Keywon stood and faced the girl. "Maam, the missus here is being awful kind, I suggest you take her up on the offer. But you need a place for longer term help. Counseling. Here, take this card. It is a place where I know you can find ministry."<br/><br/>He pressed a neat white business card into her hand.<br/><br/>"It is the best I can do. There is no judgement there. It's a hard place, but there are good people. I can give you a ride later if you need it."<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center">Keywon Gamble<br/>
Minister + Faith Based Entrepreneur<br/>
First African Church of Christ<br/>
+ South Side Women's Shelter​</div><br/>The address was right in the middle of a very rough part of town. The epicenter of gang and drug activity. And always rumors of more and worse, both terrible stories political and supernatural.<br/><br/>He felt back in his zone just being so authoritative and calming, his place of strength. Not that lie of a place, the one that came from his flask.<br/><br/><i>Or that syringe.<br/>
</i><br/>He patted the inside of his arm unthinkingly, thinking of the scars there, scars he always wanted to cover up, yet could never talk to anyone about.<br/><br/>He took her hand in one hand, her elbow in the other, and raised her gently, averting his eyes. He felt a familiar spirit move in his loins. Something about the strength and confidence in this woman, the ink not being shame, but beauty.<br/><br/>He winced again as he had to lift his right arm. But his long arms made it easy for her to raise her back up.<br/><br/>A name? Not a lie. He couldn't lie, not outright. An old name then. One he hadn't thought about in years.<br/><br/>"Call me Reach. An old nickname." He held out his left arm, showing off his handspan. "Coach was always trying to get me to play basketball, right? And you? I see plenty of names in the art around these walls, but Noel is the one that I'd imagine for you."<br/><br/>He remembered the manners long drilled into him by his mama, whenever he heard a woman's name.<br/><br/>"A very pretty name."