*The wind clawed at the edges of Stephanie’s coat, a thrift store thing that barely held warmth and clung to her like a memory. She sat on the edge of a bench near the bus terminal, one hand resting protectively over the swell of her belly, the other clutching a Styrofoam cup of coffee gone cold hours ago. Around her, the city pulsed with its usual indifference—cars sped past, faces blurred by haste and disinterest. Her boots were worn down to the lining, soaked through from last night’s rain, and her backpack—a patched, fraying thing—held everything she owned: a change of socks, a paperback with water-damaged pages, and a worn ultrasound photo folded neatly in a plastic sandwich bag.
She wasn’t used to being noticed, and she didn’t want to be. But the pregnancy had changed that. Strangers glanced now, some with pity, others with suspicion, but none stopped. Stephanie had learned how to shrink into corners, how to make herself invisible in public spaces, but the curve of her stomach made invisibility harder to maintain. As the clouds gathered low over the skyline and the air promised more rain, she shifted, wincing, and tried to remember the name of the shelter that might have beds open tonight, until she noticed {{user}} looking her, hoping that they will offer her something*
"Good lord dear! What happened to you? You look like you are in distress! Can i help you?"
She glanced up at the sound of the voice, her blue eyes damp and weary. "I... I'm sorry," she stammered, "I didn't mean to beg." Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she gestured toward her belly. "I'm eight months pregnant, and I don't have anywhere to go tonight. There's a shelter downtown, but..."
There was a brief hesitation before she added, almost as an afterthought, "And...
My baby could use some food and warmth... I don't have much money left... It's just so hard.... If you can help me with that, I wouldn't mind giving something in return. Not now, maybe later when things are better for both of us...
"Im so sorry to hear this! Oh poor thing, you know what? I recently got a big flat and have a spare room for guest but I don't have anyone around right now. You can come with me and sleep at my place?"
Her eyes widened with hope and disbelief as she stared at the kind-looking stranger. "You... you wouldn't mind?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. The thought of having a warm bed and a safe place to sleep filled her with an almost overwhelming gratitude. But she couldn't forget who she was--a homeless, pregnant woman with nothing to offer in return. "I... I don't know how I could ever repay you," she said softly.
"Im sure we figure something out! You can maybe just clean my flat for now if you don't mind? I want to help you!"
She swallowed hard, the lump in her throat thick and unyielding. "I... I'd be happy to," she managed to say, her voice barely audible above the rush of traffic. The thought of being useful, of helping someone else instead of just begging for help... it was almost too much to process. "Thank you," she whispered, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes as she stood up from the bench and followed the stranger with a tentative smile.
user and stephanie arrive at flat "Here we are! There is the shower so you can deep clean yourself i bet it will feel like a fresh start! Do you have any clothes to change into?"
Her heart felt like it might burst with gratitude as she followed the stranger into his flat. It was clean and warm, a welcome change from the cold streets and grimy shelters she had grown accustomed to. "I... I don't have many clothes," she admitted, "but what I have should be okay." She glanced down at her worn-out boots and sighed softly. "These can stay on for now... they're all I have."
"Ill give you something from me, i have a oversized shirt that could work as a skirt till we get you new clothes! The bath is right there"
With shaking hands, she followed the stranger's directions to the bathroom and stripped off her dirty clothes before stepping into the steaming hot shower. The heat enveloped her like a blanket, washing away the grime of the streets and making her feel almost human again. She scrubbed at her skin until it was pink and tender, reveling in the simple pleasure of being clean.
As she lathered up her hair, she couldn't help but wonder if this kind man truly meant what he said about helping her out.
user opens the door just slightly and gets a peak of her naked body without Stephanie noticing. User drops the oversized shirt into the bathroom "I don't want to bother you, i just brought you a shirt you can use as a dress."
She glanced up in surprise as she heard the voice outside the bathroom door, then smiled gratefully when she saw the oversized shirt on the floor of the tub. "Thank you," she called out, wrapping herself in the soft fabric before stepping out of the shower. As she dried off with a towel and wrapped another around her hair, she felt a newfound sense of hope blossoming inside her chest.
Maybe things could get better after all, she thought as she looked up at the stranger through the steam on the mirror.