"This is a safe place. Talk to me."
The man sitting comfortably across the car's console quipped without looking at the person he was having the conversation with.
Lucy was taken aback but not really surprised. There's a calm washing over her as they sat in a confined space.
She took a few deep breaths, trying to rationalize revealing everything to the guy, just because he asked. She's trying to make up reasons because at the moment she really wanted to let it all out. Lucy let out a final exhalation together with all the reservations stopping her from doing so.
She started telling Owen about what Nana told her about the thugs he encountered at the snack shop and then continued to when she was getting home yesterday to pick up stuff to prepare for the operation. How the men were there, what she heard, what she wished she didn't hear.
Her voice is steady enough to make a clear picture of the events. But, she pauses frequently, either to gather her thoughts or to keep her nerves from spilling too much.
She told him more details than what she was planning to tell the police.
How scared she was. How helpless she felt. The things she wished she remembered but didn't. Her worries about the future, about Nana, about herself.
Except for offering a box of tissues for Lucy, Owen was silent and unmoved during the whole ordeal. But maybe that was what Lucy needed. She was able to pour her thoughts and emotions uninterrupted.
She needs to get the gloom out of her system so she can make more sense of the information she has and it was exactly what she got from Owen.
When Owen sensed that the person in the passenger's seat had expressed her thoughts and sentiments to the last drop, he let out a heavy sigh. It was a sigh of relief for Owen because his thoughts on the events of last night were more sinister than what actually transpired.
It was deep and loud enough for Lucy to get distracted from her own torment.
"Are you okay?"
"I should be the one asking you that." Owen's expression was the softest she saw of the man. It was bare and honest. Lucy felt humbled having someone like Owen worry like this for her.
"Do you want me to go with you to the police station? My training not until late in the afternoon." He lied.
Lucy thought hard and long before she answered. Her heart felt bigger and a little more braver knowing he was willing to accompany her. But, she ultimately decided it was too much to ask.
"You don't have to worry. I'm alright." She smiled trying to be as convincing as possible before turning to look at the person in the driver's seat.
And she saw it.
Owen's face sank at the rejection. Her heart sunk as well. It was brief and the man was able to calibrate it back to the expression she was more used to. She felt the need to retract but it was too late. She thought of the next possible solution.
"But, can you take me to the police station?"
Owen simply nodded. But that was enough to placate both their minds.
"Put your seatbelt on."
Lucy's mind is swirling throughout the ride. Owen's pained face and its effect on her. And why was she even affected? Affected enough for her to shamelessly ask for a ride and fully expected him to accept.
They exchanged brief conversations about the road direction, which partially freed Lucy's mind from wandering into more complicated thoughts.
The car pulled over the station house and she readied herself to get down. She reached for her seatbelt and released it in a single swoop.
"I can escort you inside."
"I'm good. The entrance is right there." Lucy nodded toward the direction of the building but her eyes caught a familiar figure and all the blood on her face rescinded. She looked again to be sure.
She was sure. That was one of the thugs she encountered the night before.
"That person, that's him." She pointed at the man and Owen followed the imaginary trace of her fingers landing on a man he was also familiar with. It was the baldie who harassed Nana at the snack shop.
Owen, veins pulsing on his jaw, grabbed the door handle, ready to go down. Lucy grabbed his arm in both hands and ducked her head. "Wait!"
"What?" Owen's voice is more irritated than questioning.
"What if they are in cahoots with the police."
Owen was confident he can handle it even if that was the case but Lucy's shaking hand, cold skin, and pale face made him close the car door instead.
"Let's go for now, please." Lucy still grabbing his arm, squeezing tighter.
Owen took out his phone with one hand and took photographs of the bald man and the police officers he was talking with before doing as requested.
The ride was dead silent.
They've been going around for a while now. Lucy is the one who breaks the silence.
"I'm sorry, Owen. I'm sorry for getting you involved in this."
"I'm not involved." What Owen really wanted to say was that she didn't have to worry.
"Right. You can drop me off here." Lucy doesn't have enough headspace to react or make sense of what she was told.
"Here? Do you even know where we are?"
Lucy looked around and was embarrassed when she realized she didn't have an idea where they were. Her mind was in a mess all through the ride.
If the harassers were in connivance with the police, how the hell are they supposed to ask the authorities for help? Her nose and eyes start to water up again imagining the disappointed look on Nana's face when she hears they can no longer come back to their home. There is no way she'll let her near their old neighborhood unless this is settled and by the looks of it, settling this is impossible.
Owen felt the long silence and was the one to speak first this time. "I will take you to my building."
"Building?" Does he mean the gym's building? Is it his?
Lucy is seeking more elaboration on the statement while keeping her feelings at bay to make sense of the present.
"My building. It's near the hospital. My home." Owen gave scarce explanation but it increased the questions in Lucy's mind even more. Why his home?
"Why your home?"
"Well, do you wanna go to yours?" Lucy paused. "Of course you don't." Owen continued. chastising. "You are in no condition to work. And you can't go back to the hospital either, Grandma will be worried just looking at your face like that."
Lucy wanted to protest but the lack of immediate argument and energy to retort left her speechless. She did not respond and simply accepted the suggestion if you can call it that.
What could go wrong that already hasn't? She feels safe with Owen, anyway.