Rachel Sanderson held her son Ethan's hand and juggled a sack of groceries and her purse in her other hand as she made her way to their apartment. The apartment was slightly more than she could actually afford, and even though she could have found a more reasonably priced apartment, she wanted four-year-old Ethan in a safe neighborhood. She sacrificed much for the apartment, but it was worth it for the peace and security. She loved the neighborhood, and her neighbors were friendly.

The couple across the hall had become her closest friends. Actually, they were the only real friends she had. Rachel had many acquaintances, but those never developed into full-fledged friendships. She wanted it that way and kept most people at arms’ length. Her life revolved around her son. Ethan was all that mattered to her.

When Rachel reached her apartment, she let go of Ethan's hand, set the groceries on the floor, and unlocked the apartment door. After settling him at the kitchen table with a glass of milk and a couple of chocolate cookies she'd removed from the shopping bag, she began putting the rest of her groceries away. The cookies were a special treat. She didn't know how many more she'd be able to afford. Rachel wasn't certain of anything at this point. Her employment was on shaky ground, and many of her co-workers at Dylan's Department Store had received pink slips last week. The once thriving business was barely holding on, and this was the second downsizing in six months. The death of the owner last year and some bad business decisions on the part of the late owner's son were quickly destroying the family business. It was hanging on by a thread, and it was only a matter of time before that thread broke. The Christmas season made it tougher.

Rachel sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Unless a miracle happened, it was only a matter of time before she'd be let go, too. She clung to the hope that something would happen to turn things around. Rachel was an assistant manager and had been with Dylan's for almost four years. If she was let go, she didn't know what she'd do until she found other employment. She had no backup plan.

Rachel loved the close proximity of Dylan's to her apartment building and Ethan's daycare. Everything was in walking distance. If worse came to worse, she'd find a new job, but it would be an adjustment if it was on the other side of town. She hated the thought of commuting every day. The added time and expense were a big factor, but being far from Ethan bothered her. She needed to be close to his daycare in case Ethan became ill or anything happened to him. She recognized that she worried more than necessary and was over-protective, but she couldn't help it. Her son was her world. It was tough being a single parent, but Rachel wouldn't trade Ethan for the world, even though at times it seemed like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Rachel patted Ethan's curly brown head and grabbed the day's mail from the counter before pulling out a chair at the opposite end of the table and sitting down. She glanced briefly through the usual bills and ads and heaved a heavy sigh before tossing them aside. It was getting tougher and tougher to keep up with the monthly expenses.

"When can we get the tree, Mommy?" Ethan asked as he munched a cookie. "We have a tree in school. We made decorations, and we're going to put them on the tree when I go back."

Rachel smiled. "We'll get our tree soon, honey. Maybe tomorrow."

She watched his big brown eyes brighten. Rachel would give him the moon if she could. He'd always been a happy, mild-mannered child, and she wanted so much for him. She bit her bottom lip. This Christmas was going to be especially tough. She'd been hit with a few unexpected expenses, but she was still determined to give Ethan a good Christmas. He never asked for much but deserved everything.

Her thoughts drifted to Ethan's father. Mike Knight had never laid eyes on his son and had never wanted to. He'd made that perfectly clear the day Rachel told him she was pregnant. Mike's response, after becoming verbally violent, was to abandon her. At least he hadn't struck her that time. A part of her had been relieved when Mike left her, because her child wouldn't be subjected to Mike's cruelty. Another part of her had been terrified. She was all alone with nowhere to turn. She’d thought about contacting Mike's sister, Kristy, whom she'd only met a few times, but decided against it. She'd once made the mistake of confiding to Kristy about Mike's physical and verbal abuse, but Kristy had quickly rebuked her. She stated Rachel must have done something to set him off, which meant Rachel deserved everything he did to her.

Mike hadn't always been abusive. When they'd first met, he'd been kind and gentle, and she fell hard for him. After dating him for a few months, she allowed him to move into her small apartment with her. Rachel was then a receptionist for a small law firm, and Mike was a freelance auto mechanic, working at several garages. She’d had no reason to question his sometimes odd hours. When one of the garages called, he went. She’d introduced him to her family and friends, but he’d made no attempt at wanting to get to know them. Eventually, he avoided any contact with them and subtly suggested Rachel should do the same. Rachel’s family and friends warned her that something was off with Mike, but she was in love and refused to heed their warnings.