CHAPTER X : A little independence goes a long way

The time had finally come. Persephonè had reached the top of the list for low income housing. She and Anne were moving into their new apartment! It was in the big city too. Far enough from the people she knew to feel anonymous, yet close enough to make visiting family an easy drive. It was located downtown, surrounded by shops and restaurants. Driving by, nobody would have even thought there was housing there. The fact that her apartment was above a theater made her feel like she was surrounded by an artistic world, even if only on the surface. Above a theater filled with music and plays, Persephonè unlocked the apartment door and felt something she hadn't felt in years.

Home.

Persephonè had never been one who longed for the finer things. She loved her tiny apartment. It didn't have any air conditioning, but they didn't need it. Once they had acclimated, she actually needed a sweatshirt whenever the temperature dropped below eighty degrees. She didn't own much, so she would go to the community laundry room and borrow the broom. She was surprised at how clean a carpet could get with nothing more than a broom. Bath time became a bit harder since there was only a walk-in shower, but Anne thought baths in the kitchen sink were great fun. When Anne's legs had to be draped over the sink to fit, Persephonè got a cheap plastic kiddie pool to set in the shower. It almost seemed like problems were easier to solve when she lived minimally. She had windows that looked out onto the roof, but the roof ended after about three feet and was met by a massive brick wall. This created a little alleyway of sorts. It was the home of many pigeons, or at least it seemed that way. Maybe it was their little meeting place.

A pigeon terrace.

Either way, it was an entertaining view. She had never realized how pretty pigeons were. The apartment wasn't much, but the new key she held opened a door to a life she had built herself.

Persephonè knew she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom as soon as she had Anne. Giving that up was something she was not ready to accept yet. She couldn't bring herself to go back into the workforce and have strangers raising her baby. It just didn't feel like it was what was best for Anne either. Thankfully, with the assistance and the child support combined, she could actually cover all the bills. She felt like if she could just hold on until Anne was a little older, they would be just fine. For the first time, survival no longer felt impossible. It wasn't comfortable, but it was enough.

A tight spot felt really tight while living minimally, though. Persephonè tried going to a clinic a few times that would give you money if you donated plasma. But she was always too anemic. She was amazed at how far she could make twenty dollars stretch, though. Besides, Anne was easily entertained. A simple stroller walk to a nearby park to feed the ducks was the most exciting thing to her. It was somewhat surreal, to step out on her morning stroll with Anne, to be greeted by the piles of vomit left on the sidewalks. Remnants from the night before. This city was a college town after all. Home of the same college she went to years ago. She imagined the college kids partying it up on the main drag each night, bar hopping. What a different world they lived in. Looking at Anne, Persephonè smiled with no regrets.