You Are My One and Only

Patricia had surfed the net last night to browse through the available options on the market, but she grew doubtful at the wide variety of self-defense items for women. She wasn’t even sure if they were duds, and she was in no position to splurge now that she was practically broke. On the other hand, if Darcie knew anything about self-defense items, she might be the right person to ask for recommendations.

Presently, Darcie was happily digging into Josephine’s cooking. She couldn’t remember the last time she had had a home-cooked meal. It must have been months ago because that was how long she had been ordering takeout.

Poppy’s illness had taken a turn for the worse these last few weeks, and the hospital kept her in the ward for further observation. Unable to leave her daughter alone, Darcie had been eating takeout from a weekly roster of restaurants near the hospital, and at this point, she was getting sick of it.

She was exhausted and burned out from working her shift at Everbright until 4.00AM, after which she had to rush over to the hospital to become a caretaker at 7.00AM. She hadn’t been getting any proper sleep, and she often looked like she was out of it.

As she took a bite of roast beef, she smiled at Patricia and asked knowingly, “Why are you looking at self-defense stuff all of a sudden? Is some jerk picking on you?”

Patricia sighed. She should have known that Darcie would be too street-smart and cynical not to figure out what was happening right off the bat. Nervously, Patricia considered her options. If she were to tell the truth that Isaac had kissed her last night against her own will and nearly forced himself on her, then Darcie would brush it off.

She might even congratulate me, Patricia thought grimly. As such, she tried to look as unfazed as possible as she said, “I’ll be working night shifts soon, and I want to be able to fend off creeps and other strange men on my own.”

“That makes sense. I know a reliable place that sells self-defense weapons for

there was a physical store to purchase stuff like this, she agreed to it immediately. At least she wouldn’t have to worry

last morsel on her plate, she and Patricia left the four kids in Josephine’s care. With Scott

which was only a

that Patricia went through whenever she was

made their way down the sidewalk. Darcie linked arms with Patricia as she breathed in the smell of sunshine, then remarked with a bitter smile on her lips, “I can’t remember the last time I’d basked in the

worse life could throw at her, not after the storm she

she heard this, and she nuzzled closer to her friend as she said apologetically, “I wish I could do more to help. I

much rougher than I do. I’ve only got one kid to look after, but you have three. So, you being here for me is more than enough,

lend Darcie a shoulder to cry on and to

warm smiles, one grateful to the other for having stuck by her through everything, thus making the world seem a

women arrived at the store not long after. Patricia, who did not shop much, never expected a small, nondescript accessory shop like this

the establishment, but Patricia thought they were much too large for her purse. She needed something small that she could carry on her person at all times because she couldn’t very well sling a purse