Page 258 of When a Soul Cries

Unfortunately, I loved it.

I loved the smell when I opened the door, the seats, the screen, and how smooth it drove. But more than any of that, I loved putting Halo into her car seat without wondering if the car was going to start when I pressed the button.

No praying over the dashboard.

No watching the temperature gauge.

No strange noises underneath the hood that made my stomach drop because I knew I didn’t have money for repairs.

I could get my daughter where she needed to go safely.

That mattered more than the emblem on the steering wheel.

The townhouse gave me that same feeling.

Security.

It had been a couple of weeks since Halo and I moved into Eastview, and sometimes I still stopped in the middle of the living room just to look around.

It wasn’t completely furnished yet. A few boxes still sat against one wall, and my phone was full of screenshots of things I wanted for the living room and Halo’s bedroom. But there was no rush.

For once, I wasn’t trying to put a life together while everything around me was falling apart.

I could take my time.

And the rent?

That still blew my mind.

Eastview had partnerships and programs for qualifying families, working parents, single mothers, and people rebuilding after housing instability. By the time everything I qualified for had been applied, my portion was so low that the first time I saw the number, I thought somebody had made a mistake.

Immediately, I’d started doing the math.

I could save.

Build my credit.

Put money away for emergencies.

Start creating something for Halo.

Then Roman Devereaux decided affordable rent apparently wasn’t enough.

Once all my paperwork was finalized, I found out that man had paid my portion for an entire year.

Twelve months.

And my utilities.

I’d called him immediately and started fussing before he could properly say hello. Rome had calmly let me get it all out, then reminded me that he knew exactly what my plan was.

Work. Save. Build my credit. Put enough money away that Halo and I were never one missed paycheck away from losing everything again.

According to him, paying the bills ahead gave me room to stick to that plan.

I told him I was paying him back.

He laughed.