He hurried down the stairs in his three-piece suit, and his leather Oxford's; a size to big because they were on sale. Although no one would be able to tell the difference. He was clutching a briefcase filled with important papers. His deep-set eyes revealed countless sleepless nights, and his dark hair was neatly combed back. As he dashed through Grand Central Station, he missed a step, causing him to lunge forward and drop his briefcase a few feet away. Quickly rising, he brushed the dust from his pants while scanning the ground for his briefcase. Jessica would kill him if he lost that.
"Oh shit, shit, shittt," Harvey muttered to himself. The train had left without him, and he sighed deeply, feeling a wave of frustration and despair. He just stood there, watching the train get smaller and smaller before fading into the distance. He closed his eyes, letting the events take over him. He was screwed.
With a list of possibilities roaming in his head, he contemplated what to do with himself. He was content on maybe spending the night in the somewhat warmth of the station. He would risk getting his suit dirty but he didn't really have the money to go elsewhere. He got as far as sitting on the ground, his back against the wall. He was squishing around, trying to get comfortable on the cold, dirty and hard ground. Until the intercom went off.
Due to Port Authority Security Regulations, the station is now closing and will reopen at 5:30am.
Harvey groaned, mostly to himself but loud enough that a few of the passerby's glanced at him. He swallowed, trying to hide his panic from those around him. His mind continued to race with possible solutions, he could rent a car, but it was late, and he didn't have enough money. He could catch a bus, but the next one wasn't until morning. He needed to find a way back home, not just for his own sake, but to make things right with Zoe.
He found his way outside the station, the city lights snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up, captivated by the illuminated night casting a mesmerizing glow on the busy streets around Grand Central Station. The energy of a Friday night was palpable. "This night is going just great," he thought sarcastically
He wandered aimlessly, the weight of his responsibilities pressed down on him. He could feel the pressure mounting with every step. The thought of Zoe's disappointed face haunted him, driving him to find a solution. He pulled out his phone, hoping to find a nearby place to rest where he could regroup and plan his next move. The screen flashed a dead battery logo before going all black.
He was stranded without a wallet, without a phone and without a way back home. He felt defeated.
As he walked by he caught sight of a woman standing by the entrance. She had striking red hair and a confident demeanor, exuding an air of poised elegance. Her presence commanded attention, and her eyes, sharp yet kind, seemed to hold a thousand untold stories. She wore a tailored, deep green dress that accentuated her graceful figure, and her movements were fluid, almost as if she were gliding rather than walking. Her smile, though subtle, had a warmth that could light up even the darkest corners of the city. The woman noticed Harvey's tense demeanor and walked over, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Rough night?" the woman asked with a soft smile, her voice carrying that unmistakable blend of confidence and empathy.
Harvey sighed. His hands sliding across his face as he spoke, "You could say that." He let out a sign, "I missed my train, and now I'm stuck here with no way to get home." He let out a soft chuckle, "and to make it worse, my phones dead and I don't think I have my wallet."
She nodded, her eyes reflecting genuine concern. Without another word, she stepped to the curb and raised her hand, hailing a taxi for him. The taxi pulled up almost immediately.
Before she could address the taxi driver, she looked up at him, taking in his appearance. "where are you headed?"
He looked at her, his face and body oozing out stress and panic, "um, New Haven." His thoughts somewhere else.
She gave him a silent nod before leaning in and asking the driver, "He doesn't have his wallet, Would it be alright if he pays you when he gets home? I can vouch for him, he'll pay."
The driver, a middle-aged man with a weary expression, shook his head firmly. "Sorry, I can't do that," he replied, his voice tinged with regret. "Company policy. Payment upfront only." He began to slowly inch forward, until he was gone.
She had offered to pay up front on his behalf, but he had refused, stating that he didn't need her pity. He could figure this out on his own. He didn't need protecting. The fact that she offered to help him, had hit a nerve somewhere deep within him.
Harvey's shoulders slumped further, the weight of his predicament pressing down on him. The city lights flickered around them, casting long shadows on the pavement, mirroring the growing sense of despair in his heart. He had to get back before it was too late.
He had left her, thanking her for offering to help. But he was desperate and clearly on a time crunch. Walking led him down a dark alley, he saw three men. They were laughing hysterically, probably from all the drinking they had been doing. Harvey could sense the trouble he was walking towards. But he didn't know where else to go. He avoided eye contact and continued walking.
The men snickered as Harvey passed them. They all stopped talking, and he made the mistake of looking up. He saw them pointing at him. He heard muffled voices before they started throwing beer bottles. The second of which hit the floor by his feet. The glass had bounced off the floor, and a piece of glass struck his left cheek. He felt a burning sensation on his cheek, indicating that something was wrong, and slowly brought his hand up to check. His hand turned a bright red color as he pulled it away from his cheek.
The pain was sharp, and he could feel the blood trickling down his face. Panic started to set in, but he forced himself to keep moving. He quickened his pace, hoping to get out of the alley before things got worse. The men's laughter echoed behind him, growing fainter as he put more distance between them. Harvey knew he needed to find help soon; the cut on his cheek was deep, and the blood loss was making him dizzy. Desperation fueled his steps as he searched for a safe place to tend to his wound and figure out his next move.
The men had long since disappeared from sight, and he was searching for something to wipe the blood off him, the stinging growing more and more.
He heard the clicking of heels as someone was attempting to catch up with him. It was the same woman from before.
"Hey, are you okay?" she called out before making her way to him. She reached into her purse, pulling out a handkerchief, and began slowly dabbing the cut on his cheek. He winced at first, attempting to pull away.
"Stop moving," she whispered, placing her hand on the other side of his face, both bringing him closer to her and preventing him from moving. He didn't know if it was the loss of blood or the comfort of her physical touch, but he felt his body relax under her care, feeling an unexpected warmth of love and tenderness.
They stayed like that for a while, he wasn't sure how long for it felt like a few minutes. A rush of anticipation surged through him, his heart pounding in his chest. They stood in silence before she spoke again, "So, what do you want to do? Do you wanna get a hotel room?"
Harvey's eyes lit up, was she suggesting getting a hotel room together? He smiled briefly, forgetting about his deal with Zoe.
It wasn't long that she noticed her mistake and corrected herself by saying, "Oh! stop that. Seriously, the hotel isn't for us. It's for you, incase you don't have friends in the city."
Harvey didn't know how transparent he was with his expressions but he smirked, a hint of his usual bravado returning. "You sure about that? I don't exactly have money for a room."
She raised an eyebrow, her expression unwavering. "I've handled worse situations. Consider it a loan, and you can pay me back later."She gave him a playful wink.
Harvey let out a soft chuckle, "I don't even know you, and yet you're asking me to trust you."
They both didn't speak for several seconds before Harvey quipped back with, "You know, your confidence is almost as impressive as your beauty."
The redhead replied without a beat, "Flattery will get you nowhere, my friend." She patted his back lightly, a gesturing letting him know that his attempt was noted.
Harvey smiled at her, letting out a soft laugh, "Maybe not, but it's worth a shot."