Andrew, 2

"Oh right. Hello Andrew."

"Hey, Cameron. Call me Drew, my friends call me Drew. Well, they did when I had friends."

"When you had friends?"

"It's a long story."

"I really want to hear it."

"When you're quite finished," the lady interrupted. "Date of birth, Andrew Vincent Davis?"

"22nd of September."

"Year?"

He told her, and then gave his address as, "New City Hotel, Madras Strreet, Christchurch."

"Not the hotel. I need your home address."

"That is my only address. I don't have anywhere else, sorry."

"Hey," she shrugged. "No skin off my nose. Next of kin?"

"Sorry, I don't have one."

"Boy, you're 15 years old. Of course you've got a next of kin. Who looks after you?"

"Nobody, I look after myself. Not doing a very good job, am I?" he shrugged.

She actually smiled. "No, it appears not. You, Cameron Black, what's your relationship to this boy?"

"Umm, just a friend, I guess."

"Near enough. You'll do for a next of kin for now. Now, what's the trouble?"

"A car ran over his foot. We think it might be broken."

"Ouch!" She leaned forward to look over the counter. "Left foot? Right then, any other injuries?"

"A bunch of thugs were trying to mug him. They were beating him up and putting the boot in."

"Just not your night, is it? Are you bleeding anywhere?"

"No, I don't think so. I'm just sore. Cameron stopped them before it went too far."

"He did? That's the sort of friend you need."

"It surely is."

"Okay. Take a seat over there and wait for your name to be called."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"Welcome," she smiled, and then frowned as she turned to the next patient. "Name?"

Cameron pushed the chair over to the ranks of seats and sat down, facing him. "Now we wait, I guess."

"You don't have to stay and wait. Thanks for getting me here, I'll be all right now. You should be getting back to your friends."

"Friends? I'd rather be here with you, I'm going nowhere. Tell me this long story of yours."

"Well, to put it briefly, I'm gay."

"Gay?"

"Gay. My parents found out and they kicked me out. We lived in Winton. Do you know it?"

"Never heard of it."

"It's a small town, down in Southland. I couldn't stay there, so I came to Christchurch. I arrived here, on the bus, today. I checked into the cheapest hotel I could find, went out for a walk and got run over and here we are."

"Oh," Cameron looked down at his feet.

"You can leave now, I'll understand," Andrew said quietly.

"I'm going nowhere. Have you got any family here in Christchurch?"

"No. My family are all down south and they don't want to know me."

"Probably not much of a loss then. Have you got any friends here?"

"I've got no friends anywhere."

"Well, you've got one. I'll be your friend, if you want me."

He didn't answer. He sat quietly with a hand over his eyes.

"Andrew? Drew, are you okay?"

"I will be. I'll be fine. Thanks, Cameron. That means a lot." He had tears in his eyes. They both did.

Cameron rubbed his own eyes. "Okay, Friend, what the hell are you going to do now?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "I was hoping to get a job, but that's not going to happen now - my foot's busted, who'd want to employ me?"

"You don't know for sure that it's broken."

"Oh, I know. I can feel it, it kinda hurts you know."

"Yeah, I can see that. Have you got any money?"

"In the bank, in my savings account, I've got some."

"How much?"

"I'm not sure. About $200, I think."

"$200? That's not going to last for long."

"I know. Now you know why I was thinking about drowning myself, beats starving."

"Don't think like that. That's stupid thinking. Seems like you're up Shit Creek without a paddle, but look on the bright side."

"There's a bright side?"

"Sure there is. It can't get much worse, can it?"

"It can't!" he grinned. "Thanks, Cameron."

"Welcome. Don't worry, we'll work something out."

"We?"

"Yes, we. That's what friends do, they help each other."

"Umm. Well. Thanks, Friend."

"I think we're going to be good friends."

"I think you already are."

A nurse came along, clutching a clip-board and studying all the people there. She stopped in front of them, studied her notes and nodded. "Andrew Davis, aged 15, right?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"Right then. Come with me and we'll have a look at you. No." She looked at Cameron getting to his feet. "Not you. You stay here, he'll be back." She took hold of the chair.

"But why can't I come?" Cameron protested. "He might need me to help him. He can't walk."

"Sweetie, did you see the sign over the door as you came in? This is a hospital. We help people, that's what we do. You sit down and wait there, you'd only be in the way."

"Umm, okay, I guess." He sat down again. "Good luck, Drew. I'll wait here for you."

"You don't have to."

"I'll wait."

"Thanks. See you soon."

The nurse took Andrew away, Cameron sat and waited. And waited. He was not exactly bored, there was plenty of entertainment with all of the people coming and going, but a couple of hours went past and he was getting anxious.

He rang Giles to let him know where he was and what he was doing. He didn't know when he'd get back to the hotel. Giles told him that he should get his butt back there as soon as - there were whores everywhere in the street outside. They were having a great time watching them and giving them cheek.

Cameron sighed as he hung up. He wasn't worried about the street-walkers, he was worried about Andrew.

He started thinking that maybe they'd admitted him and forgotten about him. Andrew could be sleeping in a ward somewhere while he sat here waiting, so he was going to ask the lady on reception if she knew what was going on.

Before he got to the desk, Andrew appeared again, through the doors where he'd disappeared earlier. He was on crutches and had a blue fibre-glass cast on his injured foot. He stood holding the foot off the floor while he looked worriedly around.

A huge relieved smile lit-up his face when he saw Cameron coming over to him. "Hey. I thought you might have given up and gone by now."

"No, I'm here. I said I'd wait, so I did."

"You did, but it's been ages. I wouldn't blame you if you left

"I wouldn't do that. How are you feeling now?"

"Much better.They gave me an injection and I've got some pain-killers for tomorrow. The pain's gone, almost, but I'm feeling a bit woozy. I think I'd better sit down for a minute."

"Yes, of course. Come over here. Can I help you?"

"No, I can do it." He hobbled across to a seat and sank down, thankfully.

"Ah! That's better. Cameron, thanks for all your help, I really appreciate. I don't know what I would've done with you. I think I can manage now, I've just got to get back to the hotel and I can go to bed, at last."

"How do you think you're going to do that? I'll get you back to your hotel, we'll get a taxi."

"I can't afford a taxi."

"Shut up. I can and we're getting one. Sit there and wait while I phone for one."

Cameron rang for a cab, and then came back pushing an empty wheelchair. "Okay? Get your butt in here. We've got to go and wait outside."

Andrew got up again."I can walk now."

"You can sit down and I'll push you. C'mon, Drew. Don't be awkward."

"Thanks."

He sat in the chair, put the crutches across the arm-rests, and Cameron pushed him back to the main entrance. The taxi turned up and they got iunto the backseat together.

"Where are we going, Boys?" The driver asked.

"New City Hotel please," Cameron answered.

"It's in Madras Street," Andrew added.

"Yes. I know where it is. Are you sure that you want to go there? That's the roughest joint in town."

"Yeah, that's probably why it's cheap. I've got a room there," Andrew said.

"Okay then. As long as you're sure."

He drove to the hotel, it wasn't far in a car. They arrived, Cameron paid the fare, they got out and he drove away.

"Blast!" Andrew said. "You should've stayed in the cab and he could've taken you back to your hotel."

"No worries," Cameron replied. "I'm coming in to make sure that you get to bed okay."

"Thanks. But you don't have to do that. You've already done so much."

"Shut up. You're not in bed yet."

"Bossy!"

"You'd better believe it. Come on."

There was a lot of noise in the old pub, raucous music and people yelling at each other in the bars. There was no elevator, Andrew had to struggle up the stairs. He got there, slowly and with several rests on the way.

"I'll be glad to get to bed."

"So will I, it's late. People are smoking in the bar. I thought that was illegal."

"I'd be surprised if smoking was the only illegal thing going on in there."

"Yeah, probably right. Damm, Andrew, the pub where I'm staying is nothing flash, but this place is a dive."

"It is, but it's cheap and what I can afford, for a week anyway. I've paid for that long. Then I'll have to find a tree to sleep under, I guess."

He opened the door and they went into his single room and stood looking around.

"It's about what I expected," Cameron said. "Tatty and grotty. This is awful."

"It's what I've got. At least it's quiet back here. The rooms at the front are over the bars."

"That'd be nice - or not."

"Yeah. Thanks again, you've been great, a real lifesaver. I can get myself to bed now, no problems. There's a phone at the foot of the stairs if you want to get a taxi to take you back to your hotel."

"I don't need a phone. I've got my cell."

"Oh, right. Of course you have. But do you know their number?"

"Nope, wouldn't have a clue. Wouldn't do me much good anyway, I can't afford another taxi."

"You can't? Does that mean you've spent all your money on me?"

"Wel, yeah. Kind of. I didn't have much to spend anyway. Hey, don't worry about it. It was my choice and we needed a ride."

"Or rides. What are you going to do then? Don't say you're walking."

"Yeah, but I am. It can't be that far, only a few blocks."

"Cameron you are not walking through the middle of the city, on your own and in the middle of the night. That's bloody dangerous, you can't do that."

"Yeah, I can. I'm a big tough League player."

"You are not. You're a kid, a country kid and all alone in the city. Why don't you stay the night here with me? If you don't mind sleeping with a gay guy, that is. It's a big bed and lots of room. I promise I'll behave myself. I'm not really in any condition to do much else anyway."

"I guess you're not, and it wouldn't be a problem, but, I dunno. I really should go back to the Excelsior. The guys will be getting worried about me."

"If you're out walking, I'll be worried about you. I'll come with you. I can manage a few blocks on my crutches."

"Doubt it. Anyway, if you did, that's not going to work. Say you walk there with me, what are you going to do then? Walk back here on your own? I don't think so."

"Well, no, but we could work something out. Are you sure you won't sleep here? Walk back in the morning, it'll be safe then."

"Okay, I'll stay here then, if you want me too."

"I do. I really do want you too. I'll be glad of some company too. I haven't got anyone."

"Haven't have you? Poor bugger! Damm, I'd hate to be you right now."

"I'm not that keen on it either."

"Guess not. Okay, I'm staying. I'll call Giles, tell him where I am and that I'll be back in the morning."

Giles was not so sure that he was doing the right thing and he offered to come, with a couple of the guys, to get him.

Cameron said, "No, don't worry. I don't want to drag you away from your hooker watching. I'll see you in the morning."

"Get a taxi. I'll pay for it when you get here."

"No. Thanks but no thanks. I want to stay here."

"Oh? On a promise are you?"

"Yeah, right! I wish. Who with Giles? There's only me and a kid who's been run-over, beaten up and pumped full of drugs at the hospital."

"Guess it would just finish his night off if you raped him."

"Shut up, Cowsend! I wouldn't do that."

"No, you wouldn't. You're a good guy, Cam. You'd more likely want to look after him."

"Dead right, and that's what I'm doing."

"Okay then, if you have to. But you make sure that you're back here in the morning. The bus takes us to the games at 8 and you'd better be on it. The team needs you."

"I'll be there. No worries See you in the morning, Giles."

"'Kay. Sleep well. 'Bye, Cam."

"'Bye, Giles."

He switched off and grinned at the boy on the bed.

"That's that then. Ready for bed?"

"Well ready. But you could go back to your own place, couldn't you? Your friend said something about paying for a taxi."

"And I told him we're not doing that. I'm staying here, okay? Or, don't you want me here?"

"Shut up. Of course I want you here."

"Stop telling me to go away then."

"I'm not telling you to go away, I'm saying you can go if you want to."

"And I'm saying I don't want to. Okay? Let's go to bed."

"Okay. But are you sure that you don't mind sleeping with a gay guy?"

"Trust me. It's not a problem. Do you mind sleeping with a gay guy in your bed?"

"Of course not. I . . oh, shit! Are you gay, Cameron?"

"Yes, I'm gay. Not that it matters anyway, we're just sleeping."

"Yeah, we are. Thanks."

"Right then. Do you need help getting undressed?"

"I think I'll manage. Thanks."

"Stop saying thanks! Go to bed."

"Yes, Sir!"

Cameron stripped to his boxers and t-shirt. He sat and set the alarm on the bedside clock/radio, and also on his cell, just in case. He got into bed and lay there watching Andrew undressing.

"You sure you don't need a hand?"

"I'm fine. I can do this. I have to learn to do everything for myself, don't I?"

"Yeah, I guess you do really, but I'm here for now."

"Yeah," Andrew grinned. "You are. Thanks.

He undid his jeans, dropped them, and then sat on the bed to get the leg off over the cast on his foot.

"I'm glad I've got baggies. If my jeans were tighter, they would've cut them and I can't afford new ones."

"Guess not."

He finished undressing, Cameron got out to turn off the light and they climbed into bed together.

"Oh, that's good!" Andrew stretched and relaxed."

"Yeah. G'night then. Get some sleep and things'll look better in the morning."

"Hope you're right. I don't see how they could look any worse."

"Sure they could - somehow. G'night, Andrew."

"Nite, Cameron."