Light Me Up

Chapter 5 ~A Place to Stay~

I walk through the airport taking in my surroundings, I see passengers running to their flights, children yelling, couples saying goodbye and families reuniting when suddenly I start to feel overwhelmed. My head is spinning and my breathing quickens, I look for a spot to sit down and focus on my breathing.

"Hello dear, are you ok?" I look up to the older woman sitting beside me with a bottle of water in one hand and a sandwich in the other, Tears begin to well up in my eyes and I suddenly felt alone. "What was I thinking! I have nowhere to stay, no job and I don't know anyone" I lean into my hands and continue to sob into then.

"Oh dear", the lady said while rubbing my back with her cold fragile hands. "I'm very sorry I cannot stay longer with you dear, but everything will be fine. Take it one step at a time and things will begin to fall into place". She walks away leaving the food behind, on top a beautiful wooden rosary bead.

I took a bite from the sandwich and a sip of water before collecting my luggage, I take a seat outside and begin my search for a hotel, motel, BNB anywhere I could stay temporarily until I could find a place to call my own. "Oh, you have nowhere to stay?" I look up and there was Aiden standing over me looking down to my phone. "Do you mind, personal space please" I snap.

He steps back and stands in front of me with a smirk on his face, "what do you need?" I ask, "Get up, I'll take you somewhere you can stay" he grabbed my luggage, "Oh no, it's ok, please let go of my luggage" I lean out to grab my belongings from him, but he turned and walked away. "You better get up and come get your stuff, otherwise you will be homeless and clothe less".

I jump up and run towards him, "Please Aiden, I apologies but I don't know who you are and I'd feel a lot more comfortable- he began to walk faster and I losing sight of my suitcase- if a complete stranger didn't walk away with my stuff!" I yell as I reach his vehicle.

I walk around to grab my bags from him but he closes the boot before I could reach them, he opens the passenger door and signal me to get in. I stand with my hands on my hips "I'm not getting in the car with a complete stranger, so please give me my belongings back" I snap in a stern yet demanding tone.

"I'm not going to give you your stuff back and I'm not going to let you stay in a dirty hotel, you're going to get into this car and I'm going to drive you somewhere where you will be safe, so you can have a warm shower and I can feed you, you look drawn".

He was right, not only did I look drawn, but I felt it. Eating the sandwich from the lady wasn't enough, my stomached made a loud rumbling noise. Aiden looked over to me "see, you need to eat". I did need to eat and fast.

After contemplating my choice to go with him or walk away without my luggage, he lifts me up and places me into the passenger seat. my hands start to shake, I'm hit with a flashback of the accident and I begin to panic. I throw my head into my hands and begin rocking back and forth, I'm trying to breath but I feel my chest tighten.

"Are you ok, your shaking"? he asks with worry in his voice, I try to respond but I could feel my body becoming weak. Aiden grabs a bag from his console and hands it too me. "Put this over your lips and breath in and out it will help". He places the bag in my hand and as our fingers touched, I felt a spark run through me.

Thirty minutes into my panic attack my body begins to relax "Can I drive now?" he asks, I look at him breathing in and out into the bag, I nod and he slowly starts to drive. he turns on some music as a distraction and I lay my head back on the head rest. "Do you want to talk about it?" "NO!" my mouth says faster than my brain could think it, "that's fine we will be there soon just lay back and focus on your breathing".

About 20 minutes later we arrive to a high-rise apartment building, he parks in his garage and helps me out of the car. He takes our belongings into what must be his apartment, as I enter my jaw involuntarily drops to the floor as I am in awe of how big it is.