The sun paints my walls through the east window. I stare as the early morning shadows dance across my room and then I am up and dressed in my work clothes and I don't recall doing this myself. I take one last look at myself in the piece of scrap mirror I have salvaged off the streets and recoil in disgust at the purple sores under my eyes and around my mouth. I groan loudly and throw the scrap mirrow across the room and watch it shatter into hundreds of shimmering shards.

"Great why in the hell did I just do that?" I say to myself out loud.

My voice doesn't even sound like my own, its foreign and unrecognizable to me. This makes me pause and think for a few brief seconds, I shake it off.

"I'm just groggy" I think and let it slip out of my mind for I have more important matters to attend to today.

I then hastily grab an envelope from under my mattress and stuff my letter to Felicity in it and seal it with what spit I have left in my body. Then quickly jot down her address on the front and stick it in my apron pocket for safe keeping. I stare at the mess i made on the floor and groan. The bile has dried to the floor and its going to take forever to clean off the floor. I search around my room for a dirty rag and lay it over the throw up to remind me later to clean it up.I then lazily float down the stairs and into the kitchen where I am greeted by the smell of eggs and potatoes. It's intoxicating and fills my body with warmth. I hug my arms closely to my body and sit at the little wooden table in the far corner of the kitchen and wait for Rosalita, the woman who took me in, to make me a plate. The tortures of last night fills my thoughts and I start to daydream about him again. The feel of his hands touching my body. Rough, course hands, but yet so gentle with me, it was like magic. My stomach tightens and tries to pull me out of my day dream but I fight it hard, making myself rather queasy. And then I hear it..him..calling my name from afar.

"Gemma. Gemma darling, please wake up! Time for breakfast!" And then it hits me. Its actually Rosalita waking me from my longing nightmares.

I sigh and sit up eagerly waiting for her to serve me my portion. "Sorry Rosie, must have slipped there for minute or so." I quietly say and smile slightly at her.

She sets my plate down in front of me and I quickly dive in to the eggs first, stuffing my face like I haven't eaten in days. Although I am fed well here so I don't know what has come over me. I swallow hard choking and gasping for air as it comes out my nose also. I am a disgusting creature. This time I slowly and daintily eat my food as if I were in grandmama's presence or Simon's. Simon. This boy hasn't even crossed my mind since the last time I was in London. I wonder what poor girl married him. I shiver and shove the thought away and clear my throat and look up at Rosie.

"What chores do I have to do today?" She ignores me.

The deal was if I work for her I eat and sleep here for free. Seems like a pretty good trade off to me considering I was left for the streets two years ago. I quickly shove this thought away and clear my throat again, "The reason I'm asking Rosie is well, I have an errand to run. Actually a letter to mail, its quite important. It's for my brother, Tom." I lie and cover it well I think.

Rosie turns to me and smiles sitting down across from me, "That's perfectly fine with me Gemma. How about you go and mail your letter first and then you can start on your days work. Sound good?"

I nod quickly and smile at the nice old woman and quickly finish my plate up and wash it off with a dirty old rag and put it back in the cupboard.

"I'll be back later Rosie, just to the post office and back!" I yell as I'm walking out the door into the cool sunny Chicago morning.