When He Sees Me
ew days, Sylvia
a time. It didn't always work. Sometimes she heard nothing at all, just the usual noise of th
coins and worrying
losing their mot
ng her husband as they
d, but she started to notice patterns. The s
read and scraps she'd collected were long gone, and her
roasted chestnuts. The smells made her dizzy with hu
shining in the sunlight. The vendor was a large man with a t
ne the next stall over. Her fingers itched
eyes and focuse
ins. Someone will try to sho
need him to look away from
igging through her purse for change. The vendor leaned forw
the smallest apple she could
see if anyone noticed. When she rounded the corner and found he
much, but
the sweet juice running down her chin.
he stars. She still didn't understand her gift-if that's what it was-bu
that apple. Since then, she'd learned how much easier
urviving anymore.
oking woman had stopped her outside the marketplace, asking if she was lost. Sy
stray right now. Please
e woman had any food to spare. If her hunch was right, that should be enough to
a dollar bill. Sylvia had been stunned at how simple it was. She had
d the power she held. People's thoughts weren
market, her eyes fixed on a man counting cash n
the change back before
nto him just as he handed over
is cash again. Sylvia slipped a handful of coins f
e not
t words could coax a stranger into giving her their leftovers. A tear in her eye and a fake story co
less. Poor thin
harmless. N
did. But pride didn't fill her s
with a few coins and an energy bar
oul-bonding thing?" one o
love thing people
p. She leaned closer,
truly in love-like, soulmates-they can hear eac
ughed. "Sounds lik
't sound like nonsense. I
inued. "Both people have to feel it. Real love, they say.
a couldn't stop thinkin
be what her
ad minds. And if soul-bonding was supposed to take time a
need the other person to know she existed. All it took was an
stars. Whatever she had, it wasn't soul-bonding. It was
e with a new sense of confidence. She didn't know wh
ned the crowd. A vendor glanced her way, frowning. Sylvi
that one. She lo
Trouble? She cou