36 dressed in a flowing floral sundress, her wavy hair with loose braids. She wore no makeup but had a natural beauty and a sense of strength and stature that made him want to gain her respect. “I—I don’t know what I’m doing,” he said dejectedly. “That’s apparent,” she said with a sad smile. “Tell me, Katy. Do you often go around picking up strays?” “All the time. They’re my favorite.” * * * The rain hit the windshield as the wipers quickly swished back and forth. The storm had fizzled into a gentle summer rainstorm. The smell of rain permeated the car as Katy chattered without prompting. He learned a lot about her during the drive to her apartment. She was a recovering alcoholic and had been sober for five years. She was only 23 and had started drinking at 12. Her story mirrored his own. She came from a dysfunctional and abusive family and she turned to drinking to drive out the harsh realities of her home life. He also learned that Katy was quite self-possessed and stubborn. “I have some ground rules,” she said bluntly. “First, I don’t allow drinking in my apartment. And second, I won’t have sex with you, so don’t even consider that.” Rob shifted uncomfortably in his seat as they pulled up to an apartment complex. She shut off the car and turned toward him waiting for his response. “I—I can respect your boundaries,” he said. Rob was unsure if he could keep her first rule, but he wanted to try. “Good. Come on. Let’s go in fast.” She flung her car door open, not waiting for Rob, and moved briskly toward the entrance of the apartment. Rob followed carefully behind her. Her apartment was small, but tidy, and he felt a sense of hope wash over him. She pulled out a couple of blankets and showed him where he could sleep. “Make yourself at home,” she said. “I’m going to sleep, but you can stay up.” “Thank you. For everything,” he said. He felt sober for the first time all day. * * * Rob had not slept as well in months as he had on Katy’s floor. Her apartment was peaceful and for the moment he felt like sobriety would be easy. He noticed an alert on his phone. It was a Venmo for $50 from his grandmother with a note that stated, “For groceries.” Grandma still thinks I’m in the halfway house. It was early and Katy was still sleeping. Rob decided to head to the grocery store only a few blocks from the apartment. He could use the 50 bucks to buy some food to share with his new friend. The weather smelled of rain, but the sun was peeking out through darkened clouds. It had been a while since Rob had last eaten, so his stomach was coming to life with the thought of food. He walked into the grocery store; the smell of freshly baked donuts filled the air. Rob’s stomach
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