Damaged and Afraid

Chapter 2

Sanjana looked at the man suspiciously.  She wanted to get away from him as quickly as possible. 

“I’m sure.” Sanjana answered his question and hurriedly walked away. 

            “You look worried.  Do you need some help?” the man asked, easily following her stride. 

            Sanjana hesitated.  Was he trustworthy? 

            “I…lost my aunt.” Sanjana admitted. 

            “Yeah, Time Square always gets crowded.  Why don’t you give her a call? Do you know her number?” The stranger pulled out his cell phone, offering it to Sanjana. 

            “No.” Sanjana said. 

            “Do you want me to call you a cab so you can go back home and try to contact her?” the man suggested. 

            Sanjana had no money with her, and she wasn’t sure what her aunt’s address was. 

            “No.  I don’t know her address.” Sanjana said. 

            “Damn, this is a problem.” The stranger said, worriedly. 

            Sanjana looked up at the man who was trying to help her. He had tan skin and was scruffy in a way that didn’t look unkempt.  He was extraordinarily tall and towered over Sanjana.  His hair was jet black and a bit wavy.  He wore jeans and a black button down shirt.  He seemed laid back.  Sanjana noticed that he had kind eyes.  She looked down at her simple purple salwar kameez and wondered what the stranger thought of her.  She hoped that he didn’t think she was some uneducated village girl who didn’t even think to memorize her aunt’s phone number or address.  Even though everything but the uneducated part was true. 

            “What’s her name? Your aunt?” the man asked her. 

            “Meenakshi Bua.” Sanjana said. 

            The stranger smiled at her. 

            “Meenakshi Bua, ok.” He said softly. “Wait a minute. Are you Meenakshi Mathur’s niece?”

            Sanjana looked at him, surprised.  Mathur was her last name, and her aunt’s maiden name. 

            “Do you know her?” Sanjana said, hopeful but confused at the same time.  How could this man possibly know her aunt?

            “She’s an old friend of my father’s. I might have her number, I think. If not, I can give my dad a call.” The stranger explained. He pulled out his phone and began searching through his contacts. 

            “Meenakshi Aunty? Hi, it’s Rohit, Sudhir’s son.”  The stranger, whose name was Rohit, said into his phone. 

            He paused waiting for a reply. 

            “Yes! That one.  I’m in Time Square right now with some friends, and I think I may have bumped into your niece.” Rohit said. 

            Rohit eyed Sanjana as he listed to her aunt respond. 

            “We’re in front of the Westin.” Rohit told her. 

            He hung up the phone after a moment and turned to Sanjana. 

            “She’ll be right over.  She’d just two blocks away.” Rohit told her.