Second hand hearts

Chapter 3 (Chance encounter)

"Are you okay ma'am? ".

The question brought her back from her reverie and she looked up at the man in front of her with a crooked smile despite the hammering of her heart in her chest.

"Sorry.. yes i am okay. Thank you for helping me get rid of him".

"It's a duty. Where are you headed to? I can drop you off because i can not risk leaving you all alone on your own ".

"Don't worry about me,you've done enough already. I will be fine thank you". She protested with a small part of her hoping he will not take no for an answer because she was still scared from that incident. Luckily for her, he remained rooted in the spot he was standing with no intention of ever taking off.

"I am not leaving you here. Come with me,i promise you you're in safe hands. You have my word".
He was stern yet not terrifying, intimidating  but at the same time looks like one who could be trusted. She hesitated for a bit but finally the rational part of her invaded her thoughts.
"What if the bus isn't coming anytime soon,and it gets very late? What if  the attacker finds his way to her and this good samaritan was gone already ? "

The sound of him clearing his throat in an attempt to distract her disrupted her inner monologue.

"Shall we?" ,he looked at her expectantly motioning his hand to his car parked by the road side. She looked up at his eyes and something about those eyes told her that he can be trusted,and that maybe and just maybe,he was right. She's safe.

He offered to carry the shopping bag and they walked to the car in silence with only the sound of their footsteps and the being heard. It was dark already and she mentally thank God for bringing help to her,otherwise it could've been worst. The images of herself being stripped of her hijab,abducted,raped or even worse killed made her shudder as the hairs on her skin rise .

They reached to his car and he opened the passenger's door for her urging her to enter while he loaded her bag he carried in the back seat. She sat in the comfortable car seat and released a sigh of relief she didn't know she was holding. He got in the car,started the ignition and they got going.

"Destination ma'am? " , he questioned giving a quick glance at her direction.

"Err Pritchatts road". She replied.

"You go to Birmingham University?".

"Yeah i school there".

"Sounds great " ,he replied with a nod of approval.

With the end of that small talk,they became silent again as he remained focused on the road while she on the other hand has her eyes looking through the window  at how they passed the trees while their scanty leaves lazily dance when hit by the wind.

After about a twenty minutes drive,the car stopped in front of the place she calls home and she couldn't be any happier and relieved.

"Thank you very much for today" ,she said as she opened the car door planning to step out of it.

"You're welcome ma'am, and thank you too for having a little trust in me. It wasn't easy i know but you did great out there. "

His response,for some reason brought a smile to her face and some satisfaction to her mind for letting herself trust someone again even for a short period of time.

"Do you need me to walk you with the bags?".

He was holding the shopping bags in each hand and she thought of him having other commitments to deal with and instead of keeping him longer,she decided to let him go.