She waited three seconds, wiping her palms dry on her skirt, then walked straight to where the two toddlers were sleeping, completely unaware of the world around them. With expert fingers, she slid a handful of nappies, a packet of wet wipes and one of the two purses from the open bags. She riffled through the purse and found forty pounds in cash.
Grinning, she slipped the now empty purse back into the bag and without hesitating a second longer, walked straight out of the toilets. Forty pound! She felt like jumping up and down with excitement. They would be eating tonight. And she might even splash out and buy some shoes if she could find a cheap pair. She made for the back streets, knowing they would never find her, already pushing their faces from her mind.
She never let herself think about the effect her actions would have on the people she targeted. She couldn't. Yes, it was harsh, yes it would be a little crack in their otherwise perfect day, but she never took credit cards or personal things, and she knew they would manage without it. What would be a nice takeaway or a family day out for them, would mean her and Flynn could eat every day for a fortnight or maybe more. She didn't feel bad taking from them. It was necessary.
Emily could feel the eyes burning into her back as she walked the aisles of the busy supermarket, a basket slung over her arm. She had found a pair of trainers only one size too big for four pounds in the sale bin, and she had made straight for the reduced food section, marked down because it only had a few hours of shelf life left. Four sandwiches marked at thirty pence each and a tub of strawberries for ten pence lay alongside the shoes in her basket. She glanced over her shoulder to see the young, burly security guard following closely behind. This was bullshit. She had money in her pocket and she knew she hadn't done anything wrong.
Emily hated the way people treated her because she was struggling. Homeless. They were scared of her, wary, and she couldn't stand it. This time two years ago she had been shopping in Waitrose, driving a Fiat, a part of society. She had lost everything in the course of one day, but that didn't change who she was deep down. It wasn't fair.
And though she didn't bat an eye at stealing one on one, she would never take the risk of stealing from a real shop. She wouldn't dare, for fear of being hemmed in by security. Of not being able to get out. Of having them take Flynn from her. She was always on her best behaviour in places like this. So why on earth was he following her?
“Miss?”
She turned, a false smile plastered on her face. “Yes?”
“I'm going to have to ask you to leave, if you could just follow me please,” the guard said, reaching forward and forcibly taking her basket from her.
“What? Why?”
“You know your kind aren't allowed in here.”
“My kind?” she asked, reeling from his insult.
“You know.”
“No, I don't. I haven't a clue what you're on about. I just want to buy my food and I'll be going,” she said, reaching to take the basket from him.
“Don't make a scene. Come on, let's go.”
“No! What have I done? I'm trying to buy food for my son, I haven't done anything wrong!”
“We have enough of you lot coming in here and taking stuff without paying. This ain't a charity love. Go to a soup kitchen or somethin', but don't be coming back here. You ain't welcome.”
“I'm not homeless, I'm a backpacker. Fuck. I didn't do anything wrong, just let me buy the food.”
“You ain't got no money, look at you, you don't even have any shoes on and the kids not dressed for this weather,” he said, pointing at Flynn's bare feet.
“I'm buying shoes, look!” she shouted, pointing at the basket. “How am I supposed to wear shoes if you won't let me buy them?”
A crowd of curious onlookers was beginning to form at the end of the aisle, though Emily noticed that they kept a safe distance away. Wouldn't want to get too close to the crazy homeless lady now, would they? The guard glanced at them, frowning, then leaned towards Emily, a menacing expression on his face.
“Do I need to call for assistance or are you gonna get out?”
Emily glared at him venomously, hatred burning in her eyes. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair. Every ounce of her wanted to fight this, to stand up for herself and win. But she couldn't risk it. The police would never take her side, that was just the way it went. With an angry grunt, she let go of the basket, her gaze resting briefly on the food she wouldn't get to eat. The shoes she wouldn't get to wear. “Fine. I'll go somewhere else,” she said, her fist clenching tightly around the money in her pocket.
With all the dignity she could muster, she turned and walked away, the sound of the crowd's disapproving mutters ringing in her ears. His heavy footsteps followed behind her all the way to the exit.
The Promise is available now on Amazon worldwide.