But when he looked at the woman, his eyes burned with fury. Glaring at her, he grabbed her collar and roared, "You said you had just a leg surgery? Show me the proof! I think you just don't want to give up your seat for a pregnant woman! You 're quite old ... is it because you've never been a mother, you're jealous of someone carrying a child in her belly, huh? I don't understand how you can be so heartless!"
Passengers nearby rushed to intervene.
“Auntie, you look like you've done hard labor all your life. Surely, you can stand for a while. The young lady is delicate and she's pregnant—just give her your seats!”
“Yeah, life's tough for everyone out here. Don't be so petty!”
Suddenly, I recalled seeing this woman stumble slightly when she was exiting the station in my past life. Then I realized that maybe she was telling the truth.
When I suddenly remembered the way the little girl next to me offered her seat to my mother when I took her to see the doctor at the hospital last year, my heart softened.
This time, I had not asked Larry to give up his seat, so surely I could give up my seat, right?
When I thought that, I took off my headphones and waved to the woman. "Miss, come here. Sit over here."
She waved her hands repeatedly in refusal, but I pulled her down to sit on my seat.
“Sit down. I'm tired from sitting too long anyway. You rest. I'll tell you when I get tired.”
The woman looked at me, then the tears she'd been holding on for so long finally fell. She wiped her egg-covered hands on her clothes, then took my hands.
“Young lady, I don't have any money. I know I can't repay this kindness with money, but rest assured—when we get off the train and I see my husband, he'll thank you properly.”
I smiled politely in response and turned around to the space between the train cars.
Part of the reason was that I feared she would feel uneasy sitting while I stood there. The other was that I refused to see Daisy's deadpan expression any longer.
Since I was the one who gave up the seat, I thought, even though Daisy was a bit of a jerk, this time, nothing could possibly go wrong.
But just two stops later, another loud commotion erupted in the train car again.
Before I could figure out what was happening, Larry found me at the connecting passageway, grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to the seats.