No, no! Please, God, please don't do this! I just asked for one person, and you took that away, but not this, please. Nancy awoke drenched in perspiration and wiping away tears. She shivered and covered her face with her icy, quivering hands. "Why, oh why, do these dreams keep happening? Why do they keep returning? Five years had passed since her hopes and goals, and her entire existence fell apart in front of her. When will they finally stop? Nancy asked herself; she couldn't sleep anymore, so she got up from bed, ensuring she was quiet enough and didn't wake her sister, or she would be again given lectures about moving on, burying the past as dead things are buried, and her past life was dead. But how can you forget? How can one forget what they have gone through? She went to the bathroom to wash her face and remove any traces of tears from it.

As she entered her small cosy washroom she quietly closed the door behind her and watched herself closely in the mirror. Her reflection revealed a stunning woman with large eyes as dark as coal, so deep with million shattered dreams within. She was a beautiful woman with almond-shaped deep black eyes, long wavy black hair, arched eyebrows, a pointed nose, high cheekbones, a sharp jawline, and full lips. She wore a short, navy blue thin strapped silk nightdress; she ran her hands over her body, and her physique was envied by women and lured upon by men. She had full breasts, a nicely rounded bottom, and a voluptuous body. It was God-gifted, but she had to keep it hidden under an oversized jacket as men often showed interest in her for her body; no one wanted to know who Nancy was and what she wanted. They just wanted to get into bed with her; she made the decision to wear an oversized jacket and conceal her curvy body when she was offered money for one-night stands. She left her previous job as a waitress, where she had to wear tight miniskirts and was molested by the owner. She liked the idea of delivering pizza as it had a decent uniform while riding a bike wearing a jacket was normal. This way, she was saved from men's lustful eyes, and the best thing about Mommy's Magic Pizza was that it was run by a middle-aged sweet woman "Catherine" whose only son died at a very young age. Her son used to love his mother's handmade food. His favorite food was pizza made by her mother; he always said," Mommy, no one makes a magical pizza like you." At first, it was difficult for her, but with her husband's support, she started her pizza-selling business.

Surprisingly, her pizza had a delicious taste; hers were the best pizza sold in New York City, but only a few people knew about her. She was hopeful for her new contract with JJ & Co, a garments manufacturer company, and needed a reliable delivery woman for it as she was fond of me so only asked me to do this work for her. Catherine has been very kind to me; apart from my sister, mom, and Catherine no one knew what I went through, not even my twin brothers Ted and Ned. Catherine often sends pizza and other goodies to my home and mom or me almost every day, so food is not an issue. We don't run out of it; God bless Catherine. As mom and Catherine are widows, so they meet daily, mom is a house help at Catherine's. She helps her prepare the dough, chopping, and cutting while my two little siblings go to school. The secret behind Catherine's magic pizza is that she grows each and every vegetable in her garden; even the chicken was from her little farm outside. She is a sweet lady and feels lonely. I have often seen her talking to her plants and hen. She constantly pushes me to wear beautiful clothes and find a man for myself, and I know where it's coming from. The two ladies, my mom, and Catherine , have nothing better to do than to discuss my life daily. I always give them a stern look when they start this discussion. The look clearly indicates that I have had enough!. If they only knew how broken I am from within and would be total damage in a man's life. He will indeed run away, knowing that I relive my past through the horrifying dreams I see. My body shuddered again, banishing the thoughts. I quickly took off my night dress and went into the cold shower.

I leathered my new sea salt body wash bought yesterday. The fragrance took my wandering thoughts toward the sea. "I just love beaches. I often visit beaches just to get away from the bustle of the city. It gives me solace". What a blessing it would be to have someone to lean against while taking a shower, I thought as I shampooed my hair. I would have been engulfed by someone's strong hands, kept near, hugged, and made to forget all the sorrows and suffering I have through. My train of thought was interrupted by a loud tap on the door and two strident voices asking, "Nancy, are you planning to stay in the shower forever?

Please let us know if so, and we'll gladly offer you your clothes. This brought a smile to my face. My twin brothers Ted and Ned meant the world to me. They were always at my back and plotting to somehow seize my bed. I got done with the shower quickly and wore my robe, "Good luck, munchkins, not getting rid of me that quickly," I replied as I opened the door. Ned fled when he saw the malice in my eyes, but I caught Ted and teased him until he cried with delight and said, "Timeout!". My sister Lucy, who is five years my junior but an incredible support and a trustworthy shoulder to cry on, was awakened by this. She was the one who helped me escape that experience when I was very little. She treated me with that motherly compassion and tenderness during those horrific years.

You three always manage to enter my dreams in unexpected ways! Lucy complained. Ned winked at her and said, "Umm, why, the lazy Lucy was ready to kiss her charming prince, hmmm?" while puckering his lips. This embarrassed her, and she said, running into the washroom and locking the door behind her, "surprisingly, when you return home, you wouldn't find the lemon tart box sent by aunt Catherine last night!" This made him stop in his tracks, and he ran towards the fridge to check the box.

Meanwhile, I got Ted ready for school; Ned came huffing in the room and banged the washroom door angrily, "I wish when your prince charming bends his head to kiss you, he faints due to your bad breath." Lucy laughed and retorted through the locked door, "that wouldn't happen as one, I brush my teeth regularly, unlike you, and two, ever heard of mouth fresheners, brat"? Ned sat on the couch sulking; I ruffled his hair and whispered in his ear, "aunt Catherine will make blueberry tarts today, munchkin" this made him happy, and he agreed to get ready for school.

Mom called them for breakfast; she drops them at school on her way to aunt Catherine's; I changed into my jeans, shirt, and of course, my oversized jacket, then I tied my long wavy hair in a bun hiding them in my cap, I then put on my red lipstick that accentuated my full lips. Lucy worked as a waitress in an elite restaurant, so she was provided with pick-and-drop service. She has her brunch and dinner there. I am forced into having breakfast at Catherine's even though I don't feel like it. Lucy got ready and left for work; I Finished up a few kitchen chores and locked the door behind me. I walked towards aunt Catherine's house, it wasn't that far away from ours, and I liked morning walks. When I reached there, I heard my name, followed by the owners of JJ and co, Johnson and Jakes. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't bother asking. They might be worried about how it will go with the first order, will the two of them like it or not? I thought to myself. If they approve of the pizza today, they will sign a contract with aunt Catherine.