CHAPTER ONE

IT WAS A cold, dark night as Nadine gazed out the window of the ’65 Mustang she had ‘borrowed’ from a used car lot. She needed money to pay for certain things, like food and rent. Robbery seemed like a good way to get what she wanted and easier than having to work a real job. To her there was nothing real about it.

She pulled up to Benny’s Liquor Store on the outskirts of Liberty City. It was sizable with a big neon sign and a large smiling clown holding a bottle. On the sign were the words: ‘Raise your spirits’. She parked next to a dumpster and pulled a gun out of the glove compartment, intending to use it only for the threat it carried. She felt confident that she could handle herself in any physical situation. She put on a baseball cap, glasses and a prosthetic nose. She walked in the store and saw shelves stacked with scotch, bourbon, vodka, gin and a wide assortment of wines. A muscular clerk wearing a form fitting t-shirt was browsing a website on his iPhone as she approached him.

“May I help you?” he said.

“Yes. I'm kind of lost. Could you tell me where McCormick’s restaurant is?”
“That's on the other side of town.”
As he went back to browsing the internet, Nadine pulled out her gun and told him to empty the till. The clerk glared at her. Raising her voice, she commanded him “I’m not going to tell you again.” He grudgingly opened the register. There was a customer way in the back who tried to make himself invisible.

The clerk handed over the cash.
Nadine said, “Two hundred and ten fucking dollars?”

“That’s all the money there is.”
“You’re lying. Open the safe.”“The safe?”
“What are you, deaf?”

“I don't know about any safe.”
“Open the goddamn safe or you'll be in a coffin.”
“What're you gonna do, shoot me bitch?”

“Shut your fucking mouth.”
The clerk hit an alarm button and the place was filled with a deafening noise. Nadine got distracted momentarily as the clerk made a move to grab the gun out of her hand. It went off and instantly killed him. She took the money, and as she was leaving noticed a man hovering in the back with his head down. She thought for a second about dealing with him but changed her mind, got in her car and drove away.

TWENTY TWO YEARS EARLIER

A desperate woman with a newborn child in her arms, walked up the steps of an orphanage run by nuns. She looked around to make sure no one was watching, then placed the baby by the front door and left. The baby woke up from a sound sleep and immediately started screaming. Sister Anita, who recently joined the nunnery from India, heard the sound and opened the door. She brought the infant inside and gave it a bottle of warm milk. The baby aggressively sucked on it like someone dying of thirst in the desert.

Sister Agnes who ran the place stormed in and said “What is going on here?”
“I just found this poor little girl on the front steps.” “Another castaway. How are we supposed to support another charity case?”
“I’ll take care of her Sister Agnes, I promise.”
Agnes grumbled something and walked away.

“Poor little one, you’re going to be strong and amazing. What shall we call you? Let me see, how about Nadine? Yes you will be Nadine Singh. The world will not forget you, I’m sure of it.”

TEN YEARS LATER

Sister Agnes was fuming about something having to do with church funds, and heard Nadine making a racket outside. “Come in here at once,” said Sister Agnes.

Nadine reluctantly walked into the office.
“You’re a real problem child. Ever since you arrived there’s been nothing but trouble and the peace we once knew has been replaced by your incessant racket. You need to learn discipline before you completely go to the Devil.”

Sister Agnes grabbed Nadine, put her over her lap, took a wooden paddle from her bottom desk drawer and started swatting her hard on the butt. Nadine cried out but could not fight off the blows. After five minutes of this torture, Sister Agnes released her.

“The next time I catch you making another disturbance, it will be much worse, believe me. Now go to your room and say your prayers. There will be no dinner for you tonight. Let this be a lesson.”

SIX YEARS LATER

Sister Anita, after a long term illness, suddenly died. Nadine was miserable and cried constantly. She decided to leave the orphanage and start a new life. She still considered herself a nun after having taken her vows and kept the cross Sister Anita gave her when she was five years old.

“I’ll never forget you dear mother.” The many beatings from Sister Agnes were like scars on her soul which made her see the world as a hostile place. There was a constant undercurrent of anger underneath her calm demeanor that would suddenly erupt if someone did or said something she considered the least bit insulting. To deal with all the pent-up rage, Nadine decided to take up martial arts after having watched a demonstration of Brazilian jiu-jitsu on YouTube. She went to see the man who created the video, Master Tony Gilberto. She signed up immediately and became his prized pupil. In record time she became a black belt with considerable fighting skills.

“I’ve never seen anyone take to the art so quickly” Tony said.
“You should enter competition and show the world what you can do.”

Bad Habit: God help her

About the Book

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