When word got out that I was back, Nathaniel started showing up at the house almost every day.
I had no choice. On the second day of the new year, I told my mother I was leaving. Once I left home, I got back on the bus heading into the city. I had barely sat down when I heard shouting from the station.
Nathaniel had spotted me. He hadn’t even bought a ticket and just tried to rush inside. The security guard caught him and blocked the way. “Let me through! I need to find someone!”
The guard didn’t budge. “Sir, buy a ticket first. Once you’ve got one, you can go in.”
Grinding his teeth, he had no choice but to go back and get a ticket.
Thankfully, the bus I was on was already full. By the time he came back, the bus was just about to pull out.
He threw himself in front of it, waving his ticket frantically. “Stop! I need to get on this bus!”
“Sorry, sir, this one’s full. You’ll need to wait for the next.”
Of course, he wouldn’t give up that easily. He clung to the bus door like a madman. “No! My wife’s on this bus. I have to be on it, too!”
The driver glanced inside, clearly uncomfortable, and asked, “Which one of you is this man’s wife? Maybe you could both wait for the next bus?”
Nobody answered.
Finally, I said calmly, “Mister, since no one’s stepping forward, just go ahead. I’ve got things I need to take care of.”
Standing outside, Nathaniel must have heard me. He started pounding on the door. “Bella, it’s me! It’s Nathaniel! Come down and talk to me!
“I have so much I need to say to you!”
But inside the bus, it stayed silent.
This time, it wasn’t just me urging the driver, other passengers started yelling for him to drive, too.
Soon enough, the guard dragged Nathaniel back, and all he could do was watch as the bus pulled away.
