CARRYING HIS SECRET

A STRANGER'S HAND

Elena was still thinking of how to continue from here… she didn't even know where to start.

She had the option of going back to the police and being taken to the immigration where she'd face immediate deportation

Back to her father and cruel husband. She was sure by now things at home would have gotten tensed as they must have realized that she was missing. She can't imagine the humiliation from her father and step mother that she failed again.

But then…..I can’t stay here. I can’t… here in the open

As if the heavens heard her cries and finally sent help.

A woman approached, impeccably dressed in a fitted coat and designer slippers. She looked like she was in her fifties. She smiled warmly, tilting her head as she spoke in fluent English.

“You look like you could use some help honey,” the woman said, her voice soothing. “Are you lost?”

Elena instinctively took a step back. Here we go again… someone pretending to care.

“I… I’m fine,” Elena said, her voice tight, refusing to show weakness.

The woman shook her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “No, really. You shouldn’t be out here alone. Come with me. I have a cafe nearby, you should come in and get some warmth.”

Desperation warred with suspicion

But exhaustion and pain won. “Okay… just… a moment,” she whispered, allowing herself to follow, not like she had other choices.

The woman led her down another street and into a small, cozy café. The warmth of the interior gave Elena a sense of comfort and security. The woman poured her a cup of steaming tea, sliding it across the table with a kind smile.

“There you go. Warm up a bit,” she said. “You look… like you’ve had a rough night.”

Elena hesitated, sipping cautiously. She tried to relax.

She found herself easing into the atmosphere and before long she already told the woman her encounter for the night from her arrival to escaping from the police.

But it didn’t take long for the woman’s smile to falter. “Wait… you don’t have cash, do you?” Her eyes narrowed slightly, scanning Elena head to toes.

Elena stiffened. “I… no. I don’t.”

The woman’s expression hardened, her charm evaporating instantly. “Then I guess… you’ll have to leave, but not before you pay for my tea.”

Before Elena could protest, the woman stood abruptly, preparing to create a scene.

Panic clawed at Elena’s chest. “Wait! Please…..

A gentleman who had been sitting very close to them and was watching the whole scene unfold, came closer and offered to pay the woman.

“How much is her bill?”

Elena was everything but definitely not a beggar, she felt very embarrassed and couldn't raise her head as she thanked the man shamefully heading out of the cafe.

“Wait.” The man called out. She looked back at him through her blurry eyes that was threatening to spill tears anytime soon.

He offered a small, reassuring smile. “It’s okay. Let me take care of this and walk you out. No need to worry.”

Elena’s throat wouldn't even let the words out “I… I can’t….”

The woman at the counter scowled, collecting her payment from him, muttering under her breath as she watched them leave.

Elena followed him silently out of the café, the cool night air hitting her face. She clutched her small backpack tightly, unsure whether to trust him or run.

He walked beside her, matching her pace. “You’re alone, right?” he asked gently.

She tensed. “Why does it matter to you?”

Only she had gotten married, abused by her husband, r***d by a stranger and robbed in just 48 hours. She couldn't be too careful or too trusting.

“Because you shouldn’t be,” he said simply. His voice had a calm certainty that made her hesitate. “Look, I don’t want anything from you. I just… I don't want to see you getting hurt. I heard some of the things you were saying at the cafe.”

“So you were eavesdropping?” She asked, raising her eyebrows. She was looking at him for the first time in the night.

Tall, with broad shoulders and dark hair.

Breathtaking!

“You can say that. Who likes to miss an interesting story.” He asked laughing

“Oh mine, sorry that was insensitive, but yea I heard your conversation with her.”

Something about him….his calm, steady demeanor, the way he didn’t press made her let out a shaky breath.

“I… I don’t have any money,” she admitted finally, keeping her gaze on the ground. “Nothing. I can’t even pay for a cab.”

He nodded, as if he expected it. “I know. We’ll figure it out.”

They reached the street where the taxi accident had happened hours earlier. Elena’s heart sank as she remembered the chaos—the bag, the ambulance, the officer. She shivered.

“Where are we going?” she asked cautiously.

“Somewhere safe for the night,” he replied. “You need rest before you think about your next move.”

Her chest tightened. Safe… but can I really trust him?

“Where? Your house?”

“Not at all, oh mine, what do you think I want?”

He let out a hearty laugh.

She noticed how easy it was for him to laugh, sign of a healthy environment.

“Why are you helping me?” she asked quietly.

He hesitated, then gave her a small, almost teasing smile. “Maybe I like helping people who clearly can’t help themselves. Or maybe I just don’t like seeing someone struggling when they don’t have to.”

Elena wanted to argue, to say she didn’t need help, but exhaustion pulled her legs forward anyway.

When they reached a small, unassuming apartment building, he spoke to the receptionist briefly and secured a room under his name. He didn’t ask her anything, didn’t pry. He simply handed her a keycard.

“Here. Go inside. Rest. I’ll be nearby if you need anything.”

Elena’s hands trembled as she took the card. “I… I don’t even know your name.”

He shrugged lightly. “Call me Alex. For now, that’s enough. I'd be here in the morning to check on you.”

lena nodded slowly, her fingers brushing over the keycard. “Okay… thank you,” she whispered, her voice hoarse.

“Don’t thank me yet,” Alex said lightly, though there was a softness in his eyes that belied the casual tone. “Just get some rest. Tomorrow we figure out the next step.”

__________

Outside, Alex leaned against the wall of the corridor, keeping a quiet watch. Something told him that this night was just the beginning of a long story, or how else should he explain such a connection he felt with a stranger that he hardly knew her name. For now he'd let her take her time, zero pressure. Just maybe this could be his love at first sight, time will tell.