said when Luke hesitated outside the door. I pulled him forward. “It’s much nicer inside.”
    The volunteer staff went to a lot of trouble to make the inside of the shelter has homey and welcoming as possible. The furniture was all second-hand, but clean. We were alone in the foyer and Luke helped me out of my coat.
    “How is this place funded?” Luke asked as I hung our coats in the closet.
    “There are a few female business owners in town that do most of the funding. A couple of churches also help out, and we hold fundraisers, too. It’s a group effort.” I reached for his hand. “Come one. I’ll give you a tour.”
    I led him around the first floor and pointed out the living area, kitchen, dining room and playroom. One of the volunteers must have recently cleaned because all of the toys were put away for once. A few of the shelter’s residents milled about and they all eyed Luke suspiciously. For his part, Luke went above and beyond to be as charming as possible. Fortunately, it played to his strengths.
    “How long have you lived here?” he asked Sue, one of the residents I had come to know quite well. We found her in the kitchen, making a snack for her children. She had three children, and six months ago they had left their home in the middle of the night after her husband had smacked one of her sons in the face. They had been in the shelter ever since.
    “Six months,” Sue said with a stubborn chin in the air. She didn’t like pity and refused to feel sorry for herself. “Kasey found me a job a couple of weeks ago, and soon I’ll have enough saved for my kids and me to get our own place. It won’t be much, but at least it will be ours, ya know?”
    Luke nodded and I detected a haunted look in his eyes. It was a lot for anyone to take, but I thought he was handling it well. Sue grabbed the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and left us alone in the kitchen.
    “How old is she?” he asked, nodding his head to the door Sue had just exited.
    “She’s twenty-two.” I opened one of the cabinets and began removing party supplies. “She has three kids under the age of six and had her first one when she was sixteen.”
    “And her husband hit her?” Luke took the stack of tablecloths from me.
    “All of the time. Her kids, too.” I looked him in the eye. “You’re going to see and hear a lot of stuff today. If you’re not up for, I completely understand. Now is the time to decide.”
    “Do you really think that little of me?” Luke placed his armful on the counter and did the same with the bags of food I held. He took my head in both his hands and kissed me gently on the lips. “I’m not leaving. Not leaving here, and not leaving you. Deal with it.”
    “Don’t say it if you don’t mean it,” I pleaded, ever-so-quietly. I wanted very badly to believe Luke. I needed someone like him in my life- someone to stand by me. But it was a lot to ask.
    “Just give me a chance. I’ll prove it to you.” Luke kissed me again, and I knew in that moment I would give him a million chances to