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little left over for anything
else. She had been rotating the same skirt and pants with two tops
and one sweater she owned for work, but she felt cheap and frumpy
and feared people would make fun of her. In fact, Amaranda had
already pointed out her lack of clothes sense and threatened to
take her on a shopping spree. It might have been fun, but now, the
cold hard fact of budgeting, and paying bills, and being on her
own, were starting to take hold.
    She dared not buy any more
to eat than she had the previous week, although she did splurge on
a package of small foil wrapped chocolates and a container of
orange juice. She eyed the coffee longingly but didn’t have a
coffee pot and still couldn’t afford one if she paid Derrick back.
He told her not to “worry about it.” But she did. She didn’t want
to be beholden to anyone. But she needed bug spray and wished she
could afford a can of paint so she could brighten up the dingy
walls in her cottage. The woman who rented it said she couldn’t afford to
paint it, but if Johanna wanted to, it was all right with her. She
would have to hold off on paint.
    She didn’t own a phone, or
a car, or even a second pair of shoes. Her jacket wasn’t very warm
because she had rarely ventured out from Peakie’s. And it would be
so nice to have another blanket. The nights were getting colder,
and the wind whistling through the ill-fitting windows chilled her
to the bone. Oh, and
curtains ! She knew she would feel
safer , and
warmer, and sleep better if she could
cover the windows.
    After considerable
deliberation, she gave Derrick half the money she owed him and told
him she’d give him the rest the following week. She used the money
she held onto to go on a lunch hour shopping spree with Amaranda
and bought a new top, a warm coat, and a pair of boots. Amaranda
insisted she buy a scarf as well, saying Johanna could use it with
and without the coat to add style. They chatted while they waited
on the cashier’s line. Amaranda had just started her own fashion
blog and asked Johanna if she could use her as a test
subject. She took pictures of Johanna’s
purchases on her cell phone and explained how she could mix and
match her clothing for the best effect. When they got to the
register, Johanna spotted wristwatches. She had never owned one
before and thought how nice it would be to check the time whenever
she felt like it. She impulsively grabbed one and put it on the
counter with her purchases. The cashier rang it up and announced
the total. Johanna pulled out her money and realized she didn’t
have enough. “I’m a little short of cash.” She pointed to the
watch. “You can keep that. I can do without it.”
    “ No, you can’t,” said
Amaranda. She handed the cashier her credit card. “I’ll pay for
this.” She turned to Johanna. “You can pay me back next Friday when
you get paid.”
    Johanna hated racking up
more debt. But I really do need a warm
coat, she reasoned to
herself . In the
end, she capitulated. “Okay.”
    She was excited about her
purchases, and since Amaranda had charged the entire amount,
Johanna felt like she had extra cash. She was normally pragmatic,
but instead of saving the money, she used it to buy a comforter to
keep her warm at night. And curtains. And a coffee pot. And a
radio. And real cutlery. And a scented candle.
    That evening, Derrick
stopped her as she left work to walk home, laden with packages. “I
came by to give you a surprise, but it looks like I’d better give
you a ride home first. You have way too much to carry.” After
helping her with her packages, he presented her with a new driver’s
license. “We can’t have you flouting state law by carrying a
license with the wrong address on it. I know your family lives at
the other address, but it looks like you’re slowly setting up an
apartment here for a long-term stay. I hope you don’t mind that I
put the address change through without asking. I wanted to surprise
you.”
    “