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And Then He Saved Me

    ***

    The Rescue

    It would be so easy. Just a quick step into oblivion. Time it right and the subway would carry her away. It would be quick.

    Lauren stared at the track. Would her mind have time to register pain when it hit? She dropped her purse when she heard the rumble of the approaching cars. No more pain, that’s all she wanted. She looked down the gloomy tunnel. She stepped to the edge when the lead car breached the dark opening. Lauren closed her eyes.
    “Excuse me,” A gentle hand touched her bare arm. “Miss, you’re too close to the edge. You need to step back.”
    His smooth voice required her attention. Lauren opened her eyes and stared at him. Her savior wore greasy overalls and an ironed-on patch that read, “Cyril.” He was a large, burly man with muscular arms, dark Mediterranean skin, and gentle black eyes. When she didn’t move, he pulled her against him to avoid the train as it pulled up.
    The air turbulences whipped her long hair around. Lauren stood there in a daze, her mind slowly accepting that she was still alive.
    “That was too close,” he commented, letting go of her. He picked up her purse and handed it to her. Lauren automatically took it from him, but stumbled from the weight of it. He immediately grabbed onto her elbow as support. “Are you okay?”
    Lauren’s sluggish mind converted his words and she repeated. “Yeah… okay.”
    The doors opened and the large man got onto the train, holding out his hand to her. Lauren stared at him unmoving. Just before the doors closed, he jumped back off. “You’re not okay.”
    “No.”
    He gently took her arm and led Lauren out of the subway, walking her to a small diner across the street. Lauren sat down listlessly. “Cyril” ordered two coffees and a piece of pie.
    “What’s your name?” he asked after the waitress walked away.
    “Not important.”
    “Yes, it is.” With a commanding tone, he asked again, “What is your name?”
    “Lauren Bell.”
    He nodded and smiled, obviously pleased that she was responding. “Lauren Bell. That’s a beautiful name.”
    She stared at the cup and saucer the waitress put in front of her, but she didn’t make a move towards it. Without asking, Cyril put two spoonfuls of sugar in her cup and stirred in a little cream, pushing it towards her. “Nothing warms the soul like a hot cup of joe.”
    “Sure,” she said dully.
    He reached over and took her small hand in his. The man asked in a quiet tone, “Lauren, were you trying to kill yourself back there?”
    She glanced away and stared at a prissy businesswoman hassling their waitress over a dirty spoon. The waitress immediately replaced it with an apology and a smile, but the woman wasn’t satisfied. Lauren shook her head in disgust and looked down at her lap.
    “No comment,” she finally answered.
    Cyril squeezed her hand and said simply, “You matter.”
    She turned back towards him and said matter-of-factly, “Nobody would have cared.”
    “I would have.”
    Lauren rolled her eyes and returned her gaze to the self-absorbed woman in the business suit. She was arguing with the manager over the stupid spoon, humiliating the waitress over something so unimportant.
    “Leave me alone, Cyril.”
    “I am not the kind of man who sees someone in need and walks away.”
    She growled under her breath, “I don’t need anyone.”
    Cyril was silent. Lauren only heard the clinking of his spoon against the ceramic cup as he stirred his coffee with conviction.
    The waitress came to the table, placing the pie in front of Lauren with a wink. “You look like you could use some pie.” Her kindness after being shamed by the businesswoman touched Lauren’s heart in ways she could not have imagined.
    “Thanks.” The waitress nodded and gave another wink to Cyril before leaving the table.
    Lauren glanced briefly at the man across from her. Cyril looked quite a bit older than she was. He was grimy from a hard day’s work;