Chapter Thirty-Nine
I blinked slowly. My eyes adjusted to the sunlight that was pouring in through the window. This time when I woke up, I was not surprised at all. I knew where I was. I knew why I was here and for what reason. I knew everything.
Taking a look at the pallet on the floor that I was lying on, I let out a sigh.
Yesterday when I had finished my dinner, which I was oh-so thankful for, I thought about asking this Nelson boy to let me stay in for the night to sleep. Because if he asked me to get out then I would have had nowhere to go. I was preparing all the things I wanted to say to him, to convince him to let me stay here for the night, when he returned. He came in with the ointment for the injuries on my face and a first aid kit.
On entering, he asked me if I had eaten properly and if I wanted more. I simply told him yes and that I don't need any more food. He merely nodded and put everything he was holding on the table. I was just about to ask him to let me stay here for the night when he beat me to it. He told me to stay in here for the night and to sleep here. When I asked if there would be any problem with that and also if I needed rent for one night, he shook his head.
Even though he shook his head, I pulled out all the money that I had in my purse and placed it on the table. I told him that I could not stay here without paying for it. Although I mentioned that it was hardly covered both food and resting, I still gave him the money. Seeing the money, he began shaking his head and opening his mouth to protest, but I stopped him before he could say anything.
"It's not your restaurant but the old owner's. It's your responsibility to manage things and receive payments. It's their income and yours. And I won't stay here until I pay for it. So, please don't argue with me." I told him. He shook his head once again.
"I know that this money is all you have. If you paid it all then what will you have left?" He asked, looking disturbed at the fact that I was handing him all the money I had to stay here.
"That's my problem. You don't have to worry about it at all." I replied to him.
He bit his side lip as he contemplated my words but finally he gave up with a sigh. "Okay." He said. He gestured at the ointment and told me to put it on the wound on my face after washing it. Sliding the first aid kit over to me, he told me that I would find other things in there. And that it would help me with my wounds. He asked if I needed a mirror so that I could put the ointment on my face. To which I replied a no and told him that I would use the washroom's mirror.
Scratching his head, he stood up. He told me that he would bring me some blankets and some sheets to use as a pallet, to lie on the floor. I told him, "thank you" and with that he rushed out of the door, relieving me and probably himself from the awkwardness.
I did what he had asked me to. I went to the washroom, cleaned my face with water then cleaned it with a clean towel. I inspected how bad the damage was and if it will leave any mark. When I probed around I saw that the damage was not bad. They were just red marks from the belt. I had similar wounds in the past. In a few days, these marks would fade away with their pain.
Although, I could not say the same about the ache in my thigh, where my brother had kicked me. It was not bad-bad, well at least it was not as bad when I got kicked, but there was a constant ache.
All the veins in my thighs hurt whenever I moved. Expected.
Anyway, I disinfected the red marks, put some soothing ointment on it and then let it rest. When I was done, I walked back inside the dining area where I saw a pallet in the middle of the room. All the tables were folded and pushed against the walls, in a corner. At that single moment, I did not know what hit me but I felt suddenly vulnerable. Throughout the day, I was going through one difficulty after another and now when I finally found a place to sleep and found a person who showed me some kind of kindness, I could not help but feel weak at that moment. I was weak, pathetic and low in spirits. Finding somebody, a stranger, helping me through some tough times. It made me feel thankful. Grateful. Too grateful.
I thought about going outside the room, finding this guy and telling him thank you but decided that it was not the time. When I leave tomorrow, I will tell him to thank you and how grateful I was for his help. And with that thought, I had fallen asleep.
Now, when I was awake I thought about everything that happened yesterday. Yesterday was a complete roller-coaster. I left everything behind. My school, dorm, Shirley everything.
By the position of the sun, I knew that it was way past the time of my first classes. If I were in my dorm room, I would have gotten ready for school and probably would have been taking my second or third class. And I would still be with Shirley.
Shirley ...
I wondered how she was doing. My brother's hand was hard so it must have hit her badly. I could take a hit from him, I was used to it. But her? Shirley's strong. But I doubted that she had ever been hit by a man in her life before. However, what do I know? I did not know many things about Shirley. I only just found out about a few things. Maybe she had been through all of this like me before.
I wanted to talk to her but I was reminded of her warning. Do not call her or there was a possibility that my brother would track me or find out my destination. I had to live without her now. For now. Maybe? I did not know how long will all this go on? When will I return to school? When will I go back to my dorm room or when I will meet her. Shirley told me to hold on and hide somewhere. She told me that she would find me, but I was not sure that she would. How could she? Without a phone or any way to contact.
It was impossible. I did not know how long all of this would take but one thing was for sure, for now, I needed to find someplace to live. I was suddenly reminded of the fact I had no money because I paid to sleep here for the night. So where do I go now?
Abruptly something clicked in my mind. An idea.