As she opened the door to her apartment, Audrey felt like she was flying. Her day had started as a nightmare, but now it felt too good to be true. Am I dreaming this? But she couldn't have been dreaming, could she? It was too real. The pain, the fear, the relief, the happiness… everything was real. At least, she hoped it was.
Audrey sat herself down at her vanity, picking up a magazine. The pages were yellow and worn because she looked through it so much. In fading letters, the title read Better Homes and Gardens. Once again, Audrey floated away into her regular daydream of living far away from the city, in a simple yet beautiful house, with a man who loved her and cherished her the way she loved and cherished him.
Slowly, the daydream faded, and Audrey returned to the real world. She suddenly remembered the father of her baby.
Audrey couldn't say she loved Orin, or even liked him. She wasn't worried that her child would turn out like him either- she doubted someone who would never meet her child could influence it. Audrey was curious to find that she was feeling much less afraid, now that he had left her. She felt as if she was both safer and more vulnerable, somehow. Now that Orin had erased himself from her life, maybe she could tell Seymour…
Audrey nearly laughed out loud at the thought. She doubted she would ever be able to muster up the courage. Besides, she was certain someone like Seymour would never love someone like her.
Still, Audrey couldn't help but smile at the thought of the awkward, clumsy, caring young man she was so fortunate to work with. He wouldn't have any personal benefit from helping Audrey to raise her child; it wouldn't make him more successful in terms of business, nor would it help him to leave Skid Row. Seymour was doing it all out of the kindness of his heart.
Audrey gazed across the street, lost in thought. She suddenly thought of the baby she was carrying.
"We're going to be okay, sweetheart," she told it softly, placing a hand on her abdomen. "He's not gonna hurt you. He's not gonna leave you. He'll take care of you. No matter what happens, Seymour'll be here for you. We'll both be here for you. Your real fatha'll never harm you, okay? If I can help it, nobody'll ever harm you."