I was genuinely grateful to Daryl for helping me find a place to stay. The studio-type apartment his aunt owned sounded perfect. Small, cozy, and manageable, just enough for me to regain some sense of control. The thought of remaining in that mansion, trapped in the lingering presence of my cousin’s lying husband, made my stomach turn. If it were up to me, I’d have cut that shameless man’s happiness in half and left him staring at the ruins of his pride.
Daryl helped me organize my things, moving boxes and carefully setting up what I had brought. I decided that the rest of the essentials I would buy once my salary came through. It was comforting, in a small way, to have someone else shoulder some of the burden, someone I could trust.
“Thanks for helping me, Daryl. I feel… comfortable her
