Page 100 of When Love Is Unexpected

"I'm running away from my boyfriend." His eyes grow wide. Okay, I press on. "I only have what I'm wearing and need some clothes."

"Well," he says, "Everything is probably closed right now. Things open around ten in the morning."

"I know," I say, “but I don't have time in the morning. My flight leaves at 7:20 a.m.”

"I see," he says, "So how can I help you?"

"Do you happen to know anyone in my size who might be willing to part with some of their clothes? I have cash!"

"Let me see," he says, picking up the phone, "Petra," he begins, and the rest of the conversation is in Spanish, so I'm lost.

"Petra is my sister," he says when he hangs up the phone. "She's not as tall as you, but I think her clothes might fit you. She will bring you an outfit and some sandals. She wears a size nine and a half in shoes. Will that work?"

"Yes!" I say, "Thank you, thank you."

I wait in the lobby, and fifteen minutes later, I see a teenage girl walk through the door. She's carrying a plastic bag, and after talking to Pablo for a couple of minutes, she heads in my direction.

"Hi, Miss?" she says, "I'm Petra."

"Hi, Petra," I say, and then I burst into tears. I can't help it. My predicament is so pathetically sad that it's laughable, except that the only emotion I feel right now is true sadness.

"I'm sorry, Miss. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," I say, "I just can't believe this is happening to me."

"Do you need a hug?" she asks, walking over to sit beside me. She puts her arm around my shoulder and lets me cry. I cry into my hands, feeling anger, sadness, and embarrassment.

When I'm done, she smiles and hands me the large bag. "There's a new bra and underwear still in the package," she says. "Also, some toothpaste, a new toothbrush, shorts, and an almost new T-shirt. I hope everything fits. The sandals are in a separate bag down at the bottom."

When I open my purse to give her some money, she turns it down. "Please," I say, "take it."

"Miss," she says, "You needed help, and I'm able to help you. I'm not helping if I get paid for it. I want to help."

"Thank you," I say, "Thank you so much. Can I at least pay for the gas it took to come here?"

"No," she says, "I was coming anyway to pick up Pablo. His shift is over at midnight."

I look at my phone and see that it's midnight, and I have seventeen missed calls and seventeen voicemails.

"Thank you," I say, squeezing Petra's hand. "God will bless you abundantly for your generosity. Thank you."

I go to my room and shower before slipping under the covers, allowing exhaustion to overtake my disappointment, pain, and anger.

***

When I get up four hours later, I have a new resolve to put all this behind me. I shower and change into the clothes Petra gifted me—God bless her and her brother. Everything fits, including the sandals. The clothes I was wearing, including the dress and shoes, go in the trash.

I go downstairs, check out, and wait for my Uber to take me to the airport. I'll be there at five, which gives me plenty of time to drink some coffee and call my sisters. Mom and Dad? I'm not ready to talk to Dad about Sam. That's not going to be an easy conversation.

"Hi Katherine," I say.

"What happened?"

"I wish I could tell you," I say, "I honestly don't know. One minute, I was happy, enjoying what I thought was the beginning of a romantic relationship with who I thought was my best friend. The next minute, he's kissing his ex-girlfriend, and he's been lying to me about her identity since we got here."

"He called late last night," she says. "After you talked to Adam."

"I don't want to know," I say. "Honestly, I don't want to know."

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