I woke to find Daniel hadn't come home. I figured he was at Belinda's. I was glad because I wanted to sort my head before I saw him again.

Adam was everything my suspicions had warned me he was. A criminal. A drug dealer. I felt numb and wanted to clear my mind. I went to the movies by myself.

When I got home, Gary rang to tell me Kæ'feı 'Rɒbərt would be closed for a week.

"Is everything okay, Gary?" I asked.

"I'm not sure," he said. "They're accusing Robert of running a prostitution racket from the premises. The place is considered evidence at the moment. We'll close for a week and see what happens. Roberts got his lawyers onto it."

"Has he been?" I said, "I know some of the girls do it, but isn't that their choice?"

"I shouldn't say anything, Jasmine, but I'd start searching for another job if I were you. If you need a reference, use my number. You're a good worker." He let out a heavy breath and said, "Anyway, I gotta make some more calls. I'll let you know what's going on in maybe a week, okay."

He sounded sad. I supposed he was also going to have to find a new job. "Are you going to be at work tomorrow?" I asked. "My clothes are there. Can I come and get them? I'll drop the costume back at the same time."

"Yeah, thanks," he said. "I'll be here all day sorting out the fridges. Come in the back way."

"Okay. Thanks, Gary," I said and hung up.

Daniel arrived in Belinda's car around five o'clock with a big grin on his face. "I'm out of your hair, sis. Moving back to Belinda's," he said. "I told her I loved her, now everything's good with the world."

I smiled and hugged him. If only he knew. "That's great, Daniel. You treat her right; she's a good person."

"Ah... so true." Daniel packed his things and left without noticing anything was wrong with me.

I was surprised at how I was handling it all. I must be growing up and getting stronger. I resigned myself to the fact that everything was over with Adam. I'd have to get my life together. I was thankful it ended when it did because I would have been dragged into his lifestyle, and I didn't want that.

When I got into bed that night and hugged my pillow, sadness overwhelmed me. I cried myself to sleep.

Percy caught me near the mailboxes as I passed on my way to the train the next day.

"Hello, Jasmine," he called. "You had a late night the other night. I saw you in your work costume." He grinned.

I said, "Yes. We had a bit of drama at work, a police raid. I'm not sure why," I explained. "I couldn't change at work. I'm taking the outfit back now." Percy grinned some more. I added, "You must have been on a late shift to be awake at that time of night."

"Oh, no, no, no. I was being with my girlfriend." He beamed and looked over his shoulder.

I followed his gaze. An attractive Indian woman stood at his door.

"Oh! So, it's working out? The race thing," I queried.

"Yes, yes, very well, thank you." He took a step closer and said in a low voice, "Percy is in love very much. We want to be a modern couple. We choose to do as we wish. I will be marrying Nigella, but she doesn't know it yet."

I laughed and threw my arms around him. "That's fantastic, Percy. I'm so happy for you."

He beamed at me and said, "You would like to meet Nigella, yes?"

"I would love to." I followed him across the car park.

He held his hand out towards her. "Nigella, this is Jasmine Baker. Macy's very good friend and my very good neighbour."

Nigella was beautiful with long black hair, full lips and big brown eyes. I understood why he would be besotted with her.

I headed to the train and thought about my situation. I can't pick the right men. I walked along the footpath and wondered what the right type of man was. Attraction was attraction. There wasn't a damn thing a person could do about it. Maybe next time a geek asks me out, I'll give him a chance. I laughed to myself because I don't remember any geek ever asking me out.

I had known Percy had a crush on me. If I had flirted with him, would it have worked? No. If the chemistry wasn't there, it wasn't there. I was a complete loser. If I were always attracted to the wrong sort of men, then I would either end up married to a loser or be a spinster for the rest of my life.

I have two choices: loser or spinster? I guess I'll be a spinster because I don't have the resilience that's needed to marry a loser. I want children, so perhaps I'll be a single mum.

The day was beautiful, but it didn't make me feel any better. The bright blue sky was filled with big, fluffy cumulus clouds. I sucked in a big lungful of air and decided to be positive. I was alive. Okay, I didn't have a job anymore and therefore wouldn't be able to pay my rent, which meant I'd be homeless and starving. But hey, I had my health.

As I walked and contemplated my life, I ran my hand along a white picket fence that belonged to a quaint house with pretty flowers growing in the garden. My heart lurched. I shouldn't have looked at the house. My sister would get to live in a house like this with her husband and a couple of kids. My chances were slim.

I sighed and looked across the street at the dilapidated, empty warehouse with its broken multi-paned glass windows. I studied the building through the long grass growing around it. The thought struck me that this could very possibly be my new home. I'd sleep curled on cardboard and fight off rats for any scraps of food. I laughed and said out loud, "For Christ's sake, Jasmine. Get a grip! Life isn't that bad."

An elderly couple walking towards me frowned and shied away from me. This made me laugh again. They thought I was insane.

One of them said, "She must be on drugs."

I laughed louder and wondered if self-pity was a drug.

I caught the train into the city and went to the Job Centre first. There were numerous positions for waitresses. I wrote the details on my notepad while thinking this might be a good time to try a different trade.

I didn't know anything about bookwork or secretary stuff. I searched the list of cleaning jobs. I'd need a car if I wanted to be a night cleaner.

There was a post by a single dad requiring a live-in nanny and cleaner. The pay wasn't great, but food and living expenses were paid for. The children were four and six. I wrote down the details. It would be a nice change and a way to move out of my unit. I was sure Adam would come looking for me, if and when he got out of goal. If he did, I would be lost to him again. I didn't want the sort of life he offered.

It looks like it's the end for Jasmine and Adam.  Who thinks that is a good thing?

Will Jasmine get her quaint little house or live in a dilapidated warehouse?

Photo copyright - Freepik