Chapter 4 Unexpected Angel

My knees shook under my weight, my ankles hurting from the distance I had covered with my bare feet.

Dizziness forced me to lean back against the dirty wall of the ally.

My breath was coming out short, my lungs unable to relax after the long run I'd gone for.

My goodness, I really did it. I really ran away.

Now what?"

The question made my knee weak, forcing me to slowly slide down to the ground.

My entire body was shaking, and the bottom of my bare feet were burning. I have no idea how long I ran, but damn it, I ran like my life depended on it.

I had no doubt the driver tried to run after me, and while I was running, I was expecting to feel his hand grabbing me from behind and dragging me back to the car, back to Victor.

The thought made me shiver.

I couldn't count the number of times I kept looking over my shoulder and expected to see Victor's or the driver's face amongst the crowd chasing me down.

When I saw an ally to my left, I had to take the chance and run to it. Because, with an empty stomach and with no shoes on, I knew I wouldn't be able to outrun them.

I squeezed my eyes shut, taking deep breaths to calm my heart and fill my lungs with oxygen.

I did the right thing, that is, if I can find a way to leave the city and never look back again. My heart squeezed at that thought for some reason.

I had nothing tying me to this city. I was forced to drop out of college and leave all of my friends, so they were out of the picture. I had selfish parents who sold me to the mafia and had me marry a complete stranger despite my protest. They were out of the picture too.

And Victor, the man I was forced to marry? He was the reason I needed to run away to begin with.

So what the heck was hurting me this much at the thought of leaving everything behind?

I pressed my land on my lower abdomen.

"It will be okay," I whispered. "I will protect you."

I wanted to believe what I was saying. I wanted to believe that it would be okay that I would be able to protect the baby all on my own, even though it felt impossible.

"HEATHER!"

My heart nearly jumped up my throat and escaped through my mouth when I heard Victor's voice call out my name.

I slapped my hand over my lips and pressed myself further against the wet wall, wishing I could melt into it.

I was sitting right next to a big dumpster, so at least my body was covered. But if Victor decided to walk further into the alley, he would see me.

"I'll check in the alley," I heard the driver say, and panic flared in my chest.

Before I could hear footsteps enter the alley, the small door in the alley across from me opened, and a small old woman walked out.

My eyes clashed with hers, and I realized that even if the driver or Victor didn't make it all the way into the alley, she might give my hiding spot away.

The old woman tore her eyes away from me and looked towards the approaching man.

I pulled my knees closer to my chest to prevent my feet from peeking out from behind the dumpster and prayed that the woman would not say a word to him.

"What are you doing?" The woman asked, her voice sharp and arrogant.

The driver didn't give her a reply at first, but upon Victor asking if he saw anything from outside the alley, the driver replied.

"I'm looking for someone..." He started, but the old woman cut him off.

"Does this look like a place where someone would visit?" She spat as she slowly climbed down the two stairs, dragging a black trash bag behind her.

She opened the dumpster next to me and struggled to throw it in. I could see her face, the rest of her body covered by the dumpster, and she looked displeased as she glared at the man standing just inches away from her.

"Are you going to stand there just looking at me?" She asked, annoyance dripping from her voice.

I heard the driver clear his throat before his footsteps echoed away from the hiding spot.

"No one is there..." I heard him report to Victor, and the amount of relief I felt was unimaginable.

The woman glanced down at me. She studied me for a few seconds, her eyes full of judgment and curiosity.

She shook her head before she turned around and slowly walked back to the door. I watched as she climbed up the two stairs and stepped through the door. I expected her to shut the door, but she didn't. Instead, she glanced back at me and gave me a single glance before she turned back around and disappeared into the building.

I didn't know what to make of that look.  But I sat there for a few seconds, trying to figure out if it was an invitation.

I must have sat out there for ten or twenty minutes, before I decided to try my luck. I pushed myself to my feet, wincing at the burn of my soles. I peeked around the dumpster first to make sure that no pass-byer saw me before I rushed to the door.

I barely had any energy left in my body to move, but I was desperate to find cover. I softly closed the door behind me before I looked down the narrow hall leading to another door.

I slowly limped towards the door. It was left open, so I pushed it in all the way.

What met my eye was a small kitchen, warm and old. There was no one around except for the old lady.

"Took you long enough." She snapped at me. "Now close the door and come in."

While her demeanor was not inviting, I was not about to decline the possibility of food.

I stepped into the kitchen and closed the door behind me.

"Sit." The old lady pointed towards a chair by the counter before she turned back to the stove.

I obeyed, limping towards the chair and sitting down.

The warmth of the kitchen provided the small amount of comfort I needed. I kept my eyes on the lady, and when she turned to face me, I saw that she had a bowl of soup in her wrinkly hands.

She carefully walked towards me and placed the bowl in front of me, followed by chopsticks and a spoon.

"Eat." She ordered before she stepped away.

The flavorful scent of the noodle soup reminded me just how hungry I was.

I didn't hesitate to dig in. I was tired and starved. On top of that, I was worried about the health of my unborn child. So I ate, at first, burning my lips and tongue with how quickly I wanted to devour it.

"Eat slow. I won't take it from you," the old lady commented.

I stared at her, wondering why she had invited a complete stranger into her kitchen and served said stranger with good food.

"Thank you," I whispered instead of questioning her kindness. Because kindness from anyone was what I needed at that moment, that and, medical care to check on my baby's health.

The old lady glanced at me.

"What is your name?" she asked.

I hesitated to answer. I wasn't sure if giving out my real name was smart.

"If you don't answer, then I will be forced to address you however I want." She commented as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"What are you running from, Blue?" She asked, forcing me to look down at the blue dress I was wearing.

"Is it an ex, family, or the police?" she asked.

I once again hesitated to give her an answer, making her sigh.

"I am only here for a few days until my son comes back and returns to taking care of the restaurant. Then I'll head back to my home, a small town just outside the city. I have my own little café there that I need to return to..." She explained.

"I'm down one waitress who got married and moved away. I could use another hand around there. If I am to take you, then I need to know the danger that comes with it. Run away from toxic ex, I can hide you. Run away from bad family, I can take you. Run away from the police, I hand you over to them right away. So which is it?"

I blinked at how straightforward she was.

"Why would you take me in?" I asked first before I gave her the answer she needed.

"Because I know how to feel to run away while carrying a life inside you," she commented, startling the life out of me.

"How did you..." I started, but she cut me off.

"I saw how you had one hand pressed to your belly. You either had a child or a bad stomachache. And based on your reaction, it's more likely the former than the latter. Now answer. What are you running away from?" She shot back.

"From my family... and my husband." I replied.

The lady narrowed her eyes at me, staring at me for a silent minute before she nodded her head.

"I assume you have nowhere else to go considering how you were hiding behind a dumpster?" She asked, to which I nodded my head.

"Good," she said. "There is a room upstairs. I will show you to it in a moment once you are done eating. You'll have to stay hidden in there until the day I must leave. I will take you with me. You will earn your keep and will keep your head down as long as you stay with me. Are you up for it?" she asked.

There was nothing for me to protest against. She was offering me a way out of the city, and while I knew I should be more alert about how the offer came, I was also too desperate to turn her down. And while my heart clenched at the thought of leaving once and for all, it was what I needed to do.

So I slowly nodded my head.

"Good. Now, eat before the noodles get soggy," she commented before she turned back to the stove, and I returned to devouring the food she gave me.