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I really don’t want to tell her, and I don’t want her to feel sorry for me. I don’t say anything for a moment. “Just, around,” I say, and she eyes me harder.
“We have a small apartment above the restaurant here. I was planning on renting it out. It’s fully furnished and ready to be moved into immediately.”
I try to not show any reaction to what she is saying. God, to sleep in a bed and have somewhere with a locked door would be out of this world.
“How much?” I ask.
I swear she stares at me harder with this motherly look that seems like she can see right into my soul. See all my secrets and hidden truths.
“Are you running from something?”
“Just want a new start. I was in foster care my whole life and I’m just trying to find my purpose.” I’m not ashamed to admit that I was in foster care; it was hard, never knowing where you will be in a month's time or if the people you are staying with are kind.
It’s a hard life; some are nice, and some are not.
But I made it and that’s what matters. Turning eighteen was the peak in my life because they could not control my life anymore.
“I can take the rent out of your pay?” she suggests. “You will be getting a salary besides the tips,” she points out and I almost fall over because that is so much better than I could have ever imagined.
“Want to see it?” she asks, and I nod. “Yes, please.”
She walks past the office to a door at the back of the building that leads to a small flight of stairs. She unlocks the door and pushes it open, motioning for me to go in in front of her.
I fall in love with it immediately; it’s small and cozy. The bedroom is right in the middle of the room, and I see a small bathroom to the right, and a small kitchen off to the left. “I know it’s small,” she points out.
“This is perfect!” I feel lighter than I have in a very long time.
My apartment before this was right in the worst part of town; drugs deals happened right outside of my door frequently.
I slept with a knife in my hand because I was terrified that they would finally break down my door and hurt me.
I had to go; college was not worth being scared for my life.
I feared sleeping in my car most nights, but I would try to find places where I would feel semi-safe.
But this place is more than I could ever imagine.
“Are you sure there is no one else that wants this?” I’m scared of the answer, but I can’t make myself believe that I found a place this quick.
She giggles. “I was you once, but I had a baby on my hip at the same time and someone helped me. They saved our lives and I get to repay the favor now.”
She smacks her hands together. “Now, you get settled. You can take a nap. Dante will help you bring your things up later. Oh, and there is a washing machine down in the bathroom behind the kitchen.” She puts her hand on the edge of the doorframe.
“Welcome home.” She smiles and starts to walk back down the stairs, taking my barely beating heart with her.
She stops and turns to look at me. “I will have my son come by in the next day or two to look at your car. I saw your tires were almost flat.”
My mouth drops and she leaves before I can tell her it’s unnecessary. I have never met anyone before that just volunteers to do things for you like this.
In the span of fifteen minutes, she has changed my life. I look to the bed and close my eyes, begging myself not to cry.
After a few moments I get myself under control. “Hey, Marie said that you needed help with your things?” someone calls from the bottom of the stairs.
I walk down to meet him, trying to calm my nerves because he is intimidating. “You don’t have to,” I tell him.
He gives me a look and I try not to smile. “Do you want me to die?” he states with void of emotion, and I start laughing.
“I guess it’s the least I can do to save your life,” I joke back, and he laughs. Okay, he is much less scary now.
