Rebecca sat at Mrs. Tiedeman's kitchen table, tears drying on her face, a hot cup of soothing peppermint tea in front of her. She'd told her friend and former landlady the whole story, starting with a G-rated version of her wedding night and ending with Blaze's ultimatum. “I'm so sorry to have bothered you, but I didn't know where else to turn."
“Nonsense, I'm glad you came to me. You poor thing." Mrs. T patted her hand reassuringly. “You've been through the wringer the last month or so."
“What should I do?" Rebecca asked in a near-whisper. The other tenants were all up in their rooms, but she knew one of them could come down at any moment.
“The first thing you *shouldn't* do is give that lowlife scumbag of an ex-boyfriend a single dime," Mrs. T said with a decisive nod.
“I know," R
