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“That’s crazy,” she said. “I mean—it seriously blew up?”

“Crazy or not, it happened,” Natalie said. “And I don’t appreciate the laughter.” Silence. More crunching. Natalie decided to put an end to the torture. “Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I’m okay and that…. I might not be back for a while.” Natalie could’ve elaborated further, Gayle knowing about her recent troubles with Allen, but Natalie didn’t think it wise to share everything with her at the moment, just in case he decided to come around. If Gayle was one thing, it was a blabbermouth. Intentional or not. And Natalie didn’t want her involved in this. It was for Gayle’s own protection as it was hers.

The statement seemed to have got Gayle’s attention.

“What?”

“So, you can have that friend of yours stay temporarily if you want.” Gayle had an on-again, off-again boyfriend she’d really been wanting to come and stay, but Natalie had always refused because the apartment was too small and she didn’t want another human to pick up after. One child was enough.

“You serious?”

“He can cover my rent for a while.” She wasn’t totally sure about this, but she was sure about one thing. She did not want to go home. And with Gayle’s boyfriend paying half the rent, Natalie could now spend her money on somewhere else to stay.

“Great, Nat, thanks. Er, when will you be back?”

“I don’t know. But I’ll give you as much of a heads-up as I can.”

“Okay.”

“Good-bye, Gayle.”

“Bye.”

Natalie handed the phone back to Vaughn, who seemed surprised that the call had ended so soon.

“Roommate,” Natalie said.

Vaughn eyed the phone. “Did you want to call someone else for a ride?”

Natalie shook her head, as the realization that she had no one and nowhere to go struck again. Tears brimmed as she searched her mind for a plan. And they threatened to fall as she thought of Allen and his threats.

“Would you like for me to give you a ride?” Vaughn asked.

“No, you don’t have to do that—” Vaughn was being so kind.

These people—they were so nice. Why couldn’t she have good people like these in her life? After all, she was a good person, wasn’t she?

June touched her arm again and Natalie turned to face her, her chest now burning with the pent-up pain. The older woman with the wild white hair was looking at her with the kindest, sweetest face she’d ever seen.

“You okay, darlin’?”

Natalie tried to speak, but instead she fell into her gaze and fell into sobs. June drew her to her and held her tight, quietly soothing her as she patted her back. Natalie clung to her, feeling secure in her wiry frame, wishing she’d had someone to embrace her like this all those many years ago when she’d lost her father. And then again as she’d gone from foster home to foster home.

“Shh, there, there,” June whispered. Natalie withdrew and wiped her eyes. June tried to help, using her rough-feeling fingers to smooth away the tears. “Why don’t you tell us what’s going on with you?”

Natalie gulped a breath of air, caught on the tail end of a sob, and settled once again onto the barstool. Her heart raced like a tiny bird’s in her rib cage, but something told her she could trust these people. Perhaps it was their kindness, or maybe their vibrant, caring eyes. She wasn’t sure. She just knew that she felt…safe.

“I don’t know where to start,” she said.

“At the beginning,” June said with an encouraging smile.

“If I did that, we’d be here all day.”

“That’s okay,” June said.

Natalie calmed her breathing. “I’ll share with you what’s going on now. I’m recently divorced,” she said. “It’s been less than a year and my husband, er, my ex-husband, doesn’t want to let me go.”

“Uh-oh,” June said, giving a knowing look to Vaughn.