6. six
six
LYSANDRA
“Who was that man?” the cab driver asked, her hands wrapped around the wheel.
“My stepdad,” I answered, sighing in relief as she skidded through the streets of my old neighborhood. Graffiti painted across the walls, nothing but dirt and trash spelled across the streets, a colorless town.
“Is he the reason you are leaving?” she asked, her accent sharp.
“One of the reasons,” I answered.
“Wherever you’re going, I hope it’s far from him.”
“Trust me, it is.”
We were surrounded by crosswalks and stoplights soon after. There was a change in the atmosphere as we drove further and further away from my purgatory. Even though I was leaving behind a doomed life, I couldn’t help but feel emotional.
Not because I was departing from friends—which I didn’t even have—but because I was finally leaving.
My chest no longer felt tight or weighed down.
My job as a cashier at a local burger shop wasn’t worth much.
My school was trash—the teachers didn’t even teach anymore. And there was no future for me here.
But I was going to Scotland. Away from Mario, far away from the reminders that I wasn’t enough for my mother to stay.
I didn’t realize that I had nodded off until the woman next to me nudged my shoulder.
“Mija, we’re here,” she said.
I looked out the window and saw a distant runway with planes parked. To my right, I saw a large white building with tall, tinted windows. The automatic doors opened and closed as civilians strolled in and out of the airport.
“Thank you,” I began, shoving my trembling fingers into my pockets, pulling out a twenty.
She held out a hand, her short black hair spilling over her shoulder. “You need all the money you can save so you can stay away from that man.”
“No, it’s okay. Really. I’ve been saving up for over a year,” I replied, pushing the bill closer to her, but that only caused her to shake her head with more vigor.
“I said no,” she replied.
She was the only human being to have shown me kindness of this magnitude. I was eternally grateful for her. I sometimes wondered what would’ve become of me had she not waited for me, had she not become a pillar of hope. Her mere presence by the door had been motivation for me to fight for myself.
“Thank you.”
“Remember me when you become a big success.” She smiled. There was remorse in her words, and I imagined what her life must’ve been like. Did she ever lose a chance to escape this hellhole? Was she unhappy?
Could that be the reason why she decided to help me? I didn’t want to judge her, but she was driving a cab in the middle of the night. Her clothes were worn and filled with grime.
“What makes you think I’ll even be successful?”
“I saw the way you defended yourself to your stepfather. I can only imagine how much you’ll defend yourself until you are in a place of success. Where are you going?”
“Scotland,” I answered swiftly, glancing toward the clock on her radio. I had a few minutes; I couldn’t stay any longer. I didn’t want to risk missing my flight. It was already 8:46p.m., and the plane departed shortly before midnight.
“That’s far. And very pretty.”
“I’ve seen the pictures. I’m already in love with the place.”
The woman smiled before asking, “Do you need help with your bags?”
“No, no, don’t worry. I got it from here. Thank you so much for everything.” This was all I could say to thank her for her kindness, for her honesty, and for her desire to help me.
Perhaps humankind wasn’t completely lost.
“Go home and get some rest,” I said.
She blushed softly and nodded. “I’ll still help you with your bags.”
We rushed out of the car and began to haul out my luggage from her trunk. Once she pushed her trunk closed, she pulled me into a hug. I was quite shocked that this random woman was forcing this type of intimacy with me, a stranger, but I appreciated it.
I hadn’t been hugged by anyone in so long. I didn’t want to complain.
“Take care of yourself. And here is my number, in case you ever need me,” she said while handing me a card. Her name, Larissa Sandoval, was printed on it with her phone number.
“Thank you.” I smiled.
I began to walk toward the entrance of the airport, and when I looked back, she was already settling herself in her cab. Larissa continued to watch me with teary eyes, her hands over her heart, and a small frown on her face.
“I’ll be okay,” I whispered to myself. “I have to be.”