A week and a half later.

"Ma, I'll pop out to the markets and grab the vege" I hollered through the house, ma sitting in the back garden with her new beau. He was nice but I was the third wheel. 

I was wanting my mother's attention from being away so long but her eyes were on him alone. 

I was dead happy she found someone but in the same breath jealous that I hadn't.

I wandered down the laneway and around the corner, we were a few minutes from the markets and as I walked I could hear the sellers spruiking their wares, calling passers-by to buy their fresh fruit or vegetable, fish fresh from the ocean or second hand bits and bobs.

Some children ran past and gave me a fright, a hula hoop banged into my legs and I rubbed them as a little girl said her apologies she had hair and eyes the same as Ruthie a smile as wide and pure too. I handed her, her toy and she muttered a quick thank-you before running off down the lane to catch up to her friends.

The man behind the trolley pushed the bag of carrots and beans towards me after I paid the price of sale, his son smiled from behind, tipping his hat a wink for good measure. I blushed and walked on quickly.

A hand tapped my shoulder as I picked up two peaches, feeling the firmness testing if they were ripe or not, the colour was good and the skin so soft and smooth. I smelt the aroma of the stall sweet and fragrant.

"Nice peaches luv" It was the boy from the vegetable trolley smiling broadly but the words teetered on his lips coming over rude and disgusting. "A good set on a nice looking lass they are"

"Piss off little boy, rude and improper you are" I turned back to the fruit stand as I felt a dozen eyes on my back, his being the closest, bore into me.

His fingers poked me in the back and I ignored the sharp pain "You watch your mouth you skank or I'll be looking out for you down the alley later" He sniggered and swaggered off.

Images of London filtered back and I hurriedly paid for the fruits sans peaches and fled home.

I caught the afternoon four- ten train to London that evening.

 The horrid boy had followed me home, not closing the distance but menacing and calling out dirty and hateful words. Ma's beau took off after the boy but I was done, I needed the rest of my things from Jim's, I would stay at a motel in London after I retrieved them.

Sleeping for most of the five-hour journey was the only thing to do, I forgot a book and there was nothing to see when I gazed out the window except darkness and the odd village lit so dimly you could barely make out what was a house or a streetlight, as the train powered on. 

Fresh as a daisy I was when it stopped, the noise of the train groaning and hissing and hum of passengers stirred me to gather my two near empty suitcases and almost as empty purse.

I stood stock still in the middle of the steady stream of newly alighted passengers and those bustling for the doors, that had somewhere special to go, should I go to the hotel or Mister Jim's first?

The mid-range hotel was nearly five miles from the station, there were others closer but they were grander and steeper in cost. The cab fare would take a large chunk of my small amount of pounds that I had on me; Then to get back to Jim's and then back once more to the hotel afterwards.

Jim's, it was then, a mere two and a half blocks down a busy street then, the half block in near darkness. I took out my small aerosol tin of mace spray, I wasn't going to be that girl tonight.

Dressed in my black capris and olive turtle neck, I was comfortable, the weather had gotten better and the winds of ice having fallen away to near perfect conditions thankfully. I also wore my watch and a copper bangle, one I got from my mother when I was little. They jangled together quietly as my arms moved with the suitcases.

Upon entering the street to my old employer's,it became clearly evident he was entertaining at his house. 

Devoid of cars almost  always, now tonight two sat in the drive and two on the roadway. 

I hesitated then watched as another car pull up. 

I was in a quagmire of what to do. I could turn on my heel and leave, money would pour and drain into a cab drivers pocket, leaving me almost broke if I did go to the motel or do I venture to the door, knock, be curt and polite ask for my things, do what I needed to do and quickly leave.