Page 17 of The Road Home

"Well, if you're helping me around here still when the holidays and birthdays come up, we'll start to celebrate them together. I'm not sure what the two of us can do, but we'll come up with something."

"Thanks." Orson smiled, though he was sure that it was nothing more than words. Jared wouldn't want to spend his free time with him. He probably had a large group of friends who he hung around with. Other professionals, people on his level who could understand him. Not some high school drop-out who lived on the streets.

He took a bite of his food, again thinking how different his life might have been if he'd just given in and let his parents control his life. Even if he'd done it just for a few years. He could have made it through high school and maybe even college, then come out once he had a career and money of his own to make it. Still, that would have hurt almost more than being homeless. He would have been lying to everyone, to himself, and that was something he didn't think was right. He was sure God created him just how he was supposed to be, and denying who he was would be one of the worst things he could do to himself.

"So, as you can see out the back window, the yard is large, but I think between the two of us, we can do something with it. What do you think?" Jared asked, pulling Orson from his silent thoughts.

"It's amazing. Bigger than I thought it would be, but I think you could do a lot with it. Have you ever thought about a small garden?" Orson remembered what his parents' yard was like.

"No, but I'm not against it, depending on how much work it is. I'm pretty lazy when it comes to stuff like that."

"Well, if I'm still helping you once a week or so, I can do everything. Nothing big, but maybe some tomatoes or cucumbers or stuff like that. I don't know, what do you like?"

Jared stared out the window into the yard. "I don't know. Let's eat, then we can walk out and talk about it. I'll also show you the woodshop where I spend most of my time at home."

Orson nodded as he chewed, excited to see everything, but still scared and nervous that he was here alone with him. It seemed too good to be true that he would offer him a job helping him when it was clear that he could really handle most of it on his own. Still, Orson wasn't going to turn down the chance to make some money. If he could get some newer clothes, get a little money saved, then maybe getting a full-time job would be easier. Every dollar would help, and if Jared was willing to help him get there, he was willing to do almost anything he needed him to do.