Nayeli stepped off the bus and pulled up abruptly, causing the man on the stairs behind her to cuss. She quickly stepped to the side, her eyes remaining fixed on the frail figure hunched over on the bench in front of her.

The woman peered up at her, with hands tightly clenching a shawl around her shoulders.

Nayeli went rigid. This woman shouldn’t be here. This woman had not been there for her when she was forced to grow up in her home. She had not protected her. Nayeli felt the air against her back as the bus shuddered into gear and pulled away.

As the noise from the bus faded, she saw more than heard the woman speak her name. “Nayeli.”

Nayeli stiffly turned to walk away, but froze. Which way should she go? She didn’t want to lead her to where she lived. She didn’t need the woman coming into her home. It would feel tainted. She felt a light touch on her elbow and turned abruptly, yanking her arm away.

The woman clutched her shawl even tighter, her knuckles turning white. “Nayeli, I need your help.”

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