Chapter 143
Nicol
After breakfast, because I promised Nicolas I’ll try and eat more, I went to my room to take a shower and get dressed, I wanted to visit the 3 women shelters Nicolas found on the internet that was near my apartment and the two closes to the hospital. I jumped in the shower and got ready it was a cold day outside but I wanted to look like something, or should I say someone that would be able to help so I picked one of my winter dresses and my favorite knee length boots, did my hair and put some make up on when I was done, I grabbed my green winter coat and walked to the front door. Isabella called after me. “You need someone to take you Nicol?” “No leave Geoffrey I’ll take an Uber thank you Isabella.” “You sure.” “Yes, I’m sure.” I walked downstairs and, on my way, I ordered an Uber, when I got to the lobby my Uber was already waiting for me, I gave him the address and we were off, on our way there I made notes in my book of what I think they would need, obviously I would only know for certain when I’m there.
The Uber dropped me at the first women shelter that was close to the hospital. I pressed the button and an older women opened the door for me “Hello dear, can I help you?” “Yes, please my name is Nicol and my boyfriend and I are in the process of establishing a charity to help women shelters, it would be nice to ask you a few questions and see the facility.” “Oh, off course dear come in. I’m Carol the manager.” “Hi Carol.” “Come let’s go to my office.” I walked behind her to her office, I saw two pregnant ladies in the courtyard outside looking for a bit of winter sun. I looked around the place as we walked it looked nice and clean, it obviously needed a paint job and some new furniture but other than that it was clean and you could see Carol tried to make it inviting. “Now tell me what do you want to know?” Carol asked. “Well Carol let’s start with how many women can your shelter take?” “We have 15 rooms where our permanent residents stay in, and then there is 10 stretchers we put out in the main room for women that needs a place to stay for the night.” “Let’s start with your permanent residents, how can you become permanent here?” “Well, we have one rule, NO DRUGS. The permanent residents are those that are running from abusive husbands or boyfriends and is trying to start over, the beds we use in the main room, is for women the police will bring in that was a victim of Domestic Violence the only thing is most of them goes back to there husbands and boyfriends the following day.” “Oh, and these 10 beds are full every night?” “I’m sorry to say it but yes, they are. Some night we don’t have enough space for the women that comes here.” “Oh, that’s not good.” “No but we help as many as we can.” “And you give everyone something to eat?” “Yes, we do.” “Where do you get your supplies from?” “We have a few donors but it only covers the basics.” “Can you show me your kitchen and pantry please.” “Yes, off course let me take you for a tour of the place that will give you a much better idea of what we have and what we need.” “That would be great.” Carol walked in front of me, we first went to the kitchen and pantry, the kitchen was nice and had all the equipment you needed some of it you could see was old and would need to be replaced soon I made a note in my book of those equipment’s I saw, we walked into the pantry and I was quite impressed with what was well there. “How long will this last?” I asked her “About 2 weeks.” “And then?” “No, we get a delivery every week, but obviously there is no luxury items like the two that is pregnant they have cravings but we can’t help them.” “Oh, I remember when I was on my own when I was pregnant and I had cravings but I couldn’t afford them, it felt like it was the end of the world. Yes, you get through it but it’s not nice.” “You where alone?” “I was long story short I ran from my boyfriend, not because of domestic violence, when I got pregnant and found him again 11 years later and now, we are together and want to do everything in our power to help other women.” “That is so nice of you Nicol, I really appreciate it and the fact that you went through this it means you know what these women are going through.” “In deed I do.”
We walked out to the rooms, I felt a bit depressed when we opened the first door, there was a single bed in the room and a small kitchenette with a very small fridge, and a kettle but nothing else. How did they heat something up. I wrote down, microwaves for rooms and bedding, if a place look colorful you feel better but this, fuck I felt depressed. Every room looked the same like the previous one. When we were done with the rooms, we walked into the court yard there was a little sandpit for the children to play in and a few toys laying around, the garden was beautiful though. “Who has the green dumbs?” I asked Carol. “Me, if I have the time, I like to come out here and work in the garden like you can see, it’s only a bit of winter plants that is growing but normally it’s much more colorful.” “I can only think.” “Would you mind if I speak to the two pregnant ladies?” “No off course not but they won’t tell you, their names.” “I have no problem with that.”