"Hey," he said, shivering a bit from the cold as he stepped into the warmth. All the chairs were put up on top of the tables. "Wow. You close up quick."

She looked at him distractedly. "I hurt many of my employees. Did you know I mostly employee teenagers with hard family circumstances or teenagers who have just had babies and need money to support their families? And people like Sam, who I just allowed in here to sit in the warmth and to eat a warm meal. Do you know where they're at now?"

Taylor shook his head.

"Romie, was a 16-year-old mother of twin 2-year-olds. She had to go back to her apartment last night and tell her landlady that she couldn't afford the rent after this month because she lost her job. So she and her babies will be out on the street again, probably in some slum apartment house. David is a 19-year-old. Not only does he have to support his 98-year-old grandmother, but also his little sister that just had a kid. He doesn't know where the 4 of them will be at the end of the month. Mika, an 18-year-old with a business brilliance. She's been on her own since she was 11, fighting an addiction to heroine that put her in a rehab last year. She came here looking for a warm place to stay the night. I gave her a job and she got her own place. Now she is going to have to give up her home and live in boxes and allies, searching for a place to stay and a job, considering she stays away from the drugs and doesn't kill herself or get killed before the end of the year. These are kids who haven't finished high school, and whom other people won't hire. They were taken in here because I've been there and done that. I know what it's like when the whole world is against you."

"If you'll give me a list of their names and their phone numbers, I'll see to it that they all have jobs before they lose their homes," Taylor said. Teresa looked up at him in surprise.

"You'll WHAT?"

"I own a recording studio, for the love of God," Taylor said. "Mika can help be one of my managers. Romie can do secretarial work. David can help out with equipment, if he has a hand in electronics," Taylor said. "There's plenty of jobs that are open."

Teresa's mouth hung agape. "You're really gonna do that?"

"Sure, why not. And Sam, well, if he wants he can come stay with me, too."

Teresa's eyes widened more in astonishment. "But…"

He shook his head. "Right now I just want to see Casey."

Teresa nodded. She called out, "CASEY!"

A young boy with blond hair and incredibly dark eyes came strutting out of the kitchen. "You shouted at the top of your lungs?"

Teresa smiled. "Casey, come here and meet Taylor. You remember Taylor, right…"

Casey smiled brightly. Taylor nearly stumbled backwards at its brightness. "Hey!" the younger said, waving a bit. "I'm Casey."

"I'm Taylor."

"Mom says you knew each other back when she lived overseas," Casey said, watching his mom disappear into a backroom. "Did you know that this place is named after me?"

"Little C's?" Taylor asked. He smiled. "Well, I guess that would explain it, huh…"

"How old are you?"

"23."

"I'm 5. You sure you're only 23? You seem a lot older to me," Casey said, walking closer. Taylor knelt down on the ground to get at his level.

"I'm just tired," Taylor said.

"Didn't you get enough sleep?"

"Not really," Taylor said. "I was too worried about meeting you."

Casey seemed perplexed. "Why? I'm not that special!"

"You're special to me," Taylor said.

Casey shrugged. "I guess. Did you know we're moving? We're leaving the restaurant and our apartment and everything."

"I'm sorry," Taylor said.

"Mom said to look at it as an adventure," Casey said. "Where are you from? I've never seen you before."

"Oklahoma."

"Oh," Casey said. He came another step closer, now merely inches from Taylor. "Why are you crying?"

"Because I've never…nev…" Taylor tried to smile through his tears. "Can I give you a hug?"

Casey leaned back a bit, seeming to contemplate whether or not he should. At last, he stepped back to Taylor. Taylor then reached out and carefully pulled his arms around Casey. Casey didn't know why this strange man was hugging him or why he was crying, but he did know he felt terribly sorry for him. It was so sad to see a man just cry, Casey thought. At least, to him it was. He'd never known many men, except for Sam, and the ones he did know didn't cry unless something was awfully bad.

What could possibly be wrong with Taylor, though?

Casey hugged him back, trying to ease his discomfort a bit. It was then that he noticed the man was softly stroking his hair and rubbing his back at the same time. He sighed. The feeling was so incredibly relaxing that he almost thought he would fall asleep right there. Just then though, he heard his mother's voice, and Casey snapped from his almost dream-like state. Taylor stood up, wiping again at his sore eyes.

"Here's that list," Teresa said, handing Taylor a small stack of notecards held together by a rubberband.

Taylor took it and mumbled a thanks. He then looked at Teresa and reached into his pocket. He held out a camera to her. "Here," Taylor said. "Please. It's a Polaroid Captiva thing. Just…I want a picture of Casey and I before you go."

Teresa took it, swallowing hard on a lump that was forming in her throat. She pointed to a booth in the corner. "Go sit, on the table there."

Taylor picked up Casey and then he went and sat on the table as Teresa had instructed, holding Casey on his lap. Teresa focused the camera, then quickly took two shots. One she took out for herself, careful not to touch the picture part. She handed the camera back to Taylor. Taylor took it, and tucked it into its original place in his pocket. He held Casey a bit tighter. Then, he leaned over Casey and gave the boy a soft kiss on his blond head.

Teresa then held out her arms to him. Casey looked from Taylor to Teresa, a bit confused. Then, somewhat dolefully, allowed himself to be taken by Teresa. She held him on her hip, then told him to go get his bags out of the back. Taylor watched as he ran off. He looked at Teresa then. He pulled an envelope out of his pocket then, and put it in Teresa's hand. "It's for him. Just so he knows…"

Teresa took it and quietly said, "So he'll hear both sides of the story."

Taylor nodded. Just then, Casey came running back in. He looked from his mother to Taylor again, expectantly. Teresa went over to a booth, and grabbed up her own bags. Taylor eyed them warily. "Is that all you've got?"

"My mom is bringing the rest of it with her when she comes too," Teresa said, walking to the door and guiding Casey the same direction. "We've just got necessities now."

Taylor nodded, following, knowing Teresa needed to lock up. "Okay."

"So, I guess we should be leaving," Teresa said, once outside the door. She turned and locked the restaurant up for the last time. Then she pocketed the keys. "Say goodbye, Casey."

Casey walked over to Taylor, sat down his things, and reached up for a hug. Taylor knelt and hugged him again shortly, then stood back up. Casey picked up his bags. "Bye, Taylor."

"Bye, Casey," Taylor said softly. "Bye, Teresa."

Teresa nodded. "Bye. We've got to get to the bus station before it leaves us, Casey. C'mon."

Taylor watched as they disappeared into the sea of people, eyes swimming with their own abrasive tears. After his vision had become blurred so much that he couldn't see them anymore, he leaned back against the cold brick of the building, and allowed his tears to run down his face.