The Black Sparrow

LP: Chapter 6

Lucian was surprised when the woman spoke Tagalog. He knew she had some heritage, but he hadn’t thought of that.

“You should have listened to Alberto. Now he’s going to come after you.” She placed the ice pack on her face to reduce the swelling. The nurse had given it to her earlier.

Lucian frowned. “Are you related to him?”

“He’s my boyfriend.”

Nothing is simple with domestic violence, and he didn’t want any woman to be hurt. Yet he isn’t like the people of those civilizations who accept it as the norm. There was no way he could take it.

Lucian stood up when someone rushed into the lobby. Their eyes were searching, and he didn’t know whether to feel relieved or scared when he saw her. Concern was etched on Georgina’s face, but her eyes narrowed when she looked at the woman with him.

“Elena,” she said as she approached.

Lucian’s brows furrowed. Does Georgina know the woman he saved?

***

He felt a wave of confusion wash over him as he watched Georgina approach, her expression a mix of concern and surprise. The moment her eyes landed on Elena, the tension in the air shifted. He could see the recognition in Georgina’s gaze, and it set off alarm bells in his mind.

“Elena?” Georgina repeated, her voice laced with disbelief. “What are you doing here?”

Elena’s eyes darted between Lucian and Georgina, her demeanor shifting from fear to something more guarded. “I—uh, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she stammered, avoiding Georgina’s penetrating stare.

Lucian stepped forward, still holding the ice pack that the nurse had given Elena. “She was being attacked by those men. I intervened,” he explained, keeping his voice steady. “She needs medical attention.”

Georgina’s expression softened as she took in the bruises on Elena’s face, the swelling already starting to form around her eye. “Are you okay?” she asked, her tone shifting to one of concern.

Elena nodded, though her eyes betrayed her fear. “I’ll be fine. Just a few bruises. I didn’t want to cause any trouble.”

Lucian felt a surge of protectiveness as he turned to Georgina, lowering his voice.

“You know her?” Lucian asked Georgina.

The bruised parts of Elena's face were turning purple.

“I met her at the clinic earlier. Why are you with her?” Georgina’s eyebrows knitted together, and she looked displeased. Any woman would be in a bad mood if they found their man with another woman. It’s in a woman’s nature to be suspicious.

“He helped me,” Elena interjected when she heard Georgina's question. She looked embarrassed about what happened and that Lucian got involved in the mess.

“I can see that,” Georgina replied formally, clearly not pleased.

Georgina nodded slowly, still eyeing Elena warily. “When we met at the clinic earlier. I didn’t know she was in trouble."

Elena shifted uncomfortably, clearly feeling the weight of their scrutiny. “I didn’t mean to drag you into this,” she said to Lucian, her voice barely above a whisper. “I can handle it. I just… I didn’t want to get hurt.”

Lucian frowned, his instincts kicking in. “You shouldn’t have to handle it alone. No one should.” He glanced at Georgina, who looked torn between empathy for Elena and concern for Lucian’s involvement.

“Elena, are you safe with him?” Georgina asked, her protective instincts flaring. “Is he going to come after you again?”

Elena shook her head, her voice trembling. “I don’t know. Alberto can be unpredictable. He doesn’t like it when I stand up for myself.”

Lucian’s jaw tightened. “This isn’t right. You shouldn’t have to live in fear of someone who claims to care about you.”

Georgina stepped closer to Elena, her expression softening. “You deserve to be safe. Have you thought about reporting him?”

Elena looked down, shame etched across her features. “I’ve tried, but he always finds a way to manipulate me. I didn’t want to believe he could hurt me.”

Lucian felt a surge of frustration. “You shouldn’t have to justify your situation to anyone. It’s not your fault.”

Georgina placed a comforting hand on Elena’s shoulder. “We can help you. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

Elena looked between the two of them, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You’re not a burden,” Lucian said firmly. “You’re a survivor. And you deserve to be treated with respect.”

As they spoke, the nurse reappeared, clipboard in hand. “Elena? We’re ready for you now,” she said, glancing at Lucian and Georgina with a knowing look. “Let’s get you checked out.”

Elena took a deep breath, steeling herself. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. She turned to Lucian. “I appreciate what you did.”

Lucian nodded, his resolve firm. “Just take care of yourself. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

As Elena walked away with the nurse, Lucian turned to Georgina, searching her eyes for understanding. “I didn’t want to get involved, but I couldn’t just stand by.”

“I know,” Georgina replied, her voice softening. “You did the right thing. But we need to be careful. This situation is complicated.”

“I’ll handle it,” Lucian said, determination in his tone. “But I want to make sure she’s safe. I can’t just drop her here and leave.”

Georgina sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I get it. But we have to be cautious. We don’t know what Alberto might do if he finds out she’s seeking help.”

Lucian nodded, his mind racing. “Then we need to figure out a plan. We can’t let her go back to that life.”

As they waited in the hospital lobby, Lucian’s phone buzzed again, and he glanced at the screen. Another unknown number. He ignored it once more, focusing instead on Georgina.

“Let’s make sure she has the support she needs,” he said, determination in his voice. “We can help her together.”

Georgina smiled, a flicker of pride in her eyes. “You’re right. We’ll figure this out.”

As they sat together, the weight of the world on their shoulders, Lucian couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. They were stepping into a complicated situation, and he knew that their lives were about to change in ways they couldn’t yet foresee. But with Georgina by his side, he felt ready to face whatever came next.

***

Georgina had a bad feeling about the woman this morning, and here it was—her instincts were right. What she didn’t expect was that Lucian would get caught up in the trouble. When the nurse called for Elena, she stood up to follow the woman. They were left alone in the lobby. Georgina sighed and looked at Lucian.

“Are you sure you're okay?"

“I only got a few punches here and there. I will live.” Lucian tried to smile in an attempt to calm his woman. “I was just trying to help her. Don’t be mad.”

Georgina rubbed her face in frustration. “What if you got seriously hurt?” Lucian couldn’t answer. “You’re a good man, I know that. But sometimes, you’re too good. They might come after you. Were there many?”

“There were only a few and—”

Their conversation was cut short when the police arrived to question Lucian about what happened. He told them everything he knew. Georgina didn’t leave his side and supported him the best way she could. Now that they were at the hospital, she was already planning how to identify Lucian’s attackers. She might have to keep an eye on him outside of work too. She would just bring her laptop and stay at the coffee shop while watching over him.

Once the police left after many questions, they looked for Elena’s nurse.

“Are you a family member?” the nurse asked.

“No. I was the one who helped her this afternoon and brought her here.”

“I see. Unfortunately, we have a privacy act to follow, and we can’t release information if you’re not a family member.” The nurse looked apologetic, but she understood. She was just doing her job and following a policy. And what she said about the privacy act was true. PHIPA, or Personal Health Information Protection Act, is a set of rules regarding your personal health information.

“I understand. I only asked because we’re going home. I already gave my statement to the police.”

The nurse nodded. “She will be fine here.”