Karen kicked off her shoes as she entered the door. She carefully counted out the change from the cookie jar and gave it to the babysitter as she said goodnight. She walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator and reached for the last piece of cheese and drank the rest of the Coke; she had left from the night before. She thought about what she had to buy as they were almost out of groceries. Even though she had carefully planned right down to the next payday.

She was feeling fragile and weary tonight and the quiet house sometimes made her feel lonelier. She missed her friends and her family that were so very far away. Tears ran down her face as she went to the bedroom and looked down at her daughter Nicole. Her precious five-year-old always made her smile and gave her comfort. She gently covered her left arm that was clutching her favorite teddy bear. On the other side of the bed, her side, her daughter had left her a note on the pillow.

As she picked up the note and sat on the bed, she unfolded the bright red construction paper. Hot tears dropped down on the paper and made it a darker red. It said, "It's going to be O.K. Mommy I love you " and it was signed Nicole, her writing was getting better and those were the words they often used with each other when either of them felt troubled.

Karen knew she had done the right thing when she decided to leave Nicole's father. She reflected on the night when she had made the final decision. The night she wrapped Nicole up in a blanket, and quickly packed a bag and drove away from her home for the last time. This was her last desperate attempt to leave before her husband awoke from his drunken stupor. It is a memory that still haunted her.

Nicole was only three years old at the time. But she had witnessed the slaps on her mother's face, and she would cry and place her little hand on her hot check and say "Boo Boo Mommy." With large tears blurring her eyes. Karen would hug her small child and say. "Its gonna be O.K. I love you. "

She remembered at the women's crises center, they were lead to a quiet room. She was not questioned during the middle of the night but found comfort and rest with Nicole as they nestled in the warm bed, in the sanctuary for abused women.

It was hard to be relocated and changing her name. She and Nicole had left many family members and friends. Nevertheless, they were starting over again. The job

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