Page 4 of Nothing Heals Me Like You Do
“Rochelle’s a sweetheart.”
Someone walked up to them. “Hi there. My name’s Darrel, they/them. Justine asked me to give you the grand tour.”
They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries and pronouns—both she/her for Alexis and Sienna.
“Justine urged me not to make a big song and dance about it, but I’m your mother’s biggest fan,” Darrel said to Sienna.
“Color me surprised, as most people can’t shut up about my dad,” Sienna quipped. “But it’s a lovely surprise.” Being an actor, Sienna had huge respect for her father’s career, but he was a good-looking white man. Her mother was the first Black female showrunner in all of TV’s history. Sienna’s admiration for her mother knew no bounds, because not only had she accomplished professional success against the odds, she’d also been Sienna and her sister’s primary parent, and a damn good one at that. To hear a stranger gush about her mother for once made for a nice change.
“Of course, I’m also totally into you two,” Darrel continued as they walked them to a door opposite the reception area. “This movie is like a dream for us working at the shelter and I love that you’re both going to be starring in it.” Darrel stopped in front of the closed door. They fixed their gaze on Alexis. “Good luck playing Justine.” Darrel chuckled. “Lord knows I love that woman to absolute bits, but she’s a piece of work.” They followed up with a quick wink, then focused their attention on Sienna. “Rochelle’s like the opposite. You can ask her anything. She’s an open book. I’m not claiming you’ll have an easier time of it because, well, what do I know about acting? But they’re like ice and fire. Together, they create some sort of magic, though.” They tapped their chest. “They both have a permanent place in here as far as I’m concerned. Justine has dedicated her life to making the lives of people like me infinitely better. She’s completely selfless. She doesn’t really want to do this movie. She doesn’t want that kind of intrusion in her life and emphasis on her story, but this too, she’s doing for us. For the kids who come knocking at our door with nothing but the clothes they’re wearing and a few dollars in their pocket.”
Obviously, like Rochelle, Darrel loved to talk. They had the same inviting warmth about them.
“I’d love to take you out for a drink,” Alexis said. “You seem to know Justine well. How long have you been working here?”
“I arrived here when I was fifteen. The shelter helped me with literally everything.” Darrel’s voice cracked the tiniest of bits. “I got my degree in social work, just like Justine, and I’ve been working here ever since. I’ll be thirty next month.”
“Wow.” Alexis’s eyes went wide. “You must be a treasure trove of information on Justine.” Sienna’s co-star seemed to share Justine’s kind of single-mindedness
“I’m so sorry you had to end up here,” Sienna said, acknowledging Darrel’s unimaginable-to-her ordeal.
“It is what it is, and I’m standing here with you two glitzy ladies now.” They shot them an easy smile that probably hid a world of past hurt. “Have I said it’s my honor?” They nodded at the door. “Shall we start the tour?”
Darrel showed Sienna and Alexis the dorm-style bedrooms, the gender-neutral communal bathrooms, and the dining area with large tables.
Sienna’s parents were rich, and she had never had to come out. She’d never had to declare her sexuality to her parents—the way it should be. Even though she knew theGimme Shelterscript by heart, and could give an off-book performance there and then, actually being at the Rainbow Shelter, and seeing it with her own eyes, was a shock to her system. Despite its stark cleanliness, there was something inherently bleak about young people having to live like this.
“How are we getting on?” Rochelle had come out of nowhere.
“It’s eye-opening to be here,” Alexis said.
“Justine will probably be a while,” Rochelle said. “I need to get home. My daughter called, and I’ve unexpectedly got my grandkids tonight. You can either hang out here and wait for Justine, or share an Uber with me back to my house.”
“I can get a car home from here,” Alexis said. “I have a thing tonight that I need to get ready for.” She narrowed her eyes. “It’s not possible to say goodbye to Justine?” There was genuine disappointment in her voice.
“If she’s doing an intake, she’s not going to interrupt that delicate process,” Darrel said. “But I’ll tell her you couldn’t stay. Don’t worry about it. She won’t think you’re rude.”
“I’ll be seeing her tomorrow, anyway,” Alexis said in that direct manner she had. She dug her phone out of her pocket. “Can I ask for your number, Darrel? So we can grab that drink soon?”
While Alexis and Darrel exchanged numbers, Rochelle approached Sienna.
“Are you okay?” She tilted her head.
Sienna nodded.
“Despite the love we put into it, this place is not the Ritz.”
This was not the time for Sienna to be fragile about her own privilege. “If it’s okay with everyone, I’d like to hang around for a bit,” she said, refusing to give in to the impulse to get out of there and retreat into the swanky penthouse her father had bought for her. Something compelled her to stay.
Chapter3
Justine had never set out to be the face of the Rainbow Shelter. It had happened gradually and naturally, and it was a common occurrence for a kid to turn up and ask for her specifically, simply because they knew her name. She never denied the request because when someone had mustered up the courage to walk into the shelter—not something anyone did lightly—it was exactly the right moment to give them a tiny slice of her time. In Justine’s book, it topped giving her attention to two Hollywood starlets doing research on her any day of the week. The kids always came first. Surely Alexis and Sienna would understand.
She hadn’t expected either of them to still be there after she’d talked a young girl through her options and how the shelter could help her, but when she walked into the staff’s break room, she found Sienna and Darrel huddled together, chatting like the best of friends. There was no sign of Alexis.
Sienna’s brown eyes lit up when she spotted Justine. She managed a small smile in response. While Justine prided herself on her endless reserves of energy—how else to build a shelter out of nothing?—an intake conversation could be draining, especially if the girl reminded her so much of herself back in the day.
“I see Darrel has kept you entertained.” Justine crashed into a chair. She just needed a few minutes and a strong cup of coffee and she’d be her fired up old self again. Although, admittedly, she was no spring chicken anymore, and every so often, she just needed some rest.
