Chapter 28


    Patricia had surfed thest night to browse through the avable 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 rmendations.


    Presently, Darcie was happily digging into Josephine’s cooking. She couldn’t remember thest


    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 thesest 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


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    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 be 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 herst night against her own will and nearly forced


    himself on her, then Darcie would brush it off.


    She might even congratte 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.”


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


    women. I’ll bring you over after I’m done with the meal.”


    Patricia had nned on getting the spray off the, but when she heard that there was a physical


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


    about warranties.


    When Darcie had polished off thest morsel on her te, she and Patricia left the four kids in


    Josephine’s care. With Scott and Sten around, Patricia was sure they would take care of Sylvie


    and Poppy well.


    The two women left for the store, which was only a ten-minute walk away from the children’s


    hospital.


    Darcie understood the pain that Patricia went through whenever she was driving, so she opted to


    walk to the store instead.


    The winter sun warmed them as they 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 thest time I’d basked in the sun like this. I might actually start feeling hopeful if


    Poppy could get better soon.”


    She did not think there was anything worse life could throw at her, not after the storm she had


    weathered.


    Patricia’s heart twisted when she heard this, and she nuzzled closer to her friend as she said


    apologetically, “I wish I could do more to help. I probably could if I weren’t so dirt poor.”


    Darcie pinched her face tenderly and said, “Please, you have it 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,


    Tricia, okay?”


    It was hard to find a true friend these days. However, Patricia was always there to lend Darcie a


    shoulder to cry on and to celebrate with her over the most minor achievements, and vice versa.


    Together, they felt as if they could take on the world.


    They exchanged warm smiles, one grateful to the other for having stuck by her through everything,


    thus making the world seem a little less cruel.


    Chatting as they walked, the two women arrived at the store not long after. Patricia, who did not


    shop much, never expected a small, nondescript essory shop like this to have self-defense


    items on sale.


    Darcie immediately grabbed a few bottles of pepper sprays off the shelf once she entered the


    establishment, but Patricia thought they were much toorge 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


    around her while cleaning Isaac’s house.


    “Excuse me, do you have anything smaller than pepper sprays?” she turned to ask the shop


    assistant.


    The shop assistant dutifully took out a ring meant to be worn on the index finger. It was made with


    a delicate band with a red heart-shaped stone set into the center, pretty enough to pass as


    costume jewelry. “This is thetest we have in our collection, miss. It’s small and lightweight, and


    you can wear it at all times. It also makes for a really cute essory.”


    While speaking, the assistant gently pressed down on the heart-shaped stone, and a long and thin


    needle immediately extended out from the edge of the heart, parallel to the finger.


    “The needle is soaked in a mild anesthetic. The attacker will be pacified for up to five minutes,


    allowing you to make a run for it and save your life.”