Felicia grabbed the woman by the collar. Her eyes filled with anger, then she shouted, “So you say you had surgery on your leg? Where’s the evidence? I think you just don’t want to give up your seat for a patient! You’re already so old, I just don’t understand, how can you be so heartless?”
The passengers nearby stepped in to intervene.
“Ma’am, you look like you’ve been doing hard labor all your life. We can stand a little longer. The young man just had surgery and is weak, so let’s give him the seat!”
“Yeah, life’s tough for everyone out here, so don’t be petty to the small stuff.”
I suddenly remembered the woman I’d caught a glimpse of when I left the station in my previous life. I realized her words might be the truth.
Then I remembered last year, when I took my mom to the hospital and that young girl who’d offered her seat to my mom. My heart softened instantly.
This time around, I hadn’t asked Felicia to give up her seat, so surely I could offer mine? With that thought, I took off my headphones and waved at the woman.
“You can come sit here.”
She waved her hands in refusal, but I pulled her down onto my seat. “Sit down. I’m used to sitting anyway, it’s tiring. You should rest well. I’ll tell you when I’m tired of standing.”
The woman looked at me and the tears she’d held back for so long finally fell. She wiped her egg-stained hands on her clothes, then took my hand.
“Young man, I don’t have any money. I know I can’t repay this kindness with money. But don’t worry, when we get off the train and I see my husband, he’ll thank you properly.”
I offered a smile in return, then turned and walked toward the connecting passage between carriages. For one thing, I was worried the woman might feel uneasy sitting while I stood here. On the other hand, I simply couldn’t bear to look at Edward’s face any longer.
I had given up my own seat. I thought that even if Edward was capable of causing trouble, at least this time he wouldn’t cause any more problems.
But just two stops later, a loud noise came from the train compartment again. Before I could figure out what was happening, Felicia found me at the connecting section, grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to the seats.
“Dominic, this is your seat. You decide now, should you give it to Edward or that disgusting old woman?”
I glanced at Edward in the seat. He was clutching his stomach, wailing in pain.