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“Now we get to your real priorities.”

“Better tools than the ones in the workshop.”

“Naturally.”

“And clothes that belong to me. Shoes. My phone.”

“The phone already belongs to you.”

“Someone else paid for it.”

“We can settle that.”

I turn the phone over in my hand. “I like that people gave me things when I had nothing. I don’t want to keep having nothing.”

Rachel’s expression changes, and this time she does not make a joke.

“That makes sense.”

“And I want to pay something here.”

Rachel hesitates. “Locke, you don’t have to do that.”

“I live here.”

“You don’t have to pay rent.”

“I know.”

She waits.

“You helped me because I had nothing,” I say. “I don’t think that means I owe you. But if I have money now, I should help pay for where I live.”

Rachel goes quiet.

I point toward the papers. “Electricity. Water. Phone service. Food. Things I use.”

“You barely use electricity.”

“I use the television.”

“That’s your argument?”

“And the shower. The refrigerator.”

“The refrigerator would be running if you lived in Nebraska.”

I think about that. “How far is Nebraska?”

Rachel stares at me for one second before laughing. “Not the point.”

I smile. “I still want to contribute.”

Her laughter fades, but not the warmth in her face. “Because you live here.”

“Yes.”

She studies me for a moment, then nods. “Okay. We can figure out something fair.”